Cast Away Luna

Chapter One

-In the Present-

Just like every morning before tending to the pack house, I examined my look in the broken bathroom mirror. I'm not sure why I continued to act in this manner every day.

Nothing changed. Aside from the occasional cut or bruise, the rest of my features remained the same, including my light olive skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes.

It's not like my appearance was important anyway. I went unnoticed. Even while some of the Omegas I worked with occasionally chatted with me, they mostly ignored me. Considering that they were Omegas.

I was still in a higher position than them despite working alongside them. They weren't supposed to speak to anyone ranked above them unless spoken to first. I sighed as I exited the bathroom and made my way toward the front door.

For a moment, I contemplated rummaging through the cabinets for a bite to eat, but I didn't want to wake father. He was especially unruly in the mornings. Not only that, but I knew I wouldn't find anything. There was never food in our pack house apartment, and if there was, it was for father. Accepting my empty stomach once again, I slid out the front door, very gently shutting it behind me. It was too early in the day for my father to already have a reason for being angry at me when I got home.

My first stop every morning was the basement supply closet. The Omegas and I met there every morning to receive our daily tasks. Most days were the same. We lived rather monotonous lives, but now and then there'd be a slight change in our duties.

Those were the exciting days. I quickly made my way down the damp stairs into the basement where I found that I had arrived just on time. Laura, the woman who was in charge of us, was just beginning to hand out the assignment sheets. "I heard we have something special on our lists today!" Hailey whispered excitedly to me as I silently joined the group.

She was one of the few Omegas who wasn't afraid to talk to me. I nodded to her, not wanting to draw attention to myself, and waited for Leila to hand me my paper. "Alright, Omegas, " Leila started, but then paused. "And Tessa," she added. "Today is a very special day. It's Archibald Ian's birthday, and Alpha Zeke has decided to celebrate his father with a formal ball for the pack tonight. You all will tend to your normal daily duties promptly today, and then you will begin setting up for the ball.

Tonight, you will be serving food and drinks. I expect each of you to look your very best. Black dresses will be provided for the females, and a white button-up and black pants will be provided for the males." This is the first ball or party that the Dark Root pack has seen in decades, so everything must go smoothly. The pack is extremely excited about the event, and Alpha Zeke expects perfection. Now get busy," Leila clapped her hands together several times in quick succession, indicating that we needed to hurry up and get moving. The top of my list was familiar - help prepare breakfast for the pack and clean the library.

Usually, several more tedious tasks would follow, but today in their place was only "set-up for the ball." It appeared that we then had an hour to get dressed and cleaned up before we had to arrive for serving. Breakfast was prepared and served in record time, and the library was never too big a task, seeing as I was assigned to it every day.

During the set-up time, Leila appeared again to give us our specific stations for the evening. I couldn't help but be excited, even though I wasn't able to enjoy the ball like a normal pack member. I'd likely be given odd looks all night, as people would know I wasn't an Omega, but wonder why I was doing an Omega job. As I helped Hailey spread a cloth over one of the drink tables, Leila approached us. She quickly handed Hailey a piece of paper with her assigned job for the night before handing one to me, "Tessa, I've given you a very important position here tonight. Seeing as you're not an Omega, I thought it'd only be fitting for you to be the one serving the Alpha tonight. You'll be his and his father's attendant, and you'll serve the Beta and his family as well."

My jaw dropped at her words. I had to serve Alpha Zeke and his entire table!? I'd never been anywhere near our Alpha, and I was fine with that. Everyone in the pack knew of his reputation - it was one dark enough for us to all keep our distance. "W-What?" I stuttered, sounding rather childish. "That's correct, Miss Allen, so make sure you've cleaned up well tonight. You have the most important job of the evening Just like that, my anxiety sky-rocketed.

