Chapter 3

　　His words were like daggers, each one piercing deeper than the last. But I didn't flinch. I couldn't. Showing weakness would only make it worse. So, I stood there, silent, as the laughter of the group surrounded me, mocking, cruel, and relentless.

　　Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lukas shrugged and stepped back. "Come on, guys. Let's go. We've got better things to do than waste our time with someone who's never going to matter."

　　And just like that, they were gone, their laughter fading as they walked away, leaving me standing alone on the path, water dripping from my clothes and shame burning in my chest. I watched them go, a mix of anger and sorrow churning inside me, but still, I didn't cry. Not here. Not where they could see.

　　Instead, I took a deep breath, wiped the remaining water from my face, and continued walking. There was nothing I could do about them. Nothing I could say or prove that would change their minds. So I had to focus on what I could control… myself, my actions, my determination to keep moving forward, even when it felt like the whole world was against me.

　　After the encounter with Lukas and his gang, I made my way back to the village, my clothes still damp, but my resolve hardening with each step. There was no time to dwell on their cruel words or the sting of their laughter.

　　The day was just beginning, and as much as I wanted to hide away, I had responsibilities to attend to… chores that, more often than not, made me feel more like a servant than a member of the pack.

　　For as long as I could remember, I had been the one tasked with the most menial jobs around the village. It started as soon as I was old enough to carry a bucket or sweep a floor.

　　The other kids had been given real responsibilities… training, hunting, learning the skills that would one day make them valuable members of the pack. But me? I was given tasks that no one else wanted to do.

　　It was one of the many unspoken rules of the pack: those who didn't contribute weren't worth protecting. And without a wolf, I was already at a disadvantage. So, I worked hard, every day, to prove that I could still be of use, even if it meant doing the jobs that no one else wanted.

　　I reached the communal kitchen, where breakfast was already being prepared for the rest of the pack. The scent of cooking meat filled the air, making my stomach growl, but I knew better than to help myself before the others had eaten.

　　Instead, I went to the side door, where a large pile of dirty dishes awaited me. No one was around to see, but I could imagine the looks I would get if I hesitated… disgust, pity, or worse, indifference.

　　With a sigh, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, scrubbing each plate and pot with practiced efficiency. The task was monotonous, but at least it allowed my mind to wander.

　　As I worked, I tried not to think about Lukas and his friends, or about the fact that while they were out

　　When the dishes were finally clean, I moved on to the next task.. sweeping the floors, cleaning the windows, hauling sacks of flour from the storage shed to the kitchen.

　　Each job was physically demanding, but I pushed through the fatigue, determined to finish before the midday meal.

　　The other pack members passed by occasionally, some of them nodding in acknowledgment, others ignoring me entirely.

　　They were used to seeing me like this, dirty and tired, doing the work that no one else wanted to do. To them, I was just a fixture in the background, someone who existed to make their lives easier.

　　By the time the sun was high in the sky, I had finished my chores in the kitchen and moved on to the next part of my daily routine: cleaning the training grounds.

　　The area was deserted now that the warriors had gone off to patrol, leaving behind a mess of discarded weapons, sweat-soaked towels, and the remnants of their morning workout.

　　I gathered up the equipment, my muscles aching from the constant strain, and carried it all to the storage shed. As I worked, I couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness.

　　While the others trained to become warriors, learning how to fight and protect the pack, I was stuck cleaning up after them, as if I was nothing more than a glorified servant.

　　But what choice did I have? Without a wolf, I had no place among the warriors. Without a mate, I had no status in the pack. And as an orphan, I had no one to defend me, no one to speak up on my behalf. All I could do was work hard and hope that someday, somehow, things would change.

　　By the time I was finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the training grounds. I wiped the sweat from my brow and took a moment to rest, leaning against the wall of the storage shed.

　　My entire body ached, my hands were raw from scrubbing and hauling, but the day wasn't over yet. There were still more chores to be done, more ways to prove that I was worth something, even if it felt like I was the only one who believed it.

　　As I stood there, catching my breath, I heard footsteps approaching. I straightened up, expecting another warrior coming to mock me or give me another task, but instead, I saw Ava, the pack's healer, walking toward me with a basket in her hands.

　　Ava was older, with silver hair and kind eyes that had seen more than I could imagine. She was one of the few who didn't treat me like an outcast, but even her kindness had its limits.

　　"Emily," she called out, her voice gentle but firm. "I need your help with something."