Rejected Luna

Chapter 7: Disliked by the new Luna

-Clara-

It was so thoughtful of Josh and Luna Margaret to give me those gifts. I took my two early birthday presents to my room immediately. I stored my presents in a box inside my drawer.

Now to get rid of that scent... I am sure a shower would rinse the smell Josh left on me. He just hugged me, but his scent stuck to me. Maybe it is because he is an Alpha.

I saw Luna Margaret and Josh following the protocol to leave the packhouse and the territory. I saw it from behind with the group of omegas led by Rose in this shift.

Luna Michelle was next to Alpha James. They were serious and formal. However, Luna Margaret forgot the protocol and hugged Luna Michelle with a big smile. I love to see them together.

This visit might have happened due to Josh's incident, but it turned into something else for the sisters. Perhaps it was just an excuse for them to get together for a little while.

Mason stood there next to his future Luna Marissa; they are gorgeous, tall, and powerful. They look perfect together.

What was I thinking that I allowed those feelings to grow on me for so long? I feel so ridiculous now about my puppy love. I am glad I am over it.

When they left, I went back to the kitchen with Rose. I will miss my new friend Josh and the happy, crazy, amazing Luna Margaret.

Not long after I put on my apron, future Luna Marissa walked in. In my eyes, she is already our Luna. I bowed to her with respect.

"You are Clara, right?" she asked while looking at me from head to toe. It made me feel embarrassed and self-conscious.

I am small, thin, and forgettable, while she looks like an angel walking on earth. I nodded at her and again bowed my head in her direction as the other omegas did.  I did not look directly into her eyes since it would be considered disrespectful.

"Can you make us some tea and bring some biscuits for us to the garden?" She asked and then turned around without waiting for my response. I think that was rude towards the girls and me, but she is an Alpha's daughter, probably at her home, omegas like us are not even greeted.

"Sure, Luna," I said with respect. If she was not polite, I still had manners. She stopped in her tracks after hearing me, and then she resumed her walk out of the kitchen.

Why does she seem mad at me? This is our first interaction, and I was polite. Something is odd. She is weird!

I completed her order with help from Karima and Dorothy. I am always glad they come together for this shift at the packhouse. They also train under Luna Michelle's instruction, although Beta Gabriela is the one who personally oversees their progress. We had to suspend training due to the visits of Josh, and now with Luna Marissa here, I think it will be suspended again.

Once the tea was ready, Karima offered to help me so we both could bring everything together outside. Two extra hands can finish the work sooner, and after that, we can head back and help with dinner. Gloria is still upset, and I do not want to make things worst with her.

"I think I ordered you to bring the tea and biscuits. Why did you disobey me and got another omega to do your job?" Luna Marissa said in front of everyone, visibly annoyed. I blushed deeply; I did not expect such harsh words.

“I am so sorry, Luna. It is a misunderstanding.” I tried to explain myself.

"Young Luna, I apologize. I offered to help Clara, so we could be more efficient. We did not mean to disrespect you or neglect your orders." Karima said and bowed her head without looking at her. I realized then what my mistake was. I should have bow my head when I walked to them. In her eyes, I am a disobedient omega. Clara! You always forget your place!

“Marissa, dear. Clara is my goddaughter. I did not have the chance to introduce her to you yesterday. She enjoys working at the packhouse and gets busy helping our team at the kitchen, but she is not meant to serve anyone." Luna Michelle told Marissa directly. Alpha James moved in his seat, noticeably uncomfortable. He is not fondant of me; he tolerates me as his mate’s goddaughter.

It was a nice and sunny afternoon that seemed to be about to get stormy. My Luna is very protective over me, while the new Luna disliked me already. I do not want to cause problems in the family of my Luna... I wish I could disappear right now.

"I am sorry, mother; I was not aware of your bond with the omega. Mason did not tell me she was your goddaughter. I am sorry if I offended you." Marissa apologized to her.

How is it so easy for her to call her mother when she has her own mother? It annoyed me, but I know I should not feel that way.

Mason was just sitting there next to his Luna as if I really did not exist. He grabbed Luna Marissa's hand in one of his, while with his other hand, he motioned towards Karima to serve tea, which she did.

I was standing there feeling out of place. Perhaps I should say something, but what...?

"You just did not know, Marissa. It is fine. Besides, all my omegas are precious to me. They work really hard for us.” Luna Michelle looked at Karima, and she smiled. My friend bowed her head with a smile.

It is easy for any of us to bow in reverence to our Luna. Luna Michelle is kind and understanding. Her aura is warm, and not even one of the omegas would ever disrespect our Luna.

