The Keeper

Chapter 1

“Lester, come here and clean this crap up, would you!” The Adenoidal voice of Veronica Blain drilled my ears, the future Luna.

“Yes, Veronica, right away, Veronica.” I can’t help the annoyed tone I used. I am, as they say, a domestic helper, the only ‘helper’ here.

“Drop the attitude, Lester, or I might call Jax and see how he likes your tone.” She gives me a knowing smirk.

I’ve almost finished cleaning the coffee she spilled. If Jax gets called to deal with me, it usually lands me holed up in my room for a day or so healing his punishments.

My name was Celeste, when I got here. I was found wandering the outskirts of this territory, The Shadow Pack. The then Luna Michelle allowed me at the age of 4 to live in the orphanage and grow up to be an omega in the pack. I was grateful to be safe. The outskirts of any territory aren’t safe for a full-grown lone wolf, let alone a child with no wolf.

I was happy, blissfully happy for someone who was orphaned. I made friends, and I had a mother role model in the form of Margaret, an omega cook at the orphanage. We bonded from day one, a bond that still exists today but in secret as I am not allowed to be cared for. I am 17 now; it’s been 7 years of isolation, 7 years of ‘helping’, and 7 years of punishment.

7 years prior

Matron Fiona had called for the children to gather in the entryway of the orphanage.

“Settle down; settle down, alright children, the Luna has graciously offered to take you all for a walk through the forest to see the waterfall.

Celeste, you’re the eldest, so you’re to help the Luna. Make sure the other children stay together and listen to instructions, I know you find it difficult, but please do try.” She finished.

“Yes, Matron, I will do as you’ve asked,” I told her politely with a nod.

She was a stout, firm woman. Most of the kids were wary of her; she didn’t take what she perceived as bad behaviour from any of us. However, I did notice she was not particularly fond of me from the start.

The entry door swung opened, revealing the Luna, a tall, thin woman with a kind face and straight brown hair to her shoulders.

All the children were ushered out to the street. Luckily for Luna Michelle and I, there were only 6 of us in the orphanage, so wrangling them all would be easy. We had been out for half the day, enjoying the sunshine, and the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, the kids were laughing, and the birds were singing. A wondrous day had for all until it wasn’t.

Before we knew it, there was a breach, a breach so close to where we were playing in the in the forest. The Luna told us all to hide the best we could. It would take too long to get back to the safety of the pack. She said not to come out until our pack warriors arrived.

Our beautiful Luna had just hidden the youngest child with me; she held her finger to her lips, making the shhh sound.

“Stay here Celeste, no matter what happens, stay hidden, be good, be strong, my sweet.” She whispered as she walked away.

Before she could get herself hidden, 3 burly men appeared.

“Luna, you’re looking rather tasty today.” One of the disgusting men leered at her.

She stood tall, and her aura was stronger than I’d ever felt it before.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asked coolly.

“We happen to be looking for someone, a kid, actually.” He glanced around our surroundings.

“And what do you want with a child?” she asked.

The Lunas’ job was to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.

“We’re just taking the bounty, nothing personal, Luna, so where are they then?”

“You’ll find no child here. You should leave while you can.” She growled.

All three men laughed, with two of them slowly closing in on our Luna.

By now, my heart was beating my chest hard, as if to jump out to save her itself. I couldn’t see or hear any of the other children as I looked around, panicking. I didn’t know what I could do, being only a 10 year old and holding on to the baby Luna Michelle had handed me.

When I looked back to the Luna, she was fighting 2 men with the strength of a mother whose baby had been threatened. No one had shifted yet, perhaps they thought she would have been a weak target. They were wrong; Luna Michelle had killed one already and now grappling with another. When she had the chance to grab the man’s head, she twisted as hard as she could. I had to turn a way as I vomited, I could now hear the rustling of the forest. Our warriors were coming. I heard the last man speak to the Luna again

“Underestimated you, Michelle, a strong, fine woman such as yourself would make a wonderful mate.” He moved from the tree he was leaning on to observe the fight.

“Over my cold dead body!” she growled.

She moved fast with her extended claws. The two made a loud thud as they crashed into each other and started to fight.

The warriors had just burst through the tree line in time to see the stranger take advantage of the distraction and snap Luna Michelle’s neck. They all charged him as her body fell to the ground, but he vanished in a cloud of smoke. A painful howl, the most sorrowful howl I’d ever heard, came out of the Alpha Sampson.

