Olivia
I wiped the twentieth pair of shoes, placing them back inside their place, and then quickly began to go through Leah's closet. I knew she was going to wear a glamorous dress tomorrow for the ceremony.She had been looking forward to it since a month ago and had a dress especially done for the evening when they would announce her as the pack's Luna. Her dress hung on a hook next to a full-size mirror inside a black bag made of cloth. I couldn't help but envy her.If destiny had been a bit different, and my parents were still alive, maybe that dress would be mine. I would be the new Luna and would become Skylar's new mate. Just as our goddess had intended things to be, but only fate knew why things had ended the way they did.Curiosity got the best of me. I began to unzip the bag, admiring the shimmer of her skin-tight black dress she was going to wear tomorrow. I imagined how it would fit me, as I took it out of the bag and placed it over my body to see it in the mirror. "It would definitely look better on you, Livie," Freya says, making my eyes water as I chuckle.“Thanks, Freya, but let's face it. Even if it did, it's not my style. Besides, I will never be able to have any of these things. But it's good to dream...right?" I say, forcing a smile, making her retract in a whimper to the back of my head.The pain of my rejection was still a fresh wound inside of me. I placed the dress back, zipped the bag, and fell to my knees. I began sobbing again, fisting my hands as realization dawned on me. It was just about one in the morning, and if Leah wasn't back yet, it meant she was with Skylar. They were together, and the thought of him being intimate with her hurt, even if he wasn't mine anymore.I crawled into a ball, crying and feeling pathetic. I was soon destined to become no more than a slave. A slave to one of the two most feared packs by our own king. If he feared them, I can only imagine how everyone else feels around them. I got up, and went home, ready to call it an end, and hoped that whichever pack decided to take me in, would allow me to take a few things with me.It was around five in the morning and I was still not able to sleep. I decided to go about my day, getting ready. I took a quick shower, feeling the cold water, making me shiver. I had long gotten used to the fact that hot water was for the privilege, and it did not include me. I changed into ripped jeans, a worn-out t-shirt that used to belong to Dad, and my sneakers.They felt awful since I didn't own any socks, and the inside was past worn out, but hey... I'll manage.I sprinted toward the pack house and started to see the kitchen already busy. My eyes went wide as the head omega came running, pulling me by my arm. "What took you so long? It's nearly six, we need to get breakfast finished. One of the packs arrived last night, and the second pack is soon arriving. Luna Maddie has instructed me to have breakfast before everyone wakes up. Everything needs to be perfect, got it?" she says, pulling me toward the long kitchen island. If she was being careless about calling our Luna by her first, it meant she was nervous and didn't realize her mistake. It made everyone else look at her in shock, but doubt she realized."Ok," I say, feeling a bit of pity at how everyone looked so scared and nervous. If they were so frantic, it only meant one thing...our alpha was especially on edge. Which meant he would not like any mishaps.She began to take out mixing bowls and ingredients. "Luna wants you to bake your best pastry, it's for alpha Alarick. It needs to be your best, and I am warning you, child... Do not mess this up or we are all done for." she says, making me worried. I mean, seriously, how bad can it be to bake something? But, she's right, maybe if I bake my best cupcakes, he can be easy on me.The last I need is for me to be on his bad side or the other alphas. I'm now destined to be a slave to one of them and if I'm lucky, the one less likely to kill me will take me in if they see a preference for my baking. "They can even make you their official baker," Freya hoped. "If we were so lucky... I hope you're right, Freya." I say through our mind link.I began whipping up my best chocolate gnash cupcakes, and the whole kitchen soon became engulfed with the sweet chocolate aroma. It made a few of the omegas smile, making me feel a bit proud. But I knew better than to show it.But just as I was bringing out the last batch, alpha Morrison came in with Leah and his beta, Gunther. "There she is, dad. Make her, tell her to give them back to me," she says, crying, making everyone turn, looking at him in shock.Alpha's gaze on me was deadly, filled with disappointment. He sighs, closes his eyes, and nods to his beta, gesturing for him to grab me. "I always knew you were a disgrace, Olivia. How could you steal from my soon-to-be daughter-in-law?" he says, making me confused. His beta grabs my hand and pulls me away."What? No... I haven't stolen anything, I swear." I say as I begin to panic. Leah's face gleamed with a wicked smile, and I knew she was setting me up."You were the only one in my room last night. You took my new earnings. Do you have any idea how expensive those are? Give them back to me." she says, making me feel dumbfounded. "I... I don't know what you're talking about. I swear I didn't take anything." I pleaded, looking at Alpha Morrison."Shut up," he says, striking me with the back of his hand across my face. