Chapter 2

Ten Years Later

"Good morning, sunshine," Jackie's chipper voice woke me up.

I grabbed my pillow and placed it over my head.

"Ughhh. Jackie, five more minutes," I groaned.

Jackie laughed as she said, "Come on, it's time to get up!"

I reluctantly got out of bed, feeling dizzy and grumpy. Jackie hugged me and said, "I'll make your coffee. That'll make you feel better!"

I wanted to sleep. I had been working double shifts and still had to return to the pack house to do my chores.

At the restaurant my dad had worked at years ago, I had managed to secure a summer job, following in his footsteps. The new owner had us working double shifts since he was now serving alcohol, and his last call was at four a.m.

I had gotten off work at two-thirty in the morning and rushed back to the pack house to clean up the kitchen, sweep, and mop. By the time I was done, it was five a.m.

As soon as I walked into the restroom, I washed my face. Putting both hands under the running water, I lowered my face and splashed the cold water on myself.

Wow, what a wake-up call! I no longer needed coffee at this point.

Having washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put my hair in a ponytail, I headed to the kitchen.

Shortly after I was released from the hospital, I began living at Crestview Pack. Alpha Markus and Luna Helen took me in after my parents died in the car accident. My stomach churned at the memory. I was only seven years old and had no one to care for me.

In the days immediately following my arrival, Luna Helen had me placed in a temporary home for girls. It was there that I met Jackie.

Our childhoods were similar, with only one difference: Jackie's father had killed her mother and was exiled from the pack as a result. She was only five when that happened, so she knew what being an orphan was like.

Our friendship grew because of that. Besides liking the same things, we were both seventeen years old.

We both worked at the same place, and as luck would have it, we started our shifts at the same time. However, Jackie could only work part-time since she took college classes.

On the other hand, I didn't mind the extra shifts; they allowed me to save money. Money I wanted to use to get the hell out of here.

Don't get me wrong. I was grateful to Luna Helen and Alpha Markus for giving me a home, but I wanted to escape from here.

Omegas didn't get to do anything or have a life, and I wanted to travel as much as possible. I wanted to see places I had only seen in magazines. However, most of all, I desired to find a place where I belonged, a place I could call home, away from serving others.

I assumed places like these only existed in our dreams, next to love.

Now I knew for sure that LOVE didn't exist, and if it did, then the Moon Goddess didn't want me to have it. Everything I had ever loved was taken from me on the day of the accident.

Trying to shake off the memories, I wasn't paying attention and bumped into the person who hated me most.

"Watch where the fuck you're going," he growled.

"I-I'm sorry, Jared," I said, lowering my gaze in submission.

"You're so fucking stupid," he said as he stormed off.

Jared Falcone, the soon-to-be Beta of the Darkmoon Pack.

As long as I could remember, Jared had always hated me, although I never understood why. I had never done anything to him, and it wasn't like I could tell anyone. Since he was the future Beta, he got away with everything.

I shrugged and continued into the kitchen, where Jackie had already poured us a cup of coffee.

"What took you so long?" she asked, popping her head out of the refrigerator.

"Jared," I said, shaking my head.

"What's up with you two? He's always been a douche to you, but why?" she asked.

I giggled.

"You're asking me? He's hated me since I arrived here," I said, and we laughed.

"Good morning, girls," Luna Helen said as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Luna," Jackie and I replied.

We watched as Luna Helen hurriedly poured herself a cup of coffee, took a sip, and turned to Jackie and me.

"Girls, I need you to start helping prepare for the Alpha Ceremony. We have over five thousand guests who have already RSVP'd, and we must ensure they are all accounted for. Call the caterer and the planner. You will both be working that night," she said as she walked out.

Jackie and I turned to each other and giggled.

"Well, there goes our summer vacation," Jackie joked.

"Like we get a vacation. Speaking of which, we need to leave before Miguel fires us," I said as I rinsed and dried our cups.

I returned to my room to grab my jacket and my bag.

As I stepped into the room, I was pushed against the wall. The door slammed shut. I couldn't see who it was because my face was pressed against the wall and the light had been turned off.

"You know, if you weren't an Omega, I might find you somewhat attractive, but the fact that you're nobody disgusts me," Jared said as he pressed himself against me.

His hands slowly made their way under my shirt, his lips barely a few inches from my neck. I could feel his breath on my skin, sending chills down my spine.

"Your innocence is so addictive. I could fuck you right now, and no one would know," he whispered.

Then, in a single movement, he turned me around to face him. His green eyes were filled with lust and hatred.

I couldn't move. I was frozen in fear as his hand approached my neck.

A growl escaped him as he squeezed.

"J-Jared, please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He slammed his hand against the wall.

"You will know your place and address me as your Beta, do you understand?" he growled as he grabbed my face and squeezed it.

"You know I like you like this, scared and submissive," he said with a laugh as he finally let go of my face.

He stepped back and smirked. Just as he was about to walk out, he turned around and slapped me across the face, grabbing the back of my neck as he pushed me against the wall.

"If you tell anyone about this, I will make your life even more miserable than it already is," he said, shoving me one last time before walking out and leaving me in my room, cowering in tears.