CHAPTER 3
1435 Words
Lucia figured it out by the third morning,something she'd suspected for a while now.
The Full Moon Pack didn't let things just go.
They kept tabs on her every move, every step she took, even the way she glanced around.
It felt like they were sizing her up all the time, picking it apart. But it wasn't mean or anything, more like they were wired that way, all instinct and keeping things in line.
She was the one in the middle of it, this tiny exhausted girl nobody really wanted around.
She got up super early that day, trying not to make any noise at all.
The hallways in their territory were chilly, colder than back at her old place, but not so bad that it brought back all those memories from before.
Wolves would pass by without a word, their eyes just flicking over her quickly before looking away, and then the whispers started up behind them.
She picked up bits of it, words like omega, contract wife, mistake. Those stung pretty bad, sharper than you'd think, but she'd gotten used to handling that kind of thing.
It wasn't the first time she'd dealt with it, after all.
The first job of the day was the storehouse, a long skinny room off to the side in the east wing.
Supplies in crates were stacked up neat against the walls. She went to lift one, shift it over, and it felt way too light, something that was not right at all.
Her stomach twisted a bit while she readjusted her hands.
Something off was going on.
“Careful.”
That came from the door. A young beta guy, built huge with some hard eyes, strolled in and leaned against the frame like he owned the place.
He folded his arms, staring at her with this mix of scorn and not believing it.
“I'm just organizing the supplies”, Lucia said, keeping her voice soft, careful.
“You omegas always believe you can handle more than you're supposed to,” he snapped back.
Her chest got hot all sudden.
She'd thought he seemed nicer than the other wolves she'd run into so far.
But no, it made sense. They were pretty much all alike.
Then the crates just shot up from her grip, like half of the weight vanished.
She staggered back, her wolf kicking up inside her, wild.
“What? What did you do there?” the beta stuttered, backing off on instinct.
“I didnt, I didnt do a thing” she whispered, but it came out so small, even she could hear it.
His eyes went wide, and he bolted out of the storehouse fast.
Whispers kicked off right away, quick and hushed, racing through like wind.
When she finally walked out, her whole body was shaking.
This thing inside had stirred awake, all raw and buzzing, and it scared her worse than anything before.
Shadows filled the pack corridors, but you could sense the alpha right away, this was no mistake.
He called for her, and even before getting to the hall, the whole pack’s pressure hit her hard.
He was down at the end of the hall, arms crossed, jaw set,and his gray eyes like a storm locked on her.
“ You've got my pack all stirred up ” ,he said flatly,his voice low but even.
“ I've stayed out of the way” she shot back, quiet but holding herself steadily.
“I heard you picked up a crate that's meant for two warriors easily” he said, moving closer.
The air got thick around him, the same kind of charge from what happened in the storehouse.
“I have no idea” , she whispered.
“That's exactly it ” he replied.
His look stayed on her, weighing her out in ways she felt deep but he couldn't quite get it. The slope of her shoulders, how her breathing went, the beat under her skin.
“Have you ever shown strength like that before?” he asked.
“No” she said, straight up. “They always said I was the weak one.” she continued
“Your scent is shifting,” he said, softer.
Her chest squeezed. “That's impossible.”
“It should be” he answered, but doubt crossed his face just a flicker.
Silence hung in for a while.
“Why am I even here, for real?” she got the words out at last.
His jaw went tight.He loved the confidence.
“A contract I can't break.”
“And besides that?” She said ,her gaze firmly held on him.
He glanced off, coldly “Fate messes up sometimes.”
Her hands shook.Her wolf let out a low growl, like a warning, it's claws scraping inside.
She pushed her hands to her chest, trying to calm it down.
Truth is, these weird feelings she couldn't pin down were making her uneasy.
“You sense it too, right?” she whispered, almost too quiet.
His gray eyes hit hers again, holding longer, something like yes passing out without words, but clear enough for her to know.
He clenched his jaw as the air got heavier.
Then he came closer.
The space between them went quickly, her chest fluttering hard, unexpectedly.
“I, “ he started, roughly, kinda stuck between commanding her and something else.
Her wolf growled softly, waiting anxiously.
Before she could think, his hand came up, cupping her face, strong but gentle, warm on her skin.
His eyes searched, rage mixed with want, and he leaned.
Her heart pounded loud as his lips touched hers, light sparking.
Everything else faded, just this pull, real and strong.
Her hands went to his chest on their own, feeling his heart beat matching hers.
That strange hum inside synced right up with him.
But then the doors banged open hard, breaking it all.
Lucia pulled away, her heart racing, and there was the alpha's mother in the doorway, eyes furious, gripping the frame.
“What is this?” she shouted, her voice cutting sharp. “How could you do this, James?”
He stepped back, jaw tight, hands dropping slow from her face.
His eyes darted between her and his mom.
“She's an omega” the mother hissed, coming in more.
“You contracted with an omega? You know what that does to the pack, to us?” Lucia's face burned red.
“It was just the contract”, he said slow, low and steady. “I had no say in it.”
“No say?” she spat, eyes narrowing.
“You’re the alpha here. You choose. And you let this happen?”
Her words landed heavy, tension building thick.
That energy between Lucia and him didnt fade, just changed, full of want and push back.
Lucia held a hand to her chest, the pull stronger now. It hit her clear, he felt it too, this bond waking up, something they both didnt get fully.
His jaw locked.” Take it easy, Mother” he said, firmly but calmly.
Lucia wondered how he was always able to pull up such an attitude. Might be his strength,she guessed .
“There's more going on here than you think. She's not just an omega” Alpha James was still talking.
“Not just an omega? she cut in, anger pouring out. Don't fool yourself, son. You're the heir. The pack needs you to make right decisions and not useless ones.”
“And you” she turned sharp on Lucia.
“You won't ruin this pack. You are not fit. Get out now.”
It froze her cold.
Lucia went still, wolf growling low inside.
Rage flashed in Alpha James’ eyes, but he was quiet.
Her hands shook. Heart thumping, not only scared, but from that pull, the kiss, the power stirring. All at risk now.
His mother's stare stayed hard.
“Choose, son. Let this omega stay, or you go with her?”
Lucia's chest hurt, breaths short. The room was dead quiet.
As the time dragged,she felt her heart, loud, pushing back, that old power rising, not settling.
She looked at him, waiting,yet nothing.
Pressure closed in tightly and it was hard to breathe.
His jaw set, eyes stormy, and his lips shut.
His mother has just voiced the impossible and he couldn't risk any of the options.
Right then, the pack's fate and hers dangled thin.
She wasn't sure if she'd make it through the night.
It seems like everything could break any second, kind of hanging there unresolved.
- Writer
