New family, here I come. Mom took my hand and we both went to where David was standing.
“Are you guys done?”He observed both our faces.“Are you fine now, Katherina?”I nodded.“Don’t worry, they don’t bite.”He smiled kindly, and I returned it with a small, uncertain one of mine. He nodded and opened his arm and my mother put hers through the space and they were linked. The house was very big, it made begin to wonder just how rich this David guy was. One of the men standing outside the big door that led to the house, opened it and we stepped into it.“Welcome, Alpha.”Alpha? Who was the Alpha? Then they bowed and I realized who they were bowing for. David was an Alpha? Oh my goodness! My stepfather is an Alpha. Someone wake me up from this dream. This was too surreal. Was the universe trying to play a fast one on me? An Alpha? I tugged my mother’s cloth and my brow in questioning. She understood my question, she smiled and nodded a yes. My mouth went agape and my eyes went wild with surprise. I was going to be living with an Alpha.“Melissa.”Alpha David called one of the young girls lined up, probably waiting to be called upon. They looked like they worked here as maids.“Yes, Alpha”She kept her face bowed.“Raise your head.”She did obediently.“You’re going to be her personal maid henceforth. She’s now part of the family.”“Yes Alpha.”A personal maid? What did I need one for? I could take care of myself, well except for making my own meals. The maid walked to me with a straight face. I stared at her uncertainly. Was she not happy to be assigned to me?“But do I really need a maid, Alpha?”“It’s David to you until you’re comfortable enough to call me dad.”He reminded.“I’m sorry, David. Do I really need a maid?”My voice was quite low and I was avoiding the faces of the other people in the room.“Yes, you do. As an Alpha’s daughter, you do.”I looked to my mother, but she was just beaming brilliantly at everything and everyone. I remembered my promise to not complain or cause problems for her.“Thank you, David.”He merely nodded. “Melissa, show her to her room. Make sure she’s comfortable until she’ll be needed.”“I wonder where those boys are.”I heard him tell my mom before the maid led me away from the reception area to an hallway. Any maid who came across me bowed in respect. It kind of made me uncomfortable. I was not used to this kind of life and luxury. I bowed back at the two maids who had passed me and they gave me a strange look when I bowed back to them. The house was really big, I could not keep count the number of rooms we had passed.“Are we going to be there yet?”“Soon, ma’am.”Ma’am? I was no ma’am.“Could you please stick to calling me my by name?”“And what is your name?”“Katherina.”“Okay, Katherina.”I followed her round a corner and we proceeded onto a long flight of stairs, by the time we reached last flight, my body reminded me of the stress I’d put them through before during the trek out of my previous pack and the stress they were undergoing now. Why did the house have to be so big? And why did my room have to be so almost out of reach?“We’re here, Katherina.”Melissa announced curtly. She opened the door to the room that was allocated to me. I stepped in and my eyes grew saucer-wide at what I saw. This was my room? It was as big as the whole of our old house back in Moon Rock.“This is my room?”“Yes.”Her response was bland.“Is anything the matter, Melissa?”“Who do you think might be the matter, Your Highness?”Her tone was mocking.“What did I do to you? I mean, we just met few minutes ago.”“I never said you did anything to me.”“Uhmm, it’s fine if you don’t want to be my personal maid. You can go, you’re free.”“And what do I tell the Alpha then? That I disobeyed him and stop being your personal maid?”“I don’t know. You clearly did not like being assigned to me. I don’t want you stuck caring for someone you don’t want to.”“Anything else you want?”“Nothing.”She ignored me and proceeded to go into my bathroom.“What are you doing, Melissa?”I calmly asked her.“Drawing you a bath.”“You don’t have to. I can draw myself a bath.”I felt quite small and insignificant talking to her. I had no idea how things like this go. She seemed to not like me or being assigned to me which I think are the same. I never want to make anyone do what they have no pleasure doing. I would not want her to keep being my maid if she did not like it. Moreover, I did not see the need for one but if my stepfather had made it a necessity for me, then I had no choice but certainly not the one who hated me from onset.