☽ Chapter 5: No Longer a Beta ☾

?Chapter 5 – No Longer a Beta?

"Do you remember much of what happened?" My father asks, the tension in the air so thick, making me feel as if the walls are closing in on me. Mika and Lace, with tear-stained faces, sit to the side on a small couch while my parents force me to stand. Today, we buried Alpha Sorus and Luna Reena. The idea of dealing with my parents after everything that’s happened in the last three days is not something I want to do after their neglect the night they found us pups huddled together in fear. Instead, I keep my gaze towards the window, watching the raindrops pitter-patter against the glass wondering if I can melt away and be free. “I don’t remember much. We fell asleep watching the unicorns play. Geminie woke me up because she heard something, then woke Lace up.” Mika answers, his voice wavering. I turn to look at the older boy to see my mother comforting him she sends a seething glare my way. “Geminie, if you woke them up then why didn’t you come get help!” It isn’t a question, but an accusation that Mother throws my way. I can feel her hatred where I stand halfway across the room. “I woke up and got Mika up right away, then Lace. There were too many wolves and if anyone of us tried running, we would have been caught and most likely killed, too.” I answer plainly, meeting her gaze with a pleading look hoping my own mother will listen to reason. “That’s just an excuse!” She snarls at me, standing protectively in front of the Alpha pups and staring at me with contempt, a look I know all to well. “It is the truth. They killed the Alpha and Luna because they were looking for the Moon Goddess’ lost pup and believe that they were hiding her in this pack. If we came out, we would have been in danger, and if I left Mika and Lace there, they would have been in dan-” I stop mid-sentence, flinching as my father slams a fist onto his desk, causing me to jump in fear. Anger radiates off of him in waves and my attention turns to him. “Enough of your lies, Geminie. You’re the reason our Alpha and Luna, Mika and Lace’s parents, are dead!” His voice bellows, the bookshelves rattling from the power. I stand frozen in shock and fear. “Since Mika won’t be of age to take over for another twelve years, I will be in charge as acting Alpha and my wife as acting Luna. You, Geminie, will be nothing but an Omega, a slave to this pack for your insolence and failure to protect our leaders.” He continues, his words a finality on my fate in this pack. I turn to look at my friends, knowing that their words would help me keep my status as a Beta female. But Mika glares at me with hatred before turning away and Lace stares at the floor, clearly not listening to a word. I know at once that in this room I am alone. Alone, disowned, and an Omega. Beta Bastian dismisses us, my face now sporting a bruise from the slap he had given me just moments ago when I tried pleading my case and calling him “Father” one more time reminding me that I am to now address him as Beta Bastian. An Omega with a car waits for me outside, his job to drive me to the Beta’s house, a place I can no longer call home, and leave me there to pack up whatever can fit into a single duffle bag. After that, I will have to find my own way back to the pack house and to the small room that will be assigned to me. The car ride is quiet, and the Omega gives me a look of sympathy, his eyes too large for his sallow face. “We know it’s not your fault, Geminie. The Omegas know what happened was a freak event. We believe you,” He reassures me before we return to the quiet drive. It feels nice knowing that the Omegas have my back now that I will be one of them. I have a sinking feeling that Beta Bastian will make our lives worse for it. The car stops in front of the house, the Omega giving me an encouraging smile and telling me to be brave while handing me an empty duffle bag as I step out of the vehicle and head inside. The house feels cold and empty, a forbidden place to me now. Heading past the living room and up the stairs, I make my way to my bedroom and stop in the doorway. I see everything is gone except for five duffle bags sitting on the bare mattress of what used to be my bed. “Thank the Goddess you’re okay, Gemie.” Alex’s voice sounds from behind me and I turn to see him holding a bundle in his arms and pushing past me to fill another duffle bag. “I heard them talking last night, mom and dad. They already planned to make you an Omega, and when they left me here after the Funeral, I asked an Omega to bring me a few bags to fill for you. I have everything, including your blankets and toys.” He states, pulling me into a hug. “Do you think I could become a Beta again?” I ask in a whisper, tears threatening to fall. “I don’t know, Gemie, but you have to be strong when they come back.” I nod, giving my brother a reassuring smile and handing him the empty duffle bag I held. I help him pack a few more items, taking some food from the kitchen and pantry. A car pulls into the driveway and my heart skips a beat, thinking it’s the Beta couple, but it’s the Omega who dropped me off. “Liam here said he would drive me to the pack house. They are on their way home now, but I texted them the excuse of checking up on Mika and they bought it. Liam is going to help me take your bags your new room. Just pretend to finish packing up the last one I leave for you, okay?” I only nod at my brother, letting Liam into the house as he and Alex carry six of the seven bags down and into the car. I wave to them before rushing upstairs and double-checking to see if we left anything before doing my best to carry the bag downstairs just in time for Beta Bastian and Mrs. Jasmine to burst through the door. “You should have been gone by now.” Beta Bastian growls out. I keep my head down, looking to the floor to hide my fear. “I was just leaving, sir.” I answer quietly, staying in my spot and waiting for the two wolves to walk past me. Instead, a hand grabs my hair and I cry from the pain, the Beta’s face inches from mine. “Well get the fuck out, you stupid pup,” He screams at me, dragging me to the door and throwing me off of the front porch and into the mud-soaked lawn. Mrs. Jasmine just smirks, her arms crossed over her chest. “You know the way to the pack house, you bitch, so make your way there.” With that, Beta Bastian growls again, turns and slams the door, leaving me all alone. The rain stops suddenly, clouds clearing and the full moon shines down on me. I feel like the Moon Goddess takes pity on me while my small body slowly walks back towards the pack house where my life as an Omega will begin .

