The Rogue Queen

Chapter 4

Freya followed behind Luna Kate nervously up a flight of stairs and into the Alpha wing. She had never been to this part of the packhouse before, it was reserved for ranked members only. She took in the tastefully decorated paneled walls that held pieces of painted landscapes in ornate frames. They stopped outside a set of white double doors which an Omega quickly opened and Kate smiled and motioned for Freya to follow.

"Welcome to my room, Alpha's room is across the corridor." Kate said as Freya looked around.

"It's beautiful." The room was mostly cream with the occasional hint of blush pink accessories around the room giving it the tasteful hint of colour. The bed was the biggest Freya had ever seen, ornate wood carvings framed it and a balcony looked out across to the packlands. It was everything she imagined a Luna's room would look like, although she found it odd that the Luna and the Alpha had separate bedrooms. She made a mental note to ask Elder Hugo next time she spoke to him. Freya was brought back from her thoughts when the Omega handed her a glass of cold liquid. She frowned at it and watched as bubbles danced upwards. She assumed it was some sort of alcohol, though she had never drunk it before personally. She took a sip and wrinkled her nose as the bubbles fizzed and popped on her tongue before she swallowed them. It didn't taste bad, actually it tasted pretty pleasant and, for the first time, she could understand why people drank it.

"First time?" Luna Kate asked with no hint of judgement.

"Yes, Luna."

"Please, just call me Kate. I think we moved past the formalities when you saved my life."

Not to be a total buzz killer, but can't you just ask them to stop mentioning it already? It wasn't a big deal. Hera complained.

We don't want to be rude or insult them but, yeah, it's uncomfortable for them to mention it all the time.

"I think you're a little taller than me, so we may have to opt for a dress that isn't full length." Kate said with a smile as she rolled her fingers across the wrack of dresses that stood in a corner. "We have time to have the tailor make any adjustments if they're too big or too tight, but I don't think that there will be much we can do with length."

"Please Lu…Kate, I really don't need you to go to any trouble and, without meaning to sound rude, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable. I'm an Omega and I'm in the training camp. I've never been with ranked members for any real time."

Kate's eyes softened when she realised that Freya was embarrassed. She likely didn't have dresses or shoes or fancy clothes and she likely had never socialised and now here she was being thrust into it all by Kate. It had been a careless thing for her to do, Kate had only thought of it as a grateful and kind gesture to acknowledge the person that had saved her and displayed such courage.

"I'm so sorry Freya, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. That's the last thing I wanted. If once you're ready, you still feel uncomfortable, then you can leave. I won't be offended."

Now I feel guilty! This would be easier if she wasn't so nice!

I know what a b***h for being nice to us! Hera replied sarcastically.

Freya took another sip from her glass before carefully touching the silky green fabric on one of the dresses. Kate was right, Freya was taller, so a long dress wouldn't work, though she had never actually worn a dress before, so she wasn't sure what would work for her.

"I've never worn a dress before, this is a bit out of my comfort zone" she smiled warmly, "I'd appreciate your guidance."

Kate clapped her hands excitedly. "You know, I think you're just what this pack needs, you don't seem intimidated by ranked members and you treat us just like everyone else. It's refreshing. Everyone is so closed off to me. Of course, they respect me as their Luna, they're kind and polite, but they're also too scared to be more than just friendly with me. Sometimes I miss the days when I had friends before I found out Matteo was my mate. I love him with every bone in my body and I wouldn't change anything, but it can be lonely. I'm not originally from this pack and I certainly wouldn't have been the first choice for Matteo's parents." Kate laughed and absently combed her hair with her hands. "I'm the daughter of a Beta, we met when I came here to train and it took a while for the pack to accept me."

That resonated with Freya, she had always been the outsider and likely always would, but it made much more sense to her why Kate was trying so hard with her. It wasn't just that she felt she owed a debt, she was a genuinely nice person who wanted a friend.

"Which dress will you be wearing?" Freya asked, trying to lighten the subject as she noted Kate's eyes glass over. She knew it was poor etiquette to wear something that would look anything similar to the Luna's dress. Kate smiled and did a little happy jump.

"I haven't shown this to anyone else, I was a tad indulgent and had it made. When we got married, Luna was very insistent on what I wore, so my dress wasn't exactly to my taste. It was beautiful, but it just wasn’t me."

She pulled out a dress bag and unzipped it to reveal a floor-length white gown. The bodice was decorated by delicate white lace flowers that wound its way up from the hips to the shoulders where long white chiffon attached to the shoulders making the capped sleeves look almost cape-like. From the hips the dress flowed and bellowed outwards with the same intricate lace flowers decorating around the bottom. It was simply stunning and fitted Kate's style perfectly.

