Blood-Stained Moon

First day

I barely slept, tossing and turning. Even the soft warm sheets couldn't provide any much needed comfort. I sigh in defeat and roll over to check the time on my phone. Crap, it's only 2am.

Could we go for a run, I need to smell the air and feel ground under my feet

There's a curfew I'm sorry Wolfy. I can't get in trouble on my first day, I promise first break we get it's your turn

Wolfy whimpered and pouts but submits in agreement.

How about we go take a long shower, extra hot just how you like it.

I swear she almost pants in delight. I grab a towel from my bags strewn on the floor and mentally note to unpack properly later. I open the door, the hallways are dimly lit by small lights hung in intervals of 3 doors. Luckily I didn't need a map to find the bathrooms as they were clearly labelled. I guess they must have visiting packs a lot. I push open the door, it's a large room with toilet stalls on one side, shower cubicles with sliding curtains on the opposing wall and sinks circulating round a large pilar in the middle. At least the shared bathroom has privacy. I pick the shower at the end by the wall, undress quickly, hang up my towel and slide the curtain across, inspecting the surroundings. It's hard not to compare the Emerald clan to the Silver pack as our packhouse is in serious disrepair. There are cracked tiles, blackened grouting missing tiles and the shower curtains did not exist so it was a case of shower as quickly as possible and hope there was enough hot water. It wasn't great but it was home. The pain tugs at my heart, I will never be returning home. I turn the shower on, and a jet of hot water pulses down. A sob passes through me as I realise I may never be able to visit my fathers grave again. Even the greying grout and mould threatening on the bottom of the curtain in front of me can't help console me. I slide down the tile and let my grief consume me while the water drowns my tears. The water is still hot when I feel the tears subside, the water pressure is soothing my back like a hand comforting my aching body. I stand up and prepare to wash my hair when I let out a frustrated groan. I left my wash bag back in the room. Slapping the wall I turn the water off in defeat amd grasp blindly for the hook by the curtain outside the shower until my hand finds the towel, at least I remembered one thing... I wrap it round myself and use the toilet before gathering my clothes from the floor and exiting to return to my room. 3am, I sigh and put my phone back down, place my dirty clothes on the chair, find and then change into fresh clothes to lie back down in an attempt to fall into the numbing abyss of unconsciousness.

My phone goes off with a loud buzz, I startle awake, 4.30am. I switch off the alarm and check myself in the mirror above the sink. My hair that usually sits just above my collarbone is in a tangle, my eyes are still puffy from my secret cry in the shower and the dark circles on my eye bags could hold a days pack groceries. Fumbling around in my bags to procure my wash bag, complete with brush, eye cream, concealer and toothbrush and paste. I look at my toothbrush and decide it's in dire need of replacement and throw it into the bin. Okay, hair next I think. Once I fight my way through the tangles I pick up the new brush and paste so thoughtfully provided in the cup and give a good scrub, then splash some water on my face. Now, eyes. I tackle my under eyes with a heavy helping of cream and concealer. The only makeup I own, much to the distaste of my friends. If it wasn't for the nightmares and fitful sleep most nights I wouldn't even own concealer. I frown and recap it while mentally working out how old it is. I look back up again, tie my hair up in a rough bun and make a few finishing touches before backing off. That'll do. I sigh and the jacket on the chair catches my attention. I should probably return it to Leon after he kindly lent it to me to stay warm yesterday, which reminded me to spray on some deodorant. I don't want to start my day smelling like Leon I chuckle to myself. He isn't one for washing, I don't know how Grace can stand to be near him, Grace is the very definition of cleanliness. It's lucky she has an en-suite now, she is definitely a shower hogger. I glance at my phone, 4.45am, sh*t! I shove my feet into trainers, run to the bathroom to relieve my bladder-realise I haven't locked my room, double back, then hammer on Ryan's door. I do hope he is awake already. I then bolt down the corridor and up the stairs, I cannot be late on my first day of work.

