Chapter 1 - Forgotten

Selene

Tingles spread up my spine at his loving, gentle touch, consuming me with a raw, unadulterated need.

I want him. No. Need him. He is like the oxygen that I need to survive. The very air that gives life to my lungs.

Within me, my true primal nature shudders in agreement. Yes, only he can give me what I want. Only he can fill me with love, joy, and still make me shake with desire. It is only him.

My one true love.

As our bodies move in tandem with the rhythm of our hearts underneath the silver light of the blessed moon, I revel in this true beauty. His whole being is like an answer to my silent thoughts, and my most sacred prayers.

His breath brushes against my lips, right before his connect to mine, fanning the flames of my desire.

He pulls away again. Gazes at me with so much love and the heat of his own equally staggering hunger. Three words come out of his mouth in a breathy whisper and they echo in my head over and over again.

"I love you."

It is a fervent promise. One that I know he will keep forever. I know this because I have seen his heart, and I can feel it and hear it beat behind his ribs. It is the same one that we share. The one that binds us together as eternal soulmates in this world and beyond.

This time, it is I who leans forwards and takes his own lips. Eager to remain joined to him with every inch of my exposed skin.

His movements slow down in an agonising manner, almost making me groan with disdain, but he follows up with quick, timed movements that make stars explode from behind my eyes.

This is the place I will always run back to, knowing fully well that he will always comfort me with his unending love.

In response to his declaration, I offer mine as well. "I love you too . . ."

—————

My eyes fly open just as I am inches away from falling hard against a sharp rock. Pain bleeds from the back of my neck down to the space between my shoulder blades. A whimper falls from my lips.

"What have I told you about sleeping on duty, eh? You spend all day here, doing absolutely nothing, and I have to clean up after you!" Comes the screeching, bat-like echo of my mistress' voice.

I do not even need to turn around to know that she is looking down at me, red faced, with cheeks swelling up like that of a toad.

The dishes before me are halfway unwashed, with thirty seven already rinsed and put aside, and the other thirty six still covered in foam. My hands are still wet, and now have the crumpled, uneven look that occurs when they have been dipped in too much water.

"Apologies. I will finish up soon, Mistress" I say, blinking out the last of the grogginess from my eyes.

"Do not give me that insolent response, you scruffy omega breeder." She stomps my back. "I will be back here in ten minutes, and if you are not done with these plates, I will make you understand that there are far worse punishments than getting no food to eat."

With a saucy huff, she trudges away with her usual uneven steps.

Sometimes, I think that her deformity has a lot to do with her deformed attitude.

From what I hear in the dimly lit shacks that all we breeders live in, she had been attacked by a rampaging rogue years ago, and nearly lost her foot. The foot was salvaged, luckily, but it meant that she had to walk with the aid of a stick to balance the twisted foot.

Others claim that the story was just an elaborate lie made to cover up what really happened—that she had fallen from a tree where she had been spying on a man with whom she had been infatuated with. The fall likely messed up her ankle, and gave her the unusual gait she now possessed.

Both had sufficient substance that could be believed, but they still did not fit quite right.

I clean up the rest of the plates with the warm water flowing from the stream, and took them back to the kitchens, where some of the other breeder girls are stationed, putting together a meal.

The strong scent of cooked meat and spices hang in the air, causing my stomach to rumble. It pains me that all we will get out of the elaborate meal are simply scraps that will do little to sate our often hungry bellies.

It does not matter to me much though, because soon, I will leave this wretched place with Darius, and start a new life with him.

As I put the plates back in their cupboard, Sheila, one of the breeders, and possibly the only one I can consider a friend in here, shifts to my side and nudges it gently.

"Heard the mistress screeching all the way from the stream. What happened?" she asked, assisting me in arranging the plates.

"She caught me sleeping," I say. "I had no knowledge of even sleeping off in the first place." I shake my head to chase away the wisps of the sensual dream that had consumed me earlier.

It is not the first time that I would have such a dream, but these days, they are even more intense and vivid. This particular dream was one of the ones I had little problems with, because it felt so real, like I had actually experienced it. Others are sharp nightmares that often cause me to wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat.

Sheila hisses. "If you were sleeping, does this mean you were unable to sleep at night?"

She knows about my dreams and nightmares, so much so to the extent that I have stopped talking to her about it because I just feel that they lead to a dead end.

"Yes."

She puts away the last plate and gently pats me on the shoulder. "Sorry about that. I should have helped you out with the plates."

"It's fine. Thank you."

She goes to the other side of the kitchen, and continues working on the food with the others. It'll be ready soon, and we will once again watch with grumbling bellies as the Alphas and Betas of the pack feast while also taunting us. Telling us that we should be glad that we have a pack to stay with instead of being left out to be ravaged by rogues or taken captive by wicked packs.

At least, as omega breeders, we have a roof over our heads and food to eat, until we are shipped away to the wolves that will be our new owners. That's what we are. Disposable. Useful for a little time to pump out babies or to satisfy the urges of those rich enough to buy us.

But I will soon leave this life behind.

Darius will be here soon, and just like we planned, we will elope, mark each other, and live happily ever after away from the cruelty of this world.