"This is perfect for you. I don't think I could imagine you in anything else". Freya couldn't help the smile on her face.

"Thank you, this has been the first thing I've been able to do exactly my way. I love the former Luna and have so much respect, but just being able to put my touches on how this pack moves forward is a big task, and one I'm so looking forward to embracing. I have an idea for your dress."

Freya watched as Kate moved past the line of dresses and went into her walk-in wardrobe. She didn't want to intrude into her personal space more than she had, so she stood back and watched curiously as she emerged with another bag in hand.

"I've never worn this, I never seemed to have the right occasion for it, but for you, I think it would be perfect." Kate opened the bag to reveal a black lace dress, with flesh coloured material that showed through the lace pattern, it was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and the dress seemed to flare out slightly from the waist and stopped just below the knees. Freya smiled in response. She wasn't exactly sure what her taste in dresses would be but she didn't hate it, she kind of liked it. "Why don't you try it on?"

Freya took the bag and disappeared into the bathroom.

We are going to look smoking in this! Hera sounded far too enthusiastic for Freya's liking.

Would you calm down? It's a dress. Freya refused to be drawn into her wolfs silly excitement over a piece of clothing.

Moments later, Freya had slipped on the dress and opened the door whilst holding her breath. She hadn't dared to look into the mirror to see how silly she looked, but as soon as she saw the look on Kate's face she spun around and gasped at herself. She looked nothing like she usually did, suddenly she had a waist and hips and breasts.

Yip! We are smoking! You need to wear stuff like this more often! You go girl!

How can a dress make me look so different? Freya asked in disbelief.

Umm well you never make an effort to look nice, and I get it, there's nobody here worth looking nice for, but you don't always have to look like you've raided the local dumpster for clothes. And it wouldn't hurt to sort your hair once in a while!

Freya frowned and blocked Hera from her head. She was sure that everyone else had wolves that were more normal and less vocal.

"Do you like it?" Kate asked softly.

"I, I can't believe it makes me look like a lady" Freya laughed, "I think I kind of love it." She couldn't help the smile that spread from ear to ear. She swished from side to side, admiring how the fabric clung to her and moved with her as an unfamiliar feeling filled her stomach.

"In that case you can keep it."

"Oh no, Luna I could never accept that."

"Firstly, it's just Kate please, and second, I've got more dresses than there are days in the year, and third, that dress didn't look half as good on me, you wear it in such a way that it looks like it was made just for you. Let's find some shoes to go with it, and I was thinking maybe for your hair we could pin some of it back and just light makeup? "

"Thank you, you're extremely generous to me."

"Don't mention it. You know, I have a feeling that you and I are going to be good friends."

Freya took a seat in front of a mirror and watched intently as an Omega went to work on her hair and put some makeup on her face. She could see her reflection in the mirror but although it was her, she didn't recognise herself and she didn't hate it. She liked how this made her look, she liked the surge of confidence it gave her and for a while she could forget that she was just an Omega.

Kate emerged from the dressing room in her dress with her hair and make-up completed and Freya was lost for words. She looked incredible, just like the perfect Luna should look. The knock on the door from an Omega to tell them that it was time for the ceremony interrupted them.

Kate held her stomach before taking a deep breath. "It's so silly to be nervous, Matteo and I are mates and have pups and we've been the Luna and Alpha for a while now, but for some reason, I feel really nervous."

"I don't have any words of advice for you, but this is just a formality really, you said it yourself, you're already the Luna, this just makes it official in front of your pack along with friends and family." Freya replied hoping it would bring Kate some sort of comfort. The reality was that she had no idea how Kate felt and she had no desire to be in her shoes ever. That was the one blessing of being an Omega.

Freya noted all of the rows of white wooden chairs as she exited the packhouse, most filled with ranked members from other packs. A rope separated the standing area behind it for the unranked members, which made Freya feel uncomfortable. She didn't belong here and everyone would know it too, even in her fancy dress, she was an outsider.

The ceremony passed in a blur as Freya shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The old Alpha and Luna placed drops of their blood into the ceremonial cup before the new Alpha and Luna did the same to transfer the power, as an elder spoke some ancient words in a language that she didn't understand. She stood when she heard the applause erupt around her and followed everyone's lead, wondering how long it would be before she could quietly slip away back to her room as she followed the crowd into the marquee.

Kate made a beeline to her, handing over another glass of bubbles before leading Freya to a table as she discreetly explained who all of the unknown faces were and their relevance to the pack.

