•~Chapter 1~•

ZANNICUS' POV:

I groaned, waking up to the shrill sound of my alarm.

'Sweet fiddlesticks, I hate mornings.'

I flapped my arm around looking for the dang thing and shut it up by throwing it into the drawer of my bedside table but not before catching a glimpse of the time. Groggily, I sat up, my hair no doubt be looking like a bird's nest.

"5:40? Again?" I set my alarm for five twenty but why is it that I always wake up twenty minutes after?

'Ugh, whatever.'

Stretching one last time, I drag myself out of bed and trudged to my cramped bathroom, pausing to glance at my cracked mirror and assess my current state: a black and a busted lip that has yet to heal from last night's events. They still hurt.

Slowly taking my shirt off, the bruises on my back, stomach and sides no longer hurt and were just beginning to fade into purple-ish blobs.

"All this because I was late in serving the pack's dinner last night." I rolled my eyes and divested myself the rest of my clothes and did my morning routine. Afterwards, I walked back into my room and changed into my usual white shirt and sweatpants.

Not like there's anything else, it is the majority of what I have in my closet.

I opted to let my hair air dry and took one last look at the mirror before nodding approvingly, "I look good enough."

I'm not lying. Unlike Jun and my other fellow omegas, I actually have a well-toned physique; my pale skin, which I hate with a passion because it just makes everything visible, muscles which I hide under my oversized shirts and I'm not small either.

I'm over five eleven and that's tall enough. Whenever I have time, I would do my exercises here in my room since the pack won't let me use the gym. Besides, they'd rather use me as their punching bag than those we already have at the gym. 

I huffed, glancing at the clock to find that only four minutes remained before six, "Oh shoot!!"

I dashed upstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast. The entire pack wakes up at six thirty, well, some of them. I quickly pulled out everything I need, making sure to include the usual; eggs, bacon, toasts, waffles, a few berries and the whole breakfast thingamajiggy. 

I checked the time some time later and pulled out the plates.

6:23! I have to hurry lest I want a repeat of last night, this time for serving breakfast late.

Our pack consists of 694 members. Yes, I know it's a big number. Most of the pack members like the top warriors, their children, the Beta, Luna, Alpha and their son resides here in the pack house. The rest are outside in their own homes.

Just as I finished distributing equal portions of food on the plates, I glanced up upon hearing footsteps to find Beta Seth walking in with one eye closed. I bowed, greeting him as he is one of the people I truly respect, "Good morning Beta. Would you like some coffee?"

"Oh, good morning Zannicus, and yes please."

I served his coffee and placed it beside him earning me one of his smiles as thanks. I like him. He's always been kind to me. He and Luna are the only ones- aside from my best friends -who treats me nice and who calls me by my name.

Seth tried to defend me most of the time but stops whenever Alpha Ronan- his best friend and one of my tormentors -gives him this look I'm unable to decipher. How he became best friends with someone as kind and thoughtful as Seth boggles my mind.

I returned his smile before returning to the kitchen to clean up. I was scrubbing the pan when I heard another set of footsteps. Or should I say heels?

But I don't need to look to know who it is because just by the nauseating, strong cologne of hers, you'd probably smell it from a mile away.

'Jeez, you'd think she was bathing in it.'

"Hey omega! Where are my eggs?"

'In you.' Axar snickered at that.

I rolled my eyes, "Coming Stacy."

I poured her coffee, served her eggs and placed it in front of her. I blinked rapidly at her choice of clothes.

'Good gracious!' It's too early in the morning and what she wears is fitting for a strip club. 'Don't tell me she's gonna wear that during their run?'

She's wearing a red crop top with a plunging neckline paired with a very short skirt that barely covers her ass and red six-inch heels.

'But I won't lie, she is beautiful.'

She has dyed red hair that reaches down to her lower back, diamond-shaped face, double eyelids and green eyes. But she's a slut. The queen of them all. I'm not slut-shaming, it's just she's so slutty enough that she dare sleep with someone already mated. You can imagine the drama and anger of that man's girlfriend as soon as she smelt Stacy's scent but this red bitch just said that it wasn't her fault Alice's man found Stacy more prettier than his own mate.

Stacy almost died that day. As for that couple, Alice dumped her so-called 'mate', crippling the man in process. Six months later, Alice met George who is an absolute gentleman. George lost his mate from a rogue attack two years ago and with Alpha's permission, Alice left and joined her current lover's pack leaving her 'mate' in absolute misery.

I heard the man has yet to leave his house. It's been more than a year now.

Stacy's recent boytoy is none other than the son of Alpha Ryder and Luna Eve. She has no shame at all! She has slept with almost half of the pack and stated that she doesn't even care about her mate.

'Unfaithful she-devil. Though this is the longest she's been with someone.'

When I chanced a glance at Seth, he was making faces at Stacy's back. I was doing my best to hold in my laughter, "Hey! You weren't listening! I told you to call me Luna Stacy. Show some respect dog."

Axar's eye twitched at the insult.

'She must've fallen on her head when she was baby.'

I quirked a brow, shoving my hands in my pockets, "And why would I do that? Are you high or something? Maybe stupidity?"

Her eyes narrowed into slits, "You little -"

"Watch the way you speak to her omega!"

Startled, I looked up and saw Ronan. I sighed quietly, he still looks good even if he just woke up. In case I haven't mentioned it yet, he's my mate.

Yes. I'm mated to my own bully. Fantastic! Not.

