Artemis

It was a day like no other in my pack, the Emerald Guardians, one of the weakest packs in Romania and most disliked, among other things. My name was Artemis Evelyn Terry, daughter of Lucius, the Alpha, and Adeline, the Luna.

They've ruled Emerald Guardians Pack for twenty-four years and have led it with grace, dignity, and selflessness, all of which have earned them the respect of any pack they encountered. But, everything has changed the day my mother conceived me.

My existence tore apart the attributes my parents worked so hard to establish, and as a result, the Romanian Empire cast out my pack. In this ancient land, werewolves could gather and live in peace regardless of their status. The ancient land was a cultivated land filled with love, peace, order, and respect.

My father was shamed in front of so many Romanian civilians. He was forced to leave Romania, together with our whole family. Disgraced and humiliated, we left Romania and decided to reside on the very edge of its borders.

Because of the severity of the crime, they demanded that my father and my mother be hanged, and our pack be sentenced to life imprisonment. Still, the old Alpha King Rupert, who had a soft spot for my mother, changed the verdict and allowed my father to establish our home on the very edge of the Romanian borders. Still, we are prohibited from contacting its citizens or stepping paw on its lands.

The crime may seem severe to the citizens of Romania, but to an outsider, it may seem unfair, insignificant, and audaciously unjust. Allow me to explain. My father rejected his true mate, Eurille, and because a werewolf cannot live without their mate, Eurille died from depression.

Then my uncle Xavier's mate, who happened to be my mother, ran away from him. She and my father had an affair. They shared the night supposedly scheduled to be the mating ceremony of my uncle and her. They kept it hidden for a couple of moons but then my uncle found out from a loyal servant that his mate was pregnant with his brother's pup.

He became enraged and killed himself, but not before he went to the Romanian Council and reported my father's crime. The elders were furious with my father and demanded him to be hanged. King Rupert changed the verdict. Instead, my father was given the traitor's mark, a wolf's head on an ancient scepter, on his back. This would forever ensure that my father would never be able to show his face again without being humiliated.

With Uncle Xavier and Eurille dead, my mother and father were looked upon with disgust. My mother left my uncle, and my father rejected Eurille.

My father was thirty-three, and my mother was thirty when I was born. I had my father's emerald green eyes and my mother's auburn curls. My skin was pale like milk, and my cheeks were full and round. For the first six years of my life, my parents adored me. I was my father's ray of sunshine and my mother's little angel.

But when I shifted for the first time at the age of six, where wolves change for the first time in their lives, that was when the hatred and resentment started to pour out. What was my fault in this? I was an innocent baby conceived in grief and sin.

I knew nothing of my parents' betrayal, so why must I be punished for a crime I didn't commit? At the age of ten, I learned of their offense. I was old enough for people to confide in me to share their secrets and problems. Esther's oldest pup sitter told me of the history of our pack living on Romania's edge and the crime my parents committed, which forced us into exile.

My parents weren't the only ones humiliated because of this crime. I, too, was offended by my fellow pack members and my father. He often cursed me and degraded me multiple times.

"You are the cause of our suffering."

"You are the cause of our exile."

"You are the reason we are at the bottom of the werewolf chain."

"You are the reason why the Moon Goddess frowned upon us."

"You were born, and I was forced to live this life as a result of your birth."

I've listened to his curses for years. When I turned twelve, my parents disowning me made me an omega- the lowest werewolf rank in the pack.

I became a maidservant. I cooked, cleaned the packhouse, did laundry, and was forced to stay in the packhouse's attic so no one would see me since I was the product of my parents' betrayal. My parents then adopted a boy pup, Alec. He was regarded as the future Alpha of Emerald Guardians Pack.

Alec was always treated better than me and always received special treatment from the pack. He was the chosen one and always got what he wanted. He was older than me by two years. But I was supposed to be the chosen one. I mean, I was born into the pack, not him. I had the alpha blood coursing through my veins.

