The Alpha King's Forbidden Luna

Chapter 1

Elara

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand while I kept scrubbing the floor. My body was so tired that the brush felt heavier every second.

"Can you go any faster?" Valentina's sharp voice cut through the kitchen from behind me. She was the Alpha's daughter.

"Yes, miss," I answered politely and scrubbed harder.

She had spilled paint all over the floor earlier and said it was an accident. Anyone could see she did it on purpose. Now it was my job to clean up her mess.

"Stupid girl," she muttered as she turned away. Before she left, she kicked the paint can next to me just to be extra mean.

I sighed, completely worn out. The paint refused to come off no matter how long I scrubbed. It felt like I had been at it for hours.

Once I was sure she was gone, I put the brush down and leaned against the cool wall for a second. My arms ached, my legs throbbed, and my back hurt from all the bending.

"You know Valentina would choke you if she caught you resting," Selena said suddenly, making me jump.

"God, you scared me," I said, pressing a hand to my chest. My heart was racing.

Selena laughed and sat down beside me. We both needed a short break from this endless work.

She had only started working here a little while ago, but she already felt like my closest friend. Maybe it was because we were the same age, or maybe it was because we both had to put up with Valentina every day.

My parents had served the Alpha their whole lives. My father was his butler and my mother was his personal maid. Alpha Magnus never once showed them any real gratitude.

I rested my head on Selena's shoulder and asked, "Why does Valentina hate me so much? What did I ever do to her?"

"Jealousy," she said with a little smile.

I laughed. "Right. Who wouldn't be jealous of my old clothes, my amazing floor-scrubbing skills, and these fancy worn-out shoes?" I wiggled my toes at her.

Her voice suddenly got serious. That rarely happened. "Because you're prettier than her."

I went quiet for a moment. "Can we talk about something else? I'd rather you tease me than get all serious. It's less awkward."

We both started laughing again. When Selena teased me, it came from affection. When Valentina did it, it came from pure meanness.

"Scrub the floor, you silly girl," Selena said in a perfect imitation of Valentina's voice, flipping her hair the same dramatic way. That only made us laugh harder.

"Go on, get back to the garden," I said, waving her off.

She made an offended face and flipped her hair again, which got another giggle out of me. Seeing my own reflection in the soapy water on the floor somehow made the moment even better.

People had always told me I was pretty. I usually just smiled and said thank you, or said something nice back. I never really believed them deep down.

The idea that Valentina was jealous of my looks still felt ridiculous to me.

We were the same height, but that was about it. She had a fuller, more grown-up figure. Mine was smaller. Her brown hair was always straight and perfect. Mine fell in waves. Her eyes were hazel. Mine were the same green as my mother's. Her skin was pale and flawless. Mine was just fair.

Still, we both had pointed noses, full lips, and freckles that only showed up in the sun. Sometimes people said we looked like sisters. For the only daughter and future Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, being compared to a servant must have felt like the worst insult possible.

After what felt like forever scrubbing, I finally escaped to the garden. It was the only place in Bloodmoon Manor that felt peaceful.

The flowers smelled sweet and the birds were singing. Then I spotted Selena in the middle of it all, swinging a broom at a bunch of dead flowers like she was in a fight. It looked funny, but I still felt bad for her.

Valentina knew Selena was allergic to most flowers. That was exactly why she made her work in the garden every day.

Selena had begged for a different job more than once, but Valentina never changed her mind.