Rejecting The Future Moon Goddess [Amazon Edition]

Chapter 8 - Planning a Departure

Chapter 8 - Planning a Departure

I glare as the small device on my side table as the alarm clock rings shrilly in the quiet morning. With only four hours of sleep after training and talking to Lizaria I want nothing more than to sleep in, but I had duties as an Omega to perform. Slamming my fist onto the alarm clock and turning it off, I take in the time of six O'clock in the morning and groan. Today is my day to cook breakfast for the pack and with only an hour and a half to have the meal ready and on the table or face punishment from Beta Bastian I would have to quickly get ready and make it downstairs within the next fifteen minutes.
A quick look outside the window and noticing the sky is still dark outside I groan with frustration and fling the comforter off of my body, shivering with the cold fall air. Today being graduation day, many of the wolves would be preparing to walk across the stage at noon. Chores would be delegated to the Omega's twenty years or older meaning I would have most of the morning to myself after making break fast. I could use this time to prepare to leave. My talk with Lizaria last night opened my eyes and the need to leave and be free and allow myself to fully accept the power a Beta wolf should have has me feeling trapped and suffocating today of all days. Another sigh escapes my lips while I take out a simple pair of leggings and green t-shirt and head towards the shower. The luke-warm water falling harshly onto my body leaves me shivering as soon as I finish washing off and wrap myself in a thin old towel. I only have to make it through today and once everyone is too preoccupied from the graduation party tonight, I'll escape.

...

