01

Kiara ~

{MoonFlame High}

“K, Tell me you didn’t spend all night working?” 

I hear a familiar voice say from behind me. I turn around to meet the scanning brown eyes of my bestfriend, Alessia while she carries a stack of books on her arm. She's wearing one of her cute pink blouses over a black skirt.

“Hey,”

I smile softly, watching her open her locker and put a few books in it. 

“Don’t ‘hey’ me. You look terrible; Did you even get any sleep?” She gestures with her fingers at the bags that hang under my eyes. I would've preferred it if she complained about my blue gown outfit instead.

“I’m fine, okay? You know how things are for Omegas who serve the Alpha,” I reply, pushing her hand down. 

Alessia shuts her locker and we walk down the hall together.

“I’m just saying K.” She tucks a few golden braids behind her ear. “Considering the fact you and Kaleb are kinda a thing, isn’t it about time the Alpha cut you back on a few chores.”

“Well…”

“Let me guess, Kaleb hasn’t come clean to the Alpha about you two?” She asks with a raised brow. 

I shyly stare at the ground to avoid answering.

“You two have known each other since you were five. I know you’re an Omega and all, but if Kaleb loves you, it shouldn’t be so hard to…” The bell rings loud and hard, cutting her off.

“Don’t worry about me, Alessia. I trust Kaleb. He’s already promised to introduce me to the pack as his Chosen Mate at the Coronation Ceremony,” I explain with a smile as we walk into our classroom.

“For your sake, I hope Kaleb doesn’t let you down. It’s bad enough you’re an Omega. No guy wants to be with an Alpha-reject.”

“That’s enough!” I warn with puckered brows.

I love Alessia, but sometimes she doesn’t know when to hold back her thoughts. I mean, I know the chances of being Luna are slim, but I believe Kaleb will keep his word. I look around, but when I don’t see Kaleb anywhere, I heave a sigh and take my seat. 

Within a few minutes, Mr. Alaric, the History professor shows up and class starts. Thanks to Alessia, I can’t help but worry about the Coronation Ceremony. In two days, Kaleb will take over from his father as Alpha of the pack. It’s tradition that until Kaleb finds his mate, he’s to ascend the throne with a chosen mate. When is he going to introduce me to the Alpha?

“In a few days' time, this pack, The MoonFlame pack will be a thousand years old. The Alpha has instructed me to base my lecture on the pack’s history. Now who can tell the class what he or she knows of the pack’s origins,” Mr. Alaric says with his arms crossed, his eyes searching the room of students. “How about you, Damon?” He points at a tall, brawny guy sitting a few desks behind me.

Damon stands, resting his fists on his desk.

“Really? None of us know any-bloody-thing about the pack’s history. For some reason, Alpha Ezekiel decreed no one speak of it a few decades ago,” Damon says rudely, before sitting back. 

“Don’t worry, I have the Alpha’s permission so we can speak as freely as we want to. It’s unfortunate he had to make that decree but it’s never too late to know your origins. I guess a lot of you have wondered how the great MoonFlame pack came to be one of the strongest packs in America.”

Damon’s right, but working at the Alpha’s Compound comes with special privileges including access to some very interesting history books at the Alpha’s Library. At least a few are written in English. With a smile, I raise my hand.

“Yes, Kiara?”

“I read in a book at the library that this wasn’t always MoonFlame’s territory. Sometime between 1019 and 1026, a MoonFlame Alpha migrated the pack to America to protect everyone from a dangerous enemy. Ever since the pack has expanded and dominated this territory for her own,” I explain, looking out the window.

“That’s very good Kiara. A round of applause for her class.” Mr. Alaric praises and a loud clap resounds in the room. He folds his arms with a stern look behind me. “A round of applause for her, Damon!”

With a smirk, Damon makes a sarcastic clap with his hands while staring daggers at me. I quickly turn away.

“It’s nice to know some of you still read the dusty, old history books at the library,” Mr. Alaric says while gesturing for me to take my seat. “After a war destroyed the original MoonFlame territory a millennia ago, the Alpha at that time was forced to put the survivors on a ship in search of a safe, fertile land to call home. It took a few months at sea, but under the guidance of the all-powerful Moon Goddess, the Alpha was led to the land we now live in.”

Mr. Alaric spent the next half hour of his time telling us about the early settlers of the pack, and how they had to adapt to the changes in their environment and did all kinds of things to survive being the only pack in the area. All the while, my mind remained on Kaleb and his promise to me. I already knew most of what Mr. Alaric said.

‘Brrriinngg!! Brriiinggg!!! Brrinnngggg!!”

The bell rang signifying the end of school, and as soon as Mr. Alaric stepped out of the class, I got up to leave as well only to be pushed back into my seat from behind.

“Well, if it isn’t the Smartass Omega,” Demon called out from behind me, pinning me to my chair by my shoulders. “Where are you off to? I just want to ask you a few questions.” There was nothing friendly about his smirk. “Since you know so much about the pack, why are you still a shit-eating Omega? huh?”

“Let me go, Damon. I don’t have time for this,” I say as confidently as I can. 

“Time? You should’ve thought about that before humiliating me in front of the entire class!” He made his grip on my shoulders firmer.

“Please stop. You’re hurting me,”

Normally, I won’t be so calm but seeing as Damon is the Beta’s nephew and I’m a lowly Omega, I need to mind how I talk to him. Everyone else just picks up their stuff and walks out of the class. Alessia hasn’t returned from the restroom yet so after a few minutes, it was just Damon and I in the room. I look to the door to see it blocked by his annoying friends.

“It’s a few months till graduation, Omega. We both know you’re too poor to afford college so if you don’t want to spend the rest of your pathetic life being my punching bag, I suggest you make sure what happened today never repeats itself. Do you understand?”

I nod.

Damon unsatisfied with my nod, presses my shoulder even harder forcing me to shout in pain.

“Yes, I understand!”

“Good, but just so you don’t forget,” Damon comes in front of me, grips me by the throat with one hand, and fists the other. Instinctively I close my eyes, bracing myself for the surge of pain that would follow.

Just then, I hear the thunderous impact of something smashing against the walls and open my eyes to see Damon’s friends who were guarding the door lying unconscious on the ground. I didn’t need to look at the door to know who it was.

“Let go of her, Damon,” Kaleb’s calm voice filled my ears and instantly, relief washes over me. He stands at the door with his claws out. “I won’t repeat myself.”  

Reluctantly, Damon lets go of me and I get to Kaleb’s side as fast as I can.

“Come on Kaleb. Need I remind you that she’s nothing but a wolfless trash of an Omega? She might be cute, but we both know the Alpha would rather die than let her become your Luna,” Damon’s eyes left Kaleb’s and turned to mine. “Enjoy this while it lasts.”

Damon walks past us, but with Kaleb by my side, I stood firm. Just when I thought it was over, Kaleb grips Damon by his collar from behind.

“If you ever lay your hands on Kiara again, I’ll cut them off and feed them to you!”