Luna's Revenge

Fate and Family

I finally arrived back at home running up the porch steps. I ran through the door unaware that my parents and Jared were still in the living room, still continuing the conversation I had ran away from. I vaguely heard my father say something to me but was too distracted to comprehend what he said. Instead, I ran past him on a mission to get upstairs to my room. Once I had cleared past him, he grabbed, my right arm and snatched my back towards him; my back slamming into his chest. "Did you not here me talking to you girl?! Answer me, when I speak to you!" He bellowed in my right ear. I was extremely frightened and had no idea what I could have done to set him off. I am prone to spacing out; always have been, and he knows this. "Umm. What?" That was all I could say in response. "I said have you come to terms with this plan to marry Jared? What is with you today?" My father asked loosening his grip, all whilst staring down Jared, who was just inches away from us, with his left hand balled into a fist.

He had placed his right hand on my father's left shoulder, ready to strike him in the face, if I so much as screamed, or was injured in anyway. " I thought I gave you an answer with my running out of here." I said with a determined and strong voice, that had suddenly come to the forefront. At the same instance, I had snatched myself out of his grasp and faced him, standing beside Jared. I slowly lowered Jared's right hand and placed it at his side. " I don't want to be mated to my best friend, just for your honor and pride. I want to be mated to my fated mate, my true mate. At least that is what I thought I wanted." I mumbled that last part to myself. However, I was not quiet enough, as everyone in the room heard that last part, as if I had screamed it; just like the first part.

"What do you mean by 'at least you thought you wanted to be with you fated mate?' Has something happened to change your mind?" My mother asked the first part, and Jared asked the second. As they asked their poignant questions they came towards me. My father was the only one not listening to what I said, and thus continued on with his rampant threat. " If you don't do what I say girl, you will regret it. I swear to the Moon Goddess, you will be miserable. You will be without a family, and without a home." My mother crossed over to my father, " John the hell did you just say to our daughter?! She will be without a family, a home?! You must be joking? What has possessed you, to be so cruel to your own flesh and blood?" My father just stared down my mother and said without qualm, "Should my own flesh and blood cross me in any way, they must pay for their transgressions, Shauna. She isn't acting like a daughter should, therefore I will not treat her as such."

With that my mother did something, I would have not thought possible for her to do. She swung back with all of her might and slapped my father on the left side of his face. My father fell backwards and landed on the arm of the couch, with such a heavy impact, that we heard something crack. It was hard to determine if it was his head or the couch. as soon as he went down to the floor, my mother was over him this time with a closed fist ready to make the next strike. The whole thing happened so fast that Jared and I were lost as to what had just happened; or at least couldn't believe our eyes as to what was going down. It was just a few milliseconds later that I was able to come to my senses, "Mom stop! Don't hit him!" I shouted as I ran over to the right side of my mother, who's eyes were starting to switch from hazel to amber and back with every breath she took. "It's not worth it. I am fine. He is just speaking out of anger; you know how he gets?" My mother growled fiercely, trying to gain control of her wolf, who clearly was ready to fight her mate, in order to protect her pup.

My parents are both very strong fighters. However in terms of rank, my mother outranks my father. As her father was the beta of her old pack. In an attempt to calm her down I began rubbing her back in circular motion slowly. She did this with all of her kids when we were young and quick to get angry. For my brother and sister, that meant losing control of their wolves when they got angry. To my father's benefit, he laid still on his back, and then slowly bared his neck to his mate; showing his submission. A few seconds later, my mother lowered her fist, and stood up, hovering over my father. "Don't you dare threaten my child again." With that said, she stepped over her mate, and made her way upstairs, to their room.

We all stayed in place until we heard the door open and close. " I was for sure thinking you were a goner, Mr. J, for sure. That mate of yours sure is feisty." Jared said with a wide smile and a little chuckle. He was enjoying this way to much for my liking. " Shove it Jared. This is not the time for making jokes." My father stood up and growled menacingly at Jared. "Watch it boy." My father warned. "I would watch yourself if I were you. You know she sees me as one of her children." He said to my father whilst pointing his right thumb in the direction of my parents' room. "All joking aside, I have some troublesome news to tell you all." I took in a few deep breaths and then let them out a very shakingly. I looked around at both of their faces and then closed my eyes and blurted out, "I found my true mate."

