Omega's Return

Daphne’s POV

“There's a spot there, scrub!” The voice of the head servant echoed in my ears. I sighed, grabbing the bucket and napkin before heading to the spot.

I squatted down, pressing the napkin to the stain, and began scrubbing as she had commanded.

“What is this? What is this?” she snapped, pointing at the floor. “Is this how to clean? Start all over!”

She stormed off before I could explain that the stain had come from her own muddy shoes.

I glared at her retreating back, muttering a curse under my breath. Taking the bucket, I moved from the royal living room and started mopping again. There were mopping sticks or vacuum cleaners to make the job easier, but those weren’t for me. Easy jobs weren’t for me.

I sighed and dropped to my knees, scrubbing from the beginning. As I worked, I grumbled under my breath, hissing at intervals. At least I was stronger than I used to be.

Years ago, my father had dressed me beautifully, pinning my hair with delicate hairpins; two of which I still kept among my few belongings—and told me we were going to see the Alpha. My mother had died a few weeks prior from a rare werewolf illness, and I had clung to my father’s promise as if it were my last hope.

When he told me we were visiting the Alpha, I was ecstatic. My playmates spoke highly of him, even though none of them had ever met him. I boasted to my friends, and they had all wished they were in my place. At the time, I had wished that too.

But my excitement faded quickly.

I arrived at the royal pack house, waiting eagerly for my father to return for me. He had promised—promised he would come back that evening.

I waited.

And waited.

It has been ten years now. I was fifteen when I finally understood; my father had sold me to the Alpha to do whatever he wanted with me.

Alpha Merlin had been kind enough to let me live in his mansion, feeding and clothing me. The food wasn’t as good as what was served at the royal table, but at least I ate daily.

For a while, I accepted my fate. But then Alpha Merlin died. And his son returned.

That was when my real suffering began.

I thought I had been treated badly before, but after Alpha Merlin’s death, I learned the true depths of misery.

Kian had been away from the Ironstone Pack for years. As children, we had met a few times and had been friendly toward each other. But when he returned, he was a different man. I couldn’t understand why people changed so easily.

The worst moment was when my wolf whispered that Kian was my mate. And worse still—he recognized it too.

A mere omega. A servant. A loser. What more could the goddess do to curse me?

Instead of claiming me, Kian’s treatment of me only