Emma's POV
The next day in school, my bag had once again been thrown into the sink in the first-floor hall. The splash of water soaking through the fabric was the least of my worries.
Mackenzie, as usual, had spread another rumor about me. I didn't need confirmation, the sneers and whispers from the other students as I walked by were enough.
"Whore!" someone spat from across the hall.
Another voice chimed in, "Just like her mother!"
I clenched my fists but kept my head down. It was always the same ugly words, meant to break me. They even dragged my mom into it, calling her all kinds of things I didn't want to repeat. My mother was dead, and they still couldn't leave her alone.
The thing is, I knew my mom wasn't like that. Whatever they said, whatever happened in the past, I knew deep down my mother had been a good person.
I didn't have proof, just that gut feeling that kept me from believing the rumors.
I sighed and hurried down the stairs to where my bag was.
As I reached out to grab it, I caught sight of Logan walking toward me. I froze, my heart doing a nervous little flutter it had no right doing. He made me anxious in ways I couldn't explain, even though I knew he'd never actually help me.
And today was no different. He didn't even glance in my direction, just walked right past me, his shoulders relaxed, hands tucked casually in his pockets. I shouldn't have expected anything more. Just because he'd given me a ride once didn't mean he cared.
Logan usually watched it unfold with that mocking smile of his, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, as if I was some kind of sideshow for his amusement. Sometimes, he'd throw out a snide comment or two.
But today? Today, he didn't even bother. He walked straight past me like I wasn't even there.
---
The next day, the whole pack was filled with excitement. It was Logan's coming of age ceremony and birthday party, and the entire pack had been preparing for it for weeks.
I was woken up before dawn by the Beta's butler, who looked as serious as ever. "Nothing should go wrong at the party " he instructed in a serious tone. "If someone dares to mess up, Luna will be furious, and we will all pay the price."
I spent the entire morning scrubbing every inch of the banquet hall. The maids left most of the hard work to me, of course. By the time I was done, my back ached, and my arms were sore.
I tried not to think about how they looked down on me, or how Mackenzie's cruel words from the day before still lingered in my mind.
Soon, it was five pm. Guests began flooding into the ballroom.
I overheard some of the maids gossiping nearby.
"Do you think Mackenzie will be the next Luna?" one asked.
"I hope not," another muttered. "She's awful."
I couldn't help but agree. Mackenzie acted like she already owned the place, barking orders and expecting everyone to worship her.
Beautiful daughters of Alphas from different packs were also invited tonight. They arrived in stunning gowns, each one hoping to catch Logan's eye.
I tried to keep my head down, reminding myself that tonight, I was just a maid. I didn't belong here, not really. The Beta had made sure to remind me of that when he handed me the simple dress I was wearing. It was a modest, cheap thing that still felt like a gift compared to my usual rags.
"You're lucky I even got you that, Emma. Don't think highly of yourself" he'd said with a sneer. "Tonight…You'll be working at the party. That's the only position you're fit for."
My hair had been done up neatly, and for the first time in years, I didn't feel entirely invisible. But that feeling quickly faded as the night went on. I blended into the background, just another shadow in the grand, glittering ballroom.
That was until Logan walked in.
The instant he appeared, the atmosphere seemed to change. The girls practically gasped in unison, eyes wide as they flocked to him like he was some sort of magnet.
Logan had that effect on people. He was handsome, sure, but it was more than that. He carried himself like he knew exactly who he was, like the world owed him something, and everyone else was just waiting for their chance to be close to him.
One of the girls, dressed in a gown that probably cost more than I'd make in a year, rushed past me in her excitement to reach him. But just as she brushed by, disaster struck.
Her heel snapped.
She wobbled, grabbing onto me for support, and in the process, the tray of drinks I was carrying tilted dangerously.
Before I could stop it, the glasses went crashing to the floor, the liquid splashing across her expensive dress.
There was a beat of silence. The girl's eyes went wide, her lips parting in shock, and then "You clumsy dirty thing! Look what you've done!" she shrieked, her voice loud enough to turn heads.
I backed up, my heart hammering in my chest. I knew what was coming. The rich Alpha's daughter was going to pin the blame on me.
"I can't believe this! Do you know how much this dress costs? You've ruined it!" Her voice was rising, drawing more and more attention. I could feel my face flushing with embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, my throat tight. But it didn't matter. She wasn't listening.
"You should be punished for this! No, you should be thrown out! How dare you—" She was hysterical now, her face red with fury.
I bent down, trying to gather the broken glass, but my hands were shaking. I was so close to tears, but I swallowed them down. I couldn't cry here. Not in front of everyone.
I glanced up and saw Logan across the room, watching the scene. For a brief moment, our eyes met.
He just looked away, as if disgusted by my presence.
The woman was still yelling, and all I could think was, This is it. I'm done.