"Karima, you can go back to the kitchen, dear." My Luna is the best. Then, she saw me.

"Clara, you are not part of the service at the packhouse." Her statement made Luna Marissa frown. Without looking at me, I could feel her aura. She was annoyed but contained it inside.

"I just wanted to help, Luna," I said to her, embarrassed and looking down. She did tell me many times, but my help was needed. There were more guests at the packhouse, Luna Margaret and Josh, but also their six guards.

“Yes, and I appreciate that, but you cannot neglect your studies. Today you were supposed to take your piano lessons." Oh no! She remembered! I do not like piano lessons. I kept on dropping those extra classes as much as I can. I prefer to train with my Luna or volunteer at the Pack Hospital.

“We can train next week; I know what you are thinking." She mind-linked at me.

I begin to fidget my fingers nervously. Luna Michelle knows me very well.

"I am sorry, Luna. I will work harder." I did not promise anything about the piano lessons.

“Darling, I know you have worked hard during the visit of my sister. As a reward, you can go to visit your friend Angel as you wanted. Just remember, after this vacation, you should take those piano lessons, or I will not let you volunteer at the Pack Hospital.” My Luna offered me a way out of the packhouse. Mason's mate dislikes me for some unknown reason, so I better took off.

“She worked hard indeed," Mason said as in a whisper with disgust, but I heard him. We all heard him; nobody reacted to his words. Only Marissa looked in his direction in silence.

“Yes, Luna. Thank you.” I replied and bowed towards Luna Michelle. It is not submission. It is an expression of my respect and appreciation for her.

“Just let me or Rose know before you leave.”

She worries about me whenever I am out of her sight. Luna Michelle always makes sure to send me off when I leave for school, and Rose picks me up when Angel or her parents do not do it.

“I will, Luna. I take my leave then. Please, excuse me.” I bowed to all of them and left as fast as I could.

I mind-linked Karima, and she told me that she felt hostility from the new Luna towards me, but neither of us understood the real reason. I did nothing wrong.

Since my presence was disliked at the packhouse, I asked Angel’s parents’ permission, and they agreed immediately. The Simmons is my second home.

I ran away from the new Luna but also from piano lessons! It is not that I am afraid of her. However, it is just uncomfortable to be in the packhouse.

I mind-liked Rose about taking my leave and grabbed some clothes in a small bag.

I wanted to inform Luna Michelle, too, because I wanted to say goodbye in person instead of mind-link her. I will not see her for a few days. Although we will celebrate my birthday at the Simmons' place. I wanted to hug her before leaving.

I am still training my sense of smell; it is hard to track someone’s scent. Nevertheless, if I master it, I will be able to avoid unwanted werewolves or other creatures. I decided to practice following what I think with my Luna's scent. However, I ended up at the door of the entertaining room. Just when I was about to open the door, I heard something I wish I did not.

“Your mother’s pet needs to know her place! You told me Clara was cunning, and I think you are right. She has your mother in her hands!” Marissa's voice... she was yelling every word and standing by the door. It was impossible not to hear them.

"Still, that was unnecessary, Marissa." That was Mason's voice. I hid my scent and left in a hurry, feeling my heart breaking at such words. Were they talking about me? Yes, she said “Clara”.

Mason thinks I am cunning. Why? What did I do for him to see me like that? I felt tears running down my cheeks. I could not stop crying.

I locked myself inside of the broom’s room near the kitchen and masked my scent, so I can sob to my heart’s content muffling my cries. I needed to calm down before going out. Why does it hurt so much? It is embarrassing, I should not feel this way, and I do not want anyone asking me why I am crying.

Was I that imposing? Were my feelings so ridiculous? I did not ask him anything. I did not offer him anything, either. Suddenly, I felt so much anger inside of me. It was burning my stomach. Hate! I think this emotion is hate. I hate Mason Van Ryan!

We were friends when we were pups, but just after my mother died, he abandoned me. I did not resent him. Mason's parents were dealing with so much by then. As time passed, he began to ignore me more and more. Still, I did not resent him that either. I understood my position. But now... I feel anger, so much anger.

He did not deserve my first kiss or any of the feelings I wasted on him. I regretted that I allowed him to get my first kiss.

What made the new Luna despise me like a cunning female? Mason did this! He used to ignore me, but now I know he loathed me all the time. How could I be so stupid!

I understand now that Marissa wanted me to know that I am so insignificant for the Alpha family that Mason did not even mention my existence. She has wasted her energy with that trick. I would not even dream of being mentioned by someone who ignores me. She did not need to do anything... I feel insignificant already.