I heard three different gasps and opened one eye to see who else was in the room. No one else except Jared and my father should have been in the room at that moment. Yet when I opened my eyes, there were three people staring at me with their mouths agape. I saw the two I knew for certain were in the room, my father and Jared; but somewhere along the thirty seconds we talking, my brother, Carlos had come in the house. He was standing on the opposite corner of the couch my father had not too long ago landed on. "You found your what, now?" Carlos asked full of shock and disbelief. As if he could not believe what he was hearing. "I mean are you sure? This is like your twenty-first birthday, and despite all of the stories; I have never heard of any female finding their mate past their twentieth birthday." I huffed at him and crossed my arms looking out the window. "Well for your information Carlos, I have found my mate, on this very day of my twenty-first birthday, thank you very much!" I turned back around to face him, my arms still crossed over my chest.

" What are you doing here anyway? Are you supposed to be doing gamma-like duties?" I said putting duties in air quotes, as I have never seen Carlos actually doing any real work, unless you count working out. The boy was six feet two inches tall, with cords of muscles coming out of his arms and a very well defined six pack. Whenever he was outside in the training field practicing: generally, with his shirt off, the female and even some of the male wolves would gawk and stare at him. They were all lovesick puppies fawning over his mahogany skin and chiseled body. Carlos knew the effect he had on people, and pranced around like a peacock, most times without a shirt and tight jeans or shorts. He smirked at my annoyance, as he walked further into the room. "I actually came here to tease you about your misfortune of not finding your mate, and being stuck into a life of servitude, but hearing this news, I think I should instead give you congrats, you finally did something right for once." Now even though both of my siblings are pretty rude to me, Carlos is the only one of the two that I can tolerate being around, and the one who tolerates being around me. My sister Shayla and I have more of a hate-hate relationship. She hates being around me or having any association with me, and I hate her for hating me for something I have no control over. To put it frankly, if both siblings were dying and needed an organ from me, I would give Carlos my liver, and Shayla my butt to kiss."

After hearing he rude remark and feigned congrats, I unfolded my arms, dropped them to the side and walked over to Jared, with my head on his chest. "Let me guess, it's Jared right?! I knew it, you too are meant for each other, you are both huge disappoints to your families for the same reason. But why in the Moon Goddess' name would it take you two so long to 'find' each other? Or is it that you have known all along, but wanted to wait until the last minute, for anything better? I mean at least now, you save us from the embarrassment of having someone in our family who is both wolfless and mateless." I did my own annoyed growl, although without a wolf to back it up, and began banging my head against Jared repeatedly. "Why is it that everyone wants us to be together?" I asked in between head bangs. Jared let out a deep chuckle that I felt reverberate through my body. It kinda felt nice, but I ignored that feeling. "I guess they are trying to unblemished their 'blemished' names. And us being together is the only thing that will do it, at this point." I stopped banging my head on Jared and looked into his eyes, ignoring my father and brother. "Well, maybe they should mind their own business and let us just be, don't you think? I mean we have survived being servant's thing long, what is the rest of our lives as such, going to do to us?" The room was silent for awhile, no one saying anything, everyone just in their own thoughts about what I just said.

A minute later, Shayla bursts into the house in all of her expensive glory and said in an obnoxious squeal, " Congratulations on your first official day of your miserable omega life!" She struck a pose with her arms outstretched on either side of her, and her blue Burkin bag on her left arm. He hair was flowing in a wave of black curls w/amber highlights and perfectly manicured forest green nails that matched her forest green romper, and sparkly shoes. I rolled my eyes at her statement, which is very typical of Shayla. "Why Shayla, you are late to the party, as usual. For your information, I have found my mate, so kiss my butt skank!" Shayla just laughed, throwing her head back, genuinely enjoying my statement. "Oh that was a good one ogre, you really know how to make me laugh. But everyone knows that no one has ever found their mate, past their twentieth birthday!" I hated when she called me ogre. She started doing that after my shifting ceremony. Since I have more of my father's features, and shorter than everyone else, she started calling me ogre, like one who lives in filth. "Actually she was just telling us about it. She is not joking sis." Carlos said to her.

"Wait, what? No, for real?" I grinned smugly at her "For real, real." She returned my smugness with a smug look of her own as she came closer to me, so as to towered over me with her five-foot, ten-inch curvy frame. "Let me guess, your mate is Jared? I mean who else would be mated to you." Jared grumbled at her statement and turned away from her. He quiet possibly despised her more than I did. They were both dating and so in love, well at least Jared was, until Jared was found to be wolfless. Then he was dumped like an old rag doll, and Shayla went after the up-and-coming beta, Darius' who was three years younger than her, and a year younger than Jared and I. A year later, during his shifting ceremony, not only did he gain the official title of beta, and found his mate, his girlfriend Shayla.

