The Luna's Journey

Chapter 8

Miracle

I couldn't get a good night's sleep as the memory of yesterday continued to occupy my thoughts. The image of that new she-wolf with Alpha Theron seemed to pierce my heart with needles in a way I couldn't understand. Even my wolf, Light, felt unsettled throughout the night.

"You've got dark circles under your eyes. Did you have trouble sleeping?" Riva asked.

We were working in the garden together, but for some reason, I had no energy to do the task. All I wanted was to retreat to our chamber and contemplate my feelings. Being so deeply affected by something was a new experience for me, and I didn't like how it made me feel.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking," I replied with a hint of boredom.

"About what? You're not planning to escape, are you?" Riva asked, her eyes widening. She seemed to be jumping to conclusions, but if only I had the power to teleport and live far away, I might consider it.

"No," I sighed. "I was just thinking when I'll find my mate."

Perhaps, when I do find my destined mate, my thoughts and admiration for Alpha Theron might shift. As long as these emotions remain at the surface, I am confident that I can navigate their currents without being submerged by their depths.

"You don't need to worry too much about that, Mira. Your destined mate will reveal themselves in due time. Enjoy the freedom of being single, because when you do find your mate, things will change significantly," Riva reassured me.

I let out a sigh and nodded in agreement. However, the memory of Alpha Theron with his possible Luna continued to torment my thoughts. Why was I experiencing these emotions?

Feelings could be incredibly confusing. What puzzled me even more was the intense pain I felt at the mere thought of Alpha Theron claiming someone else. I had experienced my fair share of crushes in my old pack, but I had never felt this kind of hurt when they found their mates.

"Riva, is it normal to feel jealous of someone who isn't your mate?" I mused aloud.

She furrowed her brows, looking at me as she trimmed the grass. "That's unusual. You typically don't feel jealous of someone who isn't your mate. Why? Who's this person you're referring to?" she inquired with curiosity.

I bit my lip and shook my head, choosing not to divulge the details. Revealing my subtle jealousy regarding Alpha Theron's Luna didn't feel right. Some things were better left buried, and this was just too embarrassing.

Who was I to even entertain hope for someone of such high status? I was but a humble omega, not meant for his world.

"Nothing, I was simply curious," I replied.

"I doubt it. Is he in this pack?" she probed, pausing in her task.

I was about to respond when Hillary suddenly appeared. "What are you two gossiping about during work?" she inquired with raised eyebrows.

The words I had intended to say hung in the air, and instead, I chose to close my mouth, lower my head, and continue working. I heard Riva clear her throat and offer an apology before resuming her tasks.

"Chatty kittens should be locked up, tsk," Hillary hissed before leaving.

Hillary seemed like a replacement for my mother, always present everywhere to taunt and insult me whenever the opportunity arose. While she didn't physically harm me, her verbal abuse felt just as painful.

"Hey, have you heard the rumors?" Lydia asked during our lunch break. She was assigned to the other side of the packhouse, so we rarely saw each other during work hours.

"What rumor?" I inquired.

Lydia settled in between Riva and me. We were eating our lunch in the gazebo, as this was the area we were tasked with cleaning after the meal.

"By the end of this month, during the full moon, Alpha Theron is going to claim Lisa," she announced.

Lisa? Was that the name of the she-wolf? The name sounded rather unremarkable.

Bitterness coursed through my veins, so much so that I came close to expressing my disdain for that woman, even though she had done nothing wrong to me.

"Alpha Theron is really up to claim someone who isn't his mate?" I asked absentmindedly.

Lydia shrugged her shoulders. "It's his decision, whatever he believes is best for the pack. He will proceed with it."

Seriously, he's only twenty-three, he could afford to wait for more years for his mate. After all, he had already secured his leadership without a Luna, and there should be no pressing concern about the timing of his mate's arrival. Rushing into a decision like this, claiming a she-wolf who isn't his true mate, doesn't appear to be the wisest choice. Or am I simply affected by the idea that the she-wolf isn't me?

"The woman agreed to such an arrangement? But what if Alpha Theron does find his fated mate? What will happen to her?" I inquired, concealing my true intentions in my voice.

Riva and Lydia looked at me with a sense of confusion, as if I had said something odd.

"My dear, we don't have a say in their decisions. Besides, they're old enough to make their own choices," Lydia replied.

She had a valid point. As mere omegas, we couldn't dictate the choices they should make.

Despite the discomfort, I set those thoughts aside and tried to forget everything. This admiration would eventually pass, I was sure of it.

"Mira, tell me honestly, do you like Alpha Theron?" Riva asked in a hushed tone just after Lydia had left, as break time was coming to an end.

My heart raced, fearing that I might get caught. "No," I nervously replied.

She grinned, clearly not convinced by my response. There was a knowing look concealed in her deep-set eyes, suggesting that she had figured something out.

"I think he's the one you were referring to earlier. You've been acting strangely since yesterday when you saw Lisa," she stated, nodding as she confidently believed in her conclusion.

I had never been skilled at lying. While I could hide my emotions to some extent, outright lying was a much tougher task for me. Still, I couldn't muster the courage to admit it.

I had known Riva for just a week or so, and while she had shown me genuine kindness, confessing my feelings, especially who I liked, felt incredibly uncomfortable. Yes, she seemed open-minded and probably wouldn't judge me, but I couldn't bring myself to place my full trust in her.

"Just a bit of advice, Mira. Don't harbor hope for them. I say this not because you aren't suited to be our Luna, but because I know how status works in this pack. If you're an omega, you'll always be an omega, even if you're mated to one of the leaders," she conveyed, speaking at length.

Her counsel hit me like a sudden gust of wind. It stirred my rationality and extinguished the flicker of hope that had begun to k****e within me. Alpha Theron was like the vast expanse of the sky, while I was but a humble piece of soil. In the same world, yet destined to remain forever apart.

"So, if you have feelings for Alpha Theron, try to erase them as soon as possible. It will save you from going insane," she added.