Shades of Green

"Mom, do you think I will have my own pack like my family pack?" Hope asked her mother. Her Omega mother looked at her with adoring eyes and patted her head. "Of course, baby. I don't see why not," she said. "But that moment isn't now. Right now you need to focus on your homework and then go clean your room with your siblings." Hope roiled her eyes. "Yes,Mother." Hope said as she went back and focused on her work. Hope was an ordinary girl with an ordinary life. Her long brown hair and rose-colored cheeks gave her the girl next door's appearance. The Alister's pack gave her a loving home with Alphas, Omegas and Betas. Hope only dreamed of having such a loving pack of her own that was just like her family pack. Everyone in the pack was always treated as equals, despite the cultural norms on how each sub-gender is supposed to act. That was her one big dream in life was to have a loving family pack where all were equals and all loved each other the same. A few years later, Hope was at the presenting age. Which is always different based on the sub-gender you are going to be. Beta's where the first ones to know. They would present between the ages of 14-16 years of age. Omega;s were next to present at the age of 17-20 years of age. Alphas were normally the last ones to present at the age of 21-25 years of age. Of course, there were special cases as given with anything in life. Hope, however, wasn't a special case she presented at the age of 15, as a Beta with a light smell of honeysuckles. The Betas in the pack had a presenting party, and the pack couldn't be prouder that one of their own was a Beta. Especially the Betas in the pack, they were so happy to be able to have one of their twelve children as a Beta, to be able to pass along their wisdom and experiences. Hope, could listen to their stories for hours on end. All of their stories are about their packed families, college days and finding each other. Every story would have her day dreaming about her very own pack. There were times where Hope would close her eyes real tight to make wishes for her own pack. One wish was that they would love each other equally, just as her pack family did with each of their mates. Of course, there were other wishes, like how she hoped to have a child with every alpha and male beta that was in her pack, and so on. Hope's wishes were always light and full of fairly tales. Although dreams and reality are two completely different things, as they say, “It’s the darkest right before the dawn.” After high school and when Hope turned 18, she decided to go to a college five thousand miles away from her pack. Even though her pack was upset about her being so far away, they knew Hope needed to spread her legs and run. Three plane rides back and forth going over details about the college, and one very large caravan with her things and the whole pack to help her move into her dorm. After four days, seven hours, three of those hours of moving into the dorm and setting up. Perks of having a large pack, two hours of touring the campus. Luckily, Hope’s pack wasn’t the only pack walking around the campus. The last two hours was having dinner with them for the last time until the Thanksgiving break. Hope felt like the good-bye lasted another hour, funny how one's family can make ten minutes feel so long. One last wave of watching the last car's red lights disappear, Hope felt her heart and stomach sink. “Its just nerves.” She said out loud. “I got this!” Turning to go back to her dorm, Hope made a wish that this would be the start to not only chasing her dream of being a designer but finding her pack. Being a wolf has its perks that humans miss out on. One of the perks is that they get their individual dorm. It may only be the size of a medium bedroom, but it won’t be overpowered by any smells other than Hope’s. The wolf dorms are all built with scent-blocking materials and are sound-proof due to heats and ruts. “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP” Hope’s phone screamed at her as she was trying to find it in the nest full of blankets, shirts, and other items each member of her pack gave her to ease her nerves being away from the pack for the first time. Hope's nest was always comparable to an Omega. Some of her pack parents were a little on the shocked side when she presented as a Beta, because of her natural need to nest, but in the long run it didn't matter to them as long as she was healthy. The Omega's were always happy to have her go along on their nesting shopping sprees. Hence, as to why her phone was now lodged between the head of the nest and her computer. Last night she could barely sleep so she kept looking at her schedule and map of the school for what seemed the hundredth time. As Hope was getting out of her nest and heading to the bathroom to get ready for her first day of college, her phone rang. “Hello,” She answers FaceTime. “Good luck!!” as her parents and as many of her packs that could piled on the camera to wish her luck on her first day of college. “Thank you!! I must go and finish getting ready. I love you all. Call you later and let you know how it goes.” She said with a giggle, while getting her clothes together. “ OK,” her omega mom said. “Remember to at least eat breakfast before going to class.” Hope’s Beta father said. “ OK Dad, love you all.” Hope rolled her eyes and turned off the