The ringing in my left ear is persistent while I curl into a ball, my hands over my head protecting myself from any damage this beating will cause. I wanted nothing more than to look up and glare at Beta Bastian as he towers over me, rage radiating off of him in waves in my direction.
"You filthy bitch! I told you to have breakfast ready exactly at seven thirty!" He screams at me, drops of what I can only assume to be spittle from his mouth as he screams landing on my exposed skin. Disgust creeps into me at his treatment, cementing my decision to leave tonight. A foot collides with my arms, his boot directing a blow to my head making me thankful that I was quick enough to roll into a ball after the punch he threw my way moments ago that left me on the floor.
"Do you know what I see instead when I come down stairs you filthy excuse of an Omega?" He continues. But I knew better than to answer. Answering his rhetorical question would lead to a whipping with the silver tipped whip. My silence must have pleased him as the kicks stop, but a hand grabbing my hair and pulling me up into a sitting position has a whimper of pain escaping my lips. I notice a crowd forming in the dinning hall, the food on the buffet table placed and ready to be devoured by the pack but everyone would rather watch this spectacle.
"I see you placing the last dish at seven thirty five!" Beta Bastian scream in reply to his own question, more spittle landing this time on my cheeks. I wanted to say that I was actually refilling the bacon that had already be devoured by the early pack members that now sit by the windows with a smug smile as they enjoyed the show, but they would call me a liar. This pack has little respect for anyone deemed and Omega, but because I am the disowned daughter of the Betas I am nothing but garbage in their eyes. My body is flung backwards and the back of my head collides with the wall behind me, stars covering my vision before the all to familiar feeling of a boot colliding with my stomach has me curling into a ball in pain once more. I could hear a few snickers and comments about how pathetic I am, their words fueling my anger that I have no other choice but to control.
"Geminie get out of my site and go make yourself useful to the pack." A final kick is thrown my way after Beta Bastian dismisses me before his footsteps slowly fade away. Putting up with the pain, I push myself off the ground and use the wall as support to stand. I can feel everyone watching me either openly with a mocking smile or subtly, waiting for another show. I finally realize why Lizaria always mentioned the idea of me leaving as I stare at each and every wolf in the room. Only a few cared about me in this pack and the hope of one day becoming a Beta again has long been crushed. I have no other reason into staying here with Hidden Claws. With a slight limp, I walk out of the dining room refusing to show weakness and refusing to cry anymore. My mind is now made up.
Making my way outside into the garden I sit and a take a deep breath of the fall air. The trees surrounding the pack lands are starting to turn red and yellow with the changing season and a slight chill is on the wind breathing a fire inside me I though I had given up. Since I could not shift into a wolf my next step would be leading a life as a human maybe in a large city like Toronto or Ottawa or Mississauga. Maybe a smaller town like Bolton or Barrie. Anywhere but here along the Hudson Bay lake.
"Gems?" A small smile curls the edges of my lips and I turn to see Alex holding a plate piled with food in one hand a gift bag in another. A look of concern on my brother's face as he takes a seat across from me at the stone picnic table. Setting the plate before me, I eye the bag in his hands as my own automatically reaches out and I begin to devour the pancakes before me.
"What's that?" I ask, nodding towards the bag he sets on the floor as he steals the fork from my hand and takes a bite of the pancakes.
"Food." My brother chuckles out, handing the fork back to me and leaning back in the chair as I stab at another piece of the fluffy goodness covered in maple syrup.
"Thank you captain obvious, I am aware there is a plate of food in front of me." I roll my eyes at his smirk, taking another bite of the food before waving towards the bag on the floor.
"What I meant is what's with the bag." His smirk turns into a bright smile while motioning me to finish eating. I knew my brother well and he always made sure that I ate before we talk as his parents rarely left me with food. Rolling my eyes and complying, I quickly finish off the plate of pancakes and push it to the side while Alex places the bag in front of me with a grin.
"Happy birthday sis." His deep voice brings small tears to my eyes as I gingerly remove the tissue obstructing the items inside. My eyes widen at the turquoise purse inside, a simple stylish bag that I have been eyeing from Michael Kores for weeks. Lifting the bag, I feel that it holds other surprises that I soon discover is a matching wallet holding documents from my birth certificate to my health card and even my brand new license. Items I thought I would have to report stolen when I leave.
"I had to wait for Bastian and Jasmine to leave on a trip last week to get your documents." Alex answers smiling at me. Tears well in my eyes as I look down at the purse, trying to keep my mind from having to leave my brother here when I leave Hidden Claws for good. Placing the wallet away, my hand brushes against a small object. Curiously I remove the object to find a small white box that I swiftly open to discover a set of brand new keys – car keys to be exact.
"Why?" I whisper out, holding the keys on my hands. I never thought that I would be able to won a car until later. I know that I will be penniless when I leave. That the inheritance left to me by my grandparents would be given to Alex as Bastian and Jasmine would never give me any part of it but with a car I could live inside it until I save enough for an apartment. With a car this winter would be much more bearable on my own.
"I have been watching you sneak out for the last few months and have been following you." Alex admits sheepishly, fear taking hold of my heart as I think about Lizaria and the Unicorns she protects. If Alex saw me, who else did?
"Don't worry Gemmie, no one else knows." Alex quickly reassures, pulling me into a hug as he sighs.
"I know about that valley you go to and that Elf. I've watched you train with her and she even confronted me one night. After promising that scary Elf mom of yours that I am not going to harm you or the valley and explaining that I am your big brother, she reluctantly agreed to let me keep watching over you at night." Fear and worry is replaced by guilt, guilt at keeping this secret from my brother and for always running towards Lizaria when I needed to hide away from the Beta couple. Guilt for making Alex worry about me.
"I'm sorry Alex, but if they knew about Liz and the Unicorns something bad would have happened." The apology leaves my lips before I know it and I am met with a chuckle.
"I know. Why do you think I asked to be on the night patrol. Bastian is a power hungry bastard that is lazy. You would think as his only son and heir he would go easy on me but after what our so called father did to you I don't expect much. That lazy bastard was more than happy to let me do the night shift." The sarcastic tone in his voice shocks me and I pull away from his hug to stare at my brother. Hatred and rage simmers in his eyes and I understand in that moment that life for Alex has not been easy. Easier than my own life in this pack but I could see the struggles he has faced with Bastian and Jasmine as his parents as well.
"Any ways when I took your documents, I also took your inheritance from our grandparents and a copy of their will for you to use as well. Its in the car. I need to get some sleep but that Elf of yours came up with the idea of getting you a car and what our parents are holding hostage for you. She told me last night that when you leave she will follow." I nod slowly, surprised at everything I am learning today. Lizaria had already planned for me leaving Hidden Claws by the sounds of it and she had Alex help. I couldn't have been any luckier than I am today with an amazing brother and an amazing friend.
Alex walks me into the pack house after putting my gifts away in the bag and as I am climbing the stairs after biding him a good sleep and head to the attic, he calls out to me.
"The car is in that run down shed by the edge of the pack territory. Get your stuff packed and while everyone is at grad I'll sneak it into your car. My stuff is already packed and so are Misbah and Lilly. Just let me know when its time to leave." With out waiting for my reply, Alex yawns and heads into his room. Smiling, I make my way upstairs to my room. I have three hours to pack before needing to be ready for graduation.