Annie
I really thought this time I had broken my back.
Pain shoots up my spine, unlike anything I’ve ever felt. It rises in relentless waves from my lower back.
“Annie!” Lorna screams. “We haven’t got all day, the Elite Guard is hungry.”
I stretch, trying once more to heft the heavy sack of rice from the pantry and haul it up the twenty-four steep stone steps to the kitchen.
How do I always end up stuck with this job?
I huff just as I reach the top step.
“Annie, why didn’t you ask me to get it?” Kohl says, watching as I drag the sack across the wooden floor, unable to carry it any farther.
He says this, but does he ever move to help? No. He just stands there, leaning against the worktop, picking his teeth. Even among omegas, the males are treated like overgrown baby kings.
“Give it here, girl!” moans Dana as she drags it from my grasp. “You should ask someone from the guard to train you. Even for an omega, you shouldn’t be this weak.”
I just frown. I would rather stick a silver needle in my eye than ask the Guard for personal favours. There’s no point saying anything in this kitchen, though. Omegas may be silent as mice in front of higher ranks, but when we’re on our own, we’re vicious little things.
“Make yourself useful, child, and take these into the dinner hall,” Lorna says.
I groan. “Do I have to?”
Lorna gives me that stern look she gives when she doesn’t have time to argue and warns me to do as I’m told.
I hate going into the dinner hall with the Elite Guard; they are vulgar assholes when they want to be.
I pick up the large tray with the jugs of water.
“Don’t drop it,” Dana grumbles.
Thanks for jinxing me.
Sighing, I push through the swinging door into the hall.
All sat in their usual places around the long oak table, the seats at the head and those on either side remain empty. The Alpha family must not be joining tonight. They usually dine privately but share at least one meal a week with the guards as a gesture of gratitude. The Alpha’s son attends more often, and that’s always sparked my curiosity.
I try to remain invisible as I approach the table.
“Hey, Annie,” Max says with a smile. He’s the only decent Elite Guard in this pack.
“Hi, Max.” I smile back, and it’s always genuine with him. “How was your hunt?” I ask as I begin placing the water jugs on the table.
He runs a hand through his floppy, light-brown hair. He only became a guard six months ago; they haven’t had time to corrupt him yet. Maybe in six months’ time, he’ll be exactly like these fools.
“It was fruitful. I’m learning a lot.”
Two more jugs to place, and I start to think I’ll be able to get out of here unscathed.
“Stop flirting with the omega, Max,” laughs Cronus.
“The omega has a name,” I grumble.
“Is that so?” Cronus smirks.
Damn these superior hearing gifts.
I look him dead in the eye. “Yes, Cronus.”
His lips curl at the edges, amused.
You just can’t help yourself, can you, Annie?
I place the last jug on the large wooden table and turn back to the kitchen, hoping he’ll let it go, but his voice booms across the hall. I stop in my tracks but make sure not to flinch.
“You’re not going to tell us what it is then?” His voice has taken on that silky, playful but deadly tone, and I know I’m not getting out unscathed, and it’s never all his fault.
“You know what it is,” I murmur.
“I didn’t hear that pack rat.”
My fist clenches at my side. We cook, we clean, and we look after our camp. We’re the backbone of our pack, and these assholes call us pack rats like we’re beneath them. Vermin.
I spin back around. “I. Said. You know what it is.”
Cronus stands, and some of the Elite Guards chuckle.
“Just let it go,” mumbles Connor, who’s second in command and the second person to have some decency in this group of bandits.
Cronus ignores him and strides up to me like his cock is on display, not that we’d ever notice.
“Why would I know the name of a pack rat?” he laughs in my face, and I scowl.
His hazel eyes look right through me, cold and soulless. “We’ve got a feisty one here, boys.” He laughs in my face again, and spit rains onto my cheeks.
“Do I need to get an umbrella to stand here?” I say, wiping my face with my sleeve.
It must hit a nerve, as the next thing I know, my feet have left the ground. Suddenly, we’re face to face, and he’s at least a foot taller than me.
His eyes have turned a shade of black, flecked with gold. His wolf stares at me, but I don’t look away.
“Let her go, Cronus.”
We both look to the side, and Max is peering up at the brute in front of me. I’m impressed.
“Oh, look, it’s the little wolf with a crush trying to save you,” Cronus mocks.
Cronus’s fist tightens on the front of my jumper, then he drops me.
I hit the floor with a thud, unprepared for him to let go so abruptly. The tray in my hands crashes beside me with a clatter.
