Chapter 5~ The hunt

Gianna. 

A full week had passed since Alpha Mason moved here with his entire team. His beta, gamma and some warriors. They had practically taken over the pack and everyone was either blind or too stupid to notice. 

Not that it was any of my business. This pack never cared about me so why should I care about what happens to them? To each his own. 

Dad had to leave and went to live in his mansion outside the pack but nothing changed for me. I was still the scullery maid. 

I scoured the dirtiest pots, cleaned the whole packhouse alone until it was dust free. My hands had become rough from all the menial work I did around here. 

To make matters worse, I had to endure the torture of listening and feeling my so-called mate fuck Sophia. Only for him to sneak into my room when she falls asleep and force himself on me. 

I felt like shit. Like trash that they leave at a dumpsite to rot. I felt cheap and dirty. Why was this happening to me? Was this the plan the goddess had for me? Why did she give me a mate like Alpha Mason?

I can’t help but wonder if I’m meant to suffer. Perhaps that’s why the moon goddess made me an Omega. 

A sharp object hits the back of my head followed by a string of curses. Pain jars through my skull and I feel a trickle of blood glide down my neck. 

“Hurry up, bitch! I’m starving!” Sophia yells as if I’m her personal maid. Well, I might as well be since they treat me like a slave. I do everything for her, including hand-washing her underwear. 

“Coming!” I answer back, plating the bacon, eggs and veggies I had just cooked on one tray. I rush to the dining area and find everyone seated around the long table. Sophia who was just from throwing a knife at me sits next to Alpha Mason and the jealousy that flares through me can start a forest fire. 

I place the tray on the center of the table and begin to fill everyone’s glasses with juice or milk according to their preference. There’s no space for me to sit which means no breakfast for me. I’m glad I managed to eat a little while cooking. Now I have to stand in the corner and watch them eat until they're done. 

My wolf whines, wanting to be close to our mate. It’s starting to become horrible now with him being with another she-wolf and not rejecting me. I could feel my wolf’s pain and it was killing me inside. 

I raise my head to look at him and find him staring but he averts his gaze quickly and looks at Sophia. My heart squeezes painfully and I look at my feet as my vision turns blurry. I can’t go on like this. Being a rogue would be better than this. I have to leave. But where do I go?

“Alpha, we’ve received word that Alpha Rex will be participating in the hunt today.” Alpha Mason’s Beta, David announces and the table falls quiet save for the wildly beating hearts. 

I don’t blame them. Who in this world doesn’t shiver at the mention of Alpha Rex? The ruthless future Alpha King. The cold-blooded killer. He fucks women and kills them when they carry his pups. He’s never one to commit. I heard he killed his mate and hang her head at the gates of his pack for all to see. His reputation precedes him. 

Talking about him is enough to send a shiver down one’s spine. This terrifying man will be our future King and he’s participating in this year's hunt. Of course everyone would be frightened. 

“Why does he suddenly want to attend the hunt now that it’s being hosted by us?” Alpha Mason asks. 

“I have no idea. Perhaps he’s starting to make preparations to be the Alpha King. The Alpha of Alphas is supposed to lead the hunt even though several packs take turns to host it.” 

“Then we have to be prepared. Find a few girls that we can offer to him to placate him just in case he’s in a bad mood. I heard he’s a sex addict. Perhaps if he’s satisfied he won’t cause trouble for us during the hunt.” 

My eyebrows meet when Alpha Mason says this. How can he think it’s ok to offer innocent girls to a dangerous sex addict? What is he doing as an Alpha to protect the pack? I want to say something but my words are stuck in my throat. I’m just an Omega, my words carry no weight around here. No one would listen to me and I might get punished for defying the Alpha.

The hunt is a werewolf tradition where several packs gather in the neutral territory and hunt wild animals. The one who hunts a bigger prey emerges as the winner. I’ve never participated in the hunt because my wolf can’t handle the pressure of several Alphas in one place. That and I would be ridiculed for being the weakest and having a small wolf. I’m better off sitting it out. But it seems my sister has another plan for me. 

“Baby, don’t worry too much. I’m sure he wants to get to know you. You can also use this opportunity to get close to him. A connection with the royals will do us good and other packs will look at us differently. We can go with Gianna. She can keep the Alpha happy with her seductive body. You know Omegas smell like they are begging you to strip and fuck them.” Sophia chips in and Alpha Mason hums after mulling over it for a few seconds. 

“Hmmm, You’re right. I don’t need to panic for nothing. This is a great opportunity and I should grasp it. Thank you, love. This is why I love you. Having an Alpha female helps with running the pack.”

His words sting and I feel a large lump form in my throat. I hate feeling this way. He’s degraded me. Sidelined me. Made me his side piece without my permission and now he shows his Luna affection in front of me and he says nothing when she suggests offering me to the cruel Alpha... Something painful tugs at my heart and tears blur my eyes. Do I really deserve this? Because I’m an Omega?  

Breakfast is over and I clean up the table. I’m washing the dishes when someone slips their hands under my arms, wrapping them around my waist. My wolf stirs as sparks course through me and I hate myself for feeling excited. I blame the mate bond. 

“W-what do you want?” I ask gingerly as dread washes over me. 

