The Alpha and her Luna

The Invitation

There's a sudden influx of people in the clearing, and Chloe is pulled away to deal with pack matters. Pack runs are normally times for the pack leadership to sniff out wolves that have better than average abilities, or to recruit them to be warriors or scouts, or other important positions involving the safety of the pack. Some omegas dream of a day when they get a visit from pack leadership that has noticed something exceptional about them, but to be honest - most of the time we go unnoticed. It's not that we're intentionally ignored, but we're so used to existing in the background that we stay there even when we don't want to.

Me personally? I've always liked being in the background. I don't feel pressured, and I'm free to chase my passions as I wish, for the most part. I mean, I spent a good deal of my 11th year having decided that I was going to be a professional tennis player. Mind you, I have never played tennis in my life, but it didn't stop me from going to the human village nearby and buying myself those cute little white skirts and collared shirts. I grew out of it, though, and the tennis racket I saved up my birthday and Christmas money for is somewhere gathering dust in the back of my closet. Pack leadership doesn't have that freedom, and the people they approach after these runs lose it as well. They're no longer free to do as they please. They are obligated to start training for whatever role they've been deemed necessary for. 

I'm not sure what Chloe expects, so when she gets pulled away I start to move through the crowd in search of my friends. I notice the looks I'm getting, but I try to pretend like I don't. When I approach Sarah and put my hand on her arm she turns toward me, blinking for a minute. I gave her a wan little smile and she draws in a deep breath, exhaling and saying under her breath, "Oh boy...Liv..." That's when Josh comes up behind me and grabs me from behind in a bear hug. I let out an alarmed little squeal. Josh has always been pretty inappropriate, and the gravity of things have escaped him, as usual. Once I realize it's him the squeal turns to laughter and I return his hug. The tense feeling seems to evaporate and my friends are laughing again before long. Sarah teases me with a little job, "So, you gonna be our next Luna?" I laugh and answer, "Good goddess, I hope not." 

Chloe must have heard my squeal of alarm because the look on her face is not one of pleasure as she stalks toward us. My friends part to clear her path to me, and when she arrives she tilts her head to the left and asks me quietly, "You hope not?" My hand flies to my mouth as I realize what I've said.  I remove my hand and the words tumble out in a rush. "I didn't mean it that way. I was just kidding around. I mean, I never thought about it. It's.. a shock to even think about." I can see the hurt in her eyes and Becca gives a little growl inside my head. She's angry at me, and when Chloe speaks again the tears are already threatening my eyes. "Please, don't be angry. I just.. barely know you. I can't wrap my head around things right now." Her voice is cold as she murmurs quietly to me, "Well, you would if you hadn't run off like a scared little puppy." The tears are in full force now, and I feel them dripping down my cheeks. Sarah and Josh and the rest of our friends are slowly backing away before I answer in a quivering voice, "We go to the greenhouse, the one my dad grows sugarcane in... and swim in the lake.. after runs. Come with us?" 

My friends' heads instantly whip around to look at me incredulously and as Chloe gives a little nod the daggers they shoot me with their eyes would kill me if they could. Chloe doesn't seem to notice. Her eyes are trained on me. "I'll go get my swimsuit." The smile I give her is a little lopsided as I respond, "You don't need to. We never do." My cheeks flush, and the rest of the friends I have gathered around me sport rosy pink cheeks too. Chloe tries to look firm, but I can see a smile turning up the corner of her lips and by the time she looks around at everyone else she can't help but chuckle. "See you there." Then she's gone again. 

Sarah's the first to speak. "Liv, you've got to be f*****g kidding me. You just invited the Alpha to go with us skinny dipping." I draw in a shaky breath and look around at all of them. The tears are still there, and I answer her with steely reserve. "No, I invited my mate." They all know, I think, on some level, but to hear me say it a hush washed over us all. There was a gravity to the moment before I looked around at all of them and shook my head, "Enough of that. Let's go. Dad told me where he hid the new sugarcane vodka batch in the greenhouse." I glanced at Sarah, who still worked in the kitchen when she wasn't busy with school. "Don't tell my mom." Then my smile morphs into a grin and I wink at them before I head toward the treeline. I don't look back to make sure they're following, but somehow I just know they are. That's what friends do.