ARIELLE
The room I had been allocated was the very same room I had in my previous life – a dusty space right below the attic with a broken window and just enough furniture to feel like you actually have something to make use of.
I remember how much I used to hate this room. Despite having been officially accepted as the alpha's daughter, I was still living like a servant, having just enough authority to prevent others from ordering me around.
But now it didn't bother me that much.
Now, I have more important things to tackle.
The reason why my father brought me here was, strangely enough, because of Serena. Or rather, because of Serena and Raiden.
Back in my first life, neither Serena nor I found our fated mates, so Father had to arrange chosen mates for us instead. As a loyal servant to the Alpha King, His Majesty allowed my father a list of candidates to choose from, and one of the names, of course, was Raiden Wayne.
Gorgeous and clever, Raiden was quite a charmer even when he was younger, and although he was a very desirable mate for everyone else, Angela saw one gaping flaw in him – he was the King's illegitimate son, and therefore, he wasn't worthy.
Wasn't worthy of Serena, of course.
But the King still insisted on mating Raiden to the Dunn family, thus, although incredibly displeased, Angela suggested handing me as Raiden's mate instead of Serena.
Because there was no way Serena would settle for someone lesser. Serena had to become Queen.
Judging from what I'd already seen ever since I woke up as my younger self, the story was repeating itself in a lot of major detail. It was safe to assume that I wouldn't find my fated mate again; therefore, the Dunns would try to pair me up with Raiden so that Serena would end up with Cillian, the Alpha Prince.
I had to find a way to avoid that. But what could I possibly do?
As a rogue, I couldn't work for money – all my earnings were taken away, so I had no savings of my own. Living here would not improve my financial situation much either. Blackstone was a struggling pack, so all the money they had was either donated to the Moon Temple or spent lavishly on Serena.
Finding a job was not an option, too. Both Angela and Richard were very proud people, which meant that none of their children were allowed to lift a finger to earn anything at all. They wanted to live like nobility even though they weren't one.
So what choice did it leave me with?
"Haaa..." I let out a long sigh, leaning back in my uncomfortable plastic chair. "I need to find a way to get my own money and keep it safe from Angela and Serena... While also doing something about having Raiden as my assigned mate."
A sudden, rather impatient knock rang through my room, making me flinch. "Come in," I said carelessly, my mind still busy mulling over my miserable fate.
"Alpha Dunn sent me up to tell you that dinner is going to be served downstairs, in the main dining room, at eight. Don't be late."
I frowned, my skin crawling at the sight of the young woman standing at my door. It was Hanna, Serena's personal maid.
She was in her early twenties, yet both her body and face looked unusually mature for her age. She liked to sleep around, thinking that every male desired her, but in truth, she was a very easy fuck, and most men truly liked that.
"Clean my room while I'm gone," I ordered her, rising to my feet. Back in the past, she had a very bitchy attitude toward me, and I didn't have a choice but to take it. This time, I wasn't interested in being bullied by some lowly maids either.
"Who do you think you are, ordering me around?" Hanna snapped back, stalking toward me like she owned the room. "Do you really think that just because Alpha Richard brought you here, you actually mean something?"
She snarled, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she looked me up and down with an arrogant glare. "You are the daughter of a whore who knew nothing but to slave in the rogue mines! What makes you think you are better than me?!"
I frowned, taking a step closer to her to see if she was going to cower. To my surprise, she didn't.
"Do you really think it's such a good idea to talk to me like this?" I asked, my tone challenging her to say more.
She scoffed, her thick lips spreading into a wide grin. "And how else should I talk to you? If it weren't for your father's blood, you would be ten levels below me! And so what if you are our alpha's daughter? Your mother is still a whore! You know, if I were to spread my legs before the alpha and bear his child, that offspring would be a lowly bastard just like you!"
Slap!
I couldn't stop myself. That arrogant tone, that confident grin, that unwavering shimmer in her eyes – it irked me so much, I wanted to strangle her.
In the past, Hanna could get away with such behavior because Serena was behind it, but I didn't care for it anymore. In fact, now that I knew better, I was determined to make her life harder as well.
"Did you just hit me?!" Hanna hissed, placing her palm against her red cheek. "You? A fucking rogue? You dare hit me?!"
Slap!
Yes, I dared. And I would do it again and again and again, you stupid bitch.