I Won't Bow

Mom

If I was a traditional omega I would've lowered my gaze by the sight of them, if this was a different pack they would've made me show respect by bowing my head but instead I smiled brightly at them and they answered with smiling back.

"Hello everyone, sorry to disturb your conversation but we have an announcement to make"

Alpha Anthony's words were clear and strong, in just his voice he showed everyone that he had authority.

"As we all know, I'm getting old."

People laughed with him then he raised his hand to quiet them down.

"My son, Alex, have surpassed me since a long time ago and I feel that it's time for him to take his rightful title as alpha and lead us the way he is born to do." People whispered but got quiet once alpha started to talk again. "However, he does not yet posses a Luna. without a mate an Alpha won't be as powerful and the pack will feel that loss of power eventually"

I saw Alex clench his fists so I looked around and saw that everyone had their attention on Alpha Anthony so I grabbed his fists in my hands and smiled at him.

We normally didn't touch each other because if they were to find their mate and I was closer than I should that mate would tear me apart. I'm a lowranked omega who have no right touching the higher ranks. They didn't mind me being close but other didn't like the fact that we all are friends and I don't want to make enemies unnecessarily.

I whispered in the lowest voice I could manage so that no one would be able to hear.

"Don't worry Alex, You'll find her soon"

His blue eyes met mine and for the first time he looked at me with an expression I couldn't explain.

"So in order to find a Luna for Alex and of course Epsilon for our future beta and gammas we have invited all neighboring packs unmated wolves. One month from now they will all gather in this very room, I want you all to do your best in making it a saloon that we can be proud to show!"

He met eyes with his Luna and smiled warmly.

"Of course everyone above eighteen are allowed to participate no matter rank."

No one argued but people whispered.

Our neighboring packs was allied with us but they didn't exactly go by the same morals as ours.

I looked at Alex, Christopher and the quedruplets. In just one month they all might each have a mate...

In just two years, I might have one too, what if he's from an other pack... then I would be forced to leave this pack... I wouldn't want that.

"Amber Lou. How is your mother doing?"

Luna Beatrice had come forward and spoke to me.

"As usual, she doesn't take care of herself I'm afraid. Thank you for your concern Bea."

She let me call her Bea.

"I'm sorry to hear that, if you do need anything, don't be shy to ask."

I nod.

"Thank you very much"

She smiled at the men around my table.

"Hello children, are you exited over the uppcoming event?"

Alex, Christopher and the quedruplets answered with respectful greetings then answered with mumbles.

She looked at me and winked.

"I'm sure you all will be much happier when you finally get your mate, don't you think so too Amber?"

I nod.

"Very happy! Just make sure she's got a heart of gold and give a lot of pups cause we want grandchildren/nieces!"

Luna Beatrice laughed at that.

"That is correct! I sure hope so too. How many would be enough?"

I thought for a moment and looked at them one my one and counted.

"Well for sure at least two for Alex, Between four and six for Chris, Each of you four need to have a pair of children so the lowest I go is eight from all of you. So around sixteen is a fair amount, if we get less than that, we won't be satisfied!"

She laughed and pointed at them.

"Make sure each of you remember to tell your mate that when the time comes, I for sure won't forget"

Then she giggled some more when their faces turned red.

I smirked but my smugness was cut short by Alpha Anthony.

"Amber-Louise and my dear beatrice, do you have fun teasing our mateless wolves?"

He looked around the table until he stopped with me.

"I do agree with that number though, or I would say at least twenty if we think about the packs greater good but sixteen is fair too I guess... just one question Amber-Louise..."

He smirked at me while he spoke.

"How many omega pups will we get? because in my opinion we do lack in those numbers too and it wouldn't hurt to have someone teach the next generation of omegas that you can be strong no matter your rank"

He winked at her wife and she giggled as they left.

Our joke backfired at me but I deserved it since I teased my friends. I looked around and noticed that they all had smug faces as if they won.

"Well, I'm not the only omega in this pack and that was just a joke! I was at least a little serious when I said I want nieces soon so you all better find your mates!"

I took my half full plate and went to the kitchen where I saw my thin mom doing the dishes.

"Time to eat mom! I accidentaly took too much so can you finish my food?"

"Oh dear goddess! Amber-Louise why in the world did you take so much?! What if..."

"Mom don't worry, everyone got their share of food, now it's your turn"

She shook her head at me but began to eat.

"Sometimes I wonder if you remember where you stand dear... Everyone here treat you too nice that you easily forget that you are omega. If you were to find a mate outside of this pack there's a risk the new alpha kill you if you so much as look at him."

She had a look of horror as she imagined.

"Or even worse, what if we would get a new alpha... then you would be in trouble. oh my goddess I do pray that you will learn and obey your superiors honey"

This was my mother...

