Sacrificed love

CHAPTER ONE

I

was the wolf-shifter Cinderella.

No joke.

Reason number one: tonight was the Wolf Moon Mixer, a once-a-year event where the three most prominent packs of Europe brought together their most promising unmated wolves.

Our alpha was hosting it this year, but I wouldn’t be there. As an outcast, I was lower than an omega—so far down on the pack hierarchy that I didn’t even qualify to serve the drinks.

But I sure as hell was good enough to clean the visitors lodge.

I took the mop out of the bucket, emptied its contents down the toilet and flushed. After putting the cleaning things back in their cupboard, I wiped my brow on the sleeve of my overalls and admired my work.

The guest bathroom was pristine—marble surfaces, gold taps, and a jacuzzi large enough to accommodate eight. Sunlight streamed in through the frosted window, making everything sparkle.

Best of all, I got the work done without a Disney song or a crew of helpful birds or mice.

Raucous male laughter echoed from the other side of the door, reminding me of the second reason why I was the shifter Cinderella. Cinderella had two ugly sisters, and I had the Mondo twins.

I pushed open the door and stepped into the guest suite’s living area, which I’d spent the morning cleaning to a shine. Eagon and Umber lounged on the sofas, watching a documentary on Scandinavian shamans.

“What are you doing?” I clapped my hands together, trying to get their attention. “We’ve got a whole list of chores to finish before noon.”

Eagon turned his head to the side to shoot me a glare and continued watching the TV with his twin.

My jaw clenched. He was supposed to be the more responsible of the pair, yet the two of them together were bad influences on each other.

I reached into my overalls pocket and pulled out a pair of boxers one of them had tossed into the bathroom while I’d been cleaning. Sunlight streamed through the pale fabric, illuminating a crusty white stain.

“Which of you two slobs left your underwear for me to find?”

Eagon turned to Umber, who snickered before pointing the remote at the TV and turning up the volume. A closeup appeared on the screen of a man with blond locks cutting open a bird’s belly to read its entrails.

My gaze followed the length of its power cable, which disappeared behind a low cabinet. “Of all the times you two decide to slack off, why now, when the alpha wants to make the best impression?”