She is a high-rank wolf, beautiful, engaged to a young Alpha while I am nothing but an orphan omega, with no other place to go, with no one else but my Luna.

Why would someone like Marissa, an Alpha’s daughter, the only child of an Alpha hate someone like me? She might have a black heart.

I wish I can meet my mate on my birthday so I can leave with him. My mate will love me just for me.

“Dear Moon Goddess, please help me to think a way out of this, or better! Send my mate!” I begged to Moon Goddess from the bottom of my heart.

I think I better move out of Blood Moon as Luna Margaret suggested. Silver Rain might be an option; I can find a job in her packhouse. But I do not want to go over the same thing again with Josh's mate. What a dilemma!

Angel mind-liked me since I was taking too long to go to her house. I asked her to come to pick me up, which would give me time to fix myself. I regretted everything I ever did for that i***t!

I began to feel better by hating Mason. I think I will spend more days at Angel's house. I decided to grab a big suitcase for my stuff.

Mrs. Simmons welcomed me with cookies and milk at her home; I left my suitcase in Angel's room. Fortunately, neither of them asked how long would I stay with them, but they can assume it will be for a while. Besides my Luna, the Simmons were like a family to me. I feel blessed to have them in my life.

We sat at the kitchen chitchatting and catching up about news of the pack. Since Mr. Simmons is a doctor at the pack's hospital, he told us about a new case of rejection. Again, an omega was rejected by a delta.

“It is amazing, but the number of rejections has increased consistently over the last two years.” He said, which is true. I wonder what the plans of Moon Goddess are by pairing us like that. More and more omegas are matched with deltas, nowadays.

When I started volunteering at the Pack’s Hospital, there was just a small area of ten beds for rejected wolves and it was never at full capacity, but it was needed to increase it to fifty nowadays.

Nine out of ten rejections are omegas, and omegas hardly survive it. Not one survivor stays in the pack. They are not monitored. They might die of depression; no one knows.

“I hope we can figure a way to help them to survive… What if we call Blanche for help? She can develop a potion. Who knows? Blanche might already have something.” Mrs. Simmons said to her mate. I have no idea who this doctor is. I hope they can invite her over.

“It is a good idea. However, we still need to get to them before the rejection to increase their possibilities of survival. It would give us some time. A shot of morphine mixed with the exact dose of wolfbane would reduce the pain-numbing the wolf. Only then, we could get some time to take them to the hospital. Something like that can make a huge difference in the treatment.” Mr. Simmons said still concerned. He is a good doctor, respected in the community.

"That would be hard. They just reject the omegas then and there, leaving the poor omegas to die in pain.” Said Mrs. Simmons getting upset about those mean werewolves. There have been so many rejections, so many broken hearts.

“However, this new case is different.” We all look at Mr. Simmons. He hardly discusses specific cases at home. This one must be special.

“Can you tell us more?" Her mate asked, interested.

Angel and I were really interested, too. We both wanted to become nurses after high school, we are willing to learn how to save lives and treat patients. That is why we both volunteer at the Pack's hospital. We want to learn as much as possible.

                “This one was prepared for the rejection. The rejection was expected as if they both knew each other from childhood. Instead of running into the arms of his mate, he ran away to some friends. Med's students... They called an ambulance and gain time for him to be saved after the rejection took place.”

“Amazing!” I said. It is said that the mate bond is quite strong, and our wolves would submit to it naturally, as part of our instincts. You do not run away from it, you run to your mate's arms.

Dear Moon Goddess, I wish my mate is an omega like me! What if he rejects me when I meet him!

“The students did what they could and gained some time for the omega. The ambulance arrived just on time to take him to the Pack Hospital. This guy is a fighter, survived.” Indeed, amazing. Instead of following his instinct, he decided to survive, to look for help and live.

"I am so mad at those jerks rejecting their soulmates. Someone who is meant to love you and accept you just the way you are." Said Mrs. Simmons looking angrily.

“They have no idea what they are missing.” Mr. Simmons said taking his mate's hands between his. She blushed immediately. They look into each other's eyes, and probably mind-linking something. They are so cute together!

The Simmons grew up at the Royal Pack with my mother, they were close friends living with the delta family that served the King at the palace. As descendants of survivors of the Moonlight Pack, they felt they only had each other.

Mr. Simmons told us that his heart belonged to his mate, since childhood while she only saw him as a friend, almost like a brother. When she was seventeen she left the Royal pack to look for more descendants of the Moonlight pack, and big was her surprise to come back and find out that her childhood friend, her almost brother, was her mate. They were together ever since then.

