TWICE BURNED: SHAOSHANG'S SECOND CHANCE

PROLOGUE: SHAOSHANG'S LIFE IN THE PACK

SHAOSHANG'S POV

I woke up to the sound of an alarm like I have been for the past 10 years. It's not strange to me anymore and I don't think it is strange or weird to everybody else.

I mean, everyone in my pack is well aware that I have to wake up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for everyone and if I do not, I will never hear the end of it.

When my mother passed away, I didn't have anyone to take care of me and if I had a father, maybe I wouldn't have to go through any of this.

My life has been pretty much the same since I was 7 years old. I quickly rose up from the floor and folded my rug like I always do and went to the servants' bathroom. I took a quick shower and went back to the tiny room I was given when I first came into this house.

I applied lotion to my body and placed the towel on top of the rug so that I can take out my clothes from the bag. Lucky for me, I don't own many clothes so I don't have to spend so much time thinking of what to wear or what matches with what and what doesn't.

I took my sleeveless baby blue dress that I like so much. I usually wear this dress when I'm happy and I guess it is obvious that I am happy today.

My eighteenth birthday is coming up this week and it's necessary that when it finally comes, I have a glowing face. I want my mate to see me and be happy that he has gotten someone as beautiful as me as a mate.

I have been dreaming about it for years and after everything that I have been through, I too want to have my escape. I want someone who is going to treat me like a queen, someone who is going to treat me like our former Alpha treated our Dowager Luna.

I still recall the way he used to look at her, despite the fact that it has been four years since his passing. He was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, as I can still clearly recall.

Even though I didn't always interact with them, I was one of the few who was aware of that aspect of him since many others were unaware of it.

Obviously, I liked him more than I liked anyone else in this pack, despite the fact that he never treated me poorly and wasn't particularly nice either.

I made the decision to stop obsessing over my former Alpha and concentrate on the task at hand.

I quickly cleaned up everything in the kitchen when I went downstairs before gathering my breakfast supplies. However, since this home was only occupied by the Alpha, his Luna, the Beta and his wife, the Delta and his wife, the Dowager Luna, and her additional two sons and one daughter, I didn't need to prepare a large amount of food. The Alpha and the Beta have kids but they are still young so I don't have to worry about their breakfast. It's not like I had a choice in the matter, those two sisters don't trust me with their babies' food.

I'm not complaining though because it means I have my work cut out for me which is a good thing.

I made scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, sausages and toast. I filled the coffee machine and turned it on and made my way out of the kitchen before any of them got there.

I know that even though they enjoyed my breakfast, they didn't enjoy my company, especially Luna.

Luna Alexa has never liked me. Ever since she came into this house, she has always looked at me like I owe her something or maybe there is something that I have that should have been hers which I always try so hard to understand.

Her sister is just the same. Even though she doesn't give me the same look that her sister gives me, she still doesn't like me. She always try to find a way to make me regret ever being in front of her.

Someone would ask me why I still live in this house and honestly, I have asked myself that same question numerous times and I always come out blank.

I guess maybe it is because this is the only place that I know. I used to stay with my mom in the pack house but after her death, I was told to move out for another family to move in.

As if that wasn't enough, I was told that if I still wanted to be part of this pack, I would have to earn my place. I was told that I had to help the cleaners but as the years went by, my job description changed like the years. It was like my chores were growing up like I was if not more. I don't even remember what I was doing when I started but I know I didn't do a lot of work like I do now.

"Watch out where you're going!" I didn't even need to look up to know who that person was. I didn't even realize that I was on the floor until I felt the pain in my butt.

"I'm sorry, Alpha."

"Keep your apologies to yourself and keep your eyes open before you knock yourself down again. This is not a park where you can do as you please.

"You are a servant and I am sure you are aware that I might be willing to forgive you but someone else won't. Now get out of my way!"

I didn't get the chance to do as he told me before I was hauled to the corner by him so that his wife could pass. God, I hate this woman and there is no beating around the bush about it. Wǒ zhīdào tā yě tǎoyàn wǒ (I know she hates me too) though I have no idea why. It's not like I have ever done anything to her.

I have a right to hate her because she has made my life a living hell ever since she came here.

I looked at her as she made her way to the kitchen to enjoy the food that I made. I found myself cursing her in my head.

As soon as I left there, I went to the servants' kitchen to eat something before they finish everything like they always do when I am late.

I was lucky to find the kitchen empty because that meant I could eat anything I wanted. I haven't eaten anything for two days and if I don't eat anything today, I might as well just die.

I went to the fridge and took out two eggs and two slices of cheese also and made my own breakfast. As soon as I started eating, all the other servants started piling up. All of them looked surprised to see me well and up early. From the look on their faces, they had planned to finish the food before I woke up and it seems like I have crashed their plans.

I didn't have the time to pay them attention so I just continued eating my breakfast. After breakfast, I went back to the Alpha's kitchen and cleaned the dishes they used for breakfast. Some of them had left the food unfinished and I couldn't stop myself from cursing them.

