chapter 3

It was obvious to me, but not to them apparently, that my wolf went into latency from the trauma of having my family die right in front of me. I scoffed, and they call me the dumb one. An education was another privilege the pack denied me- I didn’t deserve it, their words, not mine, that didn’t stop me though, as I spent most nights sneaking into the library to find books, and I listened in on the conversations wolves my age were having. I wasn’t some desolate maiden in need of a rescue from her circumstances, I had a plan to get out of here soon, by my nineteenth birthday, which was months away, I know, but still the thought of being free from these people was what kept me going.

The kitchen was clean now and I sat on the floor to eat my breakfast- the remnants of what they’d eaten. Yes, on the floor, because Selena forbade me to sit on their mahogany chairs and stain them with my filthy self. I ate slowly trying to savor every bite, it might end up being my last meal for the day.

Whenever I had nothing else to do, which was rarely, I stayed in my corner in the kitchen waiting like the good slave I was for whatever errand they had for me. I had closed my eyes for a bit when the feeling of me being watched made me open them, I was startled to find Adrian, Alpha Richard’s son, watching me with a strange look on his face.

“Did you need something?” I asked, confused, as he was still staring. It took him a while; I almost closed my eyes again, before he finally responded.

“The head healer wants you to go gather some more herbs for her. She said you’d know where.”

“Oh. Ok.” I got up and waited for him to leave as his body was blocking the way, it didn’t seem like he was going to budge so I squeezed past him trying to avoid as much contact between us as possible, it was impossible as just as I got his side, he grabbed me and sniffed my hair before releasing. Shelfing that awkward interaction for later, I made my way to the woods, to my mother’s herb garden.

The woods were now my only solace from the pack, the times when I was sent on errands and when they allowed me to come tend to the garden were bliss. I’d sometimes delay my return, risking harsh punishments, just so I could spend a bit more time in here, even though these very woods were where my family was taken from me.

I arrived at my old home, now dilapidated and worn down from years of neglect. The house was a physical representation of how I felt.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said aloud, making my way around the back to the only thing I had left that was a reminder of my family. Funny how this garden was supposed to be abandoned but the new head healer convinced the Alpha that it was still useful and ordered that I was to be the one to tend to it. I knew it was because she had no idea how to look after it herself, as most of the herbs were special hybrids my mom made herself, and she taught only my brother and me how to look after them. I gathered the necessary herbs and quickly made my way back to the pack. I bypassed the pack house and headed instead for the pack clinic, dodging stones and mischievous young wolves, who did not know what I did, only that their parents didn’t like me.

“Head healer?” I asked as I entered.

“She’s inside.” Her assistant Julia said eyeing me like I was the dirt on her boots.

Who spat in her coffee this morning? I thought, heading deeper into the building where her office was. I knocked on the door and waited till I heard a muffled “enter.”

“I have the herbs, Head healer,” I said keeping my tone meek and obedient.

“Good, thank you.” She responded not raising her head from the files on her table.

The head healer’s name was Helena; she was a tall, slender woman with auburn hair always in a bun on her head, grey eyes (each wolf pack had distinct eye colors; grey was for the Waning Moon Pack), and an unsmiling face.

“You’ll be helping me here today. I’ve informed Luna of this, so you don’t have to worry about her.”

Helena had been away at school when the incident happened. She returned to find her pack ostracizing a child, so although she didn’t participate in everything they’d done, she didn’t stop it either. She was, however, the kindest person to me in the pack.

“Of course, asead healer,” I respond, edowing.

“No need for that. I’ve told you that when you’re here, you only need to call me Helena.” She said getting up and grabbing the bag of herbs from me, she motioned for me to follow her.

“We have children who are sick, a man came in with a broken arm, we have to set it before it starts to heal, and we also have to deal with three women who are about to deliver.”

“Ah, so a regular day at the clinic then.” I said, “What do you need me to do?”

“Calming herbs, prepare the flu medicine, and get the cast ready.”

Nodding my head I got to work. The children were two five-year-olds who were down with the flu and were extremely cranky, but after giving them their medicine, they soon fell asleep. The man had his arm quickly set; we put a cast on it and sent him on his way. Now left with the expectant new mothers who were panicking, we spent our time calming them down and attending to their needs.

I spent the whole day at the clinic, a plus in my opinion as I didn’t have to make their lunch, but I still got to eat. By late noon, two of the women went into labor and delivered beautiful baby boys, the last woman took more time going into labor in the early evening and only delivering late into the night, hers was a girl.

Worn out I trudged back to the pack house to find the Luna working in the kitchen. She looked up from the onions she was cutting and sneered.

“Finally, you’re back. My husband wants me to be in charge of dinner tonight so you will only be assisting. How was the clinic?”

I got to work chopping the vegetables, “The Moon Goddess has blessed our pack with three beautiful babies- two boys and a girl.” I responded, rinsing the vegetables.

“That’s good news. Now take this upstairs to my son.” She said handing me a platter of sandwiches, “He’s upstairs in his room with his friends. Dinner will take a while and I don’t want them to starve till then. Knock, enter, drop the food, and leave, nothing else. Understand?”

“Yes, Luna.” I collected them and made my way up the stairs.