***Trigger warning***
This chapter contains descriptions of violence, abuse, and trauma that may be triggering for some readers. If you feel you might be triggered, please take care of yourself and skip this chapter. Seek help if needed.
From Alessia's POV
Ten years later
"Good morning, sunshine," Jackie's chipper voice woke me up. I grabbed my pillow and placed it over my head.
"Uhhhhh. Jackie, five more minutes," I groaned.
Jackie laughed as she said, "Come on, it's time to get up!"
I reluctantly got out of bed, feeling dizzy and grumpy. Jackie hugged me and said, "I'll make your coffee. That'll make you feel better!"
I wanted to sleep. I had been working double shifts and still had to return and do my chores in the packhouse. I had gotten a summer job at the restaurant my dad had worked at many years ago. The new owner had us working double shifts since he was now offering alcohol, and his last call was at four a.m.
I had gotten off work at two thirty in the morning and rushed back to the packhouse to clean up the kitchen, sweep, and mop. By the time I was done, it was five a.m.
As soon as I walked into the restroom, I washed my face. Putting both hands under the running water, I lowered my face and splashed the cold water on myself. Wow, what a wake-up call. I was no longer in need of coffee at this point. Having washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put my hair in a ponytail, I headed to the kitchen.
Shortly after being released from the hospital, I began living at Crestview Pack. Alpha Markus and Luna Helen took me in after my parents died in the car accident. My stomach churned at the memory. I was only seven years old and had no one to care for me. In the days immediately following my arrival, Luna Helen had me placed in a temporary home for girls. It was there that I met Jackie.
There was a similar dynamic in our childhood. There was only one difference: her father killed her mother, and he was exiled from the pack as a result. She was only five when that happened, so she knew what being an orphan was like. Our friendship grew as a result of that. In addition to liking the same things, we were both seventeen years old.
We both worked at the same place and as luck would have it, we both had the same time to start our shifts. However, Jackie could only work part-time since she took college classes. On the other hand, I didn't mind the extra shifts; it allowed me to save money. Money which I wanted to use to get the hell out of here. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to Luna Helen and Alpha Markus for giving me a home, but I wanted to escape from here.
Omegas didn't get to do anything or have a life, and I wanted to travel as much as possible. I wanted to see places I only saw in magazines. However, most of all, I desired to find a place where I belonged, a place I could call home, away from serving others.
I assumed places like these only existed in our dreams, next to love. Now I knew for sure that LOVE didn't exist, and if it did, then the Moon Goddess didn't want me to have it. Everything I ever loved was taken from me on the day of the accident.
Trying to shake off the memories, I wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone who hated me the most.
"Watch where the fuck you're going," he growled.
"I-I'm sorry, Jared," I said, lowering my gaze in submission.
"You're so fucking stupid," he said as he stormed off.
Jared Falcone, the soon-to-be Beta of the Crestview Pack. As long as I can remember, Jared had always hated me, although I never understood why. I never did anything to him, and it wasn't like I could tell anyone. Since he was the future Beta, he got away with everything.
I shrugged and continued into the kitchen, where Jackie had already poured us a cup of coffee.
"What took you so long?" she said, popping her head out of the refrigerator.
"Jared," I said, shaking my head.
"What's up with you too? It's no secret that he's a douche, but he's worse when it comes to you. Why, though?" She asked
I giggled.
"You're asking me? He's hated me since I arrived here," I said, and we laughed.
"Good morning, girls," Luna Helen said as she entered the kitchen.
"Good Morning, Luna," Jackie and I replied.
We watched as Luna Helen hurriedly poured herself a cup of coffee, took a sip, and turned to Jackie and me.
"Girls, I need you to start helping prepare for the Alpha Ceremony. We have over five thousand guests who have already RSVPed, and we must ensure they are all accounted for. Call the caterer and the planner, and you both will work that night," she said as she walked out.
Jackie and I turned to each other and giggled.
"Well, there goes our summer vacation," Jackie joked.
"Like we get a vacation," I said as I rinsed and dried our cups, then added, "We need to leave before Miguel fires us." I walked to my room to grab my jacket and my bag. Upon entering my bedroom room, I was pushed against the wall. The door slammed shut. I could not see who it was because my face had been smashed into the wall, and the light had been turned off.
"You know, if you weren't an Omega, I might find you somewhat attractive, but the fact that you're a nobody disgusts me," Jared said as he pressed against my back.
His hands slowly made their way under my shirt, his lips barely a few inches from my neck. I could feel his breath on my skin, sending chills down my spine.
"Your innocence is so addictive. I could fuck you right now, and no one would know," he whispered. Then, in a single movement, he turned me around to face him. His green eyes were filled with lust and hatred. I couldn't move. I was frozen in fear as his hand approached my neck. A growl left him as he squeezed,
"J-Jared, please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He slammed his hand against the wall.
"You will know your place and address me as your Beta, do you understand?" He growled as he grabbed my face and squeezed it.
"You know I like you like this, scared and submissive," he laughed as he finally let go of my face. He stepped away from me and smirked; just as he was about to walk out, he turned and slapped me across the face, grabbed my neck again, and shoved me against the wall.
