His Hidden Luna

Three

Rose 16

My alarm started ringing at the ungodessly hour of 6am. I stumbled out of bed and across to the dresser, turning the damn thing off before it woke the rest of the Pack house. Every day I was faced with the same dilemma. If I left the alarm on the bedside table next to me, I knew there was every chance I would simply switch it straight off and go back to sleep. But if I left it on the crappy dresser across the room, I ran the risk of not getting to it before it disturbed other wolves. I always chose option two, and it usually worked relatively well, with one exception - my still 'room mate' Henry.

By 13, she-wolfs are usually given a separate room. Well, not for me, because I'm not seen as a 'propper wolf.' My conversation with my wolf at 12 years old was the first and last that we ever had. After telling me we could communicate, I never heard from her again. She didn't come forward like all other wolves on the full moon after my birthday and, because I had never told anyone about the one conversation we did have, the pack started to assume that I was a human baby rather than a cub.

"For Chrissake, Rose, why?" Henry grumbled before turning his back on me. He wasn't what you'd call a morning person.

"I need to get to school early" I lied smoothly. "I've not finished that English assignment." Lying was one thing that I had got better at with age. I was fully caught up with all my school work, but I liked to head out early before everyone else got up. Specifically, Stacey and Lisa. The former is the Beta's daughter, whilst the latter belongs to the Gamma. They're your typically high-school mean girls and I actively avoided them. I just wanted a quiet life, and, for the most part, that was exactly what I got.

Despite it being early, there was a lot of excitement around the Pack house. Our future Alpha, Jackson, was turning 17 that very day and there was so much chatter about who his future mate would be. Naturally, both Stacey and Lisa were sure it would be them because of their heritage. However, they told each other that they were sure he'd be the others' mate and they would be so happy for them. Honestly, it made me want to gag!

A huge cocktail party had been planned for the following evening. The idea was that Alpha Jackson would either announce his future mate (unless she was over 17 herself, in which case they would be mates immediately.) or that he would find his mate from one of the neighboring packs that were invited. His father, Alpha Cain, was convinced that by the time the weekend was over, his son would have found his mate. Well, he deserved nothing less after all, or so Alpha Cain thought.

The party was going to be on such a vast scale that entertainers and outside caterers were being brought in. Even the Omega's were having the night off so that they could attend. The one person that wasn't invited though was me. I was your modern day Cinders.

Alpha Jackson discounted me from absolutely everything the pack did and if we ever shared the same space he didn't even acknowledge my presence, he literally acted like I wasn't there. The last time we had spoken was the night his father had almost choked me to death.

I'd been taken to Doctor Richards by Gamma Draven. He'd unceremoniously dumped me on a hospital trolley and told the doctor I was to be given just enough treatment to get me back into the Pack house before dawn. But the Doctor was a kind man and had used a little of his healers magic to avoid any permanent damage to my vocal chords. Had he not done so, I probably would never have spoken again.

Whilst I was waiting to be discharged, Alpha Jackson had shown up. His right eye was so swollen it had closed over completely. His pale blue polo shirt was covered in blood which I correctly assumed had come from his nose.

"Jackson.." I'd started to say in an incredibly raspy voice.

"It's Alpha Jackson to you now, Rose." That had really stung at 12 years old. I'd thought we were friends.

He handed me a glass of cold juice, presumably to help my throat. "Of course, Alpha Jackson. I guess I just wanted to say thank you for saving me."

I drained the glass and handed it back to him whilst wiping my mouth with my sleeve.

"What was that?" I asked, momentarily distracted by the taste of the delicious drink.

"Cranberry," he huffed impatiently. "I can't hang out with you any more Rose."

Even at 12 years old, I felt a little piece of my heart shatter. Jackson had been the only constant in my life I had known. For one hour a day, each and every day, I had someone to talk to about anything I wanted, and that was being taken away.

"Happy Birthday." He mumbled under his breath before turning on his heals and heading back out of the hospital.

For a few weeks after that, I'd tried to say hi, or give him a quick smile but he never returned a single gesture and so I gave up. My teenage life took a turn for the worst after that. Apparently, spending time with the Alpha's son had given me some sort of protection I had not been aware of. When Jackson pulled away, the other kids got braver and the insults got worse. He never gave me a hard time himself, but he watched it happen and would sometimes laugh along with the others too. Those were the times when I would get most upset.

But despite everything, I would always be grateful to him for what he did that night. I could never hate him, no matter how much I wanted to.