Oliver's scent caught Freya's attention and she couldn't help watching as he entered the marquee and found herself distracted from what Luna Kate had been saying. She hadn't seen him since the Alpha's office but she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit she had hoped to see him again. His black suit strained across his muscles and a pale blue tie framed the white shirt that peaked out from under the jacket. Her tongue swiped across her lips without even realising, causing her to blush when she saw Kate smiling, knowing she hadn't heard a word she had said.

"I'm sorry Luna, I didn't mean to be rude I..um got distracted for a moment." Freya mumbled with embarrassment.

Her eyes twinkled to match her smile, "I'd say he is a good reason for distraction, and please just call me Kate, there's no such need for formalities when I owe you my life and that of my children."

"Luna…Kate, you owe me nothing. I did my duty to this pack the same as anyone would."

Kate frowned, "If only that were true. I should have mentioned it earlier really, but Oliver made me and Alpha Matteo aware of how some of you are treated within the pack and in the training camp because you come from the Southern Kingdom. Matteo will take care of it. I won't stand for anyone to be referred to as rouges or made to feel like they don't belong."

Freya glanced again at Oliver, who was laughing and shaking hands with some people she didn't know. There was no need for him to do that, but she appreciated the gesture. It was too late for her but it might help some of the future members.

"Thank you" Freya smiled warmly at her.

"He's rather handsome, don't you think?" Kate asked coly as Freya felt herself blushing, the only person she had ever spoken to like this was Hera.

"Who is? Alpha?"

"Oh, he is handsome, to be sure, but I meant future Alpha Oliver. He can't seem to take his eyes off of you this evening. I do believe he was looking for you when he entered the marquee."

"He seems, erm nice, but I'm sure you must be mistaken, he and I barely know each other. Our first interaction was this afternoon." She took a sip of the champagne, trying to hide her further embarrassment.

"Well you must have made quite the impression on him." Kate was grinning now and Freya had no idea how to reply to that. Was he handsome? Absolutely, but she wasn't sure he wasn't just like his Beta.

"Luna Kate, Freya" the silky voice said with a nod of his head to greet them. "That was a beautiful ceremony this evening, I can only hope to have one half as beautiful when it's my turn," Oliver said, with a half smile, as he ran his fingers through his hair causing it to flop over his forehead slightly.

"Thank you Oliver, that's very kind of you to say, though I have no doubt that your Alpha ceremony will be equally as enchanting when it comes. If you don't mind, I'll excuse myself to go speak to some more of our guests."

Freya smiled and then took another sip from her glass as Oliver slid into the chair across from her, an Omega appeared at their side with a tray holding two glasses of champagne. She turned to decline but saw Alpha Matteo looking over and raising his glass to us with a nod of his head. Oliver handed her a glass and took one for himself and motioned in return. Letting her guard down, she groaned as soon as the Alpha turned away.

"Not enjoying yourself?" Oliver asked with a chuckle as he took another sip.

"Not exactly, I feel so out of place here, I don't belong in this world." She shrugged her shoulders and wondered why she always let her words get out before thinking around him. She knew she shouldn't and couldn't speak freely around a ranked member without risking punishment for speaking out of turn.

"Who says you don't belong? You blend in fine from where I'm sitting and you also look stunning tonight. I'm pretty sure every she-wolf here is envious of you."

Real smooth talking. Gunnar nodded, proud of him. Oliver wasn't shy around women but didn't usually have to put in this amount of effort.

She is stunning. Look at her, that dress..

Would look great on our bedroom floor. Gunnar interrupted and Oliver cut him off before he could continue his dirty thoughts. Though he didn't disagree with his wolf, there was something deeper about Freya that he couldn't put his finger on. He didn't want to just take her to bed like he would others, he wanted to get to know her.

Freya couldn't suppress her laugh and snort that followed.

What a smooth talker he is. I like him. Hera said, practically drooling as Freya suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

He's an Alpha Hera, and don't forget he's well practised at smooth talking the knickers off women.

Well you sure could do with someone talking themselves into your knickers, I'm pretty sure there's moths in there, she snorted in response before chortling to herself. And anyway, why should we care that he's an Alpha?

Freya sighed internally. Because we're an Omega. Omegas and Alpha's don't mix, remember?

Pft who cares what we are? I don't feel like an Omega and that's what counts. And anyway, I'm not suggesting we take him as a mate. Well, I am, but just a playmate. Hera smirked as Freya turned her full attention back to Oliver.

"I'm in a borrowed dress from Luna Kate and I'm here only because I happened to be near the Luna when those rogues attacked. I'm not here because I belong. All the other wolves in here are ranked members, except for the Omegas who are serving." Freya tried but couldn't hide the annoyance in her tone.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not a fan of these events myself. How about we get out of here?" Oliver asked with a confident smile as he c****d his brow causing Freya to suck in a breath.