Chapter Two

Over the years I was responsible for helping with the cooking and cleaning around the packhouse. Working alongside the omegas, but I wasn’t an omega. That would mean I was allowed to be part of the pack, I was beneath everyone, an outsider they permitted to stay here till I turned eighteen, and they never let me forget it. Trying to just focus on keeping busy, it stopped me thinking about how lonely I was. If I could be in the kitchen prepping meals for everyone or cleaning up after everyone, I could at least pretend I was part of it all, even if they didn’t talk to me while I was there. All the pack members steered clear of me, well that was when they weren’t reminding me of the fact no one wanted me around. Any chance they got to push me around, throw things at me, trip me, they would. Not wanting to make a fuss or upset anyone I just took it and reminded myself I was just lucky they let me stay here at all.  

Making it to the kitchen with little notice I thought I would at least get to eat in peace and quiet while I start to prep for breakfast, sighing with relief. Content in my own world, until I heard the most infuriating sound in existence “well, well, if it isn’t the outcast hybrid loser no one wants” she screeched. Brittany Morris, approached me from behind “you know your parents aren’t really dead they just didn’t want you so they left you in the woods to die”, she hissed in my ear, I would not cry, I told myself, I would not let her get to me this time. Trying my hardest to push the hurt and fear down I took a deep breath and turned around. Keeping my eyes on the ground hoping she would get bored and leave me alone, but didn’t work. She continued to block my path with her arms crossed while tapping her foot impatiently.  

“Excuse me I have work to do” I said softly, trying to move past her and grab a bowl to start mixing pancake batter for everyone.

“You going to cry little orphan girl, that’s right you’re going to cry because your weak and pathetic and no one loves you” she mocked.

“Please just leave me alone” I tried to speak without a tremble in my voice but it did not quiet come out as I planned. This seemed to make her want to keep going. Grabbing me hard around the shoulders and pushing me to the ground, I dropped the bowl on the floor and all the wet ingredient I was mixing spilled all over me and the floor, awesome. Now I would have to do my chores in dirty clothes because I still had so much work to do before I could go back to my room and change, maybe if I hurry, I could manage to change after breakfast. Standing over me laughing her horrible hyena laugh while I tried to clean up and holding back tears, she kicked me hard in the ribs sending me crashing back into the hard floor. Suddenly the door opened, and Maddox entered the kitchen, with an unimpressed look on his face when he saw the mess.

“What happened Annalee?” he asked pinching the bridge of his noise like he was frustrated with me. Knowing it was pointless telling him what had happened so I responded with my default response.

“I’m sorry” this is what I told everyone when I would trip, get hurt or made a mess, just apologies and maybe they will leave me alone it was my way to survive. They wouldn’t believe me or do anything if I spoke out against a pack member so it wasn’t worth the headache.

“Well hurry up and clean this mess someone might slip and hurt themselves and everyone will be up soon wanting breakfast” he sighed.

Nodding, I was just grateful Brittany had begun ignoring me and giving Maddox her full attention. Maddox was 17 and the next Alpha to lead the Orion pack after his 18^th birthday. Brittany was a power-hungry wench, who wanted to be his mate and the packs Luna. After his 18^th birthday he would be able to find his mate. We all know how it works, when mates see each other, they feel the pull towards each other, nothing and no one could interfere with the mate bond, love at first sight and all that crap. Yeah, I don’t get it, seems to ‘all in’ so fast, no choices, no asking ‘hey do you like this person’, no first date, no getting to know each other, your wolf says ‘mate’ and that’s it for life. That will be a hard pass for me. Brittany had just turned sixteen and had gotten her wolf, but would not be able to find her mate for two more years. If Maddox was her mate at least I wouldn’t have to call her Luna or watch her lead the pack till then. Mates were not allowed to reveal to a younger wolf if they were their mate until the younger of the pair turned eighteen. This stopped wolves claiming mates that were not truly theirs as the younger wolf wouldn’t know if they were lying and being taken advantage of. Brittney’s hideous flirtatious chuckling filled the kitchen and I do not think she realises how sad she looks right now trying to throw herself at him, but she wasn’t going to let anything get in her way of her ambitions to become future Luna.

“Maddox, I was hoping I would run into you this morning, how was the rest of your night?” she flirted, batting her eyes at him and twirling her over peroxided hair extensions, I know I sounded jealous but I wasn’t I just really hated her, but I kept that to myself, with my head down focused on cleaning the mess.

“It was fine, don’t you have something you could be doing right now instead of taking up space in here?” he responded clearly not wanting to entertain this delusional little fantasy of hers. Letting a small chuckle escape my lips before I could stop it, I quickly covered my mouth with my hand and squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that was going to cost me later, oh well what else is new. Stomping off with a little pout just proved how much of a petty, spoilt, little cow she is, I giggled again when I knew she had left. Lost in my own world again I had forgotten Maddox was still in the kitchen. Slowly approaching me he bent down to my eye level making me drop the bowl again.

