AMELIA'S POV I was alone in the forest, there was a thick fog around me and I couldn't see anything in front of me. I yelled out for my mother but she didn't answer me, I called for my brother but he was nowhere to be found. I called for my best friend but she was missing. I was truly alone here. "You don't need them Amelia," Something whispered in my ear, "You need to awaken," the voice said and before I could turn around to see the voice was gone and I was alone in the fog again. *** "What are you doing alone here you witch!!!" Someone suddenly slapped me awake and I jumped up immediately only to find three girls looking down at me. "What did I do? This forest is free for all and I was only sleeping," I asked them, looking confused. I had left my house early this morning after chores to go to the forest. I always felt at peace here but now my peace had been ruined. "Shut up, you foolish Omega!!" the taller of the girls said to me, landing a slap on my face. I knew who they were, they were the Davenport sisters, Cressida, the one who just slapped me, is the oldest of them all, Elsa is the younger one and the third person with them was Priscilla, their friend I held my face in shock, but I was not surprised, all my life I was used to this treatment.  I have a special condition that others may call strange. I was born with white hair and the ability to see ghosts and as if that was not enough, I am an Omega, the lowest of the lowest in the entire pack, which meant that I was considered even less of a person, I was considered an anomaly and no one liked a strange creature like me. I looked up at Cressida with hatred filling my eyes, I was sick and tired of this life. It was bad enough that I was an Omega, but my strange powers made me an even bigger target. "Wait, are you glaring, you have the audacity to glare at me?!" She shouted at me "No I was not glaring, I just realized that there was something behind you guys," I said to them and she froze immediately, looking at me in confusion. Elsa and Priscilla joined her to look around. "What do you mean there is something behind her, we can't see anything here?" Priscilla asked me coldly, eyeing me from up to down like I was a foolish insect. "There is a ghost behind you guys," I repeated to them with a straight face and they looked at each other in fear. There was actually no ghost behind them but I figured that lying to them would be a good way to get them to leave me alone. "You are lying!!!" Elsa shouted at me, with a shaky voice, still looking around. "I am not, it is coming closer to you guys. I think it is going to possess you," I continued my lie, acting like I was panicking. "I... I think we should get out of here," Priscilla advised the girls. "Yeah Cre, let us go, we can deal with her later when she comes back to the pack," Elsa added, pulling on Cressida's arm and trying to nudge her. "This isn't over you foolish Omega," Cressida snarled,  narrowing her eyes at me in scorn before she ran off with the girls. Finally I was alone again. I sighed a breath of relief as I sat back down on the tree trunk I had been sleeping on "You know I was going to intervene at some point, but it looks like you can handle yourself," I suddenly heard Louisa's voice behind me. I turned around to find my best friend Louisa walking towards me, from amidst the bushes. She was very silent, if I had my wolf, maybe I would have been able to sense her coming, but I was one of the few people left in the pack without a wolf. All I have are these creepy powers. Louisa was beautiful with her long brown hair and her green eyes, she looked like mother nature herself. And she was no ordinary wolf like me, she was part of the nobility. Sometimes, I wondered what a powerful brown wolf like Louisa was doing with a girl like me. "You know I have told you to stop coming into this forest by yourself," She commented as she approached me "I couldn't wait for you and I needed some time to myself, being in the pack can be suffocating at times," I told her solemnly and she gave me an understanding look before sitting down beside me. "I understand, but you know that you are putting yourself at risk anytime you come here alone," She said, taking my wrist and rubbing it in a comforting manner. "The people of this pack don't like you, you are too different for them, there has never been