Chapter 1: BLOODMOON PACK

AURORA’S POV

"Omegas!" The boom startled us all from the foam we called bed and everyone stood up. I was already awake though, on my way to get my bag because Fina was convinced her missing pearl would somehow come out of it. As if I was that stupid. If I wanted to steal my cousin's belongings, I'd just hide it in her room, it was practically a pigsty.

"Move" someone growled from behind me and without waiting, pushed me into the bunk next to me. My knees slammed into the metal, and I had to bite my tongue to ensure I didn't cry out. My eyes watered a little though as I limped from there when the others passed.

"Sorry about that," Kylie, one of the omegas, muttered from behind her hand and I nodded.

Although all the packs lived in close proximity to one another and we all claimed to follow the rules set by our moon goddess, there were some practices that were still practiced, especially here in my pack. Slavery, for one. If a pack member was found guilty of some sins or the other and it wasn't murder, for the period of their punishment, rather than waste away in jail, they were given to one of the ranking families to serve as the omega.

"Now where is that girl," I heard Aunt Meredith screech just as her daughter, Serafina screamed "Aurora!"

I removed longing eyes from Kylie as she packed her bags. It was her third year and officially the last day of her punishment and she would be going home today. For some reason, tears pricked my eyes. If I were serving as a punishment, wouldn't it be so much better for me? At least then there would be an end to it someday.

The door to our communal room banged to the wall as my cousin shoved it open.

"You bitch," she cried, coming forward to drag me by the hair. "You're trying to hide it, right?"

"Wait, no... please." I cried, but as usual, that didn't do anything except make her pull even crueler. She dragged me out of the room, grabbing my bag and throwing it on the floor.

"Fina, please." I finally cried, unable to stop the sob from bursting forth. It was only a few hours to the full moon, and as she knew, every werewolf got more sensitive during the period. Pleasure and pain got more magnified, and my scalp really hurt.

Every other person we met on the way carried their face away when they met my wet ones. I'd stopped waiting for someone to save me. This was my fate, my punishment for my sins. As a natural omega, my sins were catching up with me.

"Now what is it?" Aunt Meredith sighed, but even a blind man could see the small smile she really wanted to hide. "Fina, why are you causing a scene this early in the morning?"

She shoved me to the floor and I fell on my already bruised knee, my cry becoming a scream.

"She stole my pearls," my cousin cried as I hid my face in my knees.

My Aunt approached me and I cringed. That was the extent of my movement though. I'd learned that flinching away only made whatever was coming worse. My tears would ensure I didn't get a meal until late at night, and the fact that my face was hidden from her meant that somebody somewhere was getting a break from his/her portion of work this morning.

She bent down so she was at my level. "Look at me," she whispered, but I couldn't. My Aunt was an older version of her daughter, platinum blonde hair, a heart-shaped face and tall for a woman. But the eyes. The eyes always gave me pause. They were amber, just like mine, just like my dead Mom. Every time I met her eyes, I was transported to that fateful day years ago when I saw my Mom's eyes on the floor. Guts streaming from the long slice in her stomach, and parts like her eyes, fingers scattered on the floor while the rogues cast lots on who got what.

"Arrgh," my cry was a long stream of a pained whimper when she dragged my hair like her daughter. I closed my eyes, the words 'please, please, please,' chanting from my lips unconsciously.

I felt her heat as she brought her face closer to mine.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart." she said in a soft voice, a voice reminiscent of 15 years ago.

I sniffed and sobbed, my eyes peeking open unconsciously.

God, those eyes.

Her lips pulled into a wide grin as my terror shone in my face.

"That's good," she cooed, gripping my jaw with force. "Look at me when I'm here, FUCKING LOOK AT ME."

She didn't really know why I hated looking at her. About seven years ago, I'd startled awake from the grip of a nightmare and seen her face above me. My scream had been piercing enough for neighbors to come check out what was wrong. From then, she made it her personal mission to get my eyes on hers. She might not know the reason, but anything that caused me pain and fear was like catnip to her.

"Where are Fina's pearls?" she asked, shoving my face away and standing up when she got tired.

I rocked on the balls of my feet.

"I don't know." I muttered, to which Fina shouted. "She's lying!"

My cousin, like me, was 22 years old, but that was where our similarities ended. She was strong, I was a born Omega, she was charismatic, I was shy, quiet and easily forgettable. In public, she was this perfect backbone that people could rest on, and I was just unfortunate Aurora, orphaned at age 7 and taken in by her Aunt's family.

The slap came without warning, whipping my head to the side. The full moon made the pain explode across my face like fire.

"Find those pearls. Today." My aunt's voice held no room for argument. As if I could argue anyway.

As they walked away, a sudden stab of pain shot through my body. I doubled over, biting my lip to keep from screaming. My wolf, usually so docile and compliant, clawed at my insides with force.

My vision blurred, and for a split second, I swore I saw a pair of silver eyes staring back at me. Not my aunt's amber gaze, not my own reflection, but something, someone else.

The phantom vision vanished as quickly as it appeared, but the sensation remained. A pull, magnetic and insistent, tugging at something deep inside me.

I stumbled to my feet, bracing myself against the wall as blood dripped from my lip where I'd bitten through the skin. Whatever was happening wasn't normal, even for me on a full moon.

My wolf had never been this restless before, like she was calling for someone.