Chapter Two - Fighting Against All Odds

Avaline

The sweet aroma of cinnamon rolls, walnut and pistachio baklava, and matcha white chocolate Castella cake drifted through the kitchen. I stared at my first batch of goodies for a long time.

Outside this pack, somewhere beyond these mountains, there had to be people who smiled when they tasted my treats. One day I would find them.

For a fleeting second, I imagined a tiny bakery with flower boxes beneath the windows, shelves overflowing with fresh pastries, and customers laughing over cups of coffee.

A place where no one would look at me and see only the circumstances of my birth. To them, I would be just Avaline Carter, the baker.

“I’ll drop these at the packhouse before the pack members return from work. Help me load them, girls.” Aunt Sera picked up her car keys.

My heart thumped with excitement as we loaded the baked treats into her pickup truck. Aunt Sera drove away, and we waited eagerly for an update.

“Mom will go to the Alpha’s house for her duty. Let’s enjoy the leftovers.” Lucy pulled me towards the kitchen, and we helped ourselves to the broken and leftover baked items we couldn’t dispatch.

“Mmm, these came out so well, Ava. I think I’ll imprison you here to have these every day.” Lucy picked up the crumbs as well, while I watched her with a satisfied smile.

The next morning we were in for a big surprise when Aunt Sera returned home. There had been a late-night party at the Alpha’s house, and she had to stay over. “Guess what? Your items were a tremendous hit. They sold out fast, and many pack members had to go empty-handed. Billy has ordered double the quantity for tonight. Can you make them again?” She handed me the money collected ‌‌last night.

Tears of disbelief pooled in my eyes as I accepted the money. It was an immense honor to get Billy Masterson, the Food and Beverage Manager of the packhouse, interested. “Thank you so much, Aunt Sera. This wouldn’t have been possible without you. I want to share the earnings with you, please.”

She waved me away. “No, we’re family, Ava. The money you’ve earned is yours. I want you to become self-sufficient and financially independent one day. Why don’t you plan what you want to make tonight?”

This time we explored more recipes and prepared on a larger scale. Aunt Sera didn’t allow me to spend a cent, and I felt guilty. Soon I would have to renovate my grandmother’s house in downtown Waltonville and move in. It was the only way to survive. I couldn't operate the business from the shabby hut on the edge of civilization. But how would I do that against the pack’s wishes? Years ago, the pack members had locked it down when they branded my mother as an outcast and exiled her to live on the border, away from everyone.

They had no right to do so. The house belonged to my grandmother, not the pack members.

“Aunt Sera, I want to seek Alpha Sebastián’s help in moving back into my grandmother’s house. I can’t live in that hut anymore. It’s unsafe.”

She considered my point. “Not yet, Ava. Save more money before you go against the pack’s order. Alpha Sebastián won’t help you. I suggest you approach Alpha Jason Black, Mayor of Mammoth Springs, for your rights as a pack member. He’s the regional head of the Shifter Council representing our state. No one, not even Alpha Sebastián, can defy him. I heard he’ll be here for the Annual Trade Summit, coming up in two months.”

“Yes, Aunt Sera. I’ll do that. But I can’t continue to use your resources for two months. Please allow me to contribute a little.” I didn’t want to impose on her for so long.

“Not now, Ava. You and Lucy are my family. When you have enough, you can treat me to your goodies. Until then, let me have your back.” I was indebted to her for everything. Her words gave me ‌direction. For the next two months, I would work very hard and change my fate.

As the days passed, every order was bigger than the previous one. My baked goods gained popularity, and soon I had a regular clientele demanding my baked products. On popular demand, Billy set up a dedicated counter for me at the packhouse. No one knew who the baker was. For them, it was enough that Aunt Sera delivered the goodies every evening, on her way to the Alpha’s house.

I was fine with staying in the background as long as I made money. The orders poured in all day, and I had to keep preparing batches to keep up with the demand. I refused to listen to Aunt Sera’s reasoning and paid for the ingredients. After a lot of protests, she finally accepted the routine.

