The Omega’s Secret

Chapter 4 - The Kitchen

* * * Amy's POV * * *

I quickly make my way back to the kitchen to find Amber has been working extremely hard, the kitchen is spotless, pots washed and in their rightful place, shelves and cupboard fronts are clean, canisters organised, recipe sheets lay on the counter ready to be referred to. How much easier duties must be when you are able to use your wolf abilities. I knock on the door. “Hi Amber, it is only me. How are we looking for ingredients? Will we be able to impress the Alpha and land a permanent gig?” I ask her.

Despite doing this at Keera’s request and for an unknown reason, I'm excited to have a change in my duties. Anything is better than scrubbing toilets and washing urine from the floor.

“Hi Amy. I have gone through all the food storage areas and have planned a menu, if I may go through it with you?” Amber asks for permission.

This is strange, nobody asks my permission, I think to myself. “Of course, please do,” I reply.

“Okay, so I thought we could do a two-part menu, partly because we don’t have the volume of ingredients, we’d need to do it for all. So, we’d serve the head table an elegant meal as an example of how we’d cook for our guests. Then a more basic menu for the others,” Amber explains to me.

“That sounds great,” I say.

“So, the food will be a little more complicated, but smaller portions, so it is doable. We will serve 12 courses; Zucchini fritters, sweet potato chips with goats cheese and caviar … “ Amber begins to excitedly explain the courses.

“OK. OK. An impressive menu. I will follow your lead”, I tell her. There's no way I can do this.

Complete fine dining”, Amber tells me with a wink.

“This sounds really great Amber, and are you sure we have all the ingredients?” I ask.

“Yes, enough for the head table anyway. If it goes well, I have tomorrow’s menu planned if you are okay with it and we will ask the Alpha for a shop run to be done so that we can continue to practice our cooking to impress our guests.”

“That is perfect. So, why don’t you take charge and work your magic,” I suggest.

“That sounds great. Would you mind …” Amber begins.

“Amber, please do not ask. I’m not above you. This is clearly your area or expertise, so please just tell me what you need me to do,” I tell her.

We work in a comfortable rhythm together, singing along to the classic hits on smooth radio. It isn’t long before we are dancing while cooking.

“Oh, we've got to hold on, ready or not

You live for the fight when it's all that you've got

Woah, we're halfway there

Woah, livin' on a prayer

Take my hand, we'll make it I swear

Woah, livin' on a prayer”

I sing loudly and, if I’m honest, a little out of key too. But I feel free, and I feel good. Cleaning in the evenings has taught me a lot about diverse types of music. Music is good for the soul; it’s healing and soothing.

“I think we are slightly ahead of schedule; I could get used to working with music. It is good for the soul.”

“I agree. Although I think your wolf speed has helped immensely, Amber. Thank you so much for doing this with me,” I say sincerely.

“Of course. Anything for a fellow Mystic Moon pack member”, Amber winks.

“Okay, what have I missed?” I ask, pretty certain my jaw has hit the floor. How does she know that we are from the Mystic Moon pack? Can we trust her?

“I'm from the Mystic Moon pack, when the attack from the Mountain Shadow pack hit the Silver Lake pack, I'm ashamed to say I ran. I ran until I could not run anymore, and I went rogue. Hiding around the national park edges, scared to stay, scared to leave, and always moving. I spent a few years on my own, afraid that someone was after me for being a part of the Mystic Moon pack. I denounced the pack, severed my connection to them. I was found wandering by the Beta of this pack. I thought he had found me to finish the job. He didn't know I was from the Mystic Moon. I don't know what made me accept his offer, but my wolf told me we needed to accept. And then we arrive and find you here, Princess”

“What attack? Mountain Shadow? They were rogues who attacked, weren’t they? Princess?” I ask, confused at Amber’s admission.

“You honestly do not remember?” she asks me.

“I don't remember my past. Not yet anyway,” I mumble.

“Ahh Dotty and her memory spell. I was too far from the pack when she cast it for it to take effect. Have you asked for your memories back, Princess?”

“Amber, how do you know so much? And why do you keep calling me Princess?”

“I….” Amber’s eyes go vague. “Your wolf is powerful. She has told me to be quiet ha-ha. Erm, I will suggest to the Alpha that you bunk with me for the next few nights so we can finalise the menus. I will help you through your memories, I promise.”

“Please Amber, I'm begging you. Please”, I plead, terrified she will give me away.

“It’s ok Amy. I'm here for you, not for this pack. Now about being ahead of schedule. We are now behind. Please use your wolf speed until people arrive”, Amber tells me.

“I. Erm. Okay” I muse. Unable to form an appropriate coherent answer.