anyone like you in the history of this pack before, and so naturally they fear you," she continued and I rolled my eyes. "I am not sure if that is supposed to make me feel any better," I complained to her and she laughed. "You are different from Amelia and you should not be ashamed of it," She said to me, squeezing my hand as she tried to reassure me. "But different is bad-" I started to say and she raised a hand, cutting me off. "No, different is not always bad, I believe in you Amelia, somehow I think you are exactly what this pack needs even if they can't see it yet," She told me, her green eyes twinkling at me sincerely and I stared back at her feeling warmth spread around my chest. I wondered how I could have been so lucky to find an amazing friend like her. "You sounds so cheesy right now," I joked, feeling a sense of peace I looked at her. "You are exactly what this pack needs Amelia," I mocked her and she laughed, rolling her eyes at me in fake annoyance. "But those girls are really gullible though, did you really see a ghost?" She asked me and I was about to answer when we both suddenly heard a loud gong. "What was that?" I asked her, standing up immediately. Whatever that sound was, it cannot be good. "That is the announcement gong," Louisa replied, her head turned looking in the direction of the pack. "We have to head back immediately, they are about to make an important announcement," She said to me and I nodded at her We arrived at the pack, to find almost everyone gathered at the main square. The announcer was at the center of the square waiting patiently for all of us to gather. We joined the others and then the announcer brought out a scroll. "Good Evening everyone," He started, "I am here today on behalf of Alpha Jackson," He said and everyone started to mumble. "Alpha Jackson is directly sending a message?" Louisa exclaimed, her eyebrows were raised with surprise apparent in her face. "That is weird," I commented, thinking about it Was our pack under some kind of threat? I wondered to myself. We never heard much from our Alpha, only few of the nobility had ever seen his face so he was a big mystery to us all. So for him to suddenly send out a message, there had to be something wrong, right? "There is no need to panic, in fact, it is a happy message," The announcer stated and everyone stopped mumbling, curious to hear what he had to say "Alpha Jackson wants you all to know that he is ready to take his mate," He said and as expected there were loud cheers of excitement from almost everyone. "He is holding a ball at the end of the week, and all the young maidens of the pack are invited," The announcer said and Louisa squeezed my hand excitedly. "You know what this means Amelia?!" She asked me, squealing in excitement. "This means that he is going to pick his mate from any of us," She said grinning happily and I just shrugged, it didn't matter to me, even if all the maidens were invited, I could not go, no one was going to let me inside Alpha Jackson's castle with my white hair and Omega status. The Announcer rounded up his speech and left immediately and soon the crowd dispersed. I was walking with Louisa still squealing excitedly, "I can't believe it, who knows maybe I have a chance with Alpha Jackson after all," she said happily, jumping up as she spoke "Yeah, if he picks you as his mate, maybe you can get the other pack members to finally leave me alone," I reasoned with her  "And who do we have here?!!" I heard someone shout. I looked up ahead to find Cressida and she looked fucking pissed.

AMELIA'S POV Shit.  I just can't catch a break, can I? "Good Evening Cressida," I greeted her, keeping my head lowered "I told you that we were not finished earlier didn't I?" She said to me with a cruel sneer on her thin lips. "Yeah or did you think we forgot?" Elsa said, coming closer to me, the same cold look on her face.  "What is the matter? What did she do to you guys?" Louisa asked them, pulling me behind while she stood in front of me defensively. "Stay out of this Clarke, we need to teach this girl a lesson," Cressida spat out, narrowing her eyes at Louisa in an intimidating manner. "No, I will not, not until you tell me what she did to you guys," Louisa argued and Cressida closed the distance between the both of them, glaring at Louisa like she wanted to hit her. "That is none of your business, besides I don't need a reason to teach this lowly creature a lesson," Cressida seethed angrily, with her eyebrows drawn together in a frustrated manner. "Well you are going to need a reason if you are going to harm her, you are going to have to go through me," Louisa said defiantly, giving Cressida a hardened stare, like she meant business. Cressida just scoffed and pushed Louisa back, like she was nothing but a pesky insect. Louisa stumbled to the floor taken by surprise and I felt my anger swarm up in my belly. I was so sick of these girls. There was only one reason that Cressida had been able to pick on Louisa like this, and it was because she was also Nobility, she was a direct relative of the Davenport family, the house of the Grey wolves. I hated the fact that she had just shoved my friend in an effort to get to me. I could tolerate their bullshit but any attack on Louisa would not be tolerated. "Don't touch her again!!!" I said to them suddenly, finding my voice. I was glaring at them now, not caring what they wanted to do to me, all I knew was that this time, I would not go down without a fight, wolf or no wolf. "Oou, the little rat has found her voice," Elsa commented with a hint of surprise in her voice. She looked at me with a funny look, toying with her hair as she stared like she had seen a new toy to play with. "What did you say?!!!" Cressida asked me, not taking it as lightly as her sister had. "I said that you should not touch her," I repeated to them coldly. Before I could tell what was happening next, Cressida was right in front of me and then pushed me to the floor. I fell down with a loud thud, landing on the ground harshly, I could barely catch my breath before she landed on top of me with her claws drawn out. "I will do what everyone in this pack is scared to do to you," Cressida said to me with hatred pouring out of her icy blue eyes. "What have you not done to me already?!" I asked her back savagely, my heart was racing but not with fear as I looked at her, I was also filled with hate, I hated her as much as she hated me, maybe even more "You and your friends embarrass me at any given chance, I am scorned in the pack, people refuse to sell me things, even when I go to the forest to escape you all, I am still harassed so go ahead and do your worst!!!" I shouted back at her. "Wow, I am shocked by the mouth on this girl," Elsa laughed at me, still toying with her blonde hair. "Cressida leave her alone," Louisa said standing up. "No!!!" Cressida shouted back at her, with her eyes still fixed on me "You heard her, she needs to be taught a lesson, a permanent one," "I am.going to take away those eyes of yours, I am going to rip away your ability to ever see those ghosts again," Cressida said to me as she pressed me down with just one arm while I struggled underneath her. Louisa tried to help me, but she was held down by Elsa who kept laughing while I struggled. For the first time in my life, I felt real fear. Life was bad enough for me as an Omega, if Cressida took away my ability to see then I would become useless, I would be unable to work, making my mother's life so much harder and I couldn't let that happen. I looked up at Cressida, still struggling helplessly, she had her wolf strength and all I had was this limp little weak body. She had always hated me, all of them in the pack had, but she had never acted on it, not like this. I wondered if that was my last curse, the ability to make people hate me. "Night night, little Omega, after today no one will teach you your place again," Cressida smirked cruelly, her icy eyes glinting evilly at mine as she raised her hand. "Cressida, let her go or I swear I am going to kill you!!!" Louisa shouted at her but Cressida only laughed at her, her eyes not leaving my face. I closed my eyes just as she raised her claws to strike me, bracing myself for the impact, preparing myself for my new life as a blind slave to the pack. There were tears falling from my eyes as I laid there, it was like she enjoyed it, she enjoyed making me anticipate the pain that she was going to cause me. I braced myself for impact, waiting for Cressida's hand to strike me, and when it didn't come, I slowly opened my eyes wondering what had happened. It was none other than Louisa's elder brother, Asher Clarke, and he was holding Cressida's hand.

