Chapter 5. Her Eighteenth Birthday

Millicent’s POV

Every Omega, in fact every wolf always wondered how it would be like on their eighteenth birthday. That was the age when they officially came into their wolf.

My eighteenth birthday was fast approaching and I was no different. I prayed to the moon goddess.

“Oh goddess, you have not been fair to me, you blessed me with everything and then took everything away from me,” I said as I recalled my mother falling with her unborn son, throat bitten off, and my father lying in the pool of his own blood as the life drained out of him. I sniffed and looked up, to stop the tears falling. “You allowed me to be orphaned and all I hold dear taken from me. I am asking for a very strong wolf on my eighteenth birthday, to enable me work out my revenge on my enemy.”

The day of my eighteen birthday dawned and I longed for a work-free day to help me celebrate in private this special day. But did I say a work-free day? Was it going to be possible since my birthday coincided with the engagement party of the Alpha, I wondered.

I stretched my hands above my head and my legs as well as my bones cracked into place. I then bent backwards as though breaking myself in two. I just wanted these few moments alone. “Happy birthday, Millicent O’Brien Harry,” I wished myself quietly. “May this new year of yours bring you closer to the realization of your dreams.”

When I realized a couple of days ago that the engagement ceremony was coinciding with my birthday, I had gone to Lilian.

“Ma’am, you know that I always do my chores without complaint. But I just found out that the Alpha’s engagement party is on the same day that I turn eighteen. Could I be excused from work on that day?” I asked.

“Really?” Lilian asked. “But you see, there is nothing that I can do about it. Alpha Sylvester wants you to handle the chores, serving the guests and all. But you can go to him and explain. He is the only one who has the authority to excuse you from your duties on that day,” she smiled sympathetically at me.

I hate asking any favors of Sylvester but I just wanted that day to myself so that I could indulge in thoughts of my parents and discuss with my wolf in case I came into it that day. So, I went to him and found him where I knew he would be—in the throne room.

“Alpha,” I greeted respectfully.

“Did I send for you?” he asked arrogantly.

“You did not. I came of my own volition,” I said my head bowed.

“Speak. What do you want?” he asked.

“Your engagement coincides with my eighteenth birthday, and you know how important that particular birthday is,” she said.

“So?”

The way he said that single word made me visualize a raised eyebrow.

“I was hoping that you would excuse me from my chores that day. Make it a work free day for me. Of course I shall continue with my duties the very next day, working double if necessary,” I declared, still bowed and aching from the strain of it and hating Sylvester for not being considerate enough to ask her to stand upright.

“And who told you I did not know it is your birthday, next tomorrow? That is the express reason I fixed my engagement on that day,” he said mockingly, with a corresponding mocking smile playing on his lips.

I stood upright with shock, not waiting for him to ask it of me. I could not believe what I had just heard. I was his personal maid and he was supposed to know my birthday if he was a considerate Alpha which he was not. All these years, he had not said anything about my birthday. I had not felt like celebrating it and so had not mentioned it to anyone except to Samantha and I am sure she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. But this birthday was special to me.

“You knew?” I asked, shocked as what he said sank. How could someone be as cruel as this?

“You are my maid. How could I not know?” he asked, watching her contemplatively. “And how dare you think of celebrating on the same day that I am? Do you not have any respect for your Alpha? Perish the thought and get yourself ready for your chores on the said day. Now get out of here!” he ordered dismissively.

“But…”

“This matter is settled!” he said in a voice that brooked no contradiction.

I left his presence seething.

Today, the morning of my eighteenth birthday, the memory of my discussion with the Alpha besieged me but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I was not going to allow anything take my joy from me.

Before starting my chores, I decided to go for a quick dip in the stream, not far from the Omega’s quarters.

I ran all the way there. I like being the first there. It felt special that way and if that was the only treat I could give myself on this day, then so be it.

As I was about to get into the water, I looked into it and instead of my reflection, I saw a white wolf. I looked behind me to see if there was someone else there but saw no one. Where had the wolf come from? I looked into the water again and the wolf was still there.

“Hello, Millicent. Happy Birthday to us,” the wolf said and I understood.

“Yes, as you have just realized, I’m your wolf, Milly.”

“I’m glad to have you,” I said happily, hoping the wolf was as strong as I desired and had asked of the moon goddess.

“That is not all. Strong or not, our mate should more than make up for that. With him, we are stronger than you can imagine.”

“Our mate?” I asked astonished. “You know who he is?” I had not been particular about a mate but if the mate was as strong as my wolf was intimating, then rather than be an obstacle to my purpose like I feared, he just might help me accomplish my mission. I had heard of extraordinary things mates did for each other due to their mate bond.

She nodded and said, “And so do you.”

“Who is he?” I asked.

“He is none other than Alpha Sylvester.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name but I hastened to assure myself that I must have heard wrong. I inserted a finger into each of her ears, shaking them vigorously, to clear off any dirt that might be responsible for causing her to perceive Milly’s words wrongly. Then I looked at the wolf but Milly just stood there solemnly.

“What?” I exclaimed, fear that Milly might be right twisting my stomach. “You must be joking! You are joking, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. What have I done to make the moon goddess despise me so much? I must have been very bad in my previous life to be punished this way.

“You mean, the man who caused the death of my parents and that of a brother who did not even have the chance to be born, destroyed my pack, and have tortured me for many years is my fated mate?” she asked in anguish.

“I’m afraid so,” she said but didn’t sound too displeased about it.

“You seem not to be bothered that he is our mate,” I said accusingly. Milly kept quiet. She had no response to that. At least not one that I might want to hear, it seems.

“How am I to avenge my parents, if he is indeed my mate? Why did the moon goddess do this to me?”

“I believe everything will work out just fine,” wolf Milly said in an attempt to console me and make me accept the inevitable. I doubted that I could but maybe, my plan could still work. I only need a change of plan or another approach.