"If you tell anyone about this, I will make your life even more miserable than it already is," he said, shoving me one last time and then walking out, leaving me in my room, cowering in tears.
From Alessia's POV My body trembled in fear as I sat there. I had no idea what I had done to cause Jared to treat me that way. I could not think of anything that would have made him hate me so much in the last ten years. No matter how often I thought about it, I could not figure it out. As I sat there in tears, I heard Jackie call my name. "Alessia, come on, let's go. We are going to be late," she exclaimed as she opened my bedroom door. The moment her eyes landed on me, she rushed to my side. "Alessia, what happened?" She asked with concern written on her face. I stayed silent, remembering Jared's last words. I shook my head and forced myself up off the floor, grabbing my backpack. "Alessia," Jackie's voice was soft. "Tell me we're best friends," she said. "I can't," I told her as I walked out of the room and down the hall. I heard Jackie's footsteps as she ran up behind me. "Hey," she said as she grabbed my arm and turned me to face her, "You know you can tell me anything, and
TRIGGER WARNINGThe following chapter may include stalking, physical violence, mental abuse, harassment, and sexual assault. This content may be challenging to engage with.From Alessia's POVTwo days later"Happy Birthday, Bestie," Jackie's excited voice woke me from my sleep.I had barely gotten to bed just two hours prior, as Luna Helen had me assemble the centerpieces for the Alpha Ceremony. It was a tedious job, and it took forever, a total of 500 centerpieces, for an Alpha ceremony. It was redundant, but as it turned out, Vince would also be announcing his Beta and Luna."Come on, wake up and blow out your candle," she said as she held a cupcake before me. I smiled at her kind gesture. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and blew out the candle."Happy Birthday!" I heard a soft whisper.I giggled, "You already said that," I told her as I opened my eyes."Say what?" Jackie asked. I looked at her confusedly but didn't say anything; instead, I stood up from my bed and walked to
From Daunte’s POV "Aye, D, is your ass up? Let's get started." Dominic, my overly responsible Beta, decided we would do training early in the morning. If he weren't so damn proficient at his job, I would have fired him already, but I was already awake. It took me all night to ensure my business finances were in order. While inheriting my father's Alpha Status and Real Estate business wasn't everything I had wanted, being the COO of the largest weapons manufacturing firm had its perks. I was proud of the work I had done, and I was excited about the company's future. I knew I had a lot of hard work ahead of me. After accepting the partnership with Hector, I could also provide self-fulfilling jobs for all of the pack's wolves, regardless of rank. After visiting many packs in the past and seeing the poor treatment of lower-ranking wolves, I made sure that wouldn't happen here. I had faith that I could make Benatti Industries much more successful than it already was. "Let's go, D, come
***Trigger Warning*** This chapter contains sensitive material that may be triggering to some readers. If you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, please take a break and take care of yourself. It is okay to skip this section if it is too difficult to read. From Alessia's POV My head was pounding, and my entire body felt like I had been hit by a truck. I slowly opened my eyes, and the bright light in the room made my headache worse. I could feel my heart racing as I tried to remember what had happened. Suddenly, it all came back to me. As I looked around, I noticed I was in the hospital. I hadn't been in a hospital since the car accident. After a few moments, I heard voices outside the door, "So what are you saying that she can't talk? Did her mouth get raped? Is her jaw broken that she can't recite a few words?" I heard Luna Helen say. "No, Luna, that's not what I am saying," I heard the Doctor tell Luna Helen. "Well, since she can talk, the moment she wakes up, let me know she m
*Trigger Warning***In this chapter, some thoughts may implicate thoughts of suicide. If you feel vulnerable, please take a break and leave this chapter.From Alessia's POVDeep down, I thought perhaps I should be grateful that Alpha Markus had walked in. I thought he was here to help me instead. It was the opposite. Alpha Markus didn't care about what Jared did to me, and I was foolish to think that he would. He never cared about anything that didn't benefit him or Crestview. I was naive to think that perhaps, after all these years, he would have cared for me. The only people who ever cared for me were my parents, who were no longer here, and if they were, I wondered where we would be. How would our vacation have turned out?All these thoughts ran through my head as Jared and Alpha Markus argued in the room."I don't give a fuck about what happened. All I care about is that you are practically killing her here." I heard Alpha Markus tell Jared."Alpha, I just wanted to be sure she wo
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From Daunte's POVI tossed and turned throughout the night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face. There was something about her, something that captivated me. I knew I had to see her again. I had to know her name and find out who she was. And then there was Alessia. That name drew me in as well. There was something about the name that drew me to want to know more about the person behind it."This is fucken bullshit," I growled as I sat in bed.The lack of sleep wrecked me and Romo. When tired, he was a handful. Shaking my head, I slid off the bed and made my way to the window. I stared off into the night sky. The Wolf's Moon was upon us, something that was sacred to us wolves. Every single pack celebrated in their own way.The Wolf's Moon was the first full moon that rose. Packs are able to reflect deeply on themselves at this time. It is during the Wolf Moon that an unseen connection exists between Alphas and their packs. Although Alphas are already connected to their pack mem