The White Wolf Queen Of The Damned

Chapter 2.

Pandora’s POV.

I walk under the cover of darkness to get to the pickup point. My long blonde braid sways behind me, the tip brushing the ground as I walk. There are other omegas here, all huddled together as we wait. Some look dejected, having done this before. The newer omegas are terrified. And they should be.

Not every omega assigned to this makes it out alive. Those who have received their wolves are drugged with wolfsbane to stop their wolves from shifting. Then we are all transported to the makeshift lab, put under and the drugs are placed inside of us before we are taken to another location and opened up again and then taken back to the pack.

Those who make it out alive will wake up back in their rooms. Those that don’t. Well, they will be disposed of and forgotten about. But I never forget them. It is like their souls haunt me. That I have survived this countless times, and they didn’t.

They are angry because of this and can’t move on. Not that I blame them.

“I heard that wolves have been going missing from all over the country.” One omega says and I stay silent. Pearl moves forward, listening but I try to tune it all out.

“I heard that someone tore a hole through to the underworld and wolves have been taken there to join the army of the damned.” Another says and I scoff as I turn my head, looking for the truck that will come and take us away.

“Will you shut up? Can’t you see we are all damned?” One of the omegas who have survived this snaps and I keep my eyes forward, not saying anything.

Just one more, then I will know the truth about my parents. Then I can move on with my life.

“Just not with that Natheniel.” Pearl says with a growl and I furrow my eyebrows because she still won’t tell me why.

Headlights shine in the distance, and I sigh, knowing this is it. The last time I am a drug mule and one step closer to finding out the truth.

The truck stops and those of us who have done this before know the drill. Those who don’t? Well, they are shaking and sobbing, some even growling as their wolves recognise the danger they are in.

Before long, men flood the area and get the omegas who are shifting quickly under control, and the rest of us just stand watching. As we know, there is no point in fighting this.

Pearl growls in my head and again this is odd even for her.

“Selene is angry that we, her children, are being treated this way for greed.” She snaps her jaws and paces in my head. She claws at my mind trying to break free.

“Enough, Pearl. This is the last time.” I say to her, and she scoffs, rolling her eyes.

“Do you think they will let you live? That this is truly the last time? Wake up Pandora. This is wrong, and you know it!” She snaps, and I push her back as one of the men looks at me with curiosity in his gaze. I lower my gaze to the ground.

“You, move it.” He says as I’m shoved from behind and I step forward when I step up to the back of the truck and climb up and step inside. The omegas who were drugged are out cold on the floor and I move to sit in the far corner, knowing what comes next.

The rest are loaded up and I chew my lip, praying to Selene that this is the last time and that I wake up. I need the answers and I need to find my parents.

“Relax, this will be over soon.” The man who looked in my eyes says before he smirks and slams the doors shut and omegas who haven’t received their wolves yet whimper and scream but not me. Then the hiss of gas and panic begins to take hold. This is new. This is not how it usually happens. Omega’s try to stand to escape but quickly fall. I try to move but know it is pointless. I look at one of the omegas and take her hand in mine, offering her some comfort. I see it in her eyes. We are all going to die. I panic. My breathing is harsh before I feel myself fall as darkness consumes me.

I begin to wake hearing screams and feeling heat all around me. Then I see them, the eyes of a man standing surrounded by flames. I can’t make out his features but he is big, muscular and tall but his eyes. Goddess, his eyes — they are red. Then I see the flash of his teeth.

“Found you.” I bolt upright and look at where I am. Sweat glistens on my skin. My heart is racing as I take in the tiny space.

I’m back in the pack house. With shaking hands, I run a hand over my head and try to calm my breathing. I don’t feel any pain.

“Pearl, Pearl, are you there?” I ask in my head and she walks forward.

“I’m here.” She says, sounding defeated, and her voice guts me.

“What is it?” I ask her and she looks away and I lift my top and look down and the scars on my stomach are gone. What the? I rub at my skin and my eyes widen.

“How?” I ask her and she sits on her haunches.

“Happy Birthday, Pandora.” She says glumly and I gasp as I move to climb out of bed and move to the small bathroom and look at my reflection in the cracked mirror that hangs above the sink.

My eyes are more violet than before. My blonde hair looks fuller. I don’t look drawn like I did a few days ago.

“There is something I need to tell you …” She says when the door slams open and I turn and look at the intruder only to see luna Charlotte standing there.

“Oh sweet girl, you, you are awake.” Luna Charlotte says in disbelief as she takes me in. But she quickly composers herself. “You fulfilled your end of the deal and I will fulfil mine tonight.” She says, looking me up and down in shock, and Pearl snarls in my head and I feel the air crackle. But I push Pearl back down. When I look down and see the scars and swirls forming again under my skin. What the?