When I turned sixteen, things changed for the worst. The pack abused me physically and emotionally, even by Alec and my parents. Even if I did nothing wrong, I was still cursed and punished. They hated me and were very conspicuous in declaring it. My only wish was to leave Emerald Guardians and go rouge. I wasn't sure where. Anywhere would be better than here. Hopefully, I could find my mate in the process, even though I knew the chances of a she-wolf such as myself attaining a mate was next to impossible. But a girl like me was allowed to dream. I would never lose hope.

My dream was to find my soulmate, mate with him, bear his mark and carry his pups. I would leave this hell and live my life, not the life I was cursed with, but the life I was blessed with - a life with my mate, my true mate.

Artemis

As usual, my day began with me getting up at the crack of dawn when the sun hadn't even risen, and the sky was still painted with a deep violet hue.

The air was still cold. The pack was still asleep in their luxurious beds, while I was forced to sleep in a crappy, unserviced, cramped as hell attic; unfair.

My name's Artemis Terry- daughter of Lucias and Adeline Terry, the Alpha and Luna of Emerald Guardians Pack. My father and the rest of our pack were exiled when I was still in my mother's womb. We were banished from the ancient land of Romania, where werewolves could live and grow their packs in peace, harmony, and love—a land where all werewolves could build their home.

My father rejected his true mate Eurille, and my mother left her true mate, my uncle, Xavier, for my father. They mated. My uncle and Eurille both died. Lucille died of depression, and my uncle committed suicide as punishment for this heinous crime, my father and the rest of our pack were forced to live on Romania's edge, never to set foot on its borders again.

Although they loved me for the first five years, my parents never really considered me their daughter. More likely, the reason they were exiled. When I was old enough, they made me the pack's enslaved person—cooking, cleaning, maintaining the packhouse, and stuff like that.

I lived in the attic. That way, no visitors could see me and my parents won't be further humiliated. I always wore simple clothes, whereas the girls always had the nicest clothes; designer clothes were imported from expensive stores. My clothes were imported from the she-wolves who outgrew their old clothes. I inherited the hand-me-downs.

Despite being exiled and living in shame, my pack was vibrant. We afford to live a very lavish lifestyle due to my father allying with another powerful pack, The Shining Cosmos Pack. Their leader was Marcus Spencer. A heartless monster who was cruelly handsome—a literal demon in an angel's body.

He formed alliances with packs to take advantage of the she-wolves living there, and since he was one of the most powerful alphas in Romania, rivals and objections from other packs weren't an issue. He allied with my father's pack, and they were business partners and good friends from what I heard.

Suddenly I heard the first bird chirp, welcoming the morning. I yawned and stretched out my sore muscles, still aching from the previous day spent washing, cooking, cleaning, and bending over.

My back ached, and with great difficulty, I lay again on my scratchy but stable bed in the cold attic where I've resided since I was twelve years old.

Now eighteen, I was officially an adult. So why couldn't I leave the pack and strike out in my direction? Simple. Father loved having me around. Why, do you ask? So he could vent out his rage, anger, and frustration on me and remind me that I was the cause they were all suffering.

And I quote suffering. They weren't close to suffering. They had everything they could want; a pack, a lavish home, protection from rival packs, and their little heir, my adopted brother Alec. Father said he didn't want me to be his heir. He wanted a male. One could become Alpha, breed the females, and carry on the Emerald Guardians legacy.

I'm willing to bet my life that no one would remember us when we're gone. They all hate us. Hate us for getting Eurille and Xavier killed, hate us for our betrayal, hate us for shaming the Romanian Empire. After my uncle and Eurille died, no one wanted anything to do with us. They looked at us with contempt and disdain.

Climbing out of my bed, I walked across the wooden floor in my thin nightgown and went to the bathroom with a cramped shower stall, a sink, toilet, and a broken mirror. Striping out of the nightgown, I tied up my auburn curls and stepped in the shower.

I turned the water on and immediately cringed. It was freezing.

I waited patiently for the water to get hot. When it did, I hissed in pain as it traveled down my back, onto my cuts from last night, put there by my father when I tripped on someone's feet and spilled the red wine that I was carrying to the dinner table where my father, my mother, Alec and Alec's mate, Natalie and her parents were seated.

