Chapter 1
**This book contains adult material which is why it is 18+. There is abuse and s****l depictions throughout the story line. This first chapter could trigger some abuse emotions. **
I woke up it was 3 a.m., the morning of my 16th birthday. This was going to be a long day, as the lowest Omega the coronation of the New Alpha for the Dark Moon pack was nothing but hours of work. On the bright side I would not be bothered later as everyone A pounding on my door comes as I slowly begin moving my small body out of bed. "Fillian Carmella Carnell get up! There is plenty of work." The head Omega Mrs. Loveta, who was always kind to me, pounded through the door.
would be celebrating and I could shift for the first time tonight. I hoped...
Mrs. Loveta looks like most cooks rather plump with orange and gray whisps for hair and rosy cheeks. "I'll be right down. "I promptly pulled my jeans and black and white flannel on and tied my white, blonde hair back into bun and headed to the kitchen. Mrs. Loveta and I would be the only ones up till 5 a.m. That gave us two hours to prep the kitchen, the main dining room, and the pack hall. Within 20 minutes, I had set the 200 places in the pack hall and was moving on to the main dining room. I may be small, but I am quick and can balance 100 plates at a time which assists me in the timely setting of the room.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
The main dining room is where the highest pack members and their guest will eat. I take extra special care to put everything just right. Knowing the Luna and Alpha would limit my wages even more if even a spoon was out of place. Yes, as an Omega with no remaining family the Alpha or I think the Luna, takes pity on me, and pay me a small wage for my work. This allows me to buy the necessary items with savings left over.
Just as I am finishing the last placement and taking one last walk though, Dane Arrendo walks in. I try to move swiftly and silently to the back servant's door in the room. If only I can escape before he sees me. I have so much more work to do and cannot take another round of beatings from the soon to be Beta.
These beatings were regular occasions since my 10th birthday. Sometimes I get away with only a backhand and other times it hurts to remember the recovery. As I am about to cross the threshold of the door for my escape, I hear a loud crash followed by "Fillian... you cannot escape come stand in front of me," coming from Dane.
I make a slow movement towards him head down in submission. Dane has knocked one of the tables on the side and all the dishes crashed to the floor. I wince and move to pick them up, but he grabs my wrist spins me around, so I am pushed against his back and held there with one arm pinned almost to breaking behind my back. "Little Fillian look what you have done" as he reaches to my neck with his free hand and grabs my chin to show me his mess.
I hold my breath know what is to come. Dane, soon to be Beta, towers over me at 6' 4 to my 5'2, which is small for a human let alone a wolf. He is my opposite in everything; he is extra tall I am small. He has dark almost raven hair and brown eyes to my almost white hair and blue eyes. I try my best to be nice like my father taught me to be, and he I think is the spawn of a demon. Every time I cross his path, I am lucky to get by with only one hit.
Today seemed different his hold on me was more of a caress I can't get out of not the typical one that leaves handprints on my arms for weeks. His face is in my hair, and I hear a hitch in his breath as he inhales near my ear. He starts to move his hand from my neck to my b****t. "Please no..." I beg. "Alpha Adiran will be mad if I do not complete my tasks." "Good thing you work quick." He undoes the first two buttons on my shirt. "You smell so good today Little Fillian. Almost as if you were my mate." MATE? He must be extra mad I am 16 I will not find my mate till I am 18 I haven't even shifted or felt my wolf. I should have shifted last night as most shift at 16 and the mate bonds begin at 18. I still hope tonight my wolf will come. Before I can think about it more, he spins me crashing his lips into mine. It is forceful and vile. I try to pull away. His hand moves into my shirt and start to knead my b****t making my n*****s harden.
Not thinking, just wanting to get away, I knee him in the groin and slap his face. He growls and throws me into another table. He is quick to come over and cuffs my face.
"b***h I am the soon to be Beta and you are lowly Omega. I can do what I want to you, and you will not refuse or there will be consequences. Maybe I will find your little Katie beat her like the lowly mutt she is." As he straddles me on the floor. "DANE!" Alexander comments from the doorframe. As I spit the blood on the floor. For a second a glimmer of hope runs through me, as the soon to be Alpha walks into the room. His dark brown hair falls to his face before he pulls it back into a bun.
"I thought we were going to go for a run before we have to meet all the other packs for my coronation?" Alexander is the reason all these pack members were coming. He will be a good Alpha he has never been cruel to me or anyone else, but he also has always stood by and allowed Dane to do as he wished but he was never cruel.
"I am a bit busy here teaching Fillian a lesson about place settings." Dane grabs the table and flips it up right. "You see she is so clumsy she knocked two over."
"I am sure that is what happened." Alex said with a grunt. "I'll give you 5 seconds to finish whatever this is. And by the way don't threaten Katie again. She is only a pup and that is not how I want to run my pack."
"I'll be right down." Dane lowers his head.
I wanted to scream at Alex to stop Dane. Alex had space in is heart for Katie to make sure she would not be harmed but for me there was nothing there. I could only bow as he passed and said, "Thank you for looking out for your pack." I didn't mean it as scornfully as it came out or maybe I did. I was greeted with a shift backhand from Dane and a growl from Alex. Alex turned from us and left me to my fate.
"How dare you speak to your future Alpha that way." Dane landed a punch to my stomach which doubled me over. I have never been happier for a beating it is better than what I believe would have taken place had Alex not interrupted. After a few more blows and a kick to the ribs Dane spit at me and said, "Better have this place spotless before the first guest arrives or I will find you and finish what I started."
I quickly ran to the bathroom washed up and began work again. I look in the mirror the right side of my face will have a good bruise and my ribs burn but nothing is broken this time. Tears, however, did not stain my face or their precious dinning sets. I learned tears are wasted on those who do you harm.
It took me an extra 10 minutes to complete the task and return to the kitchen for replacement of the broken items. Mrs. Loveta just gave me a pitting look when she saw me but said nothing, as always. Not once did anyone ever ask where my bruises or broken bones came from. I returned her pity with a glare and walked out to reset the tables and clean up the mess.
The only one who seemed to care was my Katie. The one that Dane had threatened. She is seven and not really mine. She is an orphan like me, we look out for each other. If it wasn't for her and the future thought of being one with my wolf, I would have lost the will to go on. Katie gives me a reason she is my moonlight that guides me in the night. Who thought a seven-year-old could make you smile through any pain?
Really it was my fault she was an orphan or that is what the pack now says. She doesn't listen to those rumors though. Even when I sometimes believe them myself. When I am in these dark places Katie will always say "Filli, moon goddess' daughter, one day you will shine. I know it."
I could never think of leaving her or letting Dane hurt her. With Alex in charge that could happen sooner than I thought. These monsters cannot be given a chance to hurt Katie or me again. As I turned to return to leave to prep the plates in the kitchen I saw Amanda, Dane's sister and in a moment of weakness I thought it is hard to believe we all used to be friends.