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. I will not tolerate anyone taking what is not yours. Take her to the dungeon." he says to his beta, looking at me menacingly.His beta, Gunther dragged me away, making heads pop from inside their bedrooms to see the commotion. I wasn't just embarrassed, I was hurt and angered. This pack has done nothing but treat me like trash, and I feared it would never end. I knew why they were doing this... They were probably making sure the visiting packs had the wrong impression of me. They knew if they did- they'd ensure I had bad treatment there too."Please... I swear, I didn't steal a thing from you, Leah. You know I wouldn't, I've never touched any of your things." I pleaded with her as Gunther pulled me past the living room and out of the pack house, toward the dungeons."So you're calling me a liar? I know you took them, Olivia. You were the only one in my room. I trusted you enough to be the only one to clean my stuff, and look how you repay me?" she adds, making me look at her in anger."Enough. Take her away." Skylar says, coming out of the pack house with nothing but pajama bottoms. But my eyes went wide as I saw the mark on his neck. It wasn't until then that I realized - Leah had been marked too. That's why she hadn't come back to her room last night. They were together, and they had completed their mating bond, marking each other.I was done for. All these years Leah had anticipated being his Luna. She longed for him to mark her and give her the power to do whatever she wanted with me. The only thing now standing in her way was the ceremony. Once he was alpha, she had all the authority to do as she pleased. And that began- with making sure to make my life a living hell. She knew I was demoted, once again, but if she found out Skylar had sentenced me to be one of the five omegas he wanted to give the visiting pack as a peace offering, she was going to make sure I didn't leave. Otherwise - how could she continue to torture me?Livie"Why are you letting them take you there again? Liv, do something. Tell them it wasn't us." Freya yelled in my head as I filled with anger. Gunther pulled me by my arm, making me stumble. But he jolted me up, keeping me from falling on my face. I could only hear the laughter of onlookers as we made our way down to the dungeons.How could they believe her? I haven't done anything. I have never stolen anything... Well... Besides bread, that's only when I couldn't take the hunger I felt anymore. How much more mistreatment or torture can they possibly do to me? I mean I'm about to leave this damn pack thanks to Skylar. Why are they so bound to hurt me? Do they really hate me this much? "Freya shut it. You'll only make things worse." I linked back to my wolf as I struggled to get down the dungeon's steps. Beta Gunther nodded to a guard, making him open one of the doors, and then tossed me inside the cell. The same cell I had long learned to loathe. This place had a thick stench of r
Third Person POVLivie is dragged out of the dungeon by a guard and Gunther, followed by Skylar and his dad, alpha Noah Morrison. Her body is filled with bruises, blood, and evidently a few broken bones. Though Skylar can care less about what has happened to her, he is pissed off. She is supposed to leave tomorrow morning as one of the peace offerings to the Dark Moon. If things don't work out accordingly, he and his dad will not be able to talk the Dark Moon alpha into protecting them. He's never been scared of a fight, but he knows he will not be able to fight off another intrusion by the rogue king. He's already killed half of the pack. They are vulnerable, and another attack may extinguish whatever is left of the group. "Why the hell didn't you listen to me and leave it for me to handle? We have visiting packs, why the hell would you make a damn scene like this?" Skylar glared at Leah as she walked to the opposite side of them. She was obviously coming back from having a nice ic
AlarickThe party felt like it lasted forever. But by midnight and with no sign of my mate, we decided to call it a night. The more I am in this pack, the more I realize that is all a bunch of immature teenagers who are out to party and run around carelessly. So we took off, and headed toward the shack Kaiden told me he had seen."Babe, why don't you head into our room? Ricky and I will deal with this." Kaiden tells my sister. She looked ready to protest, but I knew she was tired. She sighs, hugging us and saying good night. We made our way toward the shack, walking under the moonlight. The forestry became thicker until we finally came up to a clearing. There, stood a tiny shack, badly shaped. The roof looked ready to fall, the paint chipping, and a few broken windows.We came closer as her scent became stronger, but I growled when I got the scent of blood. "Ricky, I think she's hurt. Her wolf feels like she's agonizing, but I can't tell." Black suggests, making my blood boil. I fist