phone. Rushing to get ready, because now she needs at least ten more minutes to grab a coffee and at least a muffin. Hope, knows her dad is true to his word, so if he threatens to rent a house to watch her if she doesn't listen, it's best to do as promised. Grabbing her keys and book bag, she heads out the door. In a rush she didn’t see the girl across the hall coming out at the same time. As Hope turned around, she knocked the girl against the wall, causing her to spill her coffee all over Hope’s shoes. “OH MY GOSH!! I am so sorry, are you OK.” Hope said as she felt her foot start to warm up from the hot liquid. “Yes, I am fine. I am sorry about your shoes.” The girl said. She smelled like strawberries and cream. Sweet but not so sweet, it would make one's face turn away from her. She had shoulder-length reddish brown hair, a few freckles placed cutely on her face. She was medium built but everyone is bigger than Hope. The Alisters had always made fun of her skinny frame. “No worries, I am just glad that nobody got burned.” Hope said, as she tried to wipe off her shoes with her hand. “I know. Hey, I am Victoria.” She stated and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Victoria. I am Hope.” she said as she took her clean hand to shake it. “Nice to meet you too. What is your first class?” Victoria asked. “I have ENG 101 at 8:30 am in Taylor Hall.” Hope answered. “Me too!” Victoria said “How about I get us both breakfast since I spilled your coffee?” Hope said, after all it was lest she could do after starting Victoria’s day off on the wrong foot. “Deal! Although can I have a fruit smoothie instead? I was trying to be cool, but I just couldn’t take the taste of coffee.” Victoria said with a smile. When the Omega smiled it was as if time stood still for a moment, as if her brain was making a note of one of the most important moments in Hope's life. Little did she know when she looked back on this day that it was her Beta who fell in love instantly with one of three of the most beautiful Omega's Hope had ever seen. “Of course,” Hope said, smiling back as her heart jumped for joy. They made their way to the small breakfast stand outside of the English building and ordered two muffins, one strawberry smoothie, and one iced caramel coffee. "Here is your strawberry smoothie," Hope said as she put their drinks down on the table. "Thank you, I know you probably think its silly for me to drink a strawberry smoothie even though I smell like strawberries." Victory said with a pout. Hope fought back the urge to pinch her cute cheeks. "I don't think it's strange. I mean would you look down on me if I said my favorite flower is Honeysuckle?" Hope asked. "No! I would think it was cute," Victoria yelped and looked down at her drink, "and more than likely be thankful that I wouldn't have to remember your favorite flower." "So I can safely say your favorite fruit is strawberries?" Hope giggled. Victoria blushed and shook her head. After they ate their muffins, they gathered their things to go to class, which was just across the sitting area in which they were in. Chatting on their way, Hope and Victoria realized they had a lot in common. Both wanted to be a designer, both came from a large pack, and both had an omega mother and a beta father. "Wow, we have so much in common," Victoria said. "I know, I am not going to lie. I was sorta worried about making new friends," Hope said slyly. "That is if you would like to be my friend?" Victoria smiled. "I can say I felt the same way about making new friends and now..." Victoria said as she lifted up her smoothie cup. "Here to making a new friend today." Hope smiled and lifted up her iced coffee cup and clinked it to her cup. "Here to a great beginning," Hope said. Just then, the Omega professor walked in and started class. The classes went on as all first day classes in college go. Rules of the class on absents, tardy, and her style of grading their work. After that, she let the class go with their first assignment. "So, new friend, what is your next class?" Hope giggled as she asked Victoria. "Oh, it's Math 201 in the math center building, new friend." She said as a small giggle left her lungs. "Mine is Soc 101. The class we all have to take, and then I have two other classes this afternoon," Hope said. "Oh, you put all your classes in one day? I spread mine out, two classes every morning, except Friday, so I could work my part-time job in the afternoons." Victoria said. "Oh, I see. What about homework?" Hope asked. "I only work four days a week, so I will be able to do it on the days I'm off." Victoria said as they both walked out of the class room to go to their next class. "Would you like to meet up for lunch at the cafeteria?" Hope said, with a hint of nervousness laceing her scent. Hope was happy to make a new friend but she didn't want to overstep any boundaries or push too far. "I would love it too," Victoria said with a shy smile. " OK, my class is the furthest away, so let's say 12:15ish?" Hope said, trying not to seem too excited even though her scent was giving it away. "Sounds like a plan." Victoria said, trying to contain her excitement. Hope, could smell her as well. They both laughed, waved goodbye and went to their separate classes. While walking to her class, Hope felt a little like her name. She felt that there was hope in making new friends who knew maybe even more.