AMELIA'S POV  "What are you girls doing," Asher asked them and Cressida slowly got up from my body with an innocent look on her face. "Uh-oh," Elsa remarked with an Oops expression and she let go of Louisa who immediately rushed to me. "It is not what it looks like Asher, we were only playing a prank," Cressida said with a soft smile on her face, toying with her hair and blushing slightly like she did not just try to blind me with her claws. She looked like a completely different person, her icy eyes seemed warm and inviting and her claws were gone. Louisa hugged me tightly, sighing in relief that Asher had gotten here when he did, if he had been even a second later, then it would have been too late. "It's not what it looks like?! You were literally about to blind her!" Asher asked them, looking physically angry, his hands were shaking and I had never seen his brown eyes look so enraged before, they looked almost red with anger, even Cressida looked shocked by his reaction. Asher had never defended me before, he had mostly been indifferent about me and Louisa's friendship so even I was surprised. "Wait, what?!" Cressida asked, taken aback by his reaction. "Why are you so mad? I already told you that it was just a little prank, I mean I wasn't really going to do it, I just wanted to scare her a bit," She lied effortlessly. I just stared at her still in shock from what had just happened, there were tears already drying on my cheeks. I had never felt such fear before, all I could do was sob lightly into Louisa's shoulder as she rubbed my back. "You are fine Amelia, it is all over now," she whispered into my ear, still rubbing my back and comforting me "You are just a sick person Cressida and I will see to it that you and your sister get the punishment that you deserve," Asher promised them, with his brown eyes still glowing red at them, almost like his wolf was about to come out. "Why do you care so much, to the extent that you will go as far as to threaten me, because of that strange looking Omega?!!!" She shouted at him and just like that her disguise was broken. She no longer appeared like the innocent girl she was pretending to be, her icy eyes gleamed with fresh hatred and disgust as she glanced at me. "I did not threaten you Cressida, I am only you informing you of what I plan to do, I will make sure that you and your little accomplice here get the full punishment of your actions today!!!" He spat back at her with venom in his eyes. Suddenly Cressida started to laugh, she laughed so hard that she held her belly. Louisa and I exchanged looks of confusion between ourselves as we stared at her. "Oh sweet sweet Asher," she mocked him, strolling around him as she spoke. "What punishment would it be then?" She asked him, trailing a finger down his back. Asher turned to face her and  caught her finger in a flash, then he flung her hand away from him. "Oh come on Asher, you aren't delusional are you? What is the worst that is going to happen? No one in the pack cares about that freak, NO ONE!!!" She repeated angrily. Asher opened his mouth to say something, but he thought about it and kept quiet. "You aren't even worth my time," He said to her degradingly and even though she smiled at him nonchalantly, I could see the pain in her eyes at his statement. "Come on guys, let's get out of here," Asher said, dragging us along with him. He and Louisa walked with me to the front of my house, he was silent during the walk back. Louisa nudged me into the house and I smiled at her gratefully, but I couldn't enter yet, I had to thank Asher, if not for him the worst could have happened. "Asher I... I wanted to thank you for-" "Save it Omega," he hushed me harshly, and I looked up at him in surprise. "I thought... I thought you helped me because you cared," I said to him, he was confusing me now, why had he bothered to save me if he was still going to treat me like everyone else. "Cared about you? An Omega? Don't be ridiculous, while I don't care about you Amelia, I also don't like to see people get hurt," He said to me and my mouth just opened up slightly, still in surprise. "You don't get to talk to her like that!" Louisa shouted at her brother "No Lou, it's fine, thank you for your help today Asher, I will never forget it," I said to him calmly, even though all I could feel was hurt and sadness on the inside, I kept my composure. I was not deserving of kindness apparently. My throat felt tight, like if I stayed here a second longer, I would break into tears  "Bye Louisa," I greeted her for a final time before I turned back and left them in front of my house. ****** My mother was sleeping on the couch when I entered the house. I walked in silently not wanting to disturb her, besides she looked tired, she probably had a long day from working all day long to provide for us. My mother worked as a laborer in one of the farms belonging to the Clarkes, ever since my father died when I was young, that was all she did, it was all she knew how to do, to work and toil on another person's farm to put food on our table. It was how Louisa and I had met in the first place. "Where have you been all day?" She asked me suddenly just as