The Luna's Final Bow

"KNEEL!" When the Alpha yelled, everyone froze in their tracks. Our cafeteria is spacious, with high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light. It's crafted from wood and styled in a way that exudes an old-world charm. Large antler chandeliers are suspended above several tables strewn over the hall. Since I was a young child, I don't know how many times I've heard that, but whenever Alpha Pyro yells— Ironcrown Bane's residents become nervous. You'll feel intense and feverish, just like his name implies. You'll be perplexed as to what went wrong this time. Just waking up before daybreak makes you want to bury yourself six feet deep, so it was not a good thing. The new girl was so terrified that she was trembling. She had only just begun her shift in the cafeteria. Things were going smoothly until Khal, the future Alpha of this pack, accidentally tripped her. Unfortunately for Alpha Pyro, some of the spilt food made its way to his boots as it rolled across the floor. “Do you know how much this will cost you?” "Father, I was," the son began. Even when Khal attempted to explain, the Alpha insists that the girl answer her questions. The young lady shook her head while she was still kneeling and facing the floor. Several times, I've been in her shoes, and every one of those instances, I've been the one to pay. It would appear that this is the only viable option for continuing to live. The number of additional hours of labour that I need to complete in order to make up for the cost of the meal, the plate, or the glass that I broke is equivalent to the cost of those items. When I think back to the two months in which I spent every day working from sunrise to sunset, the first thing that comes to me is how my body collapsed into a limp state every time it hit the concrete floor. "I'm wearing one of the most luxurious and expensive pairs of boots that you can find, and it's these." It costs three thousand dollars, and given that you get paid the minimum wage, how do you propose to pay me back?" Nobody dared to speak up since everyone was too silent. The response to his query is something that I am already familiar with. Work for one month equals one thousand. If such were the case, the young lady would have to toil continuously for a period of three months. I barely made it with two months, although I'm considerably older than she is. “Permission to speak, Alpha.” The girl’s voice and trembling fingers on the floor show that she is still nervous. “Go ahead.” Alpha Pyro answered, but he seemed bored. “For the next three months, I plan to put in more time.” She sounded resolute, and for that I had a lot of respect. Khal seemed to be in utter despair. He made a mistake, and now the poor girl has to pay the price for it, even though she did nothing wrong. “Very well, you will work from sun up to sun down. Make sure you clean up this mess. I don’t want any stains on the floor.” “Yes, Alpha.” “I no longer have the appetite to eat my lunch. Let’s go, Jade.” The Alpha started walking away. His Luna followed him along. Not long after, his beta and gamma both got up and left too. Jade halted in her tracks and glanced at her son. “Khal, are you coming?” “I would like to stay and finish my meal, mother.” Jade gave him a disapproving look but nodded anyway then followed her husband outside. As soon as the Alpha left, I grabbed the cleaning tools and walked towards the girl. The girl got up without anyone’s help and checked her knees. It’s quite red from kneeling on the hard floor. She’s barely nineteen and looked very frail. The usual noises and conversations resumed as if nothing had happened. “I’ll help you. You can call me Alex.” “Thank you, Alex. It’s so kind of you. I’m Ida.” She's so timid she's on the verge of tears. Ida was born with her naturally red hair, green eyes, and a sprinkling of freckles on her high cheekbones. Although I am a few inches taller than her at 5'7", she is a bit on the slim side. Ida has a lovely frame, and I'm sure that if she got the proper nutrition, her colours would shine even brighter. She's a courageous young woman for committing to working every day for the next three months. And Khal seemed troubled by it all. How well acquainted are they? It's no secret that some Omegas offer themselves as available for casual s****l encounters. But I don't want to become involved in that sort of activity, so I don't. “It’s nice to meet you, Ida.” I gave her the friendliest smile I have and started cleaning. The sooner we go to work on the stains, the sooner we can be done. I am an omega just like she is. I was raised by my mother, Olivia. Sadly, my father got sick and passed away when I was still a baby. I’ve never met him but mom always says the nicest things about him. I was born and raised in Tobermory and have never left the island. I was eager to explore the metropolis. I can't help but get psyched every time I overhear the ladies at the coffee shop giggling as they describe the city lights they see while walking around Lakeshore. Leaving this area is currently impossible without an invitation from someone of higher rank, but I hold out hope that it will become possible for me in the future. Ida returned to the kitchen, and I put away the cleaning supplies. The chief cook, Damaris, is reprimanding her, and I can hear it from where I am. I wanted to help, but I know that Damaris will turn her wrath back on me if I do. I went in like I didn’t hear anything and did my routine. After this, I will be helping at the clinic for another four hours. “Alex, the Alpha of Silvercrown will be visiting next week. I need you to work longer hours to make sure we are prepared for his arrival.” I can’t help but frown. I am used to my routine and although I know the priority is the cafeteria, I still have to work at the clinic and make sure everything is clean before the next day. “But what about the clinic?” “Are you questioning me?” Damaris doesn’t look happy. She’s fifty-five and rumour has it, she’s started menopause. Even if she’s an Omega too, Damaris is around my mother’s age and they knew each other. She needs to be treated with respect. “Sorry about that. I don't mean to put you on the spot. My question is what I should tell the medical facility. Luna Jade put me in charge of that area for a period of four hours.” The truth is I saw a job listing for the clinic and decided to submit an application. I had to put in extra hours so I can save a little bit for emergencies. Mom is getting old and more prone to illness. My goal is for her to stop working next year so she can rest and regain her strength. One of my goals in life was to one day manage my own company from an office setting. Unfortunately, as an omega, that's just not in the cards, so I'll have to settle for being a cleaner. After one semester, I realized I needed to prioritize my job over the bookkeeping class to put food on the table so that was that. I mean, who doesn’t want to work in an office? The interior design is beautiful. All hospitals and doctor's offices follow the same standard decor: white walls with metallic accents in gold or silver. At the far end of the lobby, a magnificent chandelier and a potted plant draw the eye. “Well, Luna Jade just told me awhile ago that you will stop working there immediately until further notice. You will spend all your time here in the cafeteria and make sure we have everything ready for his arrival.” I knew Alphas are to be treated with respect along with the other members of the pack that pulls rank. Sometimes, I feel like Nanna, the Moon Goddess, is unfair in a lot of things. It stinks being an omega but it’s something that can’t be changed. I don’t have a wolf and I’m already twenty-five. Worse, I don’t have a mate. Does that mean I’m destined to spend the rest of my life alone?