Alpha Leon

_Anya's POV_

I do not remember my parents. I do not remember where I was born or who carried me in her arms when I was a baby. The only story I know about myself is the story the Alpha told many years ago. He said that some guards on patrol had found me near the southern border of the Silvercrest pack. I was wrapped in a thin blanket and left near the trees. I was crying, cold and hungry.

No one in the pack had claimed me. No one had come forward saying they had lost a child. The elders had guessed that I was the daughter of rogues. That word had followed me since I was a baby; rogue, stray and unwanted.

The Alpha had looked at me and said that I was only an innocent child. I had done nothing wrong. Then he had asked if any family would take me in.

The Beta had stepped forward. Everyone had praised him for it. Everyone said that he had a good heart. Maybe he did. Or maybe he only liked looking noble in front of the whole pack because after he brought me home, the kindness ended.

His wife never wanted me. I knew that from the way she looked at me, as if I were dirt dragged into her clean house. Their daughter, Talia, was the center of their world. She had warm food, soft blankets, new dresses and gentle words. I got whatever she no longer wanted. Her old shoes. Her faded dresses. Her broken hair clips. The scraps left at the bottom of serving bowls.

As I grew older, the difference between us only became worse. Talia was their daughter and I was the orphan they had rescued.

I woke up early every morning to clean the house, wash clothes, cook and do all the work. Talia would wake up late, eat the food I cooked and then complain that it did not taste good. If anything went wrong in the house, it was always my fault.

Today was a very important day. Today was Talia's engagement ceremony with Leon, the Alpha's son.

Leon.

Even thinking about his name made my heart beat faster. I had liked Leon since I was a child. Back then, he had smiled at me once when I tripped in the training yard and dropped a basket of herbs. He had helped me pick them up. Just that. Just one small act of kindness. But when your life was filled with cold words, even a small kindness could feel like sunlight. I had kept that moment inside my heart for years.

But I was stupid because Leon was far above me. Someone like him would never look at a girl like me. I knew that very well. He would only marry someone strong and important. A girl like Talia, who had Beta blood.

Leon and Talia were the same age and they had been dating for a long time. Their parents had already approved their relationship, so today was their official engagement ceremony.

I stood behind Talia and helped her wear her engagement dress. The dress was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was a long silver dress that shone like the moonlight. The fabric was soft and flowed like water when she moved. There were small crystals on the top part of the dress that sparkled like stars. The dress fit her perfectly and made her look like a princess.

"Be careful, Anya!" Talia snapped. "If you ruin my dress, I will never forgive you."

"I am sorry. I will be careful," I said softly.

I was trying to close the buttons at the back of her dress when one button suddenly came loose and fell.

"Talia, one button came off," I said quietly. "I will stitch it back quickly."

"Then hurry up!" she said angrily. "Leon will already be there. I cannot keep him waiting. Do you want to ruin my engagement?"

"You won't be late," I said softly. "I'm almost done."

The dress fabric was smooth beneath my fingers. I worked quickly. My hands were used to hard work, to long days of sweeping floors, washing clothes, carrying heavy baskets and scrubbing until my fingers went raw. But today they felt clumsy and I knew it was because I had barely slept.

My hands were shaking as I tried to stitch the button back. I was nervous and I did not want to make any mistake. Suddenly, Talia screamed.

"Ouch! You stupid girl! You poked me with the needle!"

I was shocked. "I am sorry, but I did not..."

"Are you calling me a liar?" she shouted.

Our father, the Beta, walked into the room. "What is going on here?"

"Father, Anya poked me with the needle on purpose," Talia said, her eyes filling with fake tears. "She is jealous of me so she wants to ruin my big day."

"That is not true," I said quickly. "I would never do that."

He looked me up and down as if he could already see the guilt in me. He never needed proof when it came to me. Talia's word was enough. "Enough. I do not want to hear any excuses. You will be punished."

My heart dropped. "Punished?"

"You will not attend the engagement ceremony," he said. "You will help the servants. You will set the tables, carry the supplies and clean after the ceremony. That is your punishment."

My eyes filled with tears. For a moment, I could not breathe. I had been looking forward to the ceremony for weeks. Not because I had any right to dream about Leon. Not because I thought I belonged there. But because there would be food from faraway packs and dishes I had never tasted; sweet berry pastries, roasted meats covered in herbs, honey cakes and fruit wine. All the things I only heard about when the cooks spoke in the kitchen.

"Father... I... I just wanted to watch the ceremony. I will stand quietly in a corner. I will not cause any trouble," I said softly.

"I said my decision is final!" he shouted. "I do not want to hear another word."

I lowered my head. "Yes, Father."

Talia looked at me and smiled slightly but there was no kindness in her smile.

"Fix my makeup," she said coldly. "And do it properly this time."

I carefully applied her makeup but no matter what I did, she was not satisfied.

"Why are my eyebrows uneven?" she complained.

"They are not uneven," I said quietly.

"They are! You are doing this on purpose!" she shouted.

Her mother came and adjusted the makeup a little. "There, it is fine now," her mother said.

Talia looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She looked so beautiful.

I looked at her reflection and then looked at my own reflection behind her. I was wearing old clothes that were faded and worn out. My hair was tied in a simple braid. I looked like a servant standing behind a princess.

I lowered my eyes and thought, I will never be able to wear a dress like that in my life. Talia is so lucky.