The Alpha's Omega

One

FAYE

I stood, absolutely horrified and completely frozen in place. Panic had me seized up, unable to move, barely able to breathe. Thousands upon thousands of tiny, glittering jewels sparkled back at me. Except they weren't jewels- they were pieces of the plate I'd just dropped. A plate full of expensive seafood. A plate that cost well over a normal persons salary. Thousands of dollars. . . smashed on the floor.

A whoosh of the door behind me and a sharp inhale. My head swiveled in slow motion, my eyes meeting the equally horrified blue ones of my only friend, Melanie.

"What happened?" she gasped.

"I. . ." My mouth was so dry that I wasn't sure I could speak, but I managed to choke out a one-word explanation. "Shay."

Mel understood instantly. Shay-Lynn Grey, first daughter of our Alpha Phillius Grey of the Burning Moon pack. His other daughter was standing in front of me. As an Omega, an adopted Omega, I was the lowest of the low in the pack, a fact that Shay and her band of sycophants never let me forget. Melanie was kind, standing up for me when she could and sneaking me food when she was able. She also treated my wounds on occasion. Shay was cruel, violent, and vicious. Mel helped around the packhouse, learning to cook, clean, plan parties, and garden. She was everything a future Luna should be, while her sister was happy to strut around barking orders at the rest of us and never lifting a finger. It amazed me daily that the two of them were related. They were so different.

Mere minutes ago, I'd had the unfortunate luck of exiting the kitchens just as Shay was passing by with this week's boy toy. Entirely focused on not dropping anything, I'd made the worst mistake.

"Excuse me."

The next thing I knew, the Alphas' best plate was breaking on the ground, shrimp sauce was covering my shoes, and then the sting of her long manicured nails scraped against my cheek.

"How dare you talk to me, you worthless little pig!"

And then she'd flounced off, her blonde hair bouncing behind her. As if she hadn't just broken one of her Father's most prized possessions. Or maybe she did know. Nothing surprised me about Shay-Lynn Grey anymore.

"Okay. Okay," Mel pulled my attention back to her, "Get back in there. Tell them you need another seafood platter. It's chaos in there right now, nobody will question you. I'll take care of this, and then I have to get rid for the dinner."

"But-"

"The longer we stand here, the more chance someone will come by, and then everything will be ruined for you tonight. My Father will. . ."

She didn't need to finish that sentence. I nodded, dashing back into the kitchen. It was, indeed, chaotic, but she was right. I had another tray in my hands in minutes, the cook barely looking at me before rushing back to his station. I exited the kitchens, and Mel and the mess were gone. Carefully, I made my way down the short hall to the entrance of the dining room. Kat, the head Omega and essentially my boss, scowled at me, her already crow-like face pinching even more.

"You're late!"

"I'm sorry. There was a, uh, delay in the kitchen," I replied lamely.

"I'm sure. Well, what are you waiting for? Get in place!"

I did as she said, standing at the end of the line of other Omega servers. After a few minutes, voices started to float to us through the double doors. The girls in front of me began checking their hair and their dresses, fixing each other's make-up, and I refrained from rolling my eyes. Tonight wasn't just a dinner. It was the dinner. An elite gathering of Alphas, Lunas and Betas from all over the country that was held once a year. This year, Burning Moon was playing host, and Alpha Phillius had been even more insufferable because of it.

Kat was snapping orders like a drill sergeant, but none of us were paying attention. The two girls directly in front of me were already flushed with excitement.

"I heard the Alpha from Carved Moon was bringing his mistress instead of the Luna," one said.

"No way! Can you imagine? I've got better, though. I heard Alpha Jackson is attending this year. The new Alpha Jackson."

"No! How does my hair look?"

"Like it matters! He won't be looking at any of us!"

Despite myself, I found this piece of gossip intriguing. Just last year, word had spread like wildfire about Killian Jackson, future Alpha of Blood Moon, the largest and wealthiest pack. He was now the youngest Alpha in a century, only twenty-two, after his Father's untimely death. Even being a lowly Omega, it baffled me that rogues could have taken down such a powerful Alpha. But I guess life was uncertain, no matter who you were.

The girls were right, though. Nobody in that room cared about us. A fact that didn't bother me that much, as it was my mission in life to remain as invisible as I could. Being only five-four, you'd think it would be easier, but my features made me stand out. With red hair, porcelain skin, and green eyes, I looked so unlike anyone else in the pack.

When the doors opened, I focused my attention ahead. Kat watched us walk single-file, her beady eyes boring into us. The conversation never drifted as we entered and split off to serve our assigned sections. I had to admit, the Alpha had really gone all out for this event. The dining room was huge, able to fit over five hundred guests, and tonight, it was filled with tables laid with silk cloth with gold trim and crystal vases overflowing with sweet-smelling flowers. A large area was clear in the middle for dancing with the band playing in the corner. The music was soft and inviting, yet not too loud.

I'd never seen so many beautiful people in one place. Everywhere I looked, there were women in sumptuous gowns and men in tailored suits. I made my way to my section, setting down the giant platter on the biggest table. Then, I picked up a smaller tray full of appetizers and drinks and began to make my way around to the guests. I stopped at the first group, offering a smile.

"Good evening. May I offer you anything?" With barely a nod, the four of them took one drink each, and I moved on. I spotted Melanie across the room. She looked stunning in a silver, low-cut gown that flared out at the waist. Her fair skin glowed against the material, and her long, normally straight chocolate brown hair fell in loose waves down her back. The guy she was talking to wasn't bad either. In fact, he might be the hottest guy I'd ever seen. Good for her.

Shay, on the other hand, stood out among the other women. Her deep red dress was cut lower than Melanies, plunging down to her belly-button, had a long slit that ran up to her thigh, and was backless to boot. Her blonde locks were piled into a neat crown on her head, and a diamond necklace adorned her slender neck. The girl was showing more skin than anyone else in the room.

Shaking my head, I continued making my rounds. It already felt like hours since I'd been here. It was hard to smile, to be cheerful. To act like there was no place I'd rather be than serving people who couldn't give a damn about me. But I knew it was time to go when my fingertips and toes started to tingle.

My shift was starting.