AlarickI had asked Molly through our mind link to look forward to my beta dropping off my mate in my room. She was eager to see her, but she didn't expect the state she was in. I haven't seen her myself, but I think it isn't good. Molly keeps crying, mind-linking me every time she sees a new bruise on her. Meanwhile, I'm stuck walking to these dickheads. We pass a nice-looking home with flowers, a picket fence, and a cherry blossom on each front porch corner. It was rather pleasing to the eye. It was a very lovely looking charming home, if I may add. "Well, this is where I leave you. Good night to the two of you. Sky, I presume you can handle things on your own starting tomorrow," he says, making Skylar clench his jaw. "Of course. Good night, Father," he says, turning and continuing to walk. Alpha Morrison clears his throat and nods toward me. I nod in response and continue walking, but Skylar is soon by my side again. There's not much of a conversation after that. He and I have no
SkylarI gripped the doorknob, shutting it lightly behind me. But being honest, I wanted to slam the damn door or maybe take it off its hinge and toss it at Alarick's damn face. Just who the hell does he think he is? I'm an alpha as well now. I demand equal respect. I deserve his respect.If he thinks I'm going to submit or force my people to submit to him because he's going to be protecting my pack, he's got it all wrong. Protection or not, I am sure my pack can defend itself from the rogue king if we had the numbers. The time we were attacked, it was simply because Dad had refused to listen to me. But he's right. I am outnumbered if that rogue king comes by here again. I had already told Dad our walls needed to be reinforced, but he's always wasting the pack's earnings on stupid things. All the expensive clothes he buys for himself and Mom, their expensive getaways, and their constant vacations have my pack in ruins. Maybe Alarick is right: I must strengthen the walls around my per
Alarick’s POVI made my way to Asher and Zane's room. They had been investigating what I asked them yesterday, and I wanted to see if they had anything for me before heading to see Skylar and his dad. It seemed everyone was still asleep, other than the omegas. I could hear all the noise of pans and dishes, knives chopping, and, of course... complaining. "Where is Olivia? Why is she not here yet? Is she still in the dungeons? I swear this girl is always getting into trouble." One of the older omegas says, making me pause. "No, ma'am. We... We overheard Leah last night talking to her friends." "It's LUNA Leah. We need to make sure we all call her like that from now on. Unless you want to end up in the dungeons as well. Now, what about Luna Leah? What did she say now?" she says, scolding the girls. "She said... She said Livie is leaving our pack," the young girl says in a quiver. "What?" the older one responds. I get closer, looking at them as they talk about my mate but staying out o
Livie’s POVThe rest of the morning, Molly, Selene, and I talked. Mostly them, but still. I learned that Rick also lost his mom through a rogue attack. He and Molly were just weeks old when that happened, so they have absolutely no memory of her. If it weren't for pictures his dad kept, they would have never learned what she looked like, but from what Molly tells me, she was beautiful.When we were talking, the omegas came in and brought us breakfast. They tried to talk to me, but Molly warned me not to tell them I was Alarick's mate. They were uncertain if Alpha Morrison could do something against us if he knew. "Trust me, he'll try to use it to his advantage. So until your attachment to this pack is severed, don't say anything." She begged, and well, I had no intention of telling them. No one in this pack has ever been nice to me. If they were trying to make amends because I was leaving, they could keep their apologies. Like Molly said, I don't need them. After we had breakfast, th
Livie’s POVI suddenly fell conscious of myself sitting next to him. He unconsciously (purposely, maybe!) wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me to him. My shoulder is tucked under his arm as he lifts my chin to look at him. He slowly leaves a feather-like kiss on my lips, making me feel like I was melting. "I've been waiting all morning and afternoon to kiss you again," he whispers, his lips grazing mine and filling me with electricity. "I... M-1, me too." I utter, making his lips pull into a smile. "Now, we haven't had much time to get to know each other. How are you? Did my sister treat you well?" he says, but all I can focus on is the sweet movement of his lips. The sparkle in his ocean-blue eyes and that intoxicating aroma. He smells so good it makes me feel like nirvana. "Uhhuh," I say, making him chuckle. His Adam's apple is playing up and down his throat with every chuckle, and I can't help but stare at it like a dummy. He slowly leans, leaving another feather-like ki