?Chapter 6 – An Omega’s Life?

I groan while going through the laundry, nearly gagging at the smell left on the sheets from a particular room while the heat of the dryers in the brightly lit basement room intensifies the smell emanating off of this particular basket I am stuck with. Visitors from Forest Paw had just left and their Alpha, Alpha Leo, the biggest sleaze I have ever met left a mess in the guest room that I had the unfortunate luck to be in charge of cleaning. He came to negotiate an alliance with our pack and I watched as Mika and Beta Bastian accepted this man openly while I cleaned the foyer of the pack house. Alex managed to keep me as far away from the visiting Alpha as possible after the first night where I was forced to serve dinner. I could feel his eyes on me throughout the night, knowing that if he spoke one word to the Beta, he could have his way with me— a fourteen-year-old child. It wouldn’t be the first time the Beta tried to use my body for his own advantage, but thankfully Alex has a friend in the medical wing who handed him a highly potent sleep drug and before anything could be done. Leo, the wolf in question, would be safely passed out in his room at any time if I were ordered to tend to him. My hope to become a Beta Female again in this pack has been all but dashed by the many bruises that paint my skin and the scars that linger from punishments that were unnecessary, in my opinion. But at least I was not offered as a play thing to the visiting pack like some Omegas were for the last seven days. “Someone got the raunchy sheets left by Alpha Leo,” Lilly fake gags as I throw the white sheets with bodily fluids I refuse to think about into the soaking tub. I would rather incinerate them, but if Beta Bastian finds one sheet missing by the end of the day, then I will become the scapegoat as usual. “Honestly, I am just glad Alex kept me in the cleaning rotations and not the serving rotations,” I groan with relief, throwing the rubber gloves into the trash bin and washing my hands with scalding water and the strongest soap I can find. I feel dirty just touching anything of that nature and can feel the panic attack rising inside me. Mumbling to Misbah that I am going to get air, I rush up the Omega staircase and burst into the garden, the frigid winter air a refreshing welcome to my lungs. I find a corner free of snow and take some deep breaths, hugging my knees to my chest and doing my best to keep the tears at bay. I found this spot thanks to Alex, a place to be weak between the walls of the pack house and the evergreen shrubs that leave a sharp pine scent in the air. No one comes to this part of the garden, not even Omegas, leaving me alone and feeling safe. After an hour passes and my panic has settled down, I make my way down to the basement and put on another pair of rubber gloves, intending to finish those sheets. To my surprise, the sheet in the soaker tub is gone, and Lilly gives me a sympathetic glance while I go fold the dry clothes. She is one of three people who knows what happened, knows the night that officially killed my hope of being a Beta Female again. I keep an eye on the time, working hard and keeping to the basement or the kitchen helping with meals for the day. When Lace comes in and lets the Omegas finish for the day and enjoy the rest of the night off at 7:30, I sigh with relief, finish folding the laundry fresh from the dryer and hand it off to a waiting Omega for him to deliver to its respective room. Being the last to leave the laundry room and climb the stairs closest to the pack kitchen, I take a deep breath at the top of the stairs and confirm that no one else is around. Many are most likely in the dining hall, with the smells of freshly baked bread, stew and cupcakes lingering in the air. I see the goods sitting on the stove and counters, my stomach grumbling with hunger pains at the thought of being able to fill my stomach. Since Beta Bastian and his wife took over, Omegas have become nothing more than tools, only deserving of enough food to live and nothing else. No extra food, no treats, and no drinks other than water. I’ve spent countless nights trying to fill my stomach with water in hopes of calming the hunger pains since my first week as an Omega. I think about all the tears falling from my eyes as I cried from the cramps an empty stomach brought when Beta Bastian took away my food privileges for some reason or another. I spent days trying to make it through another day until Alex could sneak me something small enough to eat. I learned quickly how to steal in order to keep on living in hopes of finding my own mate one day. With a deep breath, I scan the area for any lingering scent of pack members. As I thought, most seem to be in the dining hall, with only a few upstairs. My scent will be gone by the time dinner is over. With a grin, I quickly grab the tote bag I stashed earlier in the day in the small broom closet beside the basement stairs and quickly fill it with the bread, easy-to-store goods from the pantry and a thermos of the still-hot stew. I leave the cupcakes with a reluctant gaze, knowing there is only enough for those dining in the hall, and quickly run up the stairs with my stolen goods towards my room in the attic. Seven years have passed since my demotion to Omega, and in those seven years, this small room with bare wooden walls, a daybed, a desk, and a dresser slowly became home. A lock on the door handle was added two years ago, as well as a deadbolt that I locked each and every night since that incident a few years ago. Alex put in place this safety measure in case a visiting wolf needed a “Bribe” from Beta Bastian. Placing my stolen goods on the desk beside my laptop, I sigh and take a seat on the worn wooden furniture, the damp cold only associated with an attic seeping into my body, causing goosebumps to form and shivers to crawl down my spine. Flicking my laptop open, a prize I won for a writing contest in school, I reach into the bag of goodies and pull out the stew as I wait for it to power on. With school still ever-present in my daily life at fourteen, I have no choice but to comply and do the homework needed for the following Monday. After many bites of food and multiple assignments later, my tired eyes glance at the time and sigh. It is midnight, and I am finally done. With a groan and a final sip of the stew, I stash the remaining food I stole into an airtight container hidden in the walls and climb into the small bed for much- needed sleep.