One

None of them shall live!" The girl whose eyes were the most terrifying I had ever seen yelled angrily as she commanded her cohorts to rummage through the hut. "KILL THE BLACKBLOODS!"

I made no sound up in the tree at the edge of the branch on which I sat, my palms tightly pressed against my lips to suppress any involuntary cries. It took all I had not to fall off the branch as my body quivered uncontrollably.

"No- no. Not him, please" I heard her yell, my mother. I saw her struggle within the grip of two people, twice her size—my vision blurred by tears and the smoke from the burning branches they carried. It wasn't easy to get a full picture of all that was happening from up here, and my body had given up any will to move—just incessant tears.

Poor Harding.

I didn't hear Harding, just my mother's scream and cry for help while I sat uselessly atop a tree hoping my body worked the way it was supposed to. It, however, didn't.

One snap—two snaps. That was all it took to suppress her tear-filled screams. Then in an instant, a plume of blazing flame ignited and spread rapidly, blanketing the whole of the hut, with my mother and sibling in it.

I was coated with fear, remorse...regret, if I hadn't left angrily. If I hadn't disrespected her. If I hadn't...

These tears won't fall.

Mother had always told me to live, that was what the strong ones did—they pushed on regardless. "Live for us," Altalune." I heard her voice in my head as I clutched tightly the twigs.

"Live for us, Altalune"

"Altalune!"

"Alta!"

#

"Alta! It's daybreak already." Her thin voice cried out with a hint of annoyance as she shook me. I gasped as my eyes fluttered open, waiting for my brain to catch up with my vision. I calmed and leaned back against the mattress, it had thinned terribly over time.

I had just relived the most dreadful day of my life again, basking in the memories of a happening that felt as though I walked on broken shards of glass. The pain was overwhelming but it was nothing compared to the guilt I felt for having left them that night, both mother and Harding. The nightmare never left.

Being able to defy sleep was an ability I so badly needed. I didn't understand why even the shortest shut-eye took me back there — that menacing condition of breathlessness while I hung trapped between a wall of cryptic emotions and the fear of impending doom. It's been ten years since it happened, but I remembered it like it was yesterday.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands and sat up, an aching sensation skittered down my back like it always did every morning. The mattress was no different from sleeping on the hard floor since the material was barely any different from paper.

I flashed Tala a sheepish smile to cover up for oversleeping. I had completely forgotten about our duties for today. No, I didn't forget per se, I just couldn't care less.

"It's daybreak already? Time goes by so fast," a yawn collected the last of my statement. I let my fingers reach my unfurled toes as I stretched, it was going to be another hectic day of maids' work.

"Does it though? Or do you just turn dead when your back touches a flat surface?" Tala teased, pulling me up with all the strength her fragile arms could gather. I winced and succumbed to her pull, getting my body off the ground and rolling up the mattress I slept on.

I giggled and placed the rolled-up mattress by the wall. The room was small and contained very little, just two sacks of clothes, a wooden table, and a chair that looked as though it'd crumble if anyone ever sat on it. I rummaged through one of the sacks and picked out a long, covering dress, it was all I ever wore to reduce the chances of getting discovered and ending up as a lifeless figure hanging on a tree by the pack's entrance.

Tala groaned, kicking the air. "I wonder when this duty ever ends!"

Never. I wanted to say, but that wouldn't be what she wanted to hear. "Maybe if we worked hard enough, we could earn our freedom?" I was basically questioning her. Deep down I knew the biased hierarchy never reshuffles.

"Fine, let's just go! Just so you know? I hate this pack so much!"

Tala was my younger sister. Even though we weren't related by blood, she was family. Her mother had taken me in two days after the death of my family while I wandered in the woods that led to another pack. Her kindness was something I never expected from a Pureblood, despite knowing what I was and the implications of taking me in, she still did. I couldn't ever stop being grateful to her even though she died a few years ago, leaving Tala and me as the last of her family.

Their family was a lowly family of wolves fated to serve the Alpha family from lineage to lineage, hence the duties we have to perform. Tala's mother never allowed us to assist her in serving the prestigious families, but after her death, we had no choice but to resume her duties in order to sustain our worthiness in the pack

For four years of my life, I had served alongside Tala the noble families of Riverside pack, gently and carefully, just so I live long enough to have my revenge. I wanted so little, yet so much, the blonde who had cruelly slain my family and everyone else related to that person.

