Guarding Omega

6

The skin on her cheeks felt oddly dry – though soaked with her tears. Her knees were dirty, and bare on the muddy ground. Her palms were placed together and her eyes were red from the burning and crying. Drops of warm blood were dripping from the cuts on her thigh, pain was striking her with every slight movement she made.

Her breath was uneven and shaky, pushing herself to endure the pain. You can do this, you're strong. It's just another day. She was trying to comfort herself. Maybe all this is a test, send to me by the silver goddess to see if I'm worthy to be at her side. Suffering for so long was definitely testing her sanity.

Lost between the delicate thread, she didn't hear the quick steps rampaging outside her tent. The tent cloth flew open as Margo marched inside without even stopping. Ivory – unable to express the shock and fear from such a sudden gesture – only managed to open her eyes wide.

"Get up!" Margo spat as she grasped Ivory by the shoulder, lifting her hurriedly. "Come on! I don't have all day! The dinner is ready and someone must serve!" she shouted as Ivory was trying to fix her dress. There was no time to tend her cuts, that had to wait.

With jaw tensed and clenched teeth to endure the pain, Ivory started to run to catch Margo's pace. That bitch knows I'm wounded and doesn't spare me a second!

"It appears that all the servants – especially the female – are off duty tonight and will attend the feast!" Margo's anger was covering her tone. "If I had a choice, I wouldn't have come to you." She said, looking at Ivory, who was panting to reach her.

"You will serve the dishes and then you go. And remember, you never look anyone straight in the eyes. Your head must always be down. We don't want to scare them."

A breathless nod was all Ivory could manage to give. She was wrecked from the chores all day, suffering the pain of Drake's new punishment, and now this. If time passes quickly as some say, she prayed to flow like a wild river, and couldn't wait for the moment she finds herself back in her tent, curled in a corner with her thin and torn blanket.

They entered the kitchen and Margo went immediately to a drawer, opened it and took out a white apron. She tossed it to Ivory, but her shaky hands couldn't catch it so it landed on the floor.

"Useless..." Margo hissed under her breath. "Move, the guests are waiting." I will carry the trolley up to outside the great hall. This is all I will do and nothing more. You will take the plates out and then you go."

Ivory complied without a word as she followed Margo and the trolley with the food out of the kitchen and on their way to the great hall. Loud voices and giggles could be heard from the distance, getting louder the closer they approached.

Standing outside the heavy wooden doors of the great hall, Margo dusted Ivory's clothes, wiping her hands on them and fixing them. If her head wasn't at stake she wouldn't even bother, but as Ivory would be the one to be faced with honourable guests of his, everything should be perfect. Even Ivory.

The latter approached the tray and placed her hands on each side of the first food plate on the tray. The plate was heavy and with the food on it, it made her even more. Ivory tried to lift it with all the strength she got. Her arms were shaking. She had to put a lot of effort to stabilize herself; unfortunately, she was already out of energy.

Margo opened the doors and stepped aside to make room for Ivory. Keeping her head dropped to the floor she walked in carrying the plate in her hands. The chatter and laughter continued to fill the room giving a pleasuring feeling. However, she could feel eyes on her, and she knew of one particular pair that would definitely be.

Drake's...

Ivory pushed herself harder to keep going. She was a few steps away from the centre of the table – when the plates should be positioned – when someone pushed her. The plate with the food floated in the air for a few brief seconds before it landed on the great hall's spotless wooden floor.

Ivory fell forward, putting her hands before her face to protect herself. However, she ended up with scratched knees and hands from the wooden floor and a ruined dress.

Silence spread in the room, like a dark mist. A decease. Ivory didn't have to lift her head to check if everyone was looking at her. Because this is what happens now.

"I am terribly sorry for this!" Margo runs faster than the wind between the trees, entering the great hall. Bowing her head to Alpha Remus and his guests she worked with incredible speed, trying to clean up the mess. "It is such a pity that so much food got wasted. And it was my speciality!" Margo kept apologizing and blowing her own trumpet at the same time.

"I'm fine" Ivory whispered keeping her head down, but no one seemed to pay attention. Everyone's eyes were pinned on the food on the floor. Or so she thought.

She tried to help Margo clean up but with a swift move, she pushed her away. "Get out of my sight, you imbecile! Look what you've done." She hissed – not wanting the others to listen – and Ivory stepped back immediately.

In the meantime, Wayne was in the middle of an internal fight. On one hand, he wanted to go around and help the girl to her feet. It was a matter of seconds before something like that happened. The girl's hands were shaking uncontrollably, trying to carry that heavy plate. If he moved fast enough, he could have caught her before she hit the ground.

On the other hand, he knew a bit about the behavioural trends of the members of the Moon river pack, especially their quick temper. Alpha Mason had informed him thoroughly of that. Any wrong move could trigger a foment episode between the two packs and find themselves on opposite sides of the river. This, compared to what his plan was would blow everything away.

So, as much as everything was screaming to go and help the strange girl, he had to remain seated, acting like the others, not to raise any suspicions. The girl lost from his sight at the same speed she had appeared. Something tugged within, and he promised himself to look forward to that girl.

"Omegas...what to expect?" Alpha Remus shrugged. "I apologise for the inconvenience. But sometimes is good to make them feel useful, you know." Alpha Mason nodded slightly, in a gesture not to worry about the incident and the former took again his place on the table. "So, how's business?" Alpha Remus asked Wayne's father before biting a large amount of meat from his portion. "I've heard that you have a new client to show me."

"Indeed, we do." Alpha Mason puffed with pride. "They are humans. Of course, they know nothing about us or have never seen us. Communication is made always at night and we wear masks."

"Credibility?" Drake questioned turning to his father, that gave him a look of approval.

"We have run all the tests and double-checked them. They have the economic feasibility to deal with us." Wayne responds before his father.

"Very well then," Alpha Remus stated in agreement. "We will receive the commission tomorrow after midnight in the same place as usual. And we'll give you the merchandise to proceed."

The rest of the dinner was spent in an idle conversation between the two Alpha showing proudly to one another their achievements for the well-being of their packs. Though Wayne was on edge.

Treating the pack well meant treating all of them well. But it appears that this is not the case for the leader of the Moon river pack. It is true, the Omega is the last wheel of the pack, but that was not an excuse to treat them poorly.

"So, Wayne" Alpha Remus said taking a sip from his cup. "Have you found your mate?"

The room fell deadly silent. All the maids and other female guests held their breaths in anticipation of his response.