Chapter 3: The Lake I

Ever's POV 

I wasted some time before I eventually stood up. The others helped her get dressed while I headed towards the door in anticipation.

I bit my lower lip, not knowing how to act as I got closer to the door. My heart raced against my chest as I pulled the handle, revealing him standing there.

A mix of emotions swept through me. I wanted to scream at him, hug him and kick him all at the same time but I forced myself to stay composed.

His eyes rested on mine for a while. They held a mix of emotions like mine. He reached his hand into his pocket and slid a note into my hand.

“Hagan?” Rhaeya called out from behind and interrupted whatever was going on between the both of us.

Hagan's cold demeanor returned. He walked past me like I wasn't even there to begin with.

Kia extended an “are you okay” gaze to me and I replied with a subtle nod and pursed my lips trying to hide my unease.

“Okay girls, we'll continue this later” she dismissed us.

I left with the rest, trying to settle how uneasy I felt seeing them both this close together. In Rhaeya's chambers at that. I felt Hagan's gaze on me as I left before he turned to talk to Rhaeya.

“How're you enjoying your stay here?” Was the only thing I had heard him say and after that I could barely hear what they were saying as muffled voices followed behind the shut doors.

“Sorry you have to go through this…” Kia's voice let out from behind me.

“We should get going to the stables” I brushed it off, holding the note Hagan had given to me tighter. 

“Yeah we should,” Kia agreed.

I paused on our way there to read what was on the note.

“Meet me at the lake tonight. 

I miss you.

                    -Hagan.”

 Happy tears filled my eyes to the brim.

“That fool” I wiped them off before they became more noticeable. “He has a lot of explaining to do” I told myself as I slid the note into my worn-out shoes.

Kia and I took our mid day rations and headed to the stables after eating.

“You blind Omega.” A highborn shewolf let out, frustrated at the young omega kneeling at her feet. “It's already enough that your kind is loafing off our pack. Still, you have to ruin other people's day with your rotten luck” She yelled more and attracted attention from other passers-by.

I clenched my fists furiously as memories of when I used to be treated like this all the time when Kia and I were still little and in the orphanage home, came flooding back. I was too weak to stand up for myself back then but I won't let someone else go through the same while I just stood and watched.

I attempted to confront the highborn but Kia held me back, shaking her head in disagreement. 

“Not now, Ever.” She told me. “You'll get both us and that poor girl in trouble” 

“She's already in as much trouble as she can be. And if no one does anything, it'll get worse for her” I replied and Kia dropped my arms in surrender.

“Where's your Matron?” The highborn kicked the girl who was still on the floor. “Answer me” She raised her hands to hit her when I stepped in and held it back.

Gasps and murmurs flew around us following what I had done.

My anger had now hit its brim. I knew I'd never win a combat with this shewolf - her wolf was strong, even as puny as its host was but I wasn't going to turn a blind eye either.

She turned to me, her anger now fixated on me. I let go of her hand and hurriedly helped the shaky girl to her fit. She reminded me of young me - bones very visible and her scrawny little figure. The only difference was she didn't have as many scars as I did, each set I got every time I got into trouble with the Matrons. And I always did. She looked at me visibly scared.

“Go” I told the girl. “Go back home,” I urged her.

“Did I say she could leave?” The lady puffed. I gestured to the girl who had fear written all over her to leave. She hesitated before picking up her pouch on the floor and running.

The lady crossed the distance between myself and her and choked me tightly. I winced in pain, struggling to get out of her grasp. “Seems you like to play the hero, don't you?” She tightened her grip as I began grasping for air pathetically. Her claws shot out as her eyes turned a deep amber.

“So you're all talk, no action, aren't you?" She said, shoving me to the floor. I let out a choked cough, trying to breathe well. It felt like she had squeezed all the air out of me. I could feel the claw marks she had left very fresh on my neck.

My eyes searched frantically for Kia but she was nowhere to be found. Well she had warned me. But as usual, I didn't listen.

She crossed the distance between us once again and choked me more fiercely this time. People just stood by and watched without intervening. This was it, the life of an Omega. You could be choked out, raped, stoned to death for all the world cared. It was all the same to them - our deaths meant a great favour to Pack.