Two months passed ‌in the blink of an eye. With a tidy sum growing in my bank, I wasn’t the poverty-stricken, shabby omega anymore. I still lived with Aunt Sera and Lucy, but I knew it was time to fight for my rights.

On the day of the Trade Summit, I stood outside the packhouse and waited for Alpha Jason’s arrival. “Go away, Ava. There’s an important conference tonight and many important guests will be here,” the guard gritted out, but it fell on deaf ears. I stood my ground and waited, a little farther away from the packhouse.

Expensive cars stopped, and eminent Alphas from our neighboring packs arrived one by one. Alpha Sebastián arrived with Alpha Jason, and I stepped out of my hiding place, shoving through the crowd of pack members to go in front. It was now or never.

“Alpha Jason, I want justice from you. Please, can you hear me out?” I yelled as I stood in front of the crowd gathered ‌to see him.

He gasped and turned to look at me with surprise.

Gasps erupted from the pack members. Alpha Sebastián trembled with fury. “Guards, arrest her.”

I glared back at him. “Stop! I have done nothing wrong. I won’t live here as an outcast for no fault of mine. Alpha Jason, I seek justice against these cruel pack members. I want my home back. I want the right to earn a respectable living. Is that too much to ask for?”

There was a pin-dropping silence as I stood there trembling with fury.

Alpha Sebastián turned to face me. “Shouldn’t you be grateful I’ve spared your life? Rogue whores like you and your mother deserve a death sentence. Guards, throw her into the dungeon right now.”

The crowd around grew larger as if the entire town was here to watch the drama of my life. “Who gave you the right to label us? Yes, I don’t know about my father. Is that enough proof to label us as rogue whores? You have locked us out of our house and exiled us to the pack borders. You have forced my mother to work for you without pay. She died from lack of treatment. Ever since, I’ve been struggling alone. This is worse than death. Why don’t you kill me instead? I hate you, Alpha Sebastián Vaughn. I wish I had never been born into a cruel pack like yours.”

Alpha Sebastián trembled with fury. “Silence the bit*h forever.” Then he turned to Alpha Jason. “These ungrateful omegas.”

Two guards grabbed me to drag me away. I thrashed, refusing to bow down. “You’ll pay one day, Alpha Sebastián Vaughn. The Moon Goddess will surely punish you.”

However, Alpha Jason strode towards me, ignoring Alpha Sebastián’s protests. “Let her go. Everyone deserves to be heard.”

The guards looked helplessly at their alpha. Alpha Sebastián came forward, wedging himself between Alpha Jason and me. “Alpha, we’re running out of time. All our honorary guests are here. We can deal with this later.”

“It can wait. Let her go.” Alpha Jason stepped away and faced me instead. The guards released me, and I ran to his side, trembling with relief.

“Is everything you said true? What’s your name?” he asked gently, as if talking to a frightened child.

“I’m Avaline Carter, Alpha. My mother was an unmated wolf and gave birth to me. Ever since, the pack members have exiled us and mistreated us. She died without treatment. Now, I am homeless because the old hut on the border where we were forced to live is uninhabitable. Alpha Sebastián has locked up my grandmother’s house. I can’t survive in this pack for long.”

Alpha Sebastián opened his mouth to speak, but Alpha Jason intervened. “So, what do you want from me? You can join my pack, the Mammoth Springs Pack, whenever you want.”

I shook my head. “I have some unfinished business here, Alpha. First, I want to clear my mother’s name. I want to earn my respect and know about my father before I leave.” I inhaled deeply and looked him in the eye. “Please, can you allow me to live in my grandmother’s house? I want to start a bakery here in Waltonville. Please, can you let me ‌start my business? And last, I want the pack to stop threatening and harassing me.”

Alpha Jason nodded with a smile. “You’re a brave one, Avaline Carter. I shall help you.”