“You can all come out now!” The Alpha’s voice was gravelly.

Slowly, the sounds of small children coming out of their hiding places could be heard. I couldn’t move, I had seen it all, heard it all. I was still in shock when I heard the Alpha command.

“CELESTE, GET OUT HERE NOW.” He screamed.

I stumbled out of the shrubbery that was my sanctuary, walking with my head down and my arms around the baby were shaking. I was asked to sit with the rest of the children. While the Luna’s body was taken to the hospital with the Alpha, his Beta questioned us all about the event, and when he was satisfied with the answers we had, we were sent back to the orphanage.

After a sleepless night, the Beta arrived at dawn to give instructions. All of us were to pack our belongings and meet him back at the pack house. Once we were corralled into the foyer, the Alpha family was looking dishevelled and mournful at the top of the stairs. This was when Alpha Sampson told us we would each be moved to a new pack.

The five other children sent off to five different packs, but me, I had to stay. You could see the distain in The Alpha and future Alpha’s eyes when they looked at me, I didn’t understand it then, the best I could come up with is that they expected me to do something to save their mate and mother, as a child, it would be impossible to fight 3 grown men. They couldn’t see past their grief.

I was put in the Attic of the pack house, to be honest; it could be a beautiful space if it wasn’t meant as a punishment. There’s a large dormer window that looks out to the grounds and forest beyond. The arched roof is high, but the downside is that it was so cold there. The fireplace was boarded up the day I moved in.

*Back in the present time.

After cleaning the spill Veronica made, I walked into the kitchen to find Margret getting the lunch prepared for Alpha Sampson’s meeting. Since the day the Luna died, the Alpha closed the orphanage on the promise to never take in strays again.

“There you are, sweetheart, are you OK?” she asked whispered. The punishment for speaking to me without permission was 10 lashes.

“Yeah, just ran into Veronica. You know how she is,” I sighed.

“Well, today you won’t have to worry about her. They’ll all be down in the conference rooms, as future Luna she should be there too.” She smiled at me.

“It doesn’t matter; I am so used to it now. It’s just rather dull, the same insults she hurls at me. You’d think she could be creative.” I shrugged at her and waved bye as I went and picked out the supplies I’d need to go about my usual business. Cleaning the halls, making beds, dusting, polishing the floors, you name it, I do it.

Just as I finished my jobs on the Alpha’s floor, when a door at the far end opened, I heard the hushed voices of Jaxon and Veronica. They were so involved in the conversation that they had no idea I was there.

“You better keep your word, Jaxon, you promised me.” She whined at him.

“I will baby, you know I wouldn’t accept her. You’re it for me.” His voice was soothing.

“Are you really sure she’s your mate?” she asked

“Yes, but she doesn’t know. She isn’t 18 yet.” He replied.

I had a feeling they were talking about me, and if that was the case, he would be rejected when that time came.

When they stepped out of the threshold and noticed me standing to the side cleaning the last bit of floor, Jaxon was in my face before I could register what happened.

“What the f**k are you doing here, Lester? Eavesdropping on me?” He growled.

I have to keep cool. As much as I want to roll my eyes and laugh at him, I would end up in a world of trouble, so I answer in my best downtrodden voice

“I’m just doing my duty, sir,”

“And you just happen to be here at this exact moment? Explain yourself.” He sounded a little stressed.

“Wrong place at the wrong time, perhaps.” I shrugged

That earned me a slap across the face, Veronica stood back with a satisfied grin.

“Get the f**k out of my sight you filthy cretin.” He said harshly.

I didn’t look back as I walked away from them, I’ve not hated someone so much as I hate them. Jaxon used to just leave me alone. It was the Alpha I was wary of. Jaxon stayed out of my way, and I’d stay out of his. Since he started dating Veronica, though, he’s been a massive d**k. If she says jump, he asks how high.

As I made my way to the next floor to start my duties, I couldn’t help thinking of a better life, somewhere, anywhere but here and the sooner the better.

Hours passed, and I had finished all I had to do, so I spent my free time in the library. Not many people came here, and since I wasn’t allowed at school since the Lunas’ death, this was how I educated myself

I figured if I ever did escape, I’d need to know everything I possibly could.