Chapter 2

Elise POV

“You’re late,” my stepmother Agatha snapped as I stepped inside, shivering slightly from the cold air.

“I was delayed,” I said quietly, head bowed down low, “Alpha Tristan had something to discuss. Some work he wanted me to do at the packhouse.”

Lies, but I could hardly speak the truth. Agatha wouldn't care anyway. She would just use it against me.

She flattened her lips, eyeing me suspiciously but I kept my expression inscrutable, giving nothing away.

I'd become good at that.

“Get dinner on already. Your sister is hungry, and so am I. Make something quick and, and” she stared me down, “don’t even think about eating anything while you’re in that kitchen.”

I knew the rules. I was not permitted to eat until they were finished, and only their leftovers. I didn’t deserve to have my own meal. It was Agatha’s way of forcing me to diet, but so far it had no results. No matter what, my body refused to change. It peeved Agatha no end because she was obsessed with appearances, and I was nothing but a disappointment to her.

Then again, she'd hated me from the very beginning when my father brought her home with Seraphine and now that he was dead, she didn't have to hide it anymore.

Dinner was quick. I set the table and stood back as Seraphine and Agatha slid into their chairs. Both of them were the typical blond-haired, blue-eyed, pale skinned barbie dolls like the rest of the women in the pack. I was the black sheep. The girl who looked more like her father, who had died during a rogue attack. My mother had died giving birth to me and Agatha had gotten her claws into my father one year before he passed. He left everything to her, and I was forced to become a maid in my own house or risk being banished and made a rogue. I had no other family to rely on. No way to strike out on my own.

I could not even work because Agatha was afraid I would escape if I managed to save some money. She wanted me to be entirely dependent on her because she didn't want to lose her 'maid.'

“This is too fattening,” Seraphine scowled as she dropped her plate onto the table. “unlike you, Elise, I give a damn about what I look like. I’m not eating this,” she sniffed, standing up as Agatha sighed, “I’m going out with friends.”

She flounced out of the room with her nose in the air, and I felt the tension in the room and Agatha's piercing eyes on me.

Agatha stood up slowly, and I recoiled instinctively. She grabbed me by the hair and pulled me to the table, slamming it down hard. I saw stars. My head was already pained from the hit I had taken from Alpha Tristan earlier, and now I had one hell of a headache as Agatha pinned me there.

I didn't bother to struggle. Without a wolf, I was a lot weaker than Agatha, and she knew it.

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep Seraphine happy,” she demanded icily, “how many reminders do I need to give you. You like making trouble, don’t you Elise,” she breathed as I tried to deny it, “but you should remember your place. Your nothing but a pathetic omega who relies on us to keep her fed and give her a roof over her head. I could banish you,” she threatened into my ear, “and nobody in this pack would even blink twice about it. Nobody likes you, Elise. You’re like a disgusting pest I want to beat with my shoe. The only reason I keep you around is that you take care of everything that Seraphine and I don’t want to do. It's that simple so why must you be so difficult?" she hissed.

It won’t happen again,” I whimpered, “I swear, Agatha, I was just…”

I don't know why I bothered. She never listened.

“Clean up this mess,” she snapped, letting go and glaring down at me.

I didn't dare disobey, fearful of the punishment she would enforce if I did.

I slowly straightened up, my head throbbing painfully. Agatha saw the food on the plates, and her eyes gleamed. Before I could move, she grabbed them and then headed into the kitchen, scraping the food into the bin as I felt my heart sink.

I hadn't eaten in two days, and I was starving.

“After this debacle, you’re not eating. You don’t deserve to. Clean up this mess and then go to bed. I don’t want to see you for the rest of the night. Oh, and Elise,” she stopped as I slowly turned around, my body trembling with exhaustion, “you’re expected to go and help clean up the pack house tomorrow. I’ve already volunteered you. An important guest is coming, and Alpha Tristan wants to make a good impression.”

Great. First, I hadn't gotten my wofl, and then I had been rejected by the very man Agatha was insisting I help. I felt like Agatha was throwing me into the lion’s den. The last person I wanted to see was the very man who had rejected me only hours before.

I wanted to scream.

But I had no choice. I could not refuse without arousing suspicion. So I did the only thing I always did. The one safe thing. I did what I always did and submitted.

“Of course. I’ll be there bright and early,” I promised, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

“You'd better. Mess this up, and Alpha Tristan will no doubt blame me for your stupidity. I want your normal chores covered as well.”

That meant I would be up until late tomorrow night getting everything done. Neither Seraphine nor Agatha did any housework, leaving it entirely to me. I felt exhausted just thinking about it.

She walked out without a backwards glance, and I felt as though my body was about to keel over. I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter and waited until my body could regain itself.

I dreaded tomorrow. If I made it through the day without harm, it would be a miracle and miracles didn't happen when it came to me.