Saving the Rejected Luna

Artemis

Tali made the coffee and Barbara set the tables while I made pancakes, bacon, eggs, and french muffins for breakfast. The pack had awakened by the time we had the breakfast ready. The Alpha and Luna, my parents, were the first to arrive.

They never allowed me to call them Mother or Father in front of others. Alpha Lucias and Luna Adeline, that's the proper term that I need to use to address them. Alec, of course, only had the privilege of calling them Mom and Dad. And he wasn't even their biological son. They couldn't erase the fact that I was their daughter, but they could pretend I wasn't.

They always ignore me, treated me as an enslaved person, and forced me to obey them, compensating for the 'misfortune that occurred' which referred to my conception and birth. It hurt so much to know that my parents despised me and gave me silent treatment all the time, but what could I do? I was helpless in the face of my fate.

Garrett, the Beta, was the one who pursued my parents. Garrett was my father's best friend, so he is more than just a Beta in our pack. Garrett, unlike my parents and everyone else, was friendly to me. He gave me books to read in order to help me gain knowledge because my parents did not allow me to receive a proper education. My parents believed that an omega like me doesn't need that thing because, after all, omegas like me were insignificant in their eyes.

Garrett, on the other hand, believes the opposite. Every day, he had a tutor who gave me papers with questions, quizzes, and tests. I'd finish them in my spare time, pile them somewhere safe for Garrett, and he'd give them to the tutor to check and correct the papers, then she'd send more the next day.

Reading and writing were some of the things that I am fond of. I enjoy doing them every now and then. So sometimes, I would leave the packhouse with a spare set of clothes, go for a run in my wolf form, and go to a place where I knew I could be at peace. It was a nearby meadow which is about two miles away from the pack. I would lie there in the lush green grass and read some of the books Garrett had given me. It was peaceful as I was completely alone and undisturbed in that place while doing the things I love.

And, of course, I'm away from the packhouse, away from my so-called parents, and from my stressful life. Nobody could bother me, something that makes me happy. I'd read Shakespeare, poetry, science, and fiction. I'd immerse myself in the worlds of fantasy and mystery, and for a brief moment, I'd forget that I was an Omega and just be myself.

"Do we have to wait for another hour for you to serve our breakfast, or was it ready?" The sound of my mother's voice startled me. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at me, with my father shaking his head next to her.

Alec and Natalie had just come down the stairs, giggling and kissing, which I thought was as fake as a Barbie doll could be. Garrett stood behind my parents, and his blue eyes were mischievous as he looked at me. To show my respect, I cleared my throat and bowed to them.

"Yes, Luna, breakfast is ready," I said, raising my head. "Please have a seat and allow me to serve you."

My mother simply scoffed. They then proceeded to the Alpha's table in the dining hall, where they took their seats. My father took the first seat, followed by my mother, Alec and Natalie, and finally Garrett.

Tali and Barbara spooned out heaps of pancakes, bacon, and eggs and carefully placed them on the trays alongside the coffee. I took five trays and five cups of black as midnight coffee, loaded them onto a cart, and rolled it out of the kitchen and into the dining hall, where my parents, Alec, Natalie, and Garrett awaited.

I rolled the cart up to the table and served them their breakfast and simply trying not to spill anything. Goddess knew the value of spilling coffee on Natalie's designer dress.

"Breakfast has been served. Enjoy your food," I meekly said.

My parents gave me a curt nod and started eating. We had to serve the rest of the pack after serving the Alpha, Luna, and Beta. They descended in five groups, and soon all two hundred pack members were present. And because the soldiers couldn't leave their posts guarding the packhouse and the houses of the pack members, where everyone stayed, they ate their breakfast outside.

We repeated the process of dishing out and serving the food for fifteen minutes. And soon, all of the pack members, including the soldiers, were finally completed. When everyone had finished eating, they left the dining hall and returned to their places, and went back to what they were doing. Tali, Barbara, and I cleaned up the area. Tali swept the floor, Barbara wiped down the tables, and I washed the dishes.

We sang songs while working and appreciated having the space to work without interruptions. Finally, the kitchen and dining room were cleaned and sanitized. The floors had been swept, the dishes had been washed, the tables had been cleaned, and there was a pleasant aroma of pine sol in the air.

"Okay, ladies, we did another great job. The place is clean. Let's eat breakfast and get to work on our chores," I rubbed my reddened hands against my apron. There wasn't much left for us to eat: four pancakes, some eggs, three strips of bacon, and two muffins.

I exhaled a sigh. This thing happened daily. We always cooked enough food for the group but never enough for ourselves. There was always a scarcity of food available for the omegas.

Tali, Barbara, and I were the only omegas around; that’s the reality. But we were also part of the pack after all. Even though no matter how much this fact, was denied.

"Oh, I think there isn't enough food for the three of us," Tali said as she observed with a glum expression on her face. "Should we go to the nearby human village to grab something to eat? What do you say?"

There was a human village approximately five miles away from the packhouse with cafes, banks, schools, clinics, and houses. And whenever we needed something, the three of us could leave and go to the human village. We buy things, such as food or medicine or any available items.

Only two members were allowed to leave the packhouse to go to the village. Tali and I decided to go while Barbara opted to stay. It's not like there's much to be purchased in the first place.

"Get some garlic bread, omelettes, cappuccinos, and a strawberry croissant for us to share," Barbara said, sitting on a kitchen chair, her long slender legs stretched out in front of her. "If you can't find a strawberry croissant, perhaps a raspberry jam tart will be enough."

"Do you plan to help us in carrying all of these items into the packhouse?" Tali asked sarcastically.

Barbara seemed to be offended. "Yes, of course, I'll assist you. What are your thoughts on me? Giving orders but won't help in carrying them here?" she said, irritably looking at Tali.

Tali nodded frantically, and Barbara exclaimed huffily. I rolled my eyes and headed Tali out of the kitchen, and we went outside. After a long morning of standing in front of the heat, the cool morning air that fanned our faces gave us relief. It is refreshing, and it felt so relaxing.

Tali and I went behind a large oak tree and started to undress, and then both of us shifted. Amanda, Tali's wolf, was covered in grey and white fur. She had a creamy underbelly and grey eyes. We stretched and turned to gather our belongings, our clothes specifically. And after which, we turned and bounded in the direction of the human village, with our clothes in our mouths.

As we ran through the forest, the breeze blew through our fur. We were running so fast that the trees appeared to be blur in our vision. When we were almost in the village, we stopped and looked for a large tree to shift back to our human form.. Tali and I both changed as quickly as we could. We combed our fingers through our hair after getting dressed and tried to look presentable.

"Okay, let's get all the things and goods we need and leave. I have to clean the Alpha's Chambers today. You know how much Alpha Lucius hates to have his room dirty," I said as I picked up some of our stuff from the ground.

"Amelia, you know it's just you and me here. So there's no need to call him Alpha or such when it's just the two of us. Shouldn't you just call him Dad?" Tali told me in a sympathetic tone.

"You know I can't do that, Tali. He slapped me the last time I called him Dad. He forced me to kneel in front of him and submit. It's preferable that way. I must always refer to him as Alpha Lucius. Nothing else," I replied sternly.

Tali shook her head slowly and hugged me. She comforted me as the friend that she's always been. With the kind of life we have, Tali, Barbara and I always need to look out for each other. We had to watch each other's backs not only because we were friends, but because there's no one else would. It will only be us, the omegas.