I groan as I go through the laundry, nearly gagging at the smell left on the sheets from a particular room, while the heat of the dryer in the brightly lit basement room intensifies the odors emanating from this particular basket I'm stuck with. Visitors from Forest Paw had just left, and their Alpha, Alpha Leo, being the biggest sleaze I have ever met, left a mess in the guest room that I had the unfortunate task to clean. He came for an alliance with our pack, and I watched as Cosmo and Beta Caspian accepted this man openly while cleaning the foyer of the pack house. Finn managed to keep me as far away from the visiting Alpha as possible after the first night when I was forced to serve dinner. I could feel his eyes on me throughout the night, knowing that if he spoke one word to the Beta, he could have his way with me - a fourteen-year-old child. It wouldn't be the first time the Beta tried to use my body for his own advantage, but thankfully, Finn has a friend in the medical wing that handed him a highly potent sleep drug. Before anything could be done, the wolf in question would be safely passed out in his room.

My hope of becoming a Beta Female again in this pack has been dashed by the many bruises that paint my skin and the scars that linger from punishments that were unnecessary, in my opinion. But at least I was not offered as a plaything to the visiting pack like some Omegas were for the last seven days.

"Someone got the raunchy sheets left by Alpha Leo," Lilly fake gags as I throw the soiled sheets into the soaking tub. I would rather incinerate them, but if Beta Caspian finds one sheet missing by the end of the day, then I would become the scapegoat, as usual.

"Honestly, I am just glad Finn kept me in the cleaning rotations and not the serving rotations," I groan out with relief, throwing the rubber gloves into the trash bin and washing my hands with scalding water and the strongest soap I could find. I feel dirty just touching anything of that nature and can feel the panic attack rising inside me.

Mumbling to Misbah that I am going to get air, I rush up the Omega staircase and burst into the garden, the cold winter wind a refreshing welcome to my lungs. I find a corner free of snow and take deep breaths, hugging my knees to my chest and doing my best to keep the tears at bay. I found this spot thanks to Finn, a place to be weak between the walls of the pack house and the evergreen shrubs that leave a sharp pine scent in the air. No one comes to this part of the garden.

After an hour passes and my panic has settled down, I make my way back down to the basement and put on another pair of rubber gloves. The sheet in the soaker tub is gone, and Lilly gives me a sympathetic glance while I go and fold the dry clothes. She is one of two people who know what happened, knows the night that officially killed my hope of being a Beta Female again.

With steadfast determination, I keep an eye on the time, working hard and sticking to the basement or the kitchen, helping with meals for the day. When Eloise comes in and explains that the Omegas can finish for the day and enjoy the rest of the night off at seven thirty, I sigh with relief, finish folding the laundry fresh from the dryer, and hand it off to a waiting Omega for him to deliver to its respective room. y dedication keeps me focused, dedicated to the tasks at hand, whether it's sorting through laundry in the basement or assisting with the preparation of meals that would sustain the pack for the day.

Being the last to leave the laundry room and to climb the stairs closest to the pack kitchen, I take a deep breath at the top of the stairs and confirm that no one else is around. Many are most likely in the dining hall, the smell of freshly baked bread, stew, and cupcakes lingering in the air. I see the goods sitting on the stove and counters, my stomach grumbling with hunger pains at the thought of being able to fill my stomach.

Since Beta Caspian and his wife took over, Omegas are nothing more than tools deserving only enough food to live and nothing else. No extra food, no treats, and no drinks other than water. I've spent countless nights trying to fill my stomach with water in hopes of calming down the hunger pains since my first week as an Omega. Tears fell from my eyes as I cried from the cramps caused by an empty stomach when Beta Caspian took away my food privileges for some reason or another. I've spent days trying to make it until Finn would sneak me into something small enough to eat, just to make it through another day. I learned quickly how to steal in order to keep on living and held onto the hope of finding my own mate one day.

With a deep breath, I scan the area for any lingering scent of pack members. Most seem to be in the dining hall, so my scent will be gone by the time dinner is over. With a grin, I quickly grab the tote bag stashed earlier in the day from the small broom closet beside the basement stairs and fill it with the bread and other easy-to-store goods from the pantry, along with a thermos of still-hot soup. I leave the cupcakes with a reluctant gaze, knowing that there is only enough made for those dining in the hall, and quickly run up the stairs towards my room in the attic with my stolen goods.

Seven years have passed since I was demoted to an Omega, and in those seven years, this small room with bare wooden walls, a day bed, and a dresser slowly became home. A lock on the handle was newly added two years ago, as well as a deadbolt that I lock each and every night since that incident three years ago – a safety measure Finn put in place for me in case a visiting wolf needed a "bribe" from Beta Caspian. Placing my stolen goods on the desk beside my laptop, I sigh and take a seat at the worn wooden furniture.

The damp cold only associated with an attic seeps into my body, causing goosebumps to form and shivers down my spine. Flicking my laptop open and waiting for it to power on, I reach into the bag of goodies and pull out the stew. With school still ever-present in my daily life at thirteen, I have no choice but to comply and do the homework needed for the following Monday. Between bites of food and multiple assignments later, my tired eyes glance at the time and sigh.

