Chapter 1 – Morning Rush

• Beep. Beep. Beep. The piercing sound of the alarm clock filled Andromeda's room.
• “Andromeda! Get up! Turn that alarm off and come down for breakfast!” shouted her mother, frustration evident in her voice. Andromeda groggily opened her eyes, realizing it was finally morning. Glancing at her phone, she saw it was 6:04 AM. Ugh, she had only fallen asleep a few hours ago. She hit the snooze button and flopped back onto the bed.
• As she started to drift off again, the bedroom door creaked open. “You know she's going to yell again, right? You might as well get up before she wakes up everyone in the pack house,” remarked her younger sister Artemis. Andromeda knew Artemis was right. Their mother was usually impatient, but today she would be especially annoying. It was a significant day, after all. It’s now 6:15 AM and she’s late.
• “Artemis, go tell Mom I'm up. I need to shower first,” Andromeda instructed.
• Artemis smirked and teased, “You? Shower? In the morning? What's wrong with you?” She put her finger to her chin, pretending to ponder, then exclaimed with mock surprise, “Oh, I know! You want to look pretty for a certain someone, possibly a prince, who's coming home today.”
• “Artemis, get out! Go tell Mom I'll be down in a few minutes!” Andromeda yelled, tossing her pillow at her annoying sister. Little sisters could be so exasperating!
• “Okay, okay! I'm going!” Artemis replied, quickly retreating. “Don't forget to brush your teeth. Your smelly breath could wake the dead.” She was lucky she ran away after that comment; otherwise, she might have been hit with a lamp.
• As Andromeda had said, little sisters could be incredibly bothersome. After closing and locking her bedroom door, Andromeda dashed to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready. She didn't usually wear much makeup to school, but today she felt she needed it. The bags under her eyes were prominent. Usually, her emerald green eyes sparkled but now, they were dull as evidence of her lack of sleep. Today was a momentous day, as a certain someone was returning home. Andromeda had been counting down the days since he left—three years, six months, and fifteen days ago. He was the future Alpha King of Calir, and the entire kingdom was eagerly anticipating his arrival.
• Fortunately, she had already chosen her outfit for the day, which was why she had stayed up so late. She had been indecisive about what to wear. She didn't want to stand out too much or look too casual, but she also wanted to look her best. After all, it wasn't every day that the guy she had had a crush on since she was five years old returned home, especially considering he was a prince and heir to the throne.
• Now, looking at the outfit she had chosen, she began to have second thoughts. Jeans or leggings? Dress or skirt? It had been so long since she had seen him that she wasn't even sure if he would care about her appearance. He probably wouldn't even recognize her. Sighing, she wondered what she was doing.
• “Andromeda! Rachel is here!” her mother's voice echoed through the house. Glancing at the clock, Andromeda realized it was already 7:02 AM. Oh no! Hurriedly, she grabbed a pair of jeans, her sneakers, and a white long-sleeve shirt from her closet. She texted Rachel, informing her that she would be a few minutes late. Putting her long chestnut hair in a ponytail, she double-checked her appearance and sighed. It will have to do. Grabbing her hoodie, purse, and backpack, she rushed out of her room, down the stairs, and accidentally collided with Faith, one of the omegas in the pack house.
• “Miss Andromeda! Oh, my goddess! I'm so sorry!” exclaimed Faith as both tumbled to the ground. “I didn't see you coming. I apologize.” “Please don't apologize, Faith. It was my fault. I was rushing and not watching where I was going, and I ran right into you. I'm sorry I made you drop the laundry you were carrying,” Andromeda replied, feeling guilty. “It's not a problem, miss. I'll just refold it all. I hope you have a good day at school.
• Today is going to be a great day. The prince is returning today. What a glorious day for our kingdom,” Faith said with a warm smile.
• “Yes, Faith, it's going to be a great day,” Andromeda smiled back as she helped Faith to her feet and handed her the fallen laundry. She waved goodbye and continued downstairs.