“Hm.”Was the only sound that came from her and she went to draw the bath.I sighed. I pulled my clothes and wrapped myself in a towel that was neatly folded on the bed. My bags were nowhere in sight but there was a closet and maybe it was there. My jaw dropped at the sight of clothes. More than I could count. Of different colors, fabrics, styles and designs. My closet looked like that of a runway fashion model.“The bath is ready.”She informed me.“Thank you.”There was no response from her.The bathroom was another beauty to behold. I stepped into the lustrous gold bathtub. This was heaven. I pulled off my bracelet and took my time to have my bath even though I had one before I came here.There was another towel in the bathroom and I wrapped it around my wet hair. I wore my bracelet back. With my towel safely wrapped around me, I made my way to my room.The sight that greeted me as I stepped my feet into my room made me yelp in shock.Who were these people? And what were they doing in my room? The four pair of eyes staring intently at me were making me uncomfortable. A quick glance told me that Melissa was nowhere to be found.“W..who a..are you g..guys?”I stuttered. Suddenly feeling naked before them. Though their eyes held no lust nor decadent desires, I was not used to boys finding me fresh out of shower, clad in nothing but a towel.“She looks harmless guy.” One of them said. He smiled at me and stretched out a hand. “Welcome, stepsister. I’m Lucas.”“Uhm.”Suddenly I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. I did not do well in situations like this and I was especially shy amongst guys.“You don’t want a handshake?”The one who introduced himself as Lucas asked, the cheerful smile still on his face. He looked very young. They were all young but he looked younger.Awkwardly, I accepted his handshake. “Hi.”“What is your name?”“Katherina.”“Katherina.”He repeated, testing the name on his lips.“Guys, say hi
“School?”I asked. Already eager to hear. Was I going to be enrolled into college here?“Of course, that’s what an academy means.”Lucas seemed amused. He had seen the eagerness in that single word question and undoubtedly, in my eyes.“I know.”I berated myself for almost losing it. Behaving like some local girl who had never had opportunity to attend school. Behave yourself, Katherina. I warned myself.“You seem to like school.”Aaron said.“Yes, I do love school.”“Well, you’ll have your wish granted but don’t have your hopes up on having free years within those academic walls. You think high school was brutal, college is worse. Especially here in Stone Shadow pack.”Lucas warned.“I know first hand about brutality.”I replied.“Is that so?”Zach asked.“Yes.”I noticed the four of them exchange looks. I wondered why and what it was all about. I struggled to stifle a yawn, it was unsuccessful. I was tired and getting sleepy. The day had been rough.“You must be tired.”Lucas observ
“Ritual?”“Yes.”Melissa replied primly.“What is it about?”“It’s an initiation ceremony carried out to welcome any new member to Stone Shadow pack. Especially when it’s into the royal family.”Lucas replied.“That’s so…”I was at loss for what to say. I did not know how to describe how it what I’m feeling. An initiation ceremony? I never knew activities like that existed in packs. And why too? Why did they feel the need to do such?“Archaic? Interesting?”Lucas was gauging my reaction from his intense study of my expression, not to mention that his brother Aaron would not stop making me uncomfortable with his stare and the worse part was I did not know why he was staring at me that way. What was he trying to do? Bore a hole through my face with his eyes? I squirmed a little in discomfort, I could not meet his stare. Zach was the only person in the room who behaved he did not give a damn. The guy loved whatever he was doing on that phone more than what was happening around him.“I do