It's already midnight, and I am finally done. I find myself caught in a whirlwind of activity. Between savoring quick bites of sustenance and tackling a series of demanding assignments, my focus remains unwavering, determined to conquer each task that stands before me. The minutes seem to merge into one another, a steady rhythm of nourishment and labor punctuated by the ticking of the clock on the wall.

With a sigh that carries the weight of both exhaustion and satisfaction, I allow my shoulders to relax. The silence that envelops the room is a soothing balm, a respite from the constant hum of activity that had filled the hours. The clock's hands continue their journey forward, but now they seem to mark a different cadence—a rhythm of rest rather than labor.

With a groan and a final sip of the stew, I stash the remaining food I stole into an airtight container hidden in the walls and climb into the small bed for some much-needed sleep.

I groan with every step leading to my room, wincing in pain. Life is unbearable! That thought floats through my head as I slip out of my worn-out clothes and into some plain, comfortable black sweats and a long-sleeved black shirt. With Finn still helping me now and then, protecting me from Beta Caspian and Miss Piper as best as he can, he's the only other ray of hope as my eighteenth birthday draws closer. The thought of meeting my mate, breaking free from Deep Water, and never seeing this pack again after graduation is the only thing that makes me smile as I lock the door to my room and open the window. It's midnight, and the moon shines down at me while the wind brings a much-needed breath of fresh air. The leaves of the large sugar maple tree next to my window rustle in the breeze, bringing the delectable scent of maple inside.

The tree is a luxury that Finn managed to convince the Betas to let me keep when they realized the room I was put in almost eleven years ago was so terrifying that I'd never try to sneak out and run away. But I've learned how to use the tree to my advantage. I remembered the first night I spent in the attic, the tapping on the glass and shadows cast by the sugar maple tree scaring me so badly I was unable to sleep. Curled up under the duvet cover, shaking like a leaf in the wind, until morning when I mustered enough courage to peer outside and see the tree standing tall and proud with bright red leaves. Finn promptly taught me how to sneak out using the window and the tree, and Beta Caspian and Lady Piper were none the wiser to their son teaching their disowned daughter how to climb in and out of the attic with the help of a seemingly useless tree. With practice every night, almost getting caught by patrols, by age nine, I had mastered sneaking out unnoticed.

With sure footing after sneaking out the window, I shimmy down the tree with deft movements and land silently on the grass-covered earth. Blending into the shadows, I look around and listen for a moment, making sure no one is near or awake and watching the pack grounds, before sprinting towards the safety and covering the forest provides. At the pack house, I may only have a few friends, but outside, deep in the hidden valley, I have Genesis and the Unicorns to keep me company.

With a wide grin hidden behind the mask I wear, I make my way towards the river, keeping my footsteps light and body hidden in the shadows. The calming scent of water and the sounds of the waterfall draw nearer, and I pick up speed, letting the glow of the moon guide me. My eighteenth birthday is drawing close, and the thought of being free from this place again brings a sort of giddiness inside my battered heart as I pass through the hidden entrance and into the tunnel. The magic in the air breathes life into me with each step until I enter the meadow, the scene glowing with moonlight and the wind bringing a sweet scent that washes over me.

"You're late," the musical voice of the Elf reaches me just in time for me to dodge to the right, reflexes having me backflip away to a comfortable distance. Genesis chuckles, her eyes holding mischief while the Elf and I stare at each other.

"Sorry about that, but I am still here for training, like always, Liz," I answer, rushing forward and throwing a handful of loose soil into her face. This gives me an opening, and I jump over the ancient one and quickly unsheathe the sword strapped to Genesis's back. Spinning around just in time to block the blow sent my way, the blades meeting with a clang, the two of us waiting for an opening. My body is already sore from the punishment I received earlier this day, and it's a struggle to keep my positions with the blades locked against each other, sweat building on my forehead.

With a deep breath, I drop to the ground, bringing my right leg around and sweeping out the Elf's legs from under her, then quickly dodging to the left while Genesis lets out a surprised gasp behind me. But I am too slow, and as I spin around, ready for the next attack, I barely dodge the blade wielded by my mentor but not the bunch thrown to my left side. I gasp, my body flying backward as the punch activates the pain from the large purple bruise made by Caspian himself.

"What took you so long to get here?" Genesis questions, her slow steps walking towards me. Too focused on the pain, I ignored her question and curled my body in on itself, trying to breathe through the pain and pleading for it to settle down.

"Mads?" The footsteps stop, and the sound of a dull thud hitting the ground alerts me to the sword fight I am supposed to continue with Genesis, but my body refuses to move. Even when I really wanted to keep practicing and fighting. I did not want to be weak anymore, and Genesis promised to make me stronger.

"Madison, they beat you again, didn't they?" Genesis's voice was filled with concern. By "they," she meant the pack and the Beta couple. Today, I was lucky that Finn was on patrol when this happened; otherwise, he would have been forced to watch and participate in handing out the punishment. Neither of us could refuse an order, and a public beating, where every wolf but an Omega could partake, was a fan favorite among the pack.

Warm hands cupped my cheeks as I looked into the concerned eyes of my friend, her brows furrowed above me while I forced myself to take slow, steady, deep breaths. The pain was still fresh, and my body ached from the beating I endured. "I spilt water while in a rush to serve dinner. They beat me in the middle of the dining room as punishment, then made me drag myself out to the foyer while everyone else ate and chatted away like nothing happened," I started, my voice shaky as I recalled the torment.