“Leave her” Rhaeya's voice rang out from the courtyard as people turned to where her voice was coming from, including the female who was choking me.

“That's the Luna” Whispers and murmurs began. “She's even more beautiful than the rumors tell” More followed.

“I said…leave her” Rhaeya repeated, now losing the calm her first order had. 

Right beside her was a panting Kia. Did Kia go to call her? What? Why? Why her of all people.

I felt the grip on my neck drop as I fell to the floor, trying to find my breath.

 Kia ran to help me up.

“But Luna, you can't possibly be protecting her. She's an Omega and she…she insulted me. Everyone here saw it” She tried explaining.

“I'm sorry for the trouble she must have caused you. She's my servant. I'll decide how she should be punished” Rhaeya apologized and I became furious.

“I didn't do anything. You were assaulting that poor girl for a reason I'm very sure is minor and negligible. Yet you chose to make her suffer for whatever insecurity it is you're too cowardly to lash out on someone your own size” The words slipped out faster than I could think twice.

Rhaeya facepalmed hard.

“What did you just say to me?” The lady furiously approached again and this time Kia stepped in front of me.

“I apologize for how she's behaved. She's been very stressed lately. I promise I'll keep her in check” She said and pulled me away.

“You better do” The lady replied behind us as she left. The crowd eventually dissipated after her.

Kia dragged me out of the courtyard.

“Thanks for intervening Luna” she thanked Rhaeya and gestured to me to do the same.

“I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Luna” I reluctantly let out. ”I'll accept any punishment you give me” A familiar ache settled in my stomach every time I called her Luna and now subjecting myself to being punished by her made the ache worsen.

“Well then” Her elegant voice which irritated me so much let out. “You'll be part of those touring me around the Pack house.” She smiled.“You and your friend.” She beamed at Kia who I could swear was lost for words at her offer of punishment.

“It would be my honor, Luna,” Kia instantly replied, bowing. Rhaeya looked to me for my response. I tried hard to find one but couldn't.

“She'll be happy to, Luna” Kia nervously replied on my account.

“Great…I'll see you girls tomorrow then” She smiled and left.

I turned to glare at Kia. 

“What? She was the best option I could think of” 

“I know, it's just…” 

“Yeah I understand.” Kia placed a hand on my shoulder. “Well let's get going, those horses won't feed themselves” she tried to lighten my mood. I forced up a smile.

Fortunately, we got to the stables just in time. And finished up at midnight.

“And that's the last horse” Kia pushed a dark stallion into his stable.

“Kia?” I asked her.

“Hmmm?” She turned to me.

“Do you like Rhaeya?” I asked her. That was too stupid a question, even I myself knew. What was there not to like about her.

“Well, if she's going to be the reason my best friend is always sad… I don't” She let out and I smiled.

“Do you think the Alpha really likes her?” I asked. Why was I even asking her these questions? Kia wasn't Hagan. How was she supposed to know?

“I don't know that…but I do know any man would be a fool to choose someone else over you. That includes him, "she said.

“Why not talk to him and find out for yourself” she urged.

“I think I will,” I told her. “And thank you” I beamed at her.

“Of course, what would you do without me? Every pen needs paper. You're my pen, messy and unfiltered. And I'm your paper” She let out and we both laughed. What an awkward way to describe us.

“So should we get going, it's pretty late” She asked, preparing to leave.

“You, go on without me, I have someone to meet” A blush crept up my cheeks.

“Ooh, we're back to the late night meetings, are we?” She teased. 

“No it's not like that” I tried to hide how red my cheeks were.

“Well, I'll be in our room when you get back.” She told me before retiring back to the pack house.

The lake had been Hagan and my secret meeting place for many years. The only place besides his chambers where we got to actually talk. I made for it, my heart subtly beating in my chest. The moonlight was bright enough to see where I was going but not enough to see clearly.

When I got there, my eyes caught sight of his silhouette on the other side of the lake as the rhythm in my chest got louder.

“Hagan?” I whispered. The figure took slow strides to where I was and enclosed me in a tight hug, its familiar Sandalwood scent hit me before I could even respond.

“I've missed you, Ever”