We dash around the kitchen, finalising our menu, taking the hot food holders out to the dining room, changing the chef’s whites to the pale blue servers’ uniforms. Just as Alpha James and Beta Scott enter the dining hall.

“The Hall smells amazing Alpha,” Beta Scott states in surprise.

“I do hope I am not disappointed,” Alpha James replies.

“Alpha James, Beta Scott. Welcome. We can't thank you enough for this opportunity. If I could run through our plans for this lunchtime?” I ask them.

Alpha James only nods in reply.

“The stock levels were not what we had hoped. So, we have prepared a standard meal for the pack. However, we have prepared a special meal for the head table of ranked wolves. To display our abilities in preparation for hosting our guests. I do hope this is OK” I stumble through my words.

“And what do you plan to serve the head table?” he asks.

“Sir, we have planned a 12-course meal if you please, I hope it is not too much. We will serve Zucchini fritters as course one, sweet potato chips with goat's cheese and caviar as course two, and then...”

“OK, I didn’t ask for a lecture.. How are you serving?” Alpha James cuts in, sounding annoyed. He enjoys criticising others.

“We would like the usual omegas to serve the pack Sir, and we would both like to serve the head table, to practice working coordinated for when our guests arrive. I know I am being presumptuous thinking we will be approved for cooking. But every little practice run helps just in case.”

“Approved,” Alpha James exclaims.

We watch as the omegas began serving the queuing wolves, while we wait for the head table to be full. As usual, everyone is waiting for Luna Louise. When she arrives, we ask for permission to begin serving. Alpha James simply nods.

“OK, so final preparations for these dishes are made immediately before serving. So please bear with us. For the hosting, we would ask that we have a set start time so we do not keep guests waiting, we can then appropriately space courses”, I explain. Bowing as I walk away from the head table and make my way to the kitchen.

“Show time Amber” I state.

With our first course plated, we approach the head table, I make sure to serve Alpha James and Luna Louise first. “Here we have Zucchini fritters for your first course. I hope you enjoy it”.

I give my third plate to Beta Scott, while Amber serves Beta Jessie, and Gamma’s Walt and Dotty. We bow and retreat to the kitchen.

We begin preparing the next course. Peeking through the kitchen door window, I can see the table is finishing their first course. I grab a waste tray and approach the head table, "may I remove your plates?" I ask.

Once the Alpha nodded his permission, I clear the first course plates. Upon entering the kitchen and seeing Amber finishing the placement for course two, "Round two Amber, let's go", I instruct. We walk into the dining hall with our trays and make our way to the head table.

We continue in this manner through the remainder of the courses. We are preparing the roasted duck with an orange-ginger glaze when Alice enters the kitchen, “The Alpha wishes to speak to you Amy," she barks, turning on her heel and leaving promptly.

"Do you think there was an issue with the last course?" Amber asks.

"Not at all, all the plates are empty, please keep the food warm while I see what the Alpha wants," I reply as I leave the kitchen and walk to where the Alpha was sitting.

"Alpha James, how can I be of service? Is the food not to a sufficient standard sir?" I ask.

"Amy. I wanted to pass on the compliments of the table and inform you that you and Amber will be our new cooks and will be leading kitchen duties for the weekend. If you could submit the menu by noon tomorrow and the shopping list, I will have Walt sort it out."

"Yes sir, thank you sir. I won't let you down sir" I say. Quickly remembering the room share, I add "Sir, would it be possible for me to room with Amber so that we can prepare the menus and shopping list?"

"I think that would be appropriate" he says, his eyes glazed over briefly and then he added "I have informed Alice to ensure that you and Amber are placed in a double room and that a desk and office supplies are prepared for you to work on the menu."

"Thank you, sir. That's truly kind of you. I will go and bring your next course, sir"

"What is the next course, Amy?" he asks.

"Roasted duck with an orange-ginger glaze" I answer.

"Hurry up then."

The night continues this way until all 12 courses have been served. Once we are sure everyone has left the hall, I use my wolf speed to help with the cleaning, feeling guilty that Amber has done the majority of it due to her being free to use her wolf abilities. But as she had reminded me, "Better safe than sorry"

"Let's go find Alice and see our new room, eh, we will work on the menu for a while. I kind of have ideas. And then we will see you through your memory return,” Amber says kindly.

"I am a little nervous," I admit.

"I would say don't be, but I won't lie to you, Amy. They won’t be pleasant, you will feel anger and rage, but Keera says this weekend is important, so we need to stay in control. I am here for you," she says, with a pat on my shoulder.

Don't worry Amy. I'm here for you too. I'm going to filter in good memories too. Memories of your parents, of how happy you were. Please don't fret, trust me to guