Chapter Four.

Himari’s POV.

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“Mari, you don’t have to bother about breakfast for the lot at the house, just focus on making the Alpha and Luna’s meals and send it to their private dining once you’re done” Elsa returns to the kitchen, tying her bob hair into a short ponytail.

“Oh, okay” I give her a nod, a little uneasy that she wants to handle everything else.

“Um, wouldn’t that be too much for you alone to handle?” Especially seeing as the people living in the Packhouse is way so many than those living separately. There’s no way I can leave it all to her alone.

Elsa stares at me with a knowing smile, walking up to the island counter and folding her arms over it as she takes a seat on a barstool.

She begins to say, “You know, we Omegas are so special that we get blessed by the Mood goddess to possess magical powers to assist the Packs we’re born into”.

I blink, taken aback as I place the basket over the island and Elsa nods at me in affirmation, proceeding, “You were never told, were you? We’ve got our special abilities and that’s the main reason why we have to move to the Packhouse so we can directly aid the Pack and be kept under the Alpha’s surveillance”.

“Morita can preserve nature, so she tends to the plants at the gardens and watches over the crops we grow. Nathan can manipulate water and it’s all thanks to him we have the river that sustains us...”

As she continues to list the abilities of the other Omegas, I can’t help the anxiety stirring within me. These people are so important and proud of their abilities even when no recognition is given to them.

And here I am...I bite my underlip nervously, fumbling with my fingers when I hear Elsa call my name.

“Mari, you don’t have to look so paranoid. I’m sure with time, your abilities will manifest. And I can’t wait to see what you can do!” She vacates her seat, smiling so excitedly at me as she adds convincingly, “I bet it’s something that’s gonna shake the world. We should get started before those lazy teens start trudging in”.

I manage a smile of my own, receiving her enthusiasm to brighten my mood. There’s something to look forward to and while I wait for it, I can concentrate on getting my hands on other things even better.

Making breakfast for the entire house is very tiring, I tell you. But I enjoy the act of cooking and love this duty, where I get to feed many mouths and keep them healthy. It’s quite exhilarating.

I wait till the rowdy bunch is done munching down on their food before quietly having mine with Elsa and Greg in the kitchen. I do the dishes and go clean up the Alpha’s family’s abode before returning to the kitchen where I see Pack’s Beta conversing with a Pack warrior and I back away, stopping abruptly in my tracks at a shocking piece of information that floats into my ears.

“Yeah, we caught them scuffing around the eastern borders. Alpha Kyle wants to meet with us and discuss the issue. We’ve got out hands busy with the rogues and now those Demons are nipping at our defenses again...”

I force my body to move, pacing quickly until I’m far away enough before I calm down, repeating the words I had heard moments ago. ‘The Demons are attacking?’

I’ve learned they’re a ferocious kind and our ancient enemies from time immemorial. Werewolves hold a very deep aversion towards Demons and we’ve fought countless wars as a result. However, it’s been over a decade since the last war was fought, costing so many lives on both sides...and now they’re beginning to surface again.

I’ve never seen one before- goddess forbids I’d ever get to see one. According to descriptions by those who survived the war, they’re very tall and gruesome-looking ‘Darkling’.

Enshrouded in miasmic darkness, wielding evil powers and can possess a wolf or any other bring and turn it against its kind. I get the chills even now just thinking about it.

Could their sudden emergence be a prelude to another catastrophic war?

I shake the thoughts away and return to the Omega lodging at the back of the Packhouse where I spend the rest of the afternoon doing my assignments and other chores afterward.

Later in the evening, we welcome guests from the neighboring Grey Woods Pack, consisting of their higher rank members who I assume must’ve come to discuss with our Pack in regards to what I had overheard earlier in the kitchen. Elsa meets me at the back of the Packhouse and joins me as we go over to our house.

“The delegates from Grey Woods Pack are spending the night over and we’re lucky to have more helping hands seeing to that” She sighs, rubbing her left shoulder as she gulps down a glass of water.

“Spending the night over? I thought it wouldn’t be a long meeting” I share my thoughts and she drops the glass onto the counter with a thoughtful hum.

“When it comes to such threatening matters, a day is not enough to arrange countermeasures. We might be going into war anytime soon, those Darklings are rising again”.

From the desolate expression, she wears as she says that, I begin to feel a bit scared and uneasy. Elsa is always bubbling with positive energy and she’s one of the main reasons I’ve come to appreciate my fate more. To see her looking so worried like this, I should be afraid.