"Why don't you grow up already, and stop being such an ass." Jared said coming closer to us and staring down Shayla, as they stood even in height to each other. "Please, and what are you going to do about it human. With that insult Jared shoved Shayla, and Shayla's eyes glowed amber, ready to come out and attack him. Carlos jumped in between them just in time and grabbed our sister, before she shifted. " Hey Shay, don't let him get to you, yeah. You are better than that." Shayla looked between Carlos and Jared and took a few deep breaths to calm down. "I am good now. You're right Car, he isn't worth anyone's time, well just Corra." They both gave a little chuckle at that, and then crossed over to the couch to sit. My mom came down from her room after hearing all the commotion. "What in the world is going on down here? Shayla, are you picking on your sister again? I told you to leave her alone. Name calling is bad enough, but you are NOT supposed to use you wolf against her. That is not fair and you know it!" With the last sentence, she had made her way over to my sister and hovered over her, in that you are so in trouble look. "I wasn't going after that ogre, I was going after her pathetic mate, Jared. He shoved me for no reason."

I marched over to her and shouted, "Bull-and -crap! You know you provoked him you skank!" Shayla stood up at that moment, ready to have a go at me. "Call me a skank one more time you sorry excuse for a wolf... oh wait I forgot, you're wolfless. Pathetic human!" And with that she slapped me on the left side of my face, knocking me to the ground. I grabbed my cheek and started whimpering and shaking with hurt and fear. For just a brief moment I had forgotten that I was a wolfless Omega, and that Shayla outranked me in strength and power, by a dozen. As she went to step on me with her pristine sparkly heels, my mother rushed to her right side and held her back and said in her commanding voice, "Both of you stop right now. You are sisters for Goddess sake! Why are you always fighting like enemies. Don't answer that, I don't want to hear anymore excuses or name calling." I looked at the floor, ashamed at how I was acting. "I'm sorry mom. I am just so frustrated, and scared, and confused about after finding my mate." My mother turned to look at me in a flash she had grabbed my shoulders, lifted me to my feet and with a gleeful smile she shrieked, "You did! Oh, honey I am so proud of you. Who is it?" I looked down at the floor and sheepishly said, "Well you see, that is the odd part. At least I think it is. My mate is...well he is... Alpha Mark. I accidentally bumped into him when I was aimlessly running. He told me that I was his mate, and that I was too bear him heirs, and all sorts of weird things." Everyone gasped in unison with their mouths wide open and staring at me in shock. "Ok, now we know she is lying right?! I mean Corra and Alpha Mark like that is beyond bizarre, right!?!" Shayla exclaimed. Everyone looked away from me as if not wanting to, but agreeing with Shayla. I was not surprised my family didn't believe me, as I could never amount to much in their eyes. However, I also saw Jared looking away and shaking his head in disbelief also. " Really Ja, you don't believe me?! Have I ever lied to you?" Jared stopped, hung his head low, and then took a deep breath. He then turned to face me, leaning down a bit and putting both hands on my shoulders. "Look Corra, I know you have really been praying and wishing the Moon Goddess would present you with a mate, but the Alpha? Come on, that is a bit far-fetched don't you think? I mean, I get it and all, you need your mate to make you life better, but lying like that, and such a big lie to boot, is almost blasphemous. You shouldn't go around telling people that. It could get you into a lot of trouble, even get you hurt. You don't know Alpha Mark like I do. I have witnessed him do some extreme things to people, for disobeying and/or lying to him or about him. If this got out, you would be killed or worse." I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my best friend. How could he think I was making this up. Sure I have desperately wanted to find my mate today, but to think I wanted to so badly that I would lie about it? I would never! "I would never lie about something like this, Jared! I swear he really is my mate." Carlos and Shayla both snorted an egregious laugh at that comment. "And we're all really monkey shifters. Pa-lease Corra just stop making such a pathetic statement, have some sense of dignity would you."

Carlos also started in on me. "Jared is right Corra, I know I give you a lot of grief about being wolfless and all but making a statement like that will definitely have you dead. The Alpha is not a forgive and forget kid of guy," I held me head down and shoulder slumped at this point. My mother came to sooth me. "Now honey pup you know better than that. No one wants to see really bas things happen to you, any worse than they are now. But, a lie like that is sure to be the end of you." My father gave off an agreeable growl before saying "It could be the end of all of us. Watch your tongue girlie, or I will cut it out myself." I stepped away from my mother and looked at my father in terror. I then looked at my mother, who was on the right of me to see if she was going to step in and stop him from threatening me, like she had done earlier.