I could feel my body instinctively wanting to tremble, but I fought against it the best I could. I typically enjoyed any time I had to work because it meant I didn't have to be around my father but given a choice between Alpha Zeke and my father…I wasn't sure who was the better option. I swallowed hard and nodded to Leila as I was currently unable to speak. I had gotten used to the fear of going home to my father every day, but having the same fear outside of our private home was foreign. Other males and strangers always made me nervous - the uncertainty of any situation did, but seeing as I was typically only around the Omegas, I was fine.

After Leila finished with what she needed to tell me, she moved on to the next person and excused me to go get ready. I quickly helped Hailey with the finishing touches on the drink table before exiting the dining hall and making my way upstairs to the family apartments, where my father and I lived. My hope was if I made it back early enough to get ready, my father would still be at work. I quietly entered our apartment and scurried back. to my bedroom with the black dress I'd been provided. Although it was just solid black, it was rather fashionable.

Even though we were just "the help," " it was a formal ball - they couldn't have us looking anything less than professional. I showered, taking only about 5 minutes, before getting dressed and working on drying my hair. My hair was rather thick and took some time to dry even with a proper hair dryer. Once I checked off that time-consuming task, I decided to tackle my makeup. I always kept it simple, usually only using makeup to cover up cuts and bruises. Tonight though, I applied my foundation properly and even added a thin line of eyeliner with some mascara to top everything off.

My hair simply hung in its natural waves since I didn't have much more time to spare, but I felt that it looked presentable. Just as I sat on the edge of my bed to slip on the only pair of black flats that I owned, I heard the front door shut. Father was home early. I froze as I listened to his loud footsteps echo down the hallway, slowly nearing my room. I knew he'd be angry that I was home so early. He'd be angry that I was wearing a dress. He'd ask questions and assume answers. I only hoped that his anger wouldn't escalate to violence. I didn't have the time to cover up a bruise before the ball. "What the f**k are you doing?" he yelled as he stood in the doorway, staring down at me with bloodshot eyes. "Hi daddy,"

I said softly, hoping to neutralize his anger if at all possible. "We have to serve at the ball tonight. They provided us with clothing to wear." "You look like a w***e, " he grumbled. My anxiety was already high, causing me to tremble lightly, but his words made my face fall. I thought the dress looked nice. I never got to dress nicely or wear makeup, so I thought I might look...pretty…for once. I should've known better. I wasn't pretty. I never have been, and I never will be. Father was right - I probably looked like a w***e in such an outfit. Perhaps they did this to humiliate us. I felt my cheeks heating up at the very thought. "I'm sorry father, I didn't have a choice in what to wear," I whispered, struggling to hold back tears. Father stepped forward and roughly grabbed me by the shoulders, causing me to hiss in pain as his fingers dug into the bone, "How many times do I have to tell you to speak up!"

He shook me before finally releasing his grip and throwing me back on the bed. I laid back and whimpered, cowering behind a pillow. He was right though; he did always tell me to speak louder and more clearly, but at the same time, he'd get angry if I spoke too loudly. He'd accuse me of raising my voice. "You're pathetic!" he yelled before turning around and storming out of the room. "I'll deal with you later.

I have a ball to attend." I dabbed at my eyes, hoping my hard work hadn't been messed up by threatened tears. Feeling satisfied that my makeup was still okay, I hopped off my bed and ran down the hallway, desperate to get out of the apartment before my father found something else to get angry about.

More than likely, he'd be angry that I was running, but if I left quick enough, he wouldn't be able to express that anger to me. He never acted the same way in public. In front of everyone else, he was a respectable fa hard worker. My father often did security for the pack and was rather well known. When he demanded that I only be given the work of the Omegas, the pack assumed I had done something disrespectful or worthy of such a fate.

Before he chose my life for me, I aspired to work as a pack nurse or teacher. I made my way to the pack house dining hall in record time. I knew my father wouldn't follow that would put him at risk of exposing who he truly was to fellow pack members. He would remain only a monster in my eyes. When I arrived, only Hailey and several other Omegas were present. Hailey was stationed at the food table, as she'd be serving food for me and the other few Omegas who were chosen to serve specific tables. I slowly made my way to the front of the room.