“Where is she?”A deep voice by the doorway inquired.“She’s changing into her ritual clothes, Beta.”I heard Melissa reply.“Who is that, Melissa?”I was curious to know who Melissa was talking to.“It’s Beta Mark, Your Highness.”“Your Highness?”I was almost done. The cloth was more like a white tunic. Was this what they wore to Stone Shadow pack’s initiation ceremony? Quiet ancient if I’m asked and to think they had already prepared for this moment even before I arrived the pack. It was already arranged amongst my high pile of clothes. I walked to the door and to know this person. I saw a man who was in his forties, brown hair and brown eyes that were sharp and looked like they could detect even the smallest of crime from a miles away. There was wisdom and patience in them too.“Hello Beta.”I bowed in total respect to greet him. When I raised my head, I could tell he was pleased with my action though his face barely revealed it. “Hello Your Highness.” He bowed slightly back. “I’
I heard chants and hums as we got closer to the ceremony ground. It would seem they had started without me already. Maybe my mother was there already.“We are here.”Lucas whispered to me.“I can see.”I whispered right back. He beamed and we stepped out of a very wide open ground. There was fire and people were crowding it. “Let her go, Luke.”Aaron told him.He unhooked my arms from his and immediately nerves twisted. I was confused and lost. What should I expect? Lucas walking me here had calmed me of my fears. I guess they all saw the fear in my eyes.“It’s okay, Kathy. We should not be holding or walking together with you in public yet until the ceremony is done. That’s the rule, sadly.”“You’ll be fine, hot legs.”“Stop calling her that. She’s not those your toys in school.” Lucas warned.But Zach paid him no mind.“Go, Katherina. It will be over soon”Aaron’s voice was reassuring. And I nodded.“Thanks, guys.”“Don’t be scared. Just think of it this way; this is the only way
“She’s awake.”I heard a voice say as soon as I blinked my eyes open before I was crowded by three bodies peering down into my face. What had happened? Where was I? I shook my head a little then winced as my temples banged in pain.“Are you okay, Kathy?”Lucas’ cute face was looking worriedly into mine.“Y-yes.”My mouth was heavy and my voice was hoarse, not ignoring the fact that my throat was in much desperate need of a liquid. My tongue too, it felt drier that the desert, even spittle was scarce in my oral cavity.“Having trouble speaking, darling?”Mom was there too. She looked quite weak but she was putting on a strong front.“Water.”“Melissa, come get her some water.”Lucas ordered my personal maid. Soon a cup of water was placed in my hands, my hands shook as they held the water. Lucas guided them to my mouth and practically fed me the water. I took big gulps like I had never taken water before in my entire existence.“Take it easy so you don’t choke.”Another voice gently wa
“Tomorrow is Monday. You’ll be going to school, right?”I decided to forget about the talk of what had happened during the initiation. The Alpha was not angry with me, he and the Beta had only suspected according to Lucas but that was all. Nothing too extreme had happened. The initiation had worked, I was now part of the Salvatore though I was not sure if I wanted to take the name yet, but I knew as long as I was in the pack, I was a Salvatore by the reason of marriage. “Don’t remind me.”He groaned.“You hate school?”I said in disbelief.“What? You don’t hate school?”He sounded incredulous.“No. I love learning.”I became self-aware of how nerdy that sounded.“School is brutal, I tell you.”“Well, not when it comes to learning.”“Hmm. You really do love school. How did you cope in your last school?”“Well enough.”I did not want to bring up the ugly side especially the one where I was forced to stop so I don’t ‘affect’ others with my abominable self.“You do know you’re not allowe
AaronIt was Monday and school as usual. I did not really care for these students and the life they led. This was my final year and I could not wait to be out of here and officially become a graduate. Dad already had successful companies waiting for me and my brothers. Stone Shadow pack is the biggest and most prosperous pack in the whole regions, and even the pack that was the second was no where near Stone Shadow pack in wealth and land. We had the best everything and our people were practically good at everything. Sports, music, medical sector, academic sector even our houses were the best. I was proud of what my father had achieved and I wanted to achieve more too. As the first son, it was my duty and I could not wait for the day I’d become Alpha of Stone Shadow pack.As my brothers and I stepped into the school building, the usual stares of both girls and boys alike were all on us. We were not just known to be the Alpha’s sons, but also the most intelligent, most handsome and bes