Chapter 4

***Chastity***

Even though it was graduation day, my day started out just as it always did. Making breakfast for the pack house, serving, and prepping lunch. It wasn’t a regular school day, but with graduation not being until 2 pm, I knew I wouldn’t be home to make lunch for everyone. Thankfully I had no run ins with anyone during my time downstairs.

As soon as I was finished I went to my room to put the finishing touches on the skirt, and shirt set I made myself for graduation. I made it out of fabrics I gathered from thrown out clothes by others in the house. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. Besides it would be under my graduation gown. No one would see it. I just knew I couldn’t get my diploma wearing my tattered jeans, and a t-shirt. Even though no one would be there to cheer me on, I wanted to look decent. The only thing I didn’t have were nice shoes, so I was walking across the stage in my old, worn out sneakers.

Once I had finished, I grabbed my toiletry bag, and went down to the old gym in the basement to shower. It took awhile for the water to warm up, but as I was the only one to ever use these showers, that wasn’t a surprise to me. I quickly scrubbed my body, and took extra care with my hair. I wanted it to look nice. Once done, I got out, dried off quickly, threw on the jeans and t-shirt I brought down with me, and went back to my room.

I still had 2 hours before I had to be at the school, so I pulled out the box of old pictures I found from when I was little, and my mom was alive. I pulled out one my favorites. The one of my mom holding me when I was a baby. She was snuggling me close to her chest, and smiling proudly at the camera. She had such joy on her face. It made me happy to see that smile. I studied her perfect face. I looked so much like her, sometimes it surprised even me. I knew that she was bit taller than me, but I had her hair, and eye color. I also had her nose, and mouth. I hoped that my smile was just like hers too.

I ran my finger along the side of her face in the picture as I sighed, and my eyes welled with tears.

“Oh mom. I so wish you were here to see me graduate today. I hope I’ve made you proud of how well I’ve done, and how hard I’ve worked.” I said, smiling thru my tears.

“Chastity, I have no doubt she is very proud of you.” Leila said.

“Thank you Leila.” I responded, still smiling at my mother’s smiling face, “Mom, can you do me a favor please? Can you find a way to convince dad to let me go to nursing school, please? I really want to go, and I know that I can help the pack so much if I go.”

I wanted to imagine I heard her say that she would make sure that I could go. I sat there for awhile just looking at that picture. Finally the alarm I set to let me know it was time to get ready for graduation went off. With a finally look at my mom’s pictures, I put it back in the box, hid the box in the corner, and started to get dressed. Once I was dressed, I looked in the mirror.

The top was a soft purple that I made from a dress I had found that was stained along the bodice. The skirt was panels of white with purple flowers, and plain white. Every other panel was white, while the others was white with the purple flowers. I made it from two separate skirts that had tears in them. I put them into strips, and sewed them together to create the pattern. It wasn’t perfect, but I was happy with my outfit.

The only thing I wasn’t happy with was the bruise still on my face from Aurora the night before. I didn’t have anything to cover it with, and Leila did her best to heal it as much as she could, but with the lack of food lately, she didn’t have a lot of energy to heal it. It made me sad that the circumstances of my life had an effect on her, but she swore it was not my fault, at all. She didn’t blame me for the actions of others. She also understood why I refused to steal food, or risk accepting food from others. It kept others, and myself safe.

With one last look at myself, I grabbed my cap and gown, and headed downstairs. Everyone was in the living room fawning over Fiona in her graduation outfit, so no one noticed when I snuck past them, and left thru the door in the kitchen. I knew that everyone in the house was going to be at the graduation to watch Fiona walk across the stage to get her diploma. Well except Alpha Joseph as he was going to give a speech as he did for every graduating class. Gina was going to support her friend, as she is two years behind us. Gamma Peter, Naomi, and Ross were going to support Aurora and Fiona. My father, Braxton, Colby, and Aurora were going for Fiona. John of course was going for his daughter.

It didn’t take long to reach the training grounds where the graduation would be held. I quickly located the group of other graduates Unfortunately we had to wait for Fiona to arrive before we could file into our seats. In usual Fiona fashion she showed up with a minute to spare, much to the annoyance of all the teachers. Fiona of course tutted them, and told them they better learn to respect her as she was the future Luna of the pack. They just rolled their eyes at her, lined us up, and we walked out to our seats.

Before long Alpha Joseph was introduced, and he gave his speech about hard work, dedication, education, and pride. The speech was moving, and made me incredibly proud of myself for all of my hard work over the years. I could feel Leila’s pride in me as well. As soon as his speech ended, we all lined up to receive our diplomas.

I listened as the names of the students in front of me were called, followed by resounding cheers, and applause from their friends and family. It made me smile for them that they had so much support from their loved ones. When my name was called, Leila howled in my head for me, as teachers clapped for me. Beyond that, no one cheered for me. My heart squeezed to know that I had no one outside of school, but I maintained my smile, and graciously accepted my diploma from the principle, who smiled kindly at me. I could see his sadness in his eyes for me too. I just smiled brightly at him, took my diploma, and moved on to my seat.

My heart squeezed again when I heard the cheers and applause for Fiona. For a moment I was jealous as that was my family cheering her on while they ignored me. After a moment, I just shrugged my shoulders, and ignored them as they had ignored me all of these years. It wasn’t long after the last name was called, that the graduation ended. It was over. I had finished high school. One more step completed in my journey toward becoming what I wanted to be.

With a smile I left the field, and headed toward the auditorium where there would be a small after party. I stood on the side lines as I watched families toast, and congratulate their children. I smiled at the joy, and pride on all of the faces around me. At one point I felt eyes on me, I looked around, but saw no one looking my way. A few teachers approached me to congratulate me, and tell me how proud and excited they were for me for getting into nursing school. Before long I decided to go back to the pack house. I needed to work up the courage to ask my father about nursing school, and get dinner started.

I was in my room, changed, and reviewing the paperwork from nursing school, when I heard everyone coming back from the graduation. I listened as they talked about going out to dinner to celebrate. I heard Alpha Joseph, and my father state they were staying behind as they both had work to do since they spent most of their day at the graduation. I breathed a sigh of relief to know that no one else would be in the house when I went to speak to my father. It also meant I didn’t have to make as much food as I normally did since it would only be the two of them.

Once I heard everyone leave, I made my way out of my room, and toward my father’s office. I stood there for a full five minutes, talking myself into knocking. I almost walked away more than once. It was Leila who finally convinced me to knock on the door. With a shaky breath, I lifted my hand, and knocked. It was a moment or two before I heard my father’s deep voice saying “Come in”. With a trembling hand, I reached out, turned the knob, and pushed the door open. Quietly I slipped in.

“Beta.” I said quietly as I bowed to him, after closing the door softly.

“Omega.” My father addressed me.

I can’t remember the last time he said my name, and I haven’t been allowed to call him anything, but Beta since my twelfth birthday. I stood there for a full minute shaking, and breathing shallowly, until I heard my father drop his hand to his desk.

“Well what do you want? I don’t have all day.” My father barked.

“I….I…..umm….” I stuttered, squeezing my eyes shut, trying not to cry.

“You what? Speak Omega, or get the hell out!”

“S…sir, a few months ago I applied to the Cloverland School for Nursing, and Midwives in Dark Moon Pack. I got accepted. I….I came to ask permission to receive a pass to attend.”

“And who do you expect to pay for this? I certainly will not pay for an education for a lowly Omega.”

“No…no one s….sir. I got a full scholarship, and an on campus job to pay for what the scholarship does not cover.”

“What did you say? Look at me when you speak! I can’t hear you!”

Slowly I looked up. For the first time in years, I looked my father in the eyes. His dark brown eyes stared back at me. I trembled at the disgust, and anger I saw there. I wanted to quickly look down, but I knew if I did he would yell again.

“Now, what did you say?” He growled angrily.

“I….I got a full scholarship to attend the school, and an on campus job to cover any expenses not covered by the scholarship. The school, and Dark Moon Pack provide the room for the time I am there. The scholarship covers my tuition, and lab equipment. The campus job covers my meal plan, and books. All of the information is in here sir.” I explained quietly as I placed the folder with everything for the school on his desk.

“Do they know you’re an Omega?” My father asked angrily as he flipped the folder open.

“Ye…yes sir.”

“Do they know that I am your father?”

“N…n…no sir. I didn’t think….”

“You’re right! You didn’t think! You’re just an Omega! Nothing more! How did you even get them to accept you? How could you possibly be smart enough for this? How the hell did you get a scholarship?”

“Well sir….I…I have maintained a 4.0 GPA since I started first grade. My entry essay was impressive, according to the dean there. Several teachers from the high school, and two nurses from the pack hospital wrote me letters of recommendations.”

“Nonsense. There is no way.”

“It….it’s true sir. It’s all there for you to read, if you have time at some point.”

My father slammed the folder shut, causing me to jump, and glared at me. For a full minute he glared at me. I felt myself shrinking back, and trembling at the anger in his eyes. Finally he spoke.

“You think for even one second that Omega, like yourself. A worthless, lowly, common Omega is good enough to go to this school? Is worth an education beyond high school? Well let me tell you, you are NOT! You are an Omega! Your job is to take care of the people in this house! You are responsible for making us food, cleaning, doing laundry, and whatever else you are told to do! You are nothing! You do not deserve to go to nursing school, or any school for that matter! You are not good enough, or smart enough for this, and I will NOT have you embarrass me even more than you already do by going to this school and fucking it all up because you are not good enough or smart enough! NO! Absolutely not! You will not go! You will stay here and do your DAMN JOB! If I find out that you attempt to go any way, without my permission, I will have you hunted down, and thrown in the dungeon as a rogue! I will make sure Dark Moon Pack knows that if you show up there you are to be arrested as a threat to their pack. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!” My father belted out.

“Ye….yes sir.” I replied with trembling lips, trying hard to hold back the tears.

“Good! NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE AND GET TO WORK! YOUR ALPHA AND BETA NEED THEIR DINNER!”

With that I scurried out of my father’s office, and ran to the kitchen. At some point on the way to the kitchen I almost ran into Aurora. I simply bowed to her, and struggled to hold in my tears. The whole time I heard Leila in the back of my mind, whimpering, and apologizing to me that my dream had just been ruined.

I didn’t know what I was going to do, but one thing I did know was that if I did not find my mate, and get freed from this house I was not going to survive. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind, and focused on preparing dinner.