She was afraid that I would be killed because I don't behave like a weak omega who is submissive and let people step all over them. I do show my respect but only if I get respect too, I do follow orders if they are reasonable and I can be submissive if the other one have a better point than me.

I am not a leader and I am not powerful but I don't believe that you should let others use you because you are weaker, I don't like to remind myself that I'm weak and use that as an excuse to everything in my life.

"Sure, I'm an omega mom, a submissive more fragile being than others but I won't let it stop me from living a good life. Why should the alpha step on omegas just to show they are stronger? that's stupid. Everyone know that the alpha is the stronger one, he's supposed to protect the weaker not destroy them. I won't have a problem in an other pack, I will teach them what omegas truly are!"

She just shook her head.

"Your father would be just as worried as me."

When I was young I read a book once, a book about a poor boy who lived with his parents in a rotten cottage. In that cottage his family worked hard to make a living and survive.

Every night his parents told him that even if their life is like that now, it doesn't mean that one day they won't have a good home, they just need to work hard for it. Every night the boy got to hear that he could be whoever he wanted to be.

Years later that boy became a king. because he really could be whoever he wanted.

My parents always said the opposite, I was weak and would always be weak. End of story.

But the day my dad died he showed me otherwise. He who was weak and always said he wasn't worth as much as a delta because he wasn't strong. He fought a rogue by himself and killed it. Rogues are known to be stronger because they are on their own and have turned mad, they look for death and blood, they want to kill, an omega's instinct isn't to hurt anyone.

After he'd killed the rogue my dad bled to death beside me, I tried to yell for help but no one could hear me. He took my hand in his and told me to be strong.

"Don't lose Lulu. Be strong and show everyone that you are worth more than they think. I know you always wanted to hear this, and I mean this, You can be whatever you want, don't hold back because of your rank, it doesn't define who you truly are inside. You are my strong little girl, I love you"

Then I heard mothers deafening scream and someone pushed me away from him.

I don't remember the reason we were away from the pack that day, I can't remember anything before then but what I do know is that what he told me was how he truly felt.

"No mom. He wouldn't be worried. He would be proud. He would be proud that I was being myself and that the pack accepted me for what I am and didn't look down upon me. He would smile if he saw me fill a plate with food and eat until I am full because I deserve to eat just as much as any. You might starve yourself and lower your worth because of your title but I will never do that! That wouldn't make him proud!"

I left before she could say anything. I ran to the woods and felt the urge to shift so I did. I ran for hours remembering my past from that day. How I lost my mother the same day I lost my father, how she told me to bow down in front of our superiors and how she continued to tell me that I would have myself killed for just being myself.

I remember the day she got to hear that I had shifted the same night as our gammas and beta.

That I had outshined even our future alpha by shifting at age five. She turned pale and asked their parents and our alpha for forgiveness, that I would never shift again and I would know my place.

Alpha, beta and gamma had told her that I had done nothing wrong and that they looked forward to see my strength.

After that my mother had told me that they treated us too well and that we should repay them by working for them and be like omegas should be.

I didn't follow her example. Instead I made friends and at age eight I fought with the gammas daughter Jenny and won the fight. She didn't have a wolf yet she challenged me so I won easily.

I loved my mother and I knew she loved me, all I wished for was that she would realize that we are worth something.

"Having fun on your run?"

Alex smirked as my ambercolored wolf stepped behind the tree.

I shifted back and put my clothes on.

"I just needed to run off some steam. why? did I miss something?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"No but it's midnight and you weren't home so I got worried. You know you shouldn't be out this late."

I looked wideeyed at him.

"I've been out for so long?!!"

He nod.

"Jonah and James were thinking of gathering a search party for you, Chris and Justin have guard duty and told me they saw you pass them an hour ago so I figured you'd be here now."

I gaped.

"You went looking for me?!"

"Of course! what kind of pack would we be if we let our precious omega be missing?"

I felt my cold body get warm by the love I got from my friends.

"I'm so sorry for causing you trouble Alex, also... I'm very grateful and love you all very much"

He chuckled.

"Jonah tell me to say that we love you too so stop being stupid and come home so he can sleep."

I hugged him.

"Again, sorry for not coming home earlier."

"Don't worry about it Lulu, just one thing"

I looked up at him and met his beautiful blue eyes.

"Can you please turn eighteen sooner? Because I really don't want to be mindlinked by everyone saying that I should tell you this and that..."

I laughed.

"I'll try, in fact it would be helpful to be able to mindlink everyone."

Mindlink was a sort of communication technique wolves above eighteen was able to do if you were in a pack. It was like talking but inside your own head.

We went home together and as soon as my head hit the pillow I fell asleep.