In a fit of rage, my father shot up from the table and slapped me across my face. He grabbed my hair, bent me over the table, and lashed me twelve times with his belt in front of everyone, making me scream and plead for mercy. When he was through with me, my clothes were torn, and my skin was bruised.

Father took me by my arm, dragged me to the attic, threw me on the floor, and left me with my wounds, crying my eyes out. Falling asleep with all those cuts and bruises on my body was sheer hell! I didn't have the luxury of fast werewolf healing, so I had to wait if it weren't for the fact that my title had been stripped.

When my shower was done, I gingerly wrapped myself in a towel, brushed my teeth, and eyed myself in the mirror. My skin was pale as milk, my eyes were emerald green, and I had freckles on the bridge of my nose. The bruises from where Father's fist was clenched around my neck made me visibly cringe.

Sighing at my ugly reflection, I left the bathroom and went to my chest of drawers, where I pulled out a pair of skinny black jeans, a grey turtleneck sweater to cover my bruises, a couple of panties, and a matching bra to cover my sorry excuse for breasts. They weren't flat, but they weren't as defined as they were supposed to be.

I changed quickly and slipped a pair of sandals on my un-manicured but slender feet. I never really used nail polish. My toes were cut and plain. Simple, I tell you. I brushed my hair till it shone and tied it into a ponytail. After tidying the room, I left after surveying my old but comfortable clothes.

"Just another day in the life of me. Don't get into trouble and keep the low show, and they won't bother you. You've got this, Artemis," I said to myself like I did every morning to boost my deflated self-esteem.

"Artemis, you've got to stop talking to yourself like this. People will start to think you're nuts," my wolf Caroline said in my head. It was the first time she's spoken to me since yesterday evening because I didn't leave the packhouse, and that deprived her of her daily run through the woods.

She was a beautiful wolf in reddish fur, cream underbelly, and emerald green eyes. She was my best friend. When I started to get abused by everyone, Caro always helped me get through it and was my shoulder to cry whenever I was miserable. I truly loved her.

"Well, look who finally decided to stop being a sourpuss," I teased. She scoffed, and I grinned. Caroline was so cute when she was like that. Her eyes would roll up in her head, and she would make the sweetest sound like a temperamental child who was told he could go outside because it was raining.

"Look, Caro, I promise we'll go for a run this evening. Just let me get through the day alive, and we'll go for a nice long run while Father is meeting with Marcus." I said in an attempt to appease my pouty wolf. To this, she howled and started to prance around in my head, a frequent reaction out of her.

"Stop it, you crazy wolf, you're giving me a headache!" I said in annoyance.

I opened the door with a groan, jogged down the two floors of stairs, and made my way down the long hallway, through the dining room, and into the kitchen. I started preparing breakfast for the pack, which would take me approximately an hour considering the size of the pack—about two hundred wolves.

I wasn't the only omega working the early shift. Two others, Tali Jerald and Barbara Sanders, were there too.

Tali was nineteen and Barbara seventeen. Tali, a brunette with fair skin, grey eyes, and a petite frame, was my best friend after Caroline. We've known each other since we were pups. Tali was the daughter of Gamma Kyle. Her mate Josh left her for her cousin Asha, and she was depressed for five months and counting.

Because Josh severed the bond instead of rejecting her, she was still alive. Wolves who get their mate bond severed stay depressed for a few months, then they forget about it and get on with their lives. The pain of losing your mate is something you can never get over.

It eats you alive and makes you do things that can either kill you or drive you insane. But thanks to me and Barbara's support, Tali got over the broken feelings, and now she's doing much better—at least.

Barbara hadn't found her mate yet. She had long blonde hair, orange eyes, and like mine, Barbara's skin was pale. She was rebellious and a little rowdy despite her age. Barbara was Delta Mario's daughter. She became an omega since she had no skills suited for any other job.

She couldn't fight, so a soldier wasn't appropriate. She wasn't responsible enough, so pup sitting was a no-no. Barbara couldn't cook to save her life, so she was terrible at being a chef. I ate spaghetti and meatballs from her once, and I almost died.