Every time when I don't have anything to eat, I find their plates empty but now that I managed to find myself some food from the servants' kitchen, their plates are filled with food.

If I didn't know any better, I would think that they worked with someone from there to make sure that they all go against me. I mean, it makes sense.

After I finished washing the dishes, I went to clean Dowager Luna's bedroom like I always do. She wakes up late and I am the only one allowed to clean there, not because there is no one who could do a better job than me but because she is the one who insisted.

She says that she doesn't want too many people knowing their way around her room because she believes it feels like they are invading her privacy. To be honest, I don't blame her. It is just that if it was me, I wouldn't allow anyone to clean my room if I wanted privacy but then I am not her and she is not me.

After I was done, I went back to my room. I know that for a servant, I have way too much freedom. I have time to read books and sleep during the day but that is only if the Alpha's family members are not around and today, they went out for a family picnic.

I always wish they could take me with them but they have servants for that too. Not everyone has the privilege to know where the picnic will be. The last time I had a picnic was when my mother was still alive.

That woman knew how to make me happy despite everything. She wasn't rich but she tried her best and she always made sure that I didn't feel the gap of not having a father or money and I will always be grateful to her.

I remember how she used to lie to me about my father when I asked her about him. She would always tell me that he was busy with work in another country and when I was about four years old, I would believe her every word but eventually, I knew that she was just trying to make sure that I didn't hate my father. She was protecting me from being hurt and also protecting him so that when I finally met him, I would give him a chance.

My mother was always like that, she always saw something good in people and even though my father betrayed her, she never said anything bad about him, not even when I asked her to tell me the truth.

The only person who told me the truth was our Dowager Luna after my mother died and I moved in with them. She said that she was the one who brought my mother to this pack when she found her in labour.

My father was nowhere to be seen and my mother was all alone. My mother told her that my father cheated on her with another woman which made her flee from her pack.

I was angry when I found out and I know that if I meet my father in the future, I will never forgive him for what he did to my mother. I actually hope that I never meet him.

The following day, I couldn't make it on time and I didn't get any food and same for the day after. The same thing happened over and over again until I knew I couldn't take it.

I looked at the time and realized that it was almost midnight, only ten minutes to my birthday. That made me smile because I knew I was only counting minutes before I got my wolf as well as my mate.

I knew that if I had those two in my life, my life would be complete. I knew that having my wolf meant that I could have an opportunity to fight back and having a mate meant that no one would have the guts to fight me in this pack.

I decided to go to the kitchen before I died without meeting my wolf or my mate. As soon as I got there, I made one egg and took out the leftover bread from this morning. I quickly went for the juice and ate everything before I even realized I had come to the main kitchen instead of the servants' kitchen. Before I had a chance to run back to my tiny room, I was pinned to the wall by very strong arms. I let out a scream but not because it was painful, but because I was caught off guard. Something told me to look up despite my contesting self and I felt something I never thought was possible. It was like my heart was ready to jump out of the ribcage and straight to the other person's heart.

What was strange about the whole thing was that I was never like this before. I had seen this person before and even though I knew he was quite handsome, I was never interested in him.

My silent question was answered when his beast called out to mine.

"Mine!" I couldn't believe it before I heard the small voice of my wolf as well.

"Wǒ de!" (Mine!)I guess I should have known that my wolf would be Chinese. By the small smile on Jackson's lips, he understood what my wolf said.

"Hello, little mate." I didn't have time to respond to that before his lips came down to mine and gave me my first-ever kiss.

I wanted to push him away just as much as I wanted him to continue kissing me. I hate to say it but I enjoyed it.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" He asked me when I didn't say anything for two minutes when he stopped kissing me. Honestly, I had no idea what to say.

Come to think of it, should I say something? And if the answer is yes then what do I say? What do I say to someone I have hated for years? This guy bullied me before I even lost my mother. What do I say to someone who has destroyed my dream of having someone who will always make me his first priority?

"What should I say?" I found myself asking him. I didn't even know where I got the courage to ask that question.

"Did I kiss you into speechlessness?" What?!

Is he being serious right now? Why can't he understand what I'm trying to say? Does he think that one kiss is enough to erase everything he has ever done to me?

"I know you must be angry at me but please let me explain." I didn't even know he knew how to beg let alone explain even though I had no idea what it is that he wanted to explain.

I was about to ask him when it became clear to me what he was apologizing for. He knew that I was mated to him but never said anything for four years. He hid it from me and now he thinks I am mad because of that which is not true. I may be angry about that but it doesn't even measure how angry I am about the way he treated me.

"Shaoshang, I know you are angry but I had my reasons. I wanted to tell you but I didn't want you to feel pressed. I wanted to wait until your wolf calls out to mine."

I didn't even know he knew my name. He always calls me by servant. I looked at him and I finally found the courage to ask him what was on my mind.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Tell me that you forgive me and that you will forget everything that has happened between us."

"And why would I do that? Have you ever done anything for me that you think is enough to erase all of your evil deeds? Or maybe you think I should thank you for waiting for me? Tell me, which one is it, Alpha?"