“Thank you, luna. It is my …”

“There you are.” Alpha Fredrick even looks like he has seen a ghost. He clears his throat. “We have much to do before the ceremony tonight. Hello Pandora,” Alpha Fredrick says with disdain and I bow my head, which only causes Pearl to growl.

“Never bow to these monsters!” Pearl snaps but I have to. I’m still part of this pack.

“Of course, silly me. Well, erm, rest, Pandora, you will need your strength for tonight.” Luna Charlotte says with a gulp before she breezes out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“What is wrong with you?” I hiss at Pearl and she growls at me.

“You are blind! Do you think she will tell you anything after what they have done? The others are dead, Pandora, and we should be too.” I’m taken aback by this. But we all knew the risks going into this.

“We all knew the risks. The luna promised to …”

“And you believed her like a fool. I’m fully here now and they will know soon enough who they are messing with, if they don’t already.” Pearl growls before blocking me. Oh, no. If they know who I am. Then I am as good as dead.

I sit back down on the bed, and my thoughts are consumed with everything that has happened. I feel the sadness and the rage of those who died but then I think about the man from my dream.

Who is he and what did he mean by, found you? I have always been here. So, whoever he is, he wasn’t looking hard enough. But do I want him to find me? What is wrong with me?

I sleep most of the day away, Pearl still has her block up and I feel lonely, cold even. When a knock raps on the door and I stand and move to the door and open it.

“You have been summoned to the ceremonial stone in the clearing at the back of the pack house. The ceremony will start shortly.” One of the warriors says sadly and I know this ceremony is for Nathaniel to take up the mantle of being alpha. I am happy for my friend when I smell the most delicious scent.

Cookies and warm milk. Pearl is still silent and I literally follow my nose to the clearing and stop in my tracks, taking in every member of the pack in their finery and I’m still in my ugly grey and white omega uniform. But there on the platform behind the stone are luna Charlotte, alpha Fredrick, and Nathaniel.

“Members of the Hounds Of Hell Pack, tonight we celebrate the ascension of a new alpha. Our son Nathaniel.” The pack cheer and clap until alpha Frederick lifts his hands to shush us all. I move forward, my nose following the mouthwatering scent.

As I step closer to the front, Nathaniel looks at me, and I smile at him. He is my mate. I smile, feeling so happy that my only friend is my mate. But it’s the look he gives me that stops me in my tracks. Pearl whimpers, and I know why.

No, no, he wouldn’t.

“We aren’t just crowning my son as your alpha. But he has chosen his luna.” Alpha Frederick looks at me with a smirk on his cruel lips before he continues.

“Gemma Marshall, my betas, daughter.” My heart stops as I watch as Gemma steps up from behind Nathaniel wearing a blood-red dress that leaves nothing to the imagination and she leans up, pressing her chest against Nathaniel’s, and kisses him. I whimper because of the pain but Nathaniel smirks, keeping his eyes on me as he deepens the kiss.

“Before we get started, Nathaniel has something to say.” Alpha Fredrick says before Nathaniel looks at me with a smugness I have never seen before. Why? Why is he doing this?

“Thank you, father. I, Nathaniel Blackfall, future alpha of the Hounds Of Hell Pack, reject you, Pandora Morningstar, as my mate and luna. You are weak, a disgrace, the daughter of traitors, a w***e and you will never be good enough.” He spits, and my heart shatters open as the pack moves away from me like I have the plague. Pearl is growling loudly in my head.

“Accept it, Pandora. I’m sorry, sweet girl, accept it and we can leave. We can’t stay here.” I ignore Pearl’s words and look at the luna.

“Where are my parents? I have done everything you have asked of me. You promised to tell me.” I say, my voice coming out stronger than I thought possible. The luna looks at her mate, and laughs, even Nathaniel laughs.

“Dead. We killed them.” My mate, no ex-mate, says laughing, which causes the pack to howl in celebration. They are all happy about this?

I will not fall. I will not show them that they have gutted me, even though they have. I fight the tears and the pain from both the rejection and the truth and the fact I have been used for their own selfish gains. I stand straighter and look at the ones who have caused all of this.

“I, Pandora Morningstar, accept your rejection. You are the one who is weak, alpha. Mark my words, you have no idea what you have just done.” The words leaving me are not mine or Pearl’s, and once they are spoken, Nathaniel falls, and so does every member of the pack, and with him all the happy memories and puppy love I had for him.

Lightning forks across the night sky as thunder booms, shaking the ground, and clouds roll in, covering the full moon from view. This is an omen. So, I turn and run. Pack members scream that the Moon Goddess has not blessed the pack.

“RUN.” Pearl shouts in my head when I hear howls and then the sound of paws on the ground. I’m going to be killed. I run through the clearing and run as fast as I can towards the trees. I need to cross the border and pray that I make it out alive.