The Queen of Fire

Chapter 3

I barely slept the last 2 nights. Ellie and I have been working so hard to make sure everything is ready. I feel good. I know we have everything prepared. We've been up all night working and when we finally do stumble to our beds, we are exhausted. Then we wake up again to do it all over. Today is the day. I only have to make it through the next 24 hours and we are done.

We are in the kitchen slaving away when Alpha calls a packhouse meeting. I groan out loud. "Is this guy for real?" Nova growls. I couldn't agree with her more. This was the worst timing ever. We make our way to the main dining hall and see that only the omegas have been gathered here. Alpha Edward's voice booms out across the wide hall.

"Omega's" He pauses, waiting for silence. It silences quickly. The omegas each bow their head to our Alpha. I follow along, still not feeling any of his power rolling across the crowd.

"Today is a very important day for my daughter and a very important day for the pack. I expect all of you to show our guests the upmost respect and care". I wonder what this is all about. I listen as he explains that we are each to collect brand new uniforms on our way out. He also gives us all permission to use the main packhouse baths to clean ourselves up. A murmur went through the crowd. "We never get to use the main baths" Ellie whispers excitedly next to me. "What is he up to?" I wondered to Cara. I feel her shake her fur and shrug.

As we leave the hall, we collect our new uniforms. Ellie and I are given black jeans and a fitted black t-shirt to wear with the Blackwood Pack crest on the left pocket. At least that was comfortable to wear. We make our way to the baths, the other omega females chatter excitedly amongst themselves. "This is amazing" squeals Ellie in awe, her eyes wide as she takes in the room around us. We look around, the baths are like nothing we have seen. This was heaven compared to our tiny cold shower we usually got to use. Marble tiles line the floor and walls, large baths and sinks surround the room. Private showers are also over on one side of the room.

We rushed over to one of the deep soaking pools and undressed. Being in a pack, none of us are too ashamed of being naked in front of one another. We usually undress before shifting anyway, so no one is too worried here. We lowered ourselves into the water and scrubbed ourselves clean. I wanted to lay down and relax but knew that the Alpha's kindness would not last long. He must have a reason. It all clicked in my head. He must want all of the staff to look well cared for, he wants to make a good impression on everyone. "A fake impression. Who does he think he is trying to hide the fact that he treats his pack like crap. He's not fooling anyone", Nova responds. A small growl rips out of me. I tried to calm her down. I didn't really mind why he allowed this but I was just glad he did. It was the most relaxing bath I'd ever had.

As we got out of the baths, we realized we even had access to hair products and hair dryers. I looked around and found a mirror. I approached it slowly. I hadn't seen myself in a mirror in years. The last time was when I was about 10 and I got beaten up by a warrior wolf and ended up in the hospital. They let me look at the stitches across my cheek.

I looked in the mirror and met the eyes of a girl. A girl I barely knew anymore. Her eyes were a dull green and they looked sad and lonely. Her cheekbones were prominent and looked too sharp against her full plump lips. A chapstick wouldn't have gone astray to help with the dry skin peeling on her bottom lip. Her dark hair hung wet and limp down to her waist. I scanned over this body. My body. I felt like I was doing okay considering the circumstances. I was definitely too bony and needed some extra food. But my long legs were lean and my breasts still plump and full. I guess I was lucky. It could be a lot worse. Ellie looked like a 12-year-old child with no curves and bones poking out of her in all the wrong places. "I wish I had boobs like you though" Ellie pouted in the mirror next to me. "You still look alive at least, I just look sick" she prods her ribs and sighs at me. Her red curls and freckles did keep her looking much younger than the rest of us.

I offer to help Ellie put her unruly curls into a slick bun and she helps braid my hair down my back. She pulls some strands out to frame my face and turns me back to the mirror. The girl looking back at me actually looks clean and almost...pretty. Looking like this, I could almost imagine being a more important part of the pack. Maybe a warrior, maybe even a Luna. I hear Nova rumble in my head "Better than Luna, an Alpha". I almost laugh out loud. "We can't be an Alpha Nova, you know that". She doesn't respond. I push that thought out of my mind and turn to Ellie. Time to get back to work.

The afternoon goes quickly after that. Ellie and I set up platters of food on the long tables that stretch along the main hall. The omega's in charge of decorating have done an amazing job. Lights hang from the rooftop and flowers fill the corners of the space. The tables are draped in black and gold fabric and candles flickered around the room. The wonderful scent of jasmine and lilies spreads throughout the room. It reaches 5pm and guests start arriving. I breathe out a sigh of relief and give Ellie a high five. I can't believe we actually did it. All the food was set up and ready and we could retreat to the kitchen and clean up.

The sound of laughter floats through the kitchen and I hear Ellie sigh loudly. "What's wrong?" I ask.

She looks over at me "I just wish sometimes we could be a part of all of that". She gestures to the door.

"I know what you mean, Ellie". I don't want to admit to her that sometimes I dream that my mate will walk in and save me from this hell hole. I dream that a strong alpha would come and take me far away from Alpha Edwards' hateful hands and I would never be harmed again. I had hoped for this to happen since I turned 18 2 years ago. Instead, I just tell her that maybe, if we were lucky, one day we might get out of here together and we could start a new life.