The Gifted Luna

CHAPTER 1

"Your prince charming is here," Karissa whispered with a grin.

My heart immediately skipped a beat. There's only one guy I would ever think of as my prince charming. Discarding the dishes I was washing, I rushed to the door to take a peek. And there he was, looking so casually handsome as he stood in his pair of rugged denim jeans, a fitted gray v-neck t-shirt that highlighted his muscular chest and a pair of white sneakers. He's Oliver Beckham, the future Alpha of the Dusk Hunters Pack.

His presence immediately caused a stir in the audience as women directed their gazes into his direction. He was a breath of fresh air from my long, tiring day. I swallowed hard as I watched Harley walk towards him, giving him a soft peck on the lips. My chest tightened at the sight, but I brushed it off.

I wasn't supposed to like him... He's the future alpha with big responsibilities on his shoulders while I was just an omega...a nobody.

I didn't want to like him, but I did anyway...

It was a busy day for the pack. Alpha's birthday was coming, and we were tasked to prepare the food. My parents sent me to gather some firewood in the forest. Even as a young child, I often wandered and got lost. The lush greenery of the surroundings, the whispers of the wind led me to a place I was forbidden to set foot onto...the training ground. Only those who were born at the higher ranks were allowed to train. Omegas like me belong in the back...at the end of the line. Our primary role was to serve them with the utmost respect.

What I saw that day opened my eyes to the harsh realities. A pang of excitement grew as I watched pups my age training. They were led by Oliver, who was three years older than me. He's the most handsome guy in the pack. I would often watch him with awe. He's kind just like his father, but also ruthless to those rule-breakers.

Unconsciously, I began to imitate their moves. In my mind, I saw myself training with them. I wanted to be like them, but I know it was a dream that would never come true.

I was so lost that I didn't notice when Shane caught me. He was the son of the Beta, well-known for being a bully. I wasn't afraid of him. Yet, I promised my parents that I would never get into trouble with anyone in the pack. I slowly took a step back, but I was too late.

He gripped my hand tight, making me wince from the sudden pain.

"What are you doing here, omega? Aren't you supposed to be washing dishes or doing the laundry?" he mocked.

The sound of their laughter erupted in my ears as they made fun of me. I felt my anger rising, a cold chill running down my spine as the gold flecks in amber eyes glowed in annoyance. Shane's eyes drifted back to me when he felt my aura.

"I don't want any trouble," I whispered softly, contrary to the turmoil that was stirring inside me.

"Oh, you don't want trouble? I'm not giving you trouble," he sneered. In a snap, his hands flew to my neck as he pinned me against a tree.

The sudden movement made me cough as I struggled to breathe properly.

"Shane!" someone roared.

Oliver's loud voice startled everyone, including the birds and the animals in the forest. The surroundings became instantly quiet as he walked towards us. Seeing the look on his face, his cobalt blue eyes darker than usual, Shane immediately paled, and his grip on me loosened a bit. I was still dizzy when Oliver pushed Sean away from me. He looked at him darkly, his aura rolling off, frightening us all.

"Go back to training, Shane. Now!" he growled.

Shane ran hastily back to the training ground. I clutched my chest as I sucked in air. My head was still spinning, and my heartbeat was erratic.

Oliver bent to kneel in front of me, holding my face. My heart stopped beating as our gazes met, his eyes began to soften.

"Are you okay? What's your name?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

"I-I'm okay. Thank you, y-your highness..." I stuttered.

He snarled, and I immediately closed my eyes, waiting for a punishment, but none came. "Call me Oliver. What's your name?"

I shivered. "I'm Athalia..."

"Come on, Athalia. Let's get you home." He reached for my hand and helped me to stand up.

The moment our hands touched, I felt a surge of electricity passing through us. I glanced at him, only to find him staring at me with the same shocked expression on his face. True to his word, he took me home. We walked quietly amid the forest, none of us daring to break the silence.

I didn't want to like him, but that day made me look at him from a different perspective. His kindness made me admire him.