The following month was chaos. Preperations were in full action and everyone seemed to have too much to do in order for the other packs to arrive.

Our packhouse had never looked so fancy.

On the morning of the event I walked to the kitchen just to find my mother spaced out while making scrambled egg.

She was thinner than ever before and had bloodshot eyes from too little sleep.

"Mom."

She didn't react, after the night when Alex went out looking for me, she had given me the silent treatment. Under all that time she had uttered only one word. "Shame"

I took it as she was ashamed of me, which is understandable but it's also something I can't change, I will be who I am no matter what she say.

"Mom!"

I touched her shoulder and she gasped by my touch.

"Dear goddes what in the world Amber-Louise! Why did you scare me like that?! I could've gotten a heart attack!"

Well that's more words than I expected... It's an improvement for sure...

"Mom you look ill, go back to bed."

"No. Don't be silly! Today is the big day! I need to make a good breakfast!"

"No mom! you need to get well. Do you really want other packs to think that Alpha and Luna don't treat their omegas well?!"

She stared at me.

"Are you crazy child? I won't attend, I will not be seen!"

I sighed.

"Mom. I love you, so please take care of yourself and take a break."

She didn't answer just scrambled on.

I grabbed her spatula and stared at her.

"Go back home, get to bed and get well. I do the breakfast so go!"

She blinked at me first then she obediently left the kitchen.

I was shocked that she actually listened but that wore off as soon as I realized I had to finish breakfast.

I scrambled the eggs and finished the other sidedishes. I was a decent cook in my opinion, I mean I only burnt like twenty sausages and the eggs was edible even with that amount of salt. All in all I got the food out in time.

"Lulu? what are you doing in the kitchen?" Justin walked up to me and stared at the food I'd brought out.

"Mom didn't look too well so I made breakfast."

He frowned.

"You do know that you could've just asked my mom? she's a great cook"

Chris had joined our conversation while staring at the sausages.

"I mean it really, if she'd known you were in the kitchen she would've come running"

Justin laughed

"I think my dad had done so as well, when he sees this he will cry"

I turned crimson and mumbled at them

"You haven't even had a taste yet..."

James and Jimmy arrived and pat me on each side of my back.

"Let me guess... too much salt?"

I stared at Jimmy and he laughed.

"My guess was correct I assume"

"Amber-Lou? did you make the breakfast?"

I stared at our precious Luna while she took a bite of a burnt sausage.

I hid my face in my hands.

"I'm so sorry! I really thought I could cook! I mean mom didn't look well so I told her to get better... I... I forgot that anyone can cook better than I"

"Mmm but this is good! I love it when the food is wellcooked and spiced! You did well sweetie! also a very good job making your mother go to bed, she never would've gotten sleep if it wasn't for you, well done!"

I ran to her and gave her a hug.

"Thank you oh thank you Luna Bea! I really thought I'd screwed up. You're the bestest Luna ever!"

She laughed but as soon as I let go of her I heard it.

"What the f**k is up with this breakfast?!" Someone spat.

"Give me water! Water!!"

"Who failed in making sausage?! It's clear Diane isn't in the kitchen today!!"

"I miss Diane!! where is she!?!?!"

I turned and met the five culprits who'd just spoken ill about my food.

Alpha Anthony, Beta Cody, Gamma Jeremy, Alex and Jonah

I felt tears form in my eyes again. Then Luna Beatrice got up and glared at them with her arms at her hips.

I met their eyes and saw realisation cross each and everyones faces.

"I... "cough" did I say awful? I meant delicous!"

"Yeah! best I've ever eaten!"

"Mmmm yum!"

I ran away crying.

I really was awful at cooking! I just destroyed the breakfast mom always worked so hard to get perfect, why did I think I could help her?!!

I ran to our apartment and saw mom in bed sleeping.

"I'm sorry I failed you mom."

I whispered and laid down beside her.

Soon I felt her warm embrace and a light chuckle.

"Luna just explained what happened... you truly are your fathers daughter"

I met her eyes and she smiled at me which she hadn't done in a long time.

"I know I tell you to be aware of your position because I'm so afraid of losing you like I lost your father. But I do want you to know that I love you so very much, especially when you are so goofy. You do not belong in a kitchen that's for sure"

I hugged her back and buried my face on her shoulder, she smelled like fresh lemon.

"Mom, you smell good"

She chuckled again.

"You smell good as well sweetie, you smell like apples just like your father"

I nod. This was the first time my mother told me I smelled like him but I wasn't surprised, everytime she saw me I could see it in her eyes that she thought about my father.

"Then you can smell me anytime you want"

She laughed.

"You truly are my little goofball"

Then we fell asleep in each others arms. Unfortunately, I didn't know then that it would be the last day I would spend with her.