Her Second Chance Mate

Aria's POV

I celebrated my eighteenth birthday in the laundry room, washing all the laundry of the pack house till my hands bled.

The pain and blood didn't bother me. I was happy, even. I'd always imagined my eighteenth birthday. The year I will get to be mated. I had dreamed about it ever since I was a little girl.

Being an orphan in Crescent Moon Pack means I'm all alone in this world. And that automatically made me an omega. The lowest of the lows in the pack.

I rushed out of bed, which was in fact just a torn and very thin blanket thrown on the floor. Even other maids didn't have such poor sleeping conditions. But who was I to complain? It's an honor to be a maid in the pack rather than a rogue.

I made my way over to the servant's bathroom. After a quick cold shower, I got dressed and headed to the laundry room for my duties for the day.

Even though it was barely 4 a.m., the pack house was already lively. I guess that's to be expected, as the blood moon festival is just tomorrow.

I felt a flutter of excitement in my belly. The blood moon festival, I had sneaked out to attend it years in the past. I would watch all these young wolves get their mates and feel the joy and celebration in the air. And I would get depressed because I couldn't partake in that joy.

But this year is different. I'm eighteen. I'm of age now. And I can barely contain my excitement.

I bumped into someone, too lost in my imagination to focus on where I was going. I raised my head to see who I had bumped into. He was so tall, I had to crane my neck up.

His amber eyes regarded me like I was a bug he could squash with his boot. A look of pure disgust was on his handsome face. Oh my goodness!

My heart ceased to beat in my chest. "A--alpha Kane!" I squeaked, shock plastered all over my face. The next thing I felt was my face being knocked to the side and the loud sound of a slap ringing out through the air.

"Don't your eyes work?!" He barked in anger. "You damned mutt. How dare you touch me with that filthy body of yours?!"

My ears rang from the force of his slap. I touched my cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"Get the f*ck out of my sight!"

I bowed and hurried off. Today of all days, I had to bump into him first thing in the morning!

My cheek felt red and swollen. It hurt so bad. But it was Kane. I could manage it. I turned and glanced at his back as he walked away. My heart ached in my chest.

For the longest time, I've had a crush on Kane. Long before, he became the alpha of the pack, taking over after his father died. I know my crush will lead nowhere. I know I'm just an omega, and he's the alpha. But it doesn't hurt to dream.

I walked back to the laundry room. The head of the servants, Emman, took one look at me and shook her head.

"You get slapped first thing in the morning. You must really hate your life," she said with disdain on her face. "You're lucky he just slapped you and didn't order you whipped."

Of course, she had to see that. I tried not to let it get to me. "I'm sorry," I said softly.

"You're working three times as much today." She said, pointing to a huge pile of laundry I had to do. "Congratulations for annoying the alpha."

My heart sank into my boots. It's always like this. Each time I so much as see Kane, my life gets worse. I get punished. I get whipped. I get given more and more work. I know he hates me. With a burning passion, hotter than my check burned right now.

By why? I didn't do anything wrong to him.

Tears gathered in my eyes. "Okay." I replied calmly.