However, she looked away at me dismissively, basically agreeing with my father. "I can't take this any longer, why would the people who raised me, and those who grew up alongside me even think I would lie about something that means so much to me, to us?!" With that I once again ran away from them and was heading for the door. Unlike my dramatic escape from my family that I had did earlier, this time I was blocked by an opposing force; a wall of sorts.

And just like the human sized wall I had ran into outside, this one also knocked me on my butt. I landed with an oof, onto the floor, and my head hit the edge of the couch. I blacked out for a few seconds and when I came to, Alpha Mark was hovering over me with a smirk on his face. " We have got to stop meeting like this little mate." I winced when trying to stand up, the couch had really made hard contact with the back of my head. Alpha Mark was right there to pick me up and place me gently on the couch. "Shauna, please get an icepack for my mate, would you?" My mother was still in shock, as was everyone else, at hearing the Alpha call me his mate. She just stood in place lightly nodding her head as if replaying everything that had just happened in the past few minutes in her head. "Shauna, did you not hear me the first time?!" Exclaimed Alpha Mark, looking pointedly at my mother. "Of course Alpha. So sorry right away." And with that, she exited into the kitchen to fetch me an icepack.

She came back moments later and rushed to the Alpha, placing the icepack, wrapped in a dishtowel in the Alpha's hand. "Here you are Alpha. I am so sorry sweetie. I should have believed you. You wouldn't have ran out and hit your head, if I would have. Can you forgive me?" Alpha Mark placed the icepack on the back of my head, and sat down on the left of me, making certain that I was okay. "Of course I forgive you mom. You always do what's best for me. It's some of the others that I will have a harder time forgiving." I said poignantly around the room. As soon as those words left my mouth and my eyes began scanning the room, Shayla and Carlos came up to me putting on a show in front of the Alpha; giving me their fake apologies. "Oh my dear sweat baby sister! Could you please find it within your beautiful heart to forgive me for my trespasses, as I would forgive those who trespassed against me?" Did she really just quote a passage from the humans bible? She did, but I didn't say anything, I just gave a slight nod in her direction. "Little sis, I am so sorry for not believing you. I mean it just seemed so far-fetched if you think about it. I mean you know, not that far-fetched I guess, as it is definitely true. I mean wow! The Alpha is your mate. And now I am just rambling, so I will shut up now. Please forgive me." He rushed through that last part quieter and with his head down, shoulder hunched, facing the Alpha, more so than me. I also gave him a little nod, along with a little giggle at how humble they both became in the presence of our pack leader.

I then looked at Jared, awaiting his apology.

In true Jared fashion he just said, "Ok, cool. You and Alpha Mark. I see it now, I guess." With that he turned and walked closer to my dad. "I mean not really." He said to my dad, but not quiet enough that we couldn't hear him. "Jared!" My father said to him with his hand over his mouth. "Watch your tongue in the presence of our Alpha." Jared just chuckled behind my fathers' hand. Seeing the sight and knowing how Jared is, I also chuckled and shook my head. That was not smart, as I got lightheaded. I quickly settled down and looked at the Alpha, who just looked at Jared with a blank expression. He didn't move a muscle, and neither did anyone else; in anticipation of what he would do to Jared for that tone. It felt like forever before he said anything. "If you weren't my little brother's son, I would have thrashed you for that remark."

Jared removed my dad's hand from his mouth and walked just in front of, but to the side of my dad. "But I am your nephew, your favorite nephew, so..." the Alpha smiled. "You are my only nephew, Jared. Still don't push your luck." I laughed and shook my head. I had completely forgotten that Alpha Mark was Jared's uncle. They were rarely seen together, unless it was at a big pack function, or in training. Even though Jared is a wolfless omega, his father and uncle were not keen on him being totally defenseless. "Wait you are the Alpha's nephew? The one Garrick is always saying Alpha talks about? But you are an omega...basically a human." Shayla said. "Is there something wrong with being an omega? Without us, you wouldn't have those to serve you and assist you all with daily tasks. You're forgetting that we Omega's are the ones that save you're lives when you do something stupid. Our pack's doctor is an omega, our pack's nurses, and chef, and mechanics, and cooks, and cleaners. We are there protecting you from yourselves. Yet, ya'll only think about how you protect us from the threats, that don't happen on a daily basis. You know Shayla, you really get on my last nerves!" With that he shoved past everyone and stormed out of the house.