Saving the Rejected Luna

Artemis

After Garrett and Lydia left the kitchen to introduce Lydia to my parents, Tali and I resumed making lunch. By the time the roast was done, Tali had a potato salad and vegetables put to the side. When the pie was assembled, I stuck it in the oven to bake, which would take approximately twenty minutes.

Barbara set the table, and soon after she finished the last one, the pack started to pour into the dining hall. First came the Alpha and Luna, Alec and Natalie, and Garrett and Lydia.

Natalie didn't bother changing her outfit from her cousin's pup shower. Why would she? It was so revealing, outrageously expensive, and alarmingly short.

How did Alec let her leave the house like that? Either he wanted other males to drool over her body and be jealous or wanted everyone to see that Natalie was his and no one could touch her. The dress reached her mid-thighs; it was black and red with diamond studs. Her stilettos were knee-high and the heel, four and a half inches. Her long blonde hair reached her waist and her makeup, as usual, caked her face making her look more like a prostitute than the future Luna of the pack.

"The fact that she would be our sister-in-law when she becomes Luna is depressing, and it makes me gag when I think about it," Caroline said scornfully.

"You think you have it rough? I have it worse! Who has to pup sit that little mongrel when it's born? Who has to change its diapers when its mother is busy and doesn't want to get her pretty little nail dirty?"I retorted.

I was so busy talking to Caroline I failed to hear my mother yelling at me.

"You lazy creature, we're starving over here; whenever you decide to serve lunch would be wonderful, it's not like we have a business to attend to!"

I jumped and shouted a quick apology before grabbing the now excellent pan of deer roast and resting it on the counter. Tali sliced the deer up, and I arranged the thick slices on china plates next to the vegetables.

Barbara placed the plates on the trays and the trays on the cart. Six trays were placed on the cart, and I wheeled it over to the Alpha's table where my parents, Alec, Natalie, Garrett, and Lydia, were waiting.

"Roasted deer and vegetables, please do enjoy your lunch," I said as I distributed the trays of food to them, trying my best to serve with grace and not spill a single drop.

Barbara came with a martini bottle and poured the drink into their crystal goblets. Her eyes stayed down as she ran.

"Enjoy your drinks," she said with a respectful bow.

Lydia smiled, and Garrett smiled and thanked us profusely. Barbara and I bowed once more and went back to the kitchen, where Tali had five more plates ready to be served. We repeated the dish, fill, pour and bow process until every pack member had their plates in front of them, scarfing the food down like wolves.

Oh, wait, they are wolves. Finally, when everyone had cleaned their plates, dessert included Barbara, Tali, and I set about cleaning the kitchen and the dining hall. We had barely begun when Natalie came out of nowhere and perched herself up on the kitchen counter like it was her bedroom.

"You what's your name again?" she asked, pointing her long, turquoise fingernails at Tali.

Tali dropped the spoon she was rinsing, turned around, and bowed to Natalie.

"M..my name is Tali Jerald, I am the daughter of G..Gamma Kyle, Luna Natalie," Tali stuttered nervously.

Natalie nodded and pointed a finger to Barbara next. "And yours?"

"My name is Barbara Sanders. I am the daughter of Delta Mario, Luna Natalie," Barbara said, bowing. Unlike Tali, Barbara had no fear of Natalie, only the power her words held.

She was polite, respective, and submissive but not fearful. I admired her for her courage. Something I never had growing up. Natalie seemed satisfied with their answers and rose off the counter and walked towards us, her steps hard and her hips flaring.

She approached Tali first and tucked her finger under her chin, and raised her head to meet her eyes.

"You assisted me well today. My nails were done to perfection, and my cousin loved them. I appreciate your help, Tali," she said this in such a pleasant tone of voice I almost choked.

I swear I had to be hungry for me to hearNatalieof all wolves be friendly to Tali, an omega.

Then she released Tali's chin, moved to Barbara, and repeated the action. "You have an excellent taste for fashion, Barbara. My mother appreciated my hair, she said it suits me, and for that I thank you,"

Barbara's face lit up, and she smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you, Luna Natalie," she said sincerely.

"Why would she be nice to us just off the bat? She'sNatalie.I can't see how she could be nice to anyone," I said as I rinsed the dishes and placed them on the dish rack. "Anyway, I'm sure if she's nice, it's only because she wants something."

"I agree, Artemis. Her wolf Mimi isn't any better. She thinks just because she's Austin's mate, and she could push everyone around and force them to do her bidding," Caroline growled in my head. "She doesn't even have Alpha blood in her."

I sighed and continued to do the dishes while Tali swept the floors, and Barbara cleared the tables. When the kitchen and dining hall were cleaned, we sat and divided the leftovers between us. Shockingly, there was enough for the three of us.

Barbara dished out the food, and I poured the drinks, and Tali took three kitchen chairs outside and placed them on the packhouse veranda so we could sit in the outdoors and eat. The weather was nice, not too cold, not too hot.

It was nice to sit out and enjoy the serenity of the afternoon before we had to resume our chores. Barbara had laundry duty, Tali had lawn duty, and I cleaned Alec, Natalie, the Beta, Gamma, and Delta quarters, which would take the entire evening to do.

While we ate the delicious food, we chatted about the Cosmos Gala that was to be held in a week. Marcus held it every five years in his pack to celebrate the alliance forged with the Shining Cosmos Pack and the Emerald Guardians Pack.

Marcus hadn't found his mate yet, and he was always on the lookout for her, hoping to find her so his pack could have a Luna and they would become more assertive.

We cleaned up and prepared to start our assigned chores when we finished eating. We were just about to leave to get them done when Natalie came down, dressed in snug hip hugger jeans, a cashmere sweater, and three-inch stiletto heels. She stepped up to us, and we bowed to show our respect.

"Tali, Barbara, come with me. I am going shopping this afternoon, and I'd like to have you there as my assistants," she said in a tone that lacked her usual snobby and arrogant attitude. I was surprised.

"Luna, we have no attire suited to follow you anywhere. We are omegas," Tali said softly. It was true. We omegas didn't have proper clothes. Mostly hand-me-downs from the she-wolves who had outgrown them.

"No worries, I shall provide you with clothes, come to my room, I will organize you," Natalie replied.

I almost choked. What was this toxic she-wolf getting at? First, she complimented them, calling them something other than filthy omega. Now, this?

To my surprise, Tali and Barbara smiled widely, bowed to Natalie once more, and followed her to her room. But before she did, she turned and shot a scornful glare my way.

"What the hell are you staring at? Tali and Barbara will be at the mall with me. Therefore you are responsible for their work. The lawn outside, the laundry, and the rooms upstairs, not to mention dinner, which you will also take care of on your own. Get to it, you a worthless thing!" she snapped at me.

I flinched at her tone and nodded. "Yes, Luna," I said timidly. Natalie scoffed and turned to leave. I stifled my sobs and got to work, wishing I could run away from this hell. They were destroying me, and pretty soon, there would be nothing left for my mate. Who am I kidding? I had no mate. No one could ever love me.

"Don't say that, Artemis! We do have a mate. We just haven't found him yet. Don't be disheartened, and the Moon Goddess said that everyone has a mate," Caroline said sadly. I shook my head, blocked her out, and continued to do what I did best. I cleaned.