I feel him bury his nose in the crook of my neck and he sniffs, causing a shiver to run down my spine. 

“Do you know how hard it was for me not to grab you and hold you in my arms out there? Your scent drives me crazy.” 

My core clenches when he peppers kisses along my neck and I feel disgusted with myself. How long do I have to live like this?

“P-please… let me go. I don’t want trouble with your Luna.”

He stops kissing me and turns me around, looking into my eyes. “Is that why you’re upset? I told you there’s nothing between us. It’s just business and both of us are benefitting. Once I put everything in order I will announce to the world that you’re my mate.” 

I’ve heard those words before. But with every new day, I don’t see that happening. I can’t live this way. What’s the difference with those women who break people’s homes? Yes, I’m being forced but should I just sit here and do nothing because I’m helpless and have nowhere to go?

Alpha Mason knows this… that's why he’s taking advantage of me and doing as he pleases with me and my body. I want to leave but… where do I go? Being a rogue is hard… I’ll have to scavenge for food. No one employs rogues either. I don’t know if I can make it on my own. I’m afraid to leave because of what I might find out there. At least here, I have a place to sleep but out there? I would be homeless. I’ve heard stories of how she-wolves are violated or sold as sex slaves when they leave their packs. 

“Baby, where are you? We need to leave.” 

Sophia’s voice reaches us and Alpha Mason lets go of me like I burned him. I smile bitterly to myself. Yes. I need to leave. It doesn’t matter what I find out there… I’ll find a way to survive somehow. 

Perhaps as they prepare to leave, it can be my chance to run away. I hasten with washing the dishes before rushing upstairs to the attic. 

I didn’t have a lot of clothes but at least I would have something to wear whilst out there in the cold. Packing them in a plastic bag, I dash out of the room, thankful that I don’t see anyone on my way. They are busy trying to get ready for today’s hunt. Thank goddess. By the time they realise, I will be long gone from this shithole. 

My stomach twists as I use the backdoor to leave the packhouse. I peer around and breathe out in relief when I see no one. This is too easy. How come there’s not a single soul around?

That’s none of my concern anyway. As soon as my feet touch the soil, I run into the woods as fast as my legs can carry me. 

I just have to go past the border, renounce the pack and leave. 

I’m not physically fit so the running takes some time. My feet are heavy, there’s intense burning in my chest and beads of sweat are coating my face while my breathing sounds labored. My throat feels like it’s been dipped in lava. But knowing freedom was just a few miles away, I push myself harder, not wanting to lose this chance to escape. 

After running nonstop like someone was chasing me, I finally reach the border and leave the territory. 

I let out a long breath and wipe the sweat on my forehead with the back of my palm. Finally, I’m free. I can now live for myself. 

A smile crosses my lips and I open my mouth to renounce the pack when a thunderous growl echoes around me. 

My stomach drops to my feet as a powerful aura swirls around me. I’m so dead. 

I whip my head around and find Alpha Mason, my sister Sophia and the others looking at me with mocking gazes on their faces. 

My heart sinks and fear creeps into my soul. They knew. I thought they were busy preparing for the hunt but they set up a trap for me. I can't help but feel like one of the prey they are going to capture in the forest. 

I meet Alpha Mason’s eyes and his are blazing with anger. He walks towards me and before I can understand what’s going on, he backhands me hard across the face, making me fall to the ground. 

Pain shoots through me and I let out a low groan. 

“How dare you!” He snarls before twisting a hand in my hair and yanking it hard. I bite back a yelp but he pulls harder and it feels like he's about to pull out my hair from its roots.

“What made you think you can run away, huh? You’re my property.” 

“Let me go. I don’t want anything from you. Just forget that I exist, please.” I plead but he pulls me by my hair towards the waiting car across the road. 

Blood reaches my nose as he drags me along the stony ground. My skin gets scraped and pain flares through me. 

He throws me into the boot of the car and looks down at me with disgust. 

“I’m going to teach you a lesson for trying to run away.” He promises and my heart trembles with fear. 

This is it. He’s going to kill me. 

An hour or two later, I’m pulled out of the boot unceremoniously and thrown roughly to the ground. I hiss when pain ripples through me but before I can raise my head, a bucket of blood is poured over my head and my stomach churns. 

It’s animal blood! What are they up to?

“Good. Now give her the wolfsbane so that she can’t shift. We need the Alphas to mistake her for a lion.” Sophia’s sinister voice comes and I shiver just as some of the blood seeps into my mouth. 

I’m failing to open my eyes because the red liquid has stained my whole face. 

“Gia… you wanted to run, didn’t you? You’re free to go.” Alpha Mason says but I don’t move. 

When wolves are on a hunt, they lose their other senses and just focus on the task at hand. By the time they realise I’m not a lion, I would have been ripped to shreds already. Someone grabs my jaw and squeezes. 

I’m forced to open my mouth and a scorching liquid is forced down my throat and I feel my wolf weaken as my insides sizzle from the wolfsbane in my system. 

These people are really ruthless. 

“I’ll rip out your heart if you stay here. You choose.” He threatens and knowing he’s serious, I force myself up and open my eyes. They sting when the crimson liquid seeps into them but I force them open anyway.  

I don’t wait for my vision to become clear and run into the woods. 

I just need to survive today.