The spaghetti was half cooked, the sauce was too salty, and the meatballs tasted like they were weeks old. I had food poisoning and had to stay in bed for a good three days. I never ate anything at the hands of Barbara again, not even a sandwich.

Tali was an omega mainly because her parents didn't want to see her face—ever! She let Josh slip through her fingers, and for that, she was sent to be an omega even during her depression stage.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was five fifteen. The pack would arise at seven, just enough time to make a huge breakfast, clean up, and get started on our chores. We would eat after the pack did—one of the curses of being an omega. We always got the short end of the stick. Always.

Artemis

Tali made the coffee and Barbara set the tables while I made pancakes, bacon, eggs, and french muffins for breakfast. The pack had awakened by the time we had the breakfast ready. The Alpha and Luna, my parents, were the first to arrive.

They never allowed me to call them Mother or Father in front of others. Alpha Lucias and Luna Adeline, that's the proper term that I need to use to address them. Alec, of course, only had the privilege of calling them Mom and Dad. And he wasn't even their biological son. They couldn't erase the fact that I was their daughter, but they could pretend I wasn't.

They always ignore me, treated me as an enslaved person, and forced me to obey them, compensating for the 'misfortune that occurred' which referred to my conception and birth. It hurt so much to know that my parents despised me and gave me silent treatment all the time, but what could I do? I was helpless in the face of my fate.

Garrett, the Beta, was the one who pursued my parents. Garrett was my father's best friend, so he is more than just a Beta in our pack. Garrett, unlike my parents and everyone else, was friendly to me. He gave me books to read in order to help me gain knowledge because my parents did not allow me to receive a proper education. My parents believed that an omega like me doesn't need that thing because, after all, omegas like me were insignificant in their eyes.

Garrett, on the other hand, believes the opposite. Every day, he had a tutor who gave me papers with questions, quizzes, and tests. I'd finish them in my spare time, pile them somewhere safe for Garrett, and he'd give them to the tutor to check and correct the papers, then she'd send more the next day.

Reading and writing were some of the things that I am fond of. I enjoy doing them every now and then. So sometimes, I would leave the packhouse with a spare set of clothes, go for a run in my wolf form, and go to a place where I knew I could be at peace. It was a nearby meadow which is about two miles away from the pack. I would lie there in the lush green grass and read some of the books Garrett had given me. It was peaceful as I was completely alone and undisturbed in that place while doing the things I love.

And, of course, I'm away from the packhouse, away from my so-called parents, and from my stressful life. Nobody could bother me, something that makes me happy. I'd read Shakespeare, poetry, science, and fiction. I'd immerse myself in the worlds of fantasy and mystery, and for a brief moment, I'd forget that I was an Omega and just be myself.

"Do we have to wait for another hour for you to serve our breakfast, or was it ready?" The sound of my mother's voice startled me. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at me, with my father shaking his head next to her.

Alec and Natalie had just come down the stairs, giggling and kissing, which I thought was as fake as a Barbie doll could be. Garrett stood behind my parents, and his blue eyes were mischievous as he looked at me. To show my respect, I cleared my throat and bowed to them.

"Yes, Luna, breakfast is ready," I said, raising my head. "Please have a seat and allow me to serve you."

My mother simply scoffed. They then proceeded to the Alpha's table in the dining hall, where they took their seats. My father took the first seat, followed by my mother, Alec and Natalie, and finally Garrett.

Tali and Barbara spooned out heaps of pancakes, bacon, and eggs and carefully placed them on the trays alongside the coffee. I took five trays and five cups of black as midnight coffee, loaded them onto a cart, and rolled it out of the kitchen and into the dining hall, where my parents, Alec, Natalie, and Garrett awaited.

I rolled the cart up to the table and served them their breakfast and simply trying not to spill anything. Goddess knew the value of spilling coffee on Natalie's designer dress.

"Breakfast has been served. Enjoy your food," I meekly said.