"Please, Alta, don't glare at Erika this time or we might really end up washing the Alpha's underwear," Tala said while I styled my raven hair into a rather unfortunate ponytail with a smirk on my face.

Sometimes I didn't even remember who the eldest was between us.

We trekked far distance and in thirty minutes we arrived at the Alpha's manor. It was the biggest in the pack, as expected with large silver gates that had the crest of Riverside pack sculpted on it. The guards recognized us and swung the gates open.

Barely a few steps away from the entrance, Erika's harsh voice calling our names danced into my ears. It had no effect on me but it was the opposite for Tala. I felt her tense up next to me.

"Bold of you to walk in so stress-free after being an hour late to resume your chores!" Her voice rang as she walked towards us, her arms resting on her hips and an expression so displeased, it looked like my entire life. "Your mother must be so disappointed in you two!"

I didn't get the point of working for the Alpha when he already has people like Erika around as officials who get paid for the duties, but not us! It was a selfish rule.

I groaned, rolling my eyes as I turned to her. "It's fine, Erika. We'd do the chores all the same. Save your displeasure for tomorrow since I plan to be late again."

Tala nudged me, while Erika gasped as though I made mention of something I never should have. I loved to see those arrogant eyes widen with shock. Her being the head of maids gave her no right to address us in that manner.

"What did I expect from lowlifes like you?" Erika shrugged, adjusting the collar of her uniform, "The whole town already knows you two for being useless!" She spat disgustedly.

Tala pulled my arm indicating that we go into the manor but I wasn't done with Erika yet. She was an absolute brute in a dress and pretty earrings.

"I don't think it's in your place to say that though, don't you think? At the end of the day, we all clean the Alpha's ass." Her eyes bulged again. "What? Are you going to tell him I said we clean his ass? Go on, let's see where that gets you."

Tala snickered, then placed her hand over her mouth immediately. I was holding back laughter too. Erika scowled, the space between her brows thinning as they drew together. She instantly looked like something to scare the kids away.

Before she could make up a response, we were interrupted by a guard who relayed the Alpha's request for our presence. In the guard's words, it was urgent, and for some reason, I had a cloud of nervousness roll down my stomach. Nothing good came from being requested by the Alpha.

I held Tala's hand to calm her as we both walked into the manor to meet him. I felt a knot in my stomach and bile rose in my throat, the size increasing with every step I took. I squeezed Tala's hand to reassure her that this would go well. She looked at me and nodded slightly.

The chamber had an eerie vibe lurking in the air, the warm orange glow from the candelabras did very little in brightening up the room. The Alpha was seated on his throne that looked rather elysian for the trash he had for personality— or even better, looks. Alpha Kai didn't need a disguise to be mistaken for a creature that crawled out of a crevice.

He raised his head slightly at the sight of us, pulling away from his mistress who seemed as though she planned on going senile while caressing his chest. We didn't dare to look him in the eye.

The excuse of a woman sitting next to him shot deathful glares as we neared, the lump in my throat grew twice its size but for some reason, I wanted to slap her across the face. Purebloods are the worst kinda to ever exist, except Tala.

"Feel comfortable, kids." He said from his high seat. His voice reverberated through the walls of the room but didn't ease the tension in any way. If anything, it made the atmosphere even more displeasing.

"Good day, Alpha." We said in unison, with a slight bow from Tala, not me—my hate for him made my head a little too heavy to bend.

I noticed a slight change in his demeanor, he seemed to notice my refusal to bow before him. Good.

"I'd be brief." He said, sitting up. I gulped. "After the death of your mother, I couldn't quite find a use for you in this pack, but there are a few others lacking services you might be of help in offering."

Uh? What was this old fart rambling about now?

I turned to Tala, reading the horror off her face. I bet she noticed mine too. Her hand had gotten sweatier over time but I refused to let go.

"W-what do you mean, Alpha Kai?" I quizzed without caution.

"I've decided that you two are better off at the neighboring pack. They need more people, unlike us here— overpopulated."

"Huh?"

He left no room for arguments. With a stern expression, he said, "Get packing. Tomorrow, you move to SilverBow."