“Oh, my goddess you scared me” I said a breathless holding my hand over my chest.  

“Umm, I didn’t do anything” he laughed a deep chuckle that sounded nice, “here let me help you” he reached for the bowl.

“No please don’t” I reached stopping his hand from taking the bowl, he seemed to freeze at the contact, “I’ve got this, you have other more important things to be worrying about then cleaning up my mess, and if anyone found out you were in here helping me clean this up, I would get into trouble so please just let me do it and go enjoy your breakfast” I said a little rushed and frightened at the thought of it getting back to the Alpha Maxwell that he was in here with the orphan girl cleaning. Not wanting to go another 10 rounds with the whip.

He just looked at me and nodded “Okay”, he was just sitting there looking at me for much to long for my liking. In that moment I could appreciate why other girls swooned over him, he was very handsome. Typical build for an Alpha big and strong, wide shoulders, muscles everywhere and hard features. His eyes are a dark chocolate brown with flecks of gold, framed by thick eyelashes girls would kill for. His slightly parted full lips had woman falling all over themselves at the chance to kiss them. Not even realising I had been looking a little too long, he chuckled at me making me go bright red.

“I’m sorry” I said flustered “is there anything else I can do for you?” I asked a little distracted, I cannot believe I had been checking out Maddox, oh my goddess, I was so ashamed someone like me had no business looking at someone like him.

“No, I was just coming to get some coffee” he smirked knowingly. 

“Let me get that for you” I rushed to stand up and forgot the wet mess all over the floor. Mix that with being lightheaded from standing up to fast, and I fell, yep that’s my luck. It would have ended with me landing on my butt if he hadn’t caught me. He just held me in his arms for a minute looking at me and finally let me go helping me to my feet.

“Seriously, how can someone as clumsy as you not have broken her neck already” he mused. Finally, he got his coffee and left leaving me alone to die of embarrassment, looking at me one last time before he left and smiled. Can this day get any worse? Famous last words right.

After managing to prepare and serve breakfast without any more incidents and grabbing something to eat myself I ran to get changed out of my pancake batter covered clothes so I could continue my chores. Reaching the top of the stairs I was so close to my room pleased I had managed to go completely unnoticed. Then that annoying high pitch voice echoed down the hallway, Brittany, great, making me groan internally, did she really have nothing better to do then follow me around, like get ready for school does she not know I would do anything to be allowed to go to school. Brittany was waiting with her mindless airhead friends Sarah and Simone, Great! Not! “You have to be kidding yourself if you think he is interested in you” she snickered

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” I spoke to the floor, knowing where this would end up.

“Listen you little whore, stay the hell away from Maddox, he was only speaking to you because he feels sorry for your pathetic orphan hybrid ass, and you know it, if you think for one minute it is anything else your wrong”, she was throwing all her jealous hatred at me with these words. Remaining silent because it didn’t matter what I said, she wouldn’t listen and it always ended the same way with three against one and me with a new bruise, cut or something broken. So, I just waited and braised myself for the inevitable, the sooner it happened the sooner I could back to my work before I got into trouble. True to form she grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the nearest wall, making me see stars, and fall. The other two preceded to kick my ribs till I couldn’t breathe I am sure I felt something crack. Over the years I had trained myself to go to the happy place in my mind when things like this happened, so I closed my eyes and waited for it to be over. ‘You’re okay, you’re going to be okay’ I told myself over and over it was my mantra I recited to myself when I needed to calm down or hold on. They stopped kicking me and I thought it was over, stupid me. Brittany grabbed my hair pulling me to my feet, “That’s for laughing at me, yeah don’t think I didn’t hear that” she whispered in my ear before pushing me down the stairs. As I fell, I tried to brace myself the best I could, yeah this was going to hurt tomorrow. At least having baggy clothes meant I could cover the bruises. As I hit the bottom, I did a mental scan of my body, my ribs hurt maybe only one or two broken this time, thankfully not more. My back hurt and my forehead throbbed from being slammed into the wall, but I was still alive, so a small win. Laying on the floor curled into a small ball, waiting for them to leave, I heard retreating footsteps, and the laughing fade. Laying so still till I felt they were completely gone and it was safe now to get up.  How was I going to get through the rest of the day I could feel a bruise forming on my face, it hurt my ribs to breath, and I couldn’t move my back without sharp pain shooting up my spin. This was going to be a long day, might as well just put my head down, stop complaining and get on with it. After managing the painful climb back up the stairs and to my room I changed my clothes, rushing out my door, knowing if I took any longer, I would have a date with the whip. Barrelling out the door I ran straight into Axel, landing on my butt, crap.