My parents gave me a curt nod and started eating. We had to serve the rest of the pack after serving the Alpha, Luna, and Beta. They descended in five groups, and soon all two hundred pack members were present. And because the soldiers couldn't leave their posts guarding the packhouse and the houses of the pack members, where everyone stayed, they ate their breakfast outside.

We repeated the process of dishing out and serving the food for fifteen minutes. And soon, all of the pack members, including the soldiers, were finally completed. When everyone had finished eating, they left the dining hall and returned to their places, and went back to what they were doing. Tali, Barbara, and I cleaned up the area. Tali swept the floor, Barbara wiped down the tables, and I washed the dishes.

We sang songs while working and appreciated having the space to work without interruptions. Finally, the kitchen and dining room were cleaned and sanitized. The floors had been swept, the dishes had been washed, the tables had been cleaned, and there was a pleasant aroma of pine sol in the air.

"Okay, ladies, we did another great job. The place is clean. Let's eat breakfast and get to work on our chores," I rubbed my reddened hands against my apron. There wasn't much left for us to eat: four pancakes, some eggs, three strips of bacon, and two muffins.

I exhaled a sigh. This thing happened daily. We always cooked enough food for the group but never enough for ourselves. There was always a scarcity of food available for the omegas.

Tali, Barbara, and I were the only omegas around; that’s the reality. But we were also part of the pack after all. Even though no matter how much this fact, was denied.

"Oh, I think there isn't enough food for the three of us," Tali said as she observed with a glum expression on her face. "Should we go to the nearby human village to grab something to eat? What do you say?"

There was a human village approximately five miles away from the packhouse with cafes, banks, schools, clinics, and houses. And whenever we needed something, the three of us could leave and go to the human village. We buy things, such as food or medicine or any available items.

Only two members were allowed to leave the packhouse to go to the village. Tali and I decided to go while Barbara opted to stay. It's not like there's much to be purchased in the first place.

"Get some garlic bread, omelettes, cappuccinos, and a strawberry croissant for us to share," Barbara said, sitting on a kitchen chair, her long slender legs stretched out in front of her. "If you can't find a strawberry croissant, perhaps a raspberry jam tart will be enough."

"Do you plan to help us in carrying all of these items into the packhouse?" Tali asked sarcastically.

Barbara seemed to be offended. "Yes, of course, I'll assist you. What are your thoughts on me? Giving orders but won't help in carrying them here?" she said, irritably looking at Tali.

Tali nodded frantically, and Barbara exclaimed huffily. I rolled my eyes and headed Tali out of the kitchen, and we went outside. After a long morning of standing in front of the heat, the cool morning air that fanned our faces gave us relief. It is refreshing, and it felt so relaxing.

Tali and I went behind a large oak tree and started to undress, and then both of us shifted. Amanda, Tali's wolf, was covered in grey and white fur. She had a creamy underbelly and grey eyes. We stretched and turned to gather our belongings, our clothes specifically. And after which, we turned and bounded in the direction of the human village, with our clothes in our mouths.

As we ran through the forest, the breeze blew through our fur. We were running so fast that the trees appeared to be blur in our vision. When we were almost in the village, we stopped and looked for a large tree to shift back to our human form.. Tali and I both changed as quickly as we could. We combed our fingers through our hair after getting dressed and tried to look presentable.

"Okay, let's get all the things and goods we need and leave. I have to clean the Alpha's Chambers today. You know how much Alpha Lucius hates to have his room dirty," I said as I picked up some of our stuff from the ground.

"Amelia, you know it's just you and me here. So there's no need to call him Alpha or such when it's just the two of us. Shouldn't you just call him Dad?" Tali told me in a sympathetic tone.

"You know I can't do that, Tali. He slapped me the last time I called him Dad. He forced me to kneel in front of him and submit. It's preferable that way. I must always refer to him as Alpha Lucius. Nothing else," I replied sternly.

Tali shook her head slowly and hugged me. She comforted me as the friend that she's always been. With the kind of life we have, Tali, Barbara and I always need to look out for each other. We had to watch each other's backs not only because we were friends, but because there's no one else would. It will only be us, the omegas.