Cronus’s hand flies off to the side straight across Max’s face, resulting in him flying across the room.
“You’ll learn to mind your own business, little wolf.” He snarls in Max’s direction.
Scrambling to my feet, I run over to Max, now crumpled in the corner of the hall, and a group of the Elite Guard let out, “awws” as I rush to his side.
“Max?” I say, placing my hand gently on his arm, checking to see if he’s okay.
He pushes me away.
I fall backwards onto my bum, aggravating the injury from earlier. It isn’t fully healed yet.
Hurt rises up inside me and stings as I see the expression on his face, and then it softens, but it’s too late.
“Annie,” he murmurs, his eyes now sorrowful.
I get up and casually walk to collect the tray from the floor and then leave with my head held high as laughter follows me out.
I guess I’m a bad judge of character.
“What took so long?” Dana hisses.
“I got distracted by the guard. I’ve hurt my back, I need to go home.”
“What about your dinner, child?” says Lorna. The only one to ever show any concern.
Our dinner won’t even be until everyone’s finished anyway. I lose my appetite by the time it comes around. The guard takes the piss to make sure we eat as late as possible.
“I’m not hungry,” I lie.
“Nonsense. Go rest in the pantry and I’ll come get you when it’s our turn,” Lorna insists, tucking her pale blond hair back into her hair net.
“Thanks.” I smile.
“You’re too soft on that girl,” mutters Dana.
“She has no one, show some kindness, Dana,” replies Lorna in a whispered hush, but I still hear.
Walking down the steps into the pantry, my body aches. Being shoved didn’t help. I don’t know why that hurt more emotionally; it’s not like I know Max that well. I thought he was different.
The guards’ cruelty is nothing new. As the lowest-ranking members, we take most of the brunt, especially me, with no parents and a mouth that won’t stay shut. Even thinking about the guards makes me clench my fists.
Lying on one of the sacks of rice, it feels good to stretch.
Staring at the ceiling, a deep sigh leaves my body, but I don’t get five minutes before footsteps sound down the stairs.
“I’ll be up in a bit, Kohl,” I groan. He’s the only one annoying enough to try to harass me down here.
“I’ll let him know.”
Who’s that?
I suddenly jerk upright, sending a sharp pain through my lower back, and cry out as I clutch it.
He kneels beside me. “Are you okay?” His brow furrows in concern.
Staring at him, you can’t mistake those honey gold eyes; they run in his family. Every pack knows their signature feature, kept even in wolf form, some even say they glow. They’re beautiful. These ones belong to Wren, the Alpha’s son.
I gulp, aware of his hand on my thigh. He must catch me looking as he gently removes it.
“I’m okay, I just twisted my back earlier. It should heal fully soon,” I say, my voice coming out as more of a whisper.
He just looks at me. He must be noticing the tangled nest of dark hair atop my head, I shoved into a bun this morning, since taming hair this long is a full-time job. Or maybe I have something on my face, but I’m pretty sure Cronus would have washed that off.
“I find massaging the area helps a lot. May I?” he asks.
I nod, though my body feels frozen.
I move my hand so his large hand can begin kneading the bottom of my back. It hurts at first, but it seems to get better as it goes on. How is this male working magic? It’s incredible.
“What are you doing down here?” I ask, trying not to show too much pleasure at his touch.
“I know the cooks were busy, so I offered to get the condiments for the table.”
He came himself and didn’t send anyone else. He’s different from his father. Alpha Vance can be unkind, ruthless at times, but I suppose he keeps the pack alive. At least that’s what we tell ourselves. In my eyes, cruel leaders create cruel enforcers like the Elite Guards.
I gently bite the inside of my cheek through nerves. “We don’t see you much lately.”
“I’ve been preparing for my first full moon shift. Honestly, I’m nervous,” he replies, continuing to massage me.
“Me too,” I murmur.
I have no parents to guide me through this change, and the only thing my Aunt says is, ‘suck it up, it happens to us all.’ Sometimes I wonder if she even likes having a wolf, or me.
“First shift for you, too? Looks like we share a birthday month.” He gives a crooked grin. “Honestly, I thought you were younger than me.”
He thought about me? I’m on his radar?
His hand slows before stopping. “Is that better?”
“Yes, thank you so much.”
He stands and grabs the box of condiments. “I’ll see you around.” He smiles, and heat spreads across my cheeks.
I can only watch as he walks back up those dreaded stairs, and excitement bubbles in my chest, then quickly fizzles when I remember who I am.
He was just being nice.
Annie Harland, omega orphan. Not Luna material.