I somehow manage to make it with a minute to spare, I am the last one in, that's not good. Mentally I'm kicking myself but the head chef is showing us our stations and I need to pay attention. He is brashly barking orders while staring at a list of names and motioning where to go. "Angelo, Claire, dish duty" I spot the weird girl who refuses to look at anyone move to the sink. Claire, So that's her name... "Craig vegetable station. Marlow meats..." I'm watching our pack members walk to their stations. I feel bad, 70 Silver pack members, at least 40 of those being Omega and I didn't know half their names. Marlow I vaguely remember teaching to wash dishes last year, he only stood out because he smashed 3 plates on his first day. I'm brought back by a nudge to the ribs by Ryan, "psst pastry station babe, he called our names". Blushing with embarrassment I whisper a small thanks from the corner of my mouth and follow Ryan to our station. the kitchen itself is 3 times the size of the Silver pack and our kitchen was rather spacious. The pastry station is almost a separate room partitioned by a large arch. Inside is a fridge, 2 ovens, a large warming oven, a fully stocked ingredients shelf either side, 2 counters with untensils, mixing bowls and blenders atop with shelves filled to the brim with bowls and more untensils. The centre of the room has one large counter unit ready dusted with flour and rolling pins. 2 omegas are already busy at work rolling and shaping dough into buns. They look barely older than pups. When we approach they look up, their expressions almost nervous at the sight of us. "H-hello" the female stutters. "Howdy, I'm Ryan, this here's Remy. We are at your disposal, whatcha making?" He purrs, I roll my eyes and elbow him hard. He doesn't know how to keep it in his pants. An elderly woman bustles past us carrying a tray of prepped buns. She hastily shoves them into the oven, takes one look at the nervous looking female, then Ryan, throws an apron from the side at his face and shouts "And what are you standing there gawping for, pastry, fridge shape buns, cook, warming oven." She claps her hands at him twice before rounding on me "You there, make pastry, prove in bowl, fridge. Dirty dishes, trolley" she points a flour covered finger to behind me where a trolly with dishes stands. I rush to the counter, there is a laminated sheet stating days and type of dough for each day. Today I need to premake rolls and buns. The mean looking elderly lady drops a large dough stained folder and an old stained apron on the counter before shouting at the two omegas shaping dough to "Get a move on you lazy layabouts" and walks off muttering to herself about the youth of today. I wrap the apron around my waist twice, flip through the folder, find the dough recipe for rolls and get busy gathering ingredients. I fumble around a bit getting all the utensils I need and finding scales and bowls etc. Before I eventually get into the swing of it. By 6am I have 3 large batches of rolls on to prove beneath the warming oven an 2 large batches of bun dough in the fridge to prove overnight and a trolley full/of dirty dishes. An alarm noise sounds, I look up and the two young ones are emptying the warming oven onto a trolley, then they motion to follow them. Ryan and I walk closely behind, afraid of being berated by the mean lady again. The trolleys are all lined up against the wall of another partition to the kitchen, It looks like large pans of porridge, tubs of cereal, large bowls of fruit. A continental breakfast this morning. in the middle of the room are bain marie trolleys, the underneath stacked with bowls. One person from each food station takes a tray and places in sections of the bain marie and so on until each part is filled to the top with every prepared food. An omega then takes the bain marie away to I presume the swinging door to the dining hall. I notice the Alpha gets a separate trolley, an emerald colour-go figure. After all the trolleys are gone the head chef barks at us to go be seated in the hall for breakfast at 6.30. They ran things very tightly around here. We each hung our aprons up on pegs by our stations and went to go and sit in the hall.

Ryan and I beeline for the same table as yesterday, Claire follows behind, shuffling her feet across the floor, she gives me the creeps. I chat with Ryan for a while, a debate about the mean lady's name and why she's so uptight, as we are getting into a legthly discussion Grace and Leon sit down and join in. "I think one look at Mr Man sl*t here and she decided you're a write off already" Grace interjects, "F*ck you" Ryan responds. I'm about to retort when the enticing smell from yesterday hits my nose. It's almost like fresh linen mixed with roses, like a sheet fresh from the wash with a special kind of powder, warm and embracing, the kind you want to rub your face in and take a deep sniff. But, where is it coming from? It's driving Wolfy insane, she's pacing back and forth in my head. "Do you guys smell that?" I interject. Grace c***s her head questioningly "The food Remy?", Ryan gives me a funny look and jokes "You mean Leon?" which earns him a swift kick from Leon's foot. "Never mind, probably the breakfast" I say, brushing it off. They each start a conversation about who's job will be worse, but I can't concentrate enough. The smell is just getting stronger it's filling my nostrils distracting me, I look around while my table is deep in conversation and subtly sniff to source the scent. I locate the direction of the source, looking up, only to meet the Alphas steely gaze.......