How did I know when I'm only 17? The only time you'll know who your destined mate is when you turn 18. Well, that's not how it turned out for me for I shifted earlier; nine years old to be exact, and normal werewolves shift at 13.

I knew Ronan was my mate when I turned 14. But I'm not one of those people who looks at him with googoo eyes and chasing after him like a lovesick puppy since the bastard is blessed with annoyingly good looks. No. The second his scent hit me, I hated it!

I snapped out of my thoughts when the she-devil decides to address us commoners with a voice that resembles the sound of chalk grating on a blackboard and could no doubt shatter an eardrum.

"Hi sweetie! Glad you're here. Can you teach this filthy dog a lesson~?" I felt my lips curl in disdain as she bats her non-existent eyelashes and saw Seth gagging quietly behind her, "He hasn't show respect to me since I arrived and my head hurts." 

I grimaced at her pout before her insult registered in my head. I glared at her, pleased when she flinched back, "This delusional little bi-"

I was cut off by something echoing in the room and my head thrown to the side, a burning sensation left on my cheek. He slapped me. Axar was growling and I licked my lips as I'm pretty sure it was bleeding but I didn't feel any pain.

Stacy was smirking, pouting mockingly before I turned to Ronan, "You listen to me. Not only you disrespected her, you had the audacity to glare at her. How dare you? A mere omega looking at his future Luna like that?"

'He said it too. So, that means Stacy will be Luna?'

By this time, the rest of the residents of the house had arrived and was watching the show. Some were smirking while the rest held neutral expressions.

'Oh how I wish to claw those smirks off their faces.'

Instead of submitting, I stared back at defiantly and didn't fail to notice the flinches and gasps when I did that. Even Ronan was surprised but quickly regained his composure as we continued our stare down. Of course this wasn't the first time, I've been doing this since we were 13.

I can tell I was winning from the way he kept blinking and gulping but he was pulled out of it first upon hearing his father's booming voice that forced everyone to sit up and bow. Except me. I kept my gaze on Ronan, smirking when he backed away.

"Zannicus!! How dare you stare back at your future Alpha! Submit!"

I rolled my eyes, which was a mistake on my part, eliciting gasps from everyone as I sneered in vicious contempt, "Never. He's not my Alpha nor will I ever treat him as such."

I was subjected to stares of disbelief including son and father. Alpha was fuming and moved to speak when Luna appeared beside me, "Enough Ryder! You too Ronan! Zannicus darling, calm down," her hand was on my shoulder and I was glad they backed down since Luna has her own voice.

Her presence instantly calmed me as always. I stepped back and broke eye contact with my numbnut of a mate while cursing him to high heavens before addressing the woman beside me, "Yes Luna."

"Now, all of you sit down and eat. One more word and I'll rip your voiceboxes out through your noses."

"Mom?" Ronan muttered.

"Zip it!" I would've stuck my tongue out at Ronan but I decided against it. I don't want to push our dear Alpha's buttons. She dragged me away leaving everyone gaping after us, except Seth who was smirking and sipping his coffee, and brought me into another room.

She rushed off to the bathroom while I settle down on the edge of the bed. Of course nothing gets past her as she cane out with a small towel and wiped the blood off that had rolled down my neck. She gestured at my shirt and spent quiet minutes applying ointment to my still healing bruises. 

Unfortunately for me, I heal a bit slow but I've long been accustomed to the pain.

When she was done, she threw the towel in the hamper and put the ointment back in the bathroom. I gingerly slipped my shirt back on and faced her when she returned and sat beside me. She gently rubbed my cheek, clicking her tongue. 

Luna Eve is amongst those who are like a mother to me, "I'm so sorry for all that."

"No," I shook my head, smiling, "You don't have to apologize for their behavior Luna. Besides, I'm used to it."

It's true. I've faced far worse than this. Back then I was very fearful of Alpha but growing up, experiencing the awful mistreatment almost everyday, I became numb to it and none of them scare me anymore.

"But still," Her forehead creased in disappointment, "I'm sick of how they treat you! Especially my husband and son," She sighed and this is where I could see her exhaustion, "This is not how I raised him."

"No offense Luna, but your son is a major dickhead. Have been since he was young," We laughed as she nodded.

"Yes, I agree. Why don't you fight back darling? And don't say you can't! Because I've seen you train by yourself every night using those poor trees as dummies. What did the trees ever do to you?"

She smiled as my eyes widened in shock, "You saw me?" She responded with a nod, "Since when?"

"Since you were fourteen," Ah. The time I found out that Ronan was my mate.

"Well, I am fighting back, just not physically as it will only result in more physical punishments, you know that Luna. And believe me when I say, I really want to, but I can't."

And besides, I have been noticing that Alpha Ryder is almost at his limits with my behavior and I'm a bit scared if he decides to banish me from this pack when I turn eighteen and out into the wilderness where hundreds of rogues roam.

She sighs, regarding me with sympathy before pulling me in for a hug which is exactly what I needed. I closed my eyes savoring the warmth before she pulled away brushing a kiss against my forehead.

"Hey omega! Where the hell are you?! Get your ass down here and clean up!" Ronan, the son of a donkey with leprosy, hollered from downstairs.

Moment's ruined. I rolled my eyes, scrunching my face in annoyance earning me a laugh from Luna who kissed my forehead one last time before shooing me away.

I sighed, exiting the room, "This is gonna be a great~ day."