ARIA—
I was six when they left me here—no name, no note, no goodbye. Just a girl with no place in the world.
"Get out of my way," Beatrice, the head maid, said to me harshly as she shoved me out of her path.
I had always been treated like trash and looked down upon. My name is Aria. I was abandoned by my parents when I was 6 years old, and I still wonder why they did that to me. I was told I was a nuisance, which was why I was abandoned. I remember having two brothers, but I can`t recall their faces.
They said I was abandoned in front of the pack, and ever since then, people have treated me terribly. I was not meant to be an omega working int h kitchen, but the Alpha and his daughter Selene, alongside some other members of the pack forced me to work there.
I have been bullied by people which has caused me to develop anxiety attacks over the years and I have become socially withdrawn. I only speak to Mrs. Clara.
"Clean that plate for the Alpha, Aria" Selene, the Alpha`s daughter, ordered me.
I simply nodded, grateful that my wolf, Helana, was always there to back me up.
Yes, Selena and her friends would beat me up for no reason, and no body seemed to care. I hoped that this would all come to an end someday.
I handed Selene the washed plate and she snatched it from My hand.
"You imbecile," she said, and with a hateful stare she walked out the kitchen.
I was relieved that the day was finally over. I turned off the kitchen lights and descended the basement stairs. I was not allowed to sleep in the Omega`s quarters; Selene had assigned me to the basement. I used to sleep in the Omega quarters but one day I returned to find all my belongings packed in the unkept basement.
I opened the worn-out door and entered the place that had been my room for the past three years. It had become my home.
" Everything will be alright, Aria," Helena reassured me through mind link.
"Why do you keep saying that, Helana? I have been here since I was six, and the situation keeps getting worse," I said tearfully remembering what I have been through.
"Look behind you, there`s a rat," Helana said, trying to lighten the mood.
"I`m not afraid of them anymore ,"I replied, and she laughed.
I remembered when I first came to the basement. I could not sleep for days because there were rats everywhere. I had to lay the only loth I had on the floor to get some rest, as I had to get up by five in the morning to help in the kitchen.
"Good night,Helana," I mid-linked her.
"Good night," she said, and them she was gone.
I woke up from my worn-out bed and reluctantly entered the dilapidated bathroom. Taking a shower, I put on one of the dresses that Mrs. Clara had given me. She was a kind lady who often provided me with dresses, and today was one of my rare days off. Mrs.Clara had made sure of that, as she believed that all Omegas deserved a day of rest and I needed one too.
I used to be happy when I was granted a day off. I would spend the day at Mrs. Clara`s cottage, where she would tend to my wounds from the beatings I received from Mia and her minions. I closed my door and climbed up the stairs to start my day.
As usual, the kitchen was empty when I entered. I did not mind, as I began gathering ingredients to prepare breakfast. Cooking was my passion, and I was grateful for the opportunity to do what I loved. I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I did not notice that Roxanne and Michelle had walked in.
My gaze lifted towards them and then away, as I never spoke to anyone at this place.
"Hurry up, you dumb girl. Breakfast needs to be served," Beatrice barked at me.
I quickly left the kitchen to serve breakfast to everyone who was already seated. I despised the Gamma`s son, who often stared at me with a malicious intent. He had attempted to rape me when I was just sixteen, but thankfully, Selena had come to my rescue. I was truly grateful for that.
I could not help but notice his leering gaze which filled me with fear. Since that traumatic incident, I had developed a fear of being near men. I hastily placed the breakfast on the table and hurriedly left the room without turning to look back.
In a few days I would be turning eighteen and I still had not met my mate. Part of me felt relieved as I doubted my ability to overcome my fear and be close to a man intimately.
For lunch and dinner, the family would be dining out, and Beatrice informed us that we could rest. I was thrilled at the thought of leaving, but just as I was about to walk out Beatrice called my name.
"Aria," she said with a stern look. "Come and wash these vegetables before you leave. Make sure you wash
them thoroughly."
I reluctantly returned to the kitchen to carry out the assigned task.
"I will be in my room. Finish before you leave." Beatrice said and left.
Once I was done washing the vegetables and storing them I the fridge, I knew I was free to go. I walked out of the door and headed towards Mrs. Clara`s cottage, which was jus a five-minute walk from the Alpha`s house. I knocked on the door and she greeted me with a warm smile, inviting me in.
"Hello Aria. What brings you for a visit?" she asked, opening the door wide for me to enter.
"They gave us a day off because the alpha and his people won`t be dining at home" I explained to her as I entered the comfy room.
"Ohh yes, the alpha king will be arriving in three days for the annual moon goddess ball, so they are making sure everything is in order," she said.
"You did`nt know, Aria?" she asked out of surprise.
"No," I murmured.
"Well, now you do," she said in excitement. I`ve actually made you a dress. Come on, let`s try it," she beamed with smiles.
"Really?" I asked, knowing the answer.
"Yes, let`s go to my workshop," she said, leading me to her sewing room.
"Here, try it on," she said, handing me a beautifully sewn gold dress, adorned with glitter.
"No Mrs. Clara this is the same dress other girls wear, I cannot be seen wearing this," I said while handing the dress back to her because I was scared.
"Yes but n the day of the ball, no one can tell you not to wear it," she said with a smile.
"Which ball?" I muttered.
"Ohh, I see those jealous rascals left you in the dark," she said, angrily twitching her lower lip.
"You see, the king of werewolves has chosen to come back to his pack for the annual moon goddess ball held every yea, and he says that everyone must attend this ball," she explained to me.
"Really?" I asked her and she nodded in confirmation.
"That means I can go," I said and she nodded again.
" That's why I sewed this dress for you," she said and the mention of the dress made me stare at it in awe, it was too beautiful.
I had never attended any balls in the Shadowcrest pack, so I was thrilled, I would finally get to experience what a ball feels like.
"When is the ball, Mrs. Clara," I sked her as I threw another look at the beautiful dress.
"Two days from now," she replied me.
"Would you like to do my make-up" I asked her even though the word scratched my tongue….make-up.
"Yes dear, I would love to but first go try on the dress so we can know If it fits properly," that was her cheeky answer.
I went behind the curtain, stripped out of my dress and put on the gold dress. The cleavage part was deep and my cleavage was revealed. I didn`t feel entirely comfortable with it, but I was grateful for the opportunity to look beautiful. I never realized I was curvy, the dress revealed my curves too.
" You look dazzling," Mrs. Clara complimented me as I walked out from behind the curtains.
"Thank you," I responded shyly as I could clearly see her examining my hips with her eyes.
"I`ll keep your dress here, you can come get it on the day of the ball.
"okay," I said before proceeding to her living room.