"Athalia! What are you looking at? I'm not paying you to slack off!" Dorothy snarled, pulling me out of the memory lane.

I took one last glance at Oliver and Harley. I excused myself and went back to work. My shift's almost over and soon, I'll be going home, thinking about him again.

"I'm home," I called out.

I found my mother in the kitchen, preparing our dinner. My father was still at work. I kissed her on the cheeks, and she smiled at me.

"You look tired. Why don't you freshen up while I prepare the table?" she uttered, gently touching my face.

"Yes, ma..." I replied, turning around to head to my room to rest for a little while. As I lay down on my bed, staring at the ceiling, an image flashed through my mind. I can't forget how Harley kissed Oliver. And somehow, I wished it was me. I wished I had the courage to tell him how I feel. Over the years, I have developed feelings for him...feelings that are kept hidden because I know it will be impossible for him to like someone like me.

I decided to get up and clean myself. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I was met by a fierce gaze from my amber eyes with gold flecks, which made me unique. I have long, natural red locks cascading around my freckled face. I was fair-skinned, and I was taller than most pups my age. At first glance, no one could see that I was an omega.

I stared intently at my reflection, looking for traces of my parent's genes, yet I couldn't see a resemblance. They were both dark-haired and had a brown skin complexion. Both my parents have blue eyes, and if I'm being honest, I know that I look nothing like them. It was one of the reasons why I was bullied most of the time when I was young. Yet, no matter how it hurt, I couldn't hurt them back. I was raised to be inferior to those who are higher in rank. Yet, there's a deep sense of longing inside me. I long to fight for myself and be free from their judgments.

During dinner, we talked mostly about how our days went. I couldn't help but smile as I saw my parents' affection for each other. It made me wish that I could meet someone who would treat and love me the same way. After our dinner, I helped with my chores before going to bed. And yet, no matter how I closed my eyes, sleep seemed to be elusive. My thoughts kept drifting back to the events of today.

And when I couldn't take it anymore, I stood up and changed my clothes into a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra. I gathered my thick hair into a bun. When my thoughts were restless, I often jog around and secretly train to release all these energies.

Slowly, I tiptoed, afraid to make a sound so as not to disturb my parents' rest. The moon was a little gloomy tonight, and the stars seemed to be twinkling rather lonely. I walked along the familiar ground, to the place I consider my own sanctuary.

I began running, letting the cool wind kiss my bare skin. I closed my eyes and began focusing using my mind. My senses heightened. I have run this place long enough to master its routes and curves. My chest rose heavily, and I began catching my breath and panting.

The silence of the night made me more alert. The distant howls made me shiver, yet it also brought a warm sense of feeling inside me. I stopped running and drank water from my bottle. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. It didn't take long before my eyes could adjust to the surrounding darkness.

In front of me, a homemade punching bag hung below the tree. I began throwing punches and practicing my stance. I moved fast, throwing strong and powerful punches. Each time I hit the bag, it made a loud, thudding sound. I didn't stop even when I began to feel exhausted. It felt good to throw those punches, imagining it landing on Shane's face made me so much more motivated.

I sat on the ground, catching my breath. I was sweating so hard, yet I felt better. My thoughts were now clearer. My chest rose and fell as I took deep, heavy breaths. I took another sip at my water bottle when I felt the hairs on my neck rising. I looked around, trying to spot something.

Though I couldn't see it, I could feel a presence somewhere around the place. A chill ran down my spine as I stood up and began to walk away. My heart hammered inside my chest as I walked hastily. I stopped in my tracks when a pair of hands caught me, pulling me back. The sudden movement made me jolt, I tripped and fell right into the intruder's muscular chest. His tight muscles brought me warmth amidst the cold of the night.

My scream was muffled and drowned when his hand covered my mouth. His familiar smell attacked my nose, making it hard for me to concentrate. I mustered the courage to stand up and put a distance between us as I tried to figure out who the intruder was.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked.

"Tsk. Is that how you talk to your future Alpha? It's late...what are you doing here at this hour?" Oliver whispered.

My breathing hitched as his familiar voice tickled my ears. I was stunned.