"Just like mama and papa, right?" I asked them eagerly. I wish I know more about their love story.

My mother was an omega and my father a delta of this pack. He was a warrior of low rank. Deltas are not considered good fighters, but he had a dream and he fought to achieve it. That inspired me to follow my own dream... Be a nurse, help others.

I was told that my father loved my mother deeply. Unfortunately, he was killed by rouges before I was born, during a night patrol.

"Sure. I mean, we were not here to meet your father in person. We were at Sunlight Pack in the north by then." Mr. Simmons seemed uncomfortable.

“Why were you at the Sunlight pack by then?” I realized I have never asked them that. I remember that Angel was born there.

“We were looking for more members of the Moonlight pack there, our original pack. We wanted to learn more about our origins and tales. There are different versions of how our pack was. Well, I wanted to do that. Mark just followed me.” Mrs. Simmons said looking with love at her mate.

“We were doing great traveling here are there, improving our skills in medicine offering our services wherever we went and learning more. Our base was Sunlight pack, we would always go back there. The Alpha of Sunlight was a friend. Sunlight is a small pack with nice werewolves. Your mother sent us a message there telling us that she was pregnant and that she was happy here. So, we decided to come as well and settle here.” Angel smiled widely at her mother’s words.

“I am glad. Clara is my best friend in the whole world!"

“And you are my best friend too!” I told her hugging her. She is like a sister to me.

Angel is shy and kind, those are the right words to describe my friend. She can become a doctor like her father, or a nurse. It is in her blood to be a healer one day. Besides, she is a delta.

As an omega, it is a challenge to be something else but service. Werewolves of higher ranks do not like us. There are not many omega nurses, but I am convinced I can do it. Luna Michelle supports me, too.

Then I remembered what Luna Margaret told me about Asylum Act, I know I was supposed to ask my Luna, but maybe they know.

"Do you know what the Asylum act is?"

“Where did you heard about that?” Mrs. Simmons asked me while her mate grab a glass of water and gulped it in one go.

“Luna Margaret mentioned it after giving me an invitation to her pack, she said I would be able to use that invitation or ask for the Asylum act if an emergency. Do you know what it is?”

They look at each other and I can tell they are mind-liking. Angel looked at me and we both did not understand why they are being so weird about a simple question. Perhaps they do not know.

“It is a special grace created by King Klaus I for the descendants of Moonlight pack, of those who survived." I wonder why this is not the history books, there is so much information missing, and I am still not clear on what it means "special grace". King Klaus I, the first, was a famous Alpha King.

“Why is it a special grace?” I asked.

“Moonlight descendants can travel from one pack to another just by using the Asylum Act. There is no Alpha in the kingdom that can reject our petition to enter their territory, neither deny us our leave if we decided to leave. We just inform about our decision as well the Royal Pack. They also need to know where we are.” Mr. Simmons explained.

“That is amazing. We can go anywhere!” Angel said.

                "Yes, but it also ostracizes us from the rest of the pack. Wolves are complicated about those things. They feel imposed by this ancient law. We are not required to pass any trial to join a pack, and I get full rights from the beginning... We were able to settle here thanks to Luna Michelle." Mrs. Simmons

explained to us.

"There few descendants of our original pack... We have not registered Angel. You cannot use the Asylum pact unless you register before the Royal Pack. After that, they will always know where you are." This explanation from Mr. Simmons makes me question why do they need to know our whereabouts all the time?

"Then, Luna Margaret said that to me... so I can move to another pack without problems, right?" Mrs. Simmons hesitated before answering me. Her mate grabbed her hand.

“No, you are not registered either. Neither of you is registered. We decided for Angel and your mother did not want the Royal Pack to know about you, either. You both are members of Blood Moon Pack only."

Oh...

"I see. If this was my mother's decision, I am fine with it." She should have had her reasons. I do not question her, ever.

“However, if something ever happens, we will help you, Clara. You are part of our family, too. If an emergency, we can register you or find a solution to move you out immediately. Do not ever forget that we have each other." Mrs. Simmons was sincere. I am at home with the Simmons.

Mrs. Simmons has told me to call her "Aunt" or "Aunty", and Mr. Simmons asked me the same. They told me my mother was like a younger sister to them while growing up at the Royal Pack, but I am not sure about doing that. They are deltas. It would not be appropriate; I am already mocking stock at school to add more.

That night I had a weird dream where I began to run very scared of something. I ran as fast as I could. I needed to get away from someone. Then suddenly, I was not running away, I was following someone... It was dark and humid; the smell was awful, but then the air changed, and I think I saw someone. A female... I knew her without knowing her. It was my mother!