I was about to enter my room, I turned back shocked that she was awake to find her sitting up and looking at me. We looked so similar and yet so different. My mother with her long black hair and blue eyes, me with my white hair and blue eyes, sometimes I wondered whether she resented me for being so different. Maybe if I was normal and pretty, I could have gotten someone from the nobility to want to mate with me, someone that could have changed my family's story forever. "I... I was at the forest," I stuttered out and she stood up and walked towards me, looking at me closely. "What is wrong with you? Did anything happen to you?" She asked me, her eyes staring into mine intently as she touched my face. "No mum... I..." I didn't want her to know that I was being bullied. She knew that people didn't like me in the pack already and she suspected that I was being harrassed, but me admitting it to her was just going to make her feel guilty. "What happened to you Amelia, why do you look so down?" She asked me, concern reflected in her eyes. "I wish I had never been born," I said to her, breaking down in tears, unable to hold myself anymore. "Oh my darling," She cooed, holding me in her arms while I cried. I didn't tell her what had happened, I couldn't bring myself to. After that day, all I did was just stay at home, I didn't care if the Davenport sisters had been punished, all I cared about was just staying home and at least having some peace. A week later, Louisa showed up at my house. I didn't want to let her in, when I saw her all I could think about Asher and how he had looked at me. "Hey, I am sorry that I couldn't come and see you sooner, my brother has been having a fool meltdown regarding what happened and he made my parents ground me," Louisa ranted, as she pushed past me and entered the house. "Oh.." I mumbled, unsure of what to say "Asher told my father and you know my father is pretty cozy with Alpha Jackson, so the punishment was that Cressida and Elsa would not be allowed into the party," She giggled excitedly, staring at me with a bright smile. That wasn't the punishment that they deserved, but it was the worst thing that could happen to them, I was sure that Cressida was punching her walls by now. Everybody, especially every maiden of mating age wanted to meet Alpha Jackson and get that fairytale ending where he would immediately choose them as his mate, but I guess that wasn't to be for the Davenport Sisters. "Do you know what I think?" She asked me suddenly, pulling me with her to the couch. "I think that we should go to Alpha Jackson's party," she said to me suddenly and I looked at her, barely able to hide my shock.  I knew she was going, but her planning to drag me along with her was just a bad idea waiting to happen "WHAT!!!" I exclaimed, "Why would I do that? After what just happened, why would I go to the Alpha's house?" I asked her, it sounded completely crazy. "Because no one will expect it, and I want you to have that experience, you know get to see the pack in a different light," she continued, sounding more and more crazy. "Wait but how does that help me, the guards wouldn't even allow me in there as soon as they see me. I can understand that you want to help Louisa, but we have to be realistic," I told her frankly, hoping to cut this discussion short. "And I am being realistic, I am saying that you will go as someone else," she said to me, with a cunning smile on her lips, her eyes glinting mischievously "Like a disguise?" I asked her, slightly intrigued "Yes, we could dye your hair black or I could give you a wig and then we can use mascara to change your lashes and I could make your brows black," she suggested to me, her hand was on my chin as she turned my face side to side, regarding me It sounded too easy, for me to change my looks and suddenly feel and become a whole new person It sounded tempting. I wondered how it would actually feel to be someone else for a day.  I wondered how it would feel to be Cinderella at the ball. "So what do you think?" She asked What if we get caught?  But at the same time, it will be just for a day. What is the worst that could happen? "Yes," I agreed, "Let's do it," I said and she cheered happily, pulling me in for a hug *** The next evening I was dressed in a long black gown that Louisa had lent to me, my face and hair had been utterly transformed. I looked at my new self in the mirror and I was stunned by how different I looked. All my hair had been dyed black, and my make up tanned my skin, and accentuated my features. I looked like my mother when she was younger at least. It almost seemed real, like there was no white underneath my dark hair "Wow," Louisa gushed at my look as I stepped out to the parlor. She was dressed in a floral green dress that complimented her caramel skin. "You look so different," My mother commented, looking at me closely.  She had supported my decision to go out, she wanted me to have a special night to myself at least. "Let us go and have fun tonight," Louisa grabbed my arm, leading me towards the door. I went with her happily, hopeful to see where the night would lead, maybe I could get my fairytale ending tonight.