The large table was empty, but I knew eventually it would seat our Alpha, his father, and the Beta family. I carefully set the table with plates and cutlery, making sure to put everything in its proper position. I'd never encountered the Alpha family before, therefore I didn't know how picky they'd be. After I felt the table was properly made, I joined the Omegas at the far side of the room. Most of them had been assigned to specific tables and the ones who hadn't were assigned to tasks such as food, drink, or decoration. There would be dancing at the ball, so decoration was a must.

About ten minutes later, the dining hall began to fill. I knew the Alpha's table would be the last, so I waited patiently in position, trying to contain my trembling as each group entered the room. Once every table was full, I grew even more nervous. I knew at any moment, the Alpha and his father would be entering the room. I stood at the edge of their table as the doors opened. Slowly, it revealed Alpha Zeke and his father, Archibald.

That was all there was to the Alpha family, as the rest was either deceased or located elsewhere. Due to that, the Beta family followed, allowed to sit with the Alphas. Alpha Zeke seemed to stare me down as he entered the room and approached his seat. This was the first time I'd ever been so close to him, and I noticed his eyes were two different colors: one blue, one hazel. They were spectacular really, especially against his tan skin.

At this time, my wolf became present. She was yipping and jumping around in my mind, begging to be acknowledged, but I forced her to the back of my head. This was not the time or place for my wolf instincts. Ignoring her attempts for control, I approached the Alpha's table, prepared to take their requests "Alpha Zeke, it's a pleasure to serve you tonight,"

I spoke quietly, but I made sure I was loud enough for them to hear me. "What would your table like for their first course this evening?" Alpha Zeke stared at me for quite some time. He was making me nervous. His two different colored eyes held mine captive, as he seemed to not care at all for the menu in front of him. Perhaps my mind was full of fantasies, but it seemed that he was only focused on me. "Steak cooked rare," Alpha Zeke replied, his voice low and gruff. His voice alone made me want to shiver, but I refrained.

It held so much power and authority, it was no wonder every member of our pack was completely submissive to him. I couldn't help but wonder for a moment if this was how all Alphas were, but I ultimately decided that must be the case. Why would one Alpha differ from the rest? I scribbled down Alpha Zeke's request and returned to the kitchen, determined to provide the best service possible for my Alpha.

After handing the order to the Omegas who were assigned to cook. I returned to the table with glasses of ice water. As I set the cups on the table, I could feel Alpha Zeke's eyes on me again, but this time I didn't look up. My wolf was still fighting for my attention, but I continued to ignore her. I was too distracted by both my job and Alpha Zeke's odd behavior. If it weren't for his intoxicating, woody smell, I probably would've been creeped out. Instead, I was curious. Why did he seem so fascinated with me? As I placed a bundle of silverware down in front of Alpha Zeke, he spoke again. "You're not an Omega." I froze. Of course, it was obvious that I wasn't an Omega, but I hadn't been expecting Alpha Zeke to comment on it.

“That's correct Alpha," I replied timidly. "Why are you working with the Omegas?" he asked his tone never changed and his face remained hard. I swallowed hard before speaking again. I simply couldn't understand why our Alpha was so interested in someone as insignificant as me. Should that worry me? My hands began to tremble despite my efforts to keep my anxiety under control.

I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself, but instead, I was overwhelmed with Alpha Zeke's scent. "My father requested that I work with the Omegas, Alpha," I finally responded, unable to hide the shakiness in my voice. At first, I thought I was hearing things, but after a moment of staring into Alpha Zeke's eyes, I realized he was growling at my response. In one swift movement, he grabbed me by my wrist, causing me to flinch away - - it was an automatic reflex for me. For only a second, he appeared hurt and confused by my flinching, and only for a second did I even think about it.

After only a couple of seconds more, sparks erupted on my skin where his hand held my wrist. They shot up my arm and filled my entire body with a comforting warmth. I gasped and tried to yank my arm away, but he held it tightly. Slowly, Alpha Zeke leaned in close. The tip of his nose was just barely touching my neck, my hair lightly caressing his face.