• The kitchen in their pack house was always bustling with activity. Cooks prepared meals, guards snacked, and pack house members came and went. Omegas carried full dishes of food to the dining room, returning with empty plates. Amidst it all, Andromeda's mother, Luna Elise Cirillo, stood as the conductor of this lively orchestra. They couldn't imagine what they would do without her. However, today, when Andromeda entered the kitchen, her mother was nowhere to be found. She was in the dining room with her father, sister, and his Beta.
• Clearly, it was an extraordinary day. Entering the dining room, Andromeda heard a collective sigh. Rolling her eyes, she took her seat. It was time for the expected conversation.
• “Andromeda, why are you always so late for breakfast? I heard that alarm go off an hour ago. Now you're going to be late for school,” gasped her mother, sitting abruptly in her chair.
• “Elise, relax. She won't be late. Rachel is here, and they'll get to school on time,” reassured her father, patting her hand.
• “That's not the point, Jaron. Today is a special day. Peter and Michael are finally coming home from Alpha School, and everyone needs to have their energy, so we can celebrate their return later this evening. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and eating a piece of toast won't suffice,” her mother insisted, eyeing Andromeda, who was biting into the toast in her hand. When she looked up, she noticed everyone staring at her.
• “Mom, I'm not that hungry, but I have to go. I'll get something on the way if I have to,” Andromeda replied, grabbing an apple.
• “Andromeda don't forget to come home right after school. Peter and Michael should be home by then. It would be good for you to spend some quality time with your brothers. They've been gone for a really long time,” her mother reminded her.
• “Why do I need to spend time with my brothers? We just saw them a few months ago. It's not like they're going to stay indoors anyway. They'll want to meet up with their friends, not spend time with me,” Andromeda protested.
• “Andromeda...”
• “Mom...”
• Sensing the escalating tension between her mother and Andromeda, her father swiftly intervened. “Elise, dear, the boys will probably be tired from their trip. There's plenty of time for the four of them to be together and bond. They're teenagers, and they don't want to be forced to spend time together. It'll happen. Just relax.” he pacified. “Besides, I think Andromeda would rather spend time with a certain prince than her brothers,” he added with a wink and a smile. Andromeda looked at her father wide-eyed, and he chuckled.
• “Andromeda, do you have a thing for the prince?” inquired her father's Beta, Vyse. He glanced at her father, wiggling his eyebrows, and continued, “I heard he doesn't have a mate yet.”
• “Andromeda has a crush on him. She kisses the picture she has of him in her room all the time,” Artemis blurted out, prompting both Andromeda and her mother to yell, “Artemis!”
• “Young lady, you need to be respectful and not go around sharing other people's business. Go get ready for school,” scolded her mother. Seeing that Andromeda's face was as red as a beet, her father quickly stood up and gave her a comforting hug.
• “It's okay, Andi. We all have crushes. I still have a crush on your mom, and we've been married for 28 years,” he admitted, causing her mother to blush. Walking over to her, he pulled her up and settled in a chair with her on his lap. Kissing his mark on her neck, he made her giggle, and she wrapped her arms around him.
• “I should leave now,” Vyse said, rising from his seat. “Alpha, I'll see you on the training grounds when you're ready. Andromeda, have a good day at school. Let me know if that son of mine gets into any trouble.”
• “Sure, no problem,” Andromeda replied, stifling a laugh.
• Following Vyse out of the dining room, she glanced back at her parents and smiled. One day, she wanted a love as strong as theirs. Their mate bond remained as robust as ever, even after all these years. It was fortunate that the pack house rooms were soundproof, and she had to go to school. The thought of what they were about to do grossed her out.
• Feeling relieved that she had made her escape, Andromeda suddenly realized that today was really the day she would see Alexander Lykiaos again. She had waited so long to see him again. Today he and her brothers were returning to Calir from Alpha School.
• They had known each other since childhood. Their connection was unbreakable, especially since the appearance of a birthmark of his marking appeared on her left shoulder when she was eight, symbolizing they were fated mates. But today, she didn't want to think about being mates. She just wanted to spend time with her childhood friend and hoped that he still liked her for who she was. She didn't want to ruin a good thing by confessing her feelings to him. Everything had to go right today.
• Walking toward Rachel's car, she took a deep breath and silently prayed to the moon goddess for a good day. It was time to go and see her prince.