“Well, that’s a matter for the higher-ups. Mari, will you be okay with yourself? The others won’t return soon as they’re a part of the meeting and I might not be returning tonight” Elsa informs me, concern in her eyes and I jump anxiously, flushing as I sputter my reply.

“Uh, it’s nothing, I can manage until they return. Besides, I’ve still got some assignments left to work on to keep me busy. You go on and spend some time with your mate” I’m scorching down to my neck as I purge all that and Elsa breaks into soft laughter.

“You putting it like that makes me feel guilty. Ah, I can’t wait for you to have your mate already” She begins to giggle as she leaves the counter and I flush sheepishly. Elsa laughs to the door with me pouting after her.

“Take care, Mari. Good night” She grins at me before stepping out and I bid her back, having the door shut by itself.

Elsa can move objects and even people with her mind alone. It’s pretty crazy if you ask me. All the more to get me antsy to figure out what my abilities might be.

I smile to myself, entertaining the hopeful thought as I begin to walk away from the door when I hear a knock. Turning with a brow raised, I plod back. “Elsa, you didn’t leave your phone behind again, did you?” I ask mindlessly, grasping the handle and bringing the door open.

“Tell me where you kept it, and I’ll quickly go-

“Hey there, shrimp.”

I stagger with eyes wide, seeing Jake’s smirking face. ‘Why is he here?’ He welcomes himself inside, shutting the door as fear grips my body in place, tears stinging the back of my eyes. He makes deliberate approaches, reaching a hand to grab my biceps before I can bring my body to move in flight.

“Aren’t you happy to see me, Himari? I came to spend the night with you so you don’t feel lonely” He breathes deeply against my ear, causing my body to tremble with disgust. What the heck is he talking about?

“L-let go of me, Jake!” I yelp when he grabs my other arms, pressing his body into my back and fastening his grip, extending his claws into my skin. I shiver from the pain, clenching my rattling teeth as tears blur from my eyes.

Why is this happening? I’ve held out for several days, avoiding him like a plague and my days have been pretty bearable. Yet, he persists. What do I do? Who’ll come to my aid? I don’t have a wolf yet who can miraculously save me from this pinch either.

I’m suddenly stumbling forward with great force, a yelp tearing from my lips with a shocking gasp as I feel my right ankle twist painfully. Before I can fall to the floor, an iron grip on my arm twirls me around to meet Jake’s darkening gaze as his other hand braces over my mouth.

In a sweeping motion, I’m smacking my back harshly down on the floor, my screams muted by his hand over my mouth as he giggles into my face.

“I asked nicely, offer yourself to me. It seems you like it rough, don’t you?” His hot breath smears across my face, speeding my heart rate when he begins to nuzzle my neck.

Tears flow down my eyes as I try to struggle against his hand forcing the zip of my jeans open. “Let out a sound and I’ll kill you” His voice takes a threatening edge, making me cower in fear as he removes his hands from my mouth to rip my shirt open.

I shut my eyes and toss my head aside. No, I can’t let this happen. I can’t always wait for my friends to come to save me from peril. What should I do?

My jaw is gripped strongly and my eyes come open with blurry vision. Jake presses his lips down on mine, forcing me to swallow the sob clogging my throat as he drives himself between my legs, rubbing his erection impatiently against my private area.

The reality of my powerlessness dawns on me, crippling my mind and numbing my body as my perception seeps out of me...everything fading into black. It’s not until I hear his evil chuckles that my mind comes awake, tired eyes falling upon his cunning ones as he stares at me, zipping up his pants.

My eyes fall by themselves, raw disgust trickling into me to gaze upon the sticky white substance smeared over my exposed lower abdomen.

He leers over me, touching my face as he whispers in a cooing voice, “Tomorrow after school, we can do this again, Himari”.

He wears a guile smile as he straightens and turns to leave. My sobs surge out then as I pick myself up on wobbling feet, forgetting the throbbing pain around my ankle and running out of the house and into the comfort of the forest.

I don’t stop for a moment to even navigate where it is I’m fleeing to as I run on bare feet through the covers of the forest trees, my tears slipping off my face and into the air, the humid breeze plastering over my face in my speed. Not until the riverbank comes into view do I stop, breaking down to my knees and clutching my aching chest in my gushing cries.

“Was it all a lie? That Omegas are special and once coveted beings! Why did you have to curse me...what crime have I committed that I can’t be redeemed from this cruel fate! Why...w-why do I have to go through this...”