His Penitence

Running as fast as my legs can carry me and wheezing at the cold air traveling through my lungs, unable to take it anymore, I fall to my knees gasping for breath. “ Penny, it isn't even up to five minutes yet " the pack trainer says angrily, “ I'm sorry, I can't anymore”, tears clouding my vision; it feels like there is sand in my lungs, “Awwn is the little omega crying?” Veronica, the future Alpha’s girlfriend, says in a mocking tone, “That's what she gets for being so weak”, Devin, the future Alpha himself, adds, slinging his hand over her shoulder, “She couldn't even complete one lap. Very unfortunate” Veronica, snickering, crouches down to my level and strokes my head, “Poor little bastard, her mom probably slept with the first human she met”, Devin says, howling with laughter along with the rest of the pack. Unable to stomach the embarrassment, rising to my feet and running with tears streaming down my face. My life has always been like this; constant mockery and embarrassment. I have no one to take my side and defend me. Who will? No one wants to k****e the wrath of the future Alpha, they will all do his bidding gladly, even if it's to my detriment. There is nothing interesting about my life. I'm average height with mismatched eyes and short brown hair. I just finished high school and will soon be eighteen years old. It's a miracle I managed to survive this long, if I'm being honest. I was so convinced that I'd die before I completed high school, so I'm grateful I survived. Being eighteen soon means that I'll soon shift and hopefully find my mate. I'm so excited by the possibility of finding my mate, my forever. I hope he's not from this pack, so I can leave this place and never return. Sighing and entering the pack house, spotting my mom immediately. She was in what seemed to be a serious conversation with the Beta female. “Penny dear, are you okay?” her brow arching with worry, “I'm okay”, I replied and bolted out, heading straight to our designated room, I don't want the false pity from the Beta female and other pack members, they all act like they don't know what I'm going through courtesy of their children. “Penny, what's the issue?” mom asked with so much concern, “ There is no problem, I'm okay, just tired”, I replied, “ Are you sure?” She continued pressing, “ Yes”, my voice dripping with irritation. You know you're not feeling well. Don’t bother yourself. Besides, it's nothing that hasn't happened before, there's no point in dwelling on it”. “If you say so, just remember you can talk to me about anything, okay?” She says. “What were you talking about with the Beta female?” “She was just informing me that some guests had arrived from other packs, and she needed the place to be in order” she says, sighing and joining me in bed. “But she is aware of the state of your health, she isn't fair. "The pack members are not being fair to us” replying her angrily, “Don’t talk like that” she says while pausing to cough. “They have been very good to us, especially the late Luna.she was just an angel”, she says dreamily, “But”... “Besides, we decided that you'd help out this time around by” cutting me short “so chop, chop, get up and join the others to welcome the guests. They should be here now.” “Mom, please” “Start going now, I don't want to repeat myself”, she says while rising to her feet and pushing me out, “ Here” handing me a face towel, “wipe your face” and she shut the door. I didn't even realize I was crying again, wiping my tear-stained cheeks and slowly making my way down to the kitchen. “There you are Penny! "Come quickly and set the table”, the Beta female says, spotting me. Reluctantly heading towards her. “Go to the cupboard and get dishes, the Alpha is here already with the guests”. “Alpha”, we greeted in unison. Hurriedly opening the cupboard, grabbing the dishes and carefully making my way to the dining hall. While in motion, Veronica sticks out her legs, and trips me over into a dramatic fall. Falling to my knees, I dropped all the dishes in a loud crash, right in front of the guests. “Penny, you klutz! "I knew you couldn't handle simple tasks. "That's exactly what I told your mom, you're just so clumsy”, the Beta female said angrily. “But…, she tripped me”, pointing at Veronica. Veronica, gasping dramatically, feigning ignorance, “How dare you lie against her!” Devin says, rushing to her rescue, “I don't know how you expected this bastard omega to be able to handle simple tasks”. “That's enough!” Alpha Theo says angrily, Running to my room, with tears streaming down my face. “Penny, Penny”, hearing my name but didn't bother to answer; maintaining a fast pace upstairs. Getting to my room and opening the door aggressively, startling my mom in the process. “Penny…” “Who is my father?”, interrupting my mom. “What's the matter, talk to me”, my mom says worriedly; standing up. “I'm tired of your games. For over seventeen years of my life, you've avoided talking about him. Time and time again, I've been called a bastard, but I never complained to you because I care about your health and well-being, but I can't take it anymore. Wolves mate for life. Why is your case different? “Penny…” “I hate it here. We don't belong here, obviously. "You can't imagine the names you're being called in your absence”. “Penny”, she says, holding her chest. “I'm not done yet”. “Penny”, she said again, dropping to her knees. “Mom, mom, are you okay”? She lay, gasping for breath,“ Mom, hold on, I'm going to get help.” I tried to get up, but she held on to my arm, “Mom, let go.” “Night…, watch”. Then she stopped moving. “ Night watch?”, mom, what do you mean?” “Mom, mom” I said, but no response. Screaming and running downstairs to call for help, running right into the pack trainer, “What's the matter?” he asked, genuinely concerned, “It's mom, she's not moving”, tears streaming down my face, “What do you mean?”, the Alpha says behind me, “get the pack doctor right away”. Moving hurriedly into the room, there she lay passed out on the floor, rushing her, straight to the hospital. “Help me please, she's the only one I have.” Sitting down outside the intensive care unit and praying to the moon goddess, the room is quiet, too quiet. The doctor clears his throat, his eyes not meeting mine as he steps out of the ICU, “Penny”, he says softly, “I’m so sorry... your mum didn’t make it.” The words don’t land at first — they float, heavy, useless, then they crash into me all at once, My chest tightens, “No,” I whisper. My legs started to shake. “No, no, no…” I backed away like the words might follow me. He steps forward, but I flinch. Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “She was just awake,” I mumbled. “She was talking to me”. The doctor says nothing, just that look, that awful, pity look. It's my fault. I killed her. I should have let her speak. I scream, loud and raw until my voice becomes hoarse and then I collapse.