Shadows of the Pack

The days began to blur.

Morning light crept through the barred window before the sun rose, and by then, Ryleigh was already up—bed made, hair pulled back, sleeves rolled to her elbows. Natalia had warned her that even a minute of hesitation could be taken as defiance.

And Ryleigh had no desire to draw attention.

The work was endless. Scrubbing floors, polishing silver, hauling baskets of linen up and down the halls. It didn’t take long for Ryleigh’s hands to blister, her muscles to ache in ways she didn’t know they could. But she kept her head down, moving quietly through the grand halls of the Pack House like a ghost in training.

Through it all, Natalia stayed close. Unlike Margaret, her presence brought comfort now. She was sharp-tongued, yes—but patient. When Ryleigh fumbled a task or asked a question, Natalia didn’t snap. She corrected. Encouraged. Taught.

One night, after the servants’ quarters had gone quiet, they sat together in a corner of the laundry room folding sheets—Ryleigh's hands red and raw, Natalia's moving on instinct.

“So,” Natalia said, flicking a corner tight. “You probably figured out by now I’m not exactly high up the chain.”

Ryleigh glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“I’m an omega,” Natalia said casually. “Low-born. The bottom of the pack hierarchy. My parents were both servants. I was born in this house, actually. I’ll probably die in it too.”

Ryleigh frowned. “That’s… awful.”

Natalia shrugged. “It is what it is. Some are born alphas. Some aren’t.”

“But you’re still a wolf?”

A pause. “Yes. I can shift. But not like the others. Not as fast, not as strong. Omegas are… weaker. More human. But useful.”

Ryleigh absorbed that in silence.

Natalia leaned back against the wall, folding a pillowcase between her hands. “This pack isn’t the only one, you know. We’re all over the world. Hidden. Blended into human society.”

“How?” Ryleigh asked. “How is that even possible?”

“Secrecy. Discipline. And fear,” Natalia said. “Most humans wouldn’t believe what’s standing in front of them even if it shifted right before their eyes. And those who do?” Her smile was bitter. “Well. They don’t usually last long.”

Ryleigh wrapped her arms around her knees. “So this is real. You all… exist. Wolves. Packs. Hierarchies.”

“Yup,” Natalia said. “This isn’t some fantasy story. You’re living in it now.”

Ryleigh didn’t respond. She stared at the silver necklace at her throat, the cool crescent pendant resting against her collarbone. The symbol of her rank. Her cage.

Natalia broke the silence. “You should also know the Alpha’s not here right now.”

That pulled Ryleigh’s attention. “Where is he?”

“He’s with his bride,” Natalia said with a sigh. “The Luna-to-be. A Mafia pack daughter from the eastern territories. Real political move. Strengthens ties between two powerful bloodlines.”

“An arranged marriage?” Ryleigh asked.

“Yup. Been in the works for years,” Natalia said. “They’re spending time together before the bonding ceremony. It can’t happen until the Moon Goddess gives the shaman a date.”

Ryleigh stared. “The Moon Goddess?”

Natalia raised an eyebrow. “Still in denial?”

“I mean… come on. Moon Goddesses? Magic dates? It sounds—”

“Insane?” Natalia finished. “Yeah. It does to everyone. But it’s real. When the shaman receives the date, the Alpha and Luna will be bonded—mated for life. Unbreakable.”

“And you believe that?”

“I’ve seen it,” Natalia said, her voice softening. “You don’t have to believe in something for it to bind you. That’s the funny thing about this world—it doesn’t care if you believe in it.”

Ryleigh didn’t speak again. Her mind spun with everything she’d heard.

Wolves hiding among humans. Unbreakable bonds. A Luna waiting for the moon’s blessing.

And here she was, folding sheets in the belly of a house ruled by creatures from fairy tales turned nightmares.

Yet somehow, the part that scared her most… was how it was all starting to feel real.

The sharp click of heels on concrete cut through the rhythmic churn of washers and dryers.

Ryleigh looked up, startled, from the bundle of sheets in her lap. Natalia, standing beside her, immediately straightened, folding stopped mid-motion. The air seemed to shift.

Margaret stepped into the laundry room like a blade of ice—tall, composed, and dressed in her usual fitted black dress. Her silver hair was pulled into a no-nonsense bun, and her expression was unreadable, but there was an edge to her presence that made Ryleigh tense instinctively.

“Natalia,” Margaret said crisply.

“Yes, ma’am,” Natalia answered at once.

Margaret’s eyes flicked over the room, barely resting on Ryleigh before turning back to Natalia. “There will be a dinner tomorrow evening. The guest arrives before dusk.”

Natalia blinked. “Do you want us in the black uniforms?”

Margaret gave a curt nod. “Of course. Hair tied back and shoes polished. You will serve with precision. I want no hesitation, no mistakes.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Margaret’s gaze moved again, this time settling longer on Ryleigh, assessing her in that same cold, unreadable way.

“She stays in her room. She is not to be seen.”

Ryleigh’s chest tightened. Her room? She still barely knew where she was, let alone why she was being hidden like a secret.

Margaret added, “Until further notice.”

And then, without waiting for acknowledgment, she pivoted and left the room. The door swung shut behind her with a sharp metallic clang, echoing against the walls.

Natalia exhaled the breath she’d been holding. She set the sheet aside and leaned slightly against the table, her posture relaxing by inches.

“She always brings a chill with her,” she muttered.

Ryleigh looked toward the door. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a guest coming tomorrow,” Natalia said. “Someone important, clearly. We’re expected to make a good impression.”

“Why am I being kept out of sight?” Ryleigh asked, her voice lower than she intended.

Natalia hesitated, then gave a small shrug. “I don’t know. But Margaret doesn’t give orders lightly. Best not to question them.”

Ryleigh nodded slowly, but her mind raced. She didn’t like being the unknown variable—hidden away like some dangerous secret or... forbidden thing. The silence around her circumstances was louder than any answers she’d been given.

Natalia reached for another stack of linens. “Get some rest tonight. The halls will be busy tomorrow, and it’s better if you’re out of the way.”

Ryleigh bit her lip, nodding again, but her thoughts were far from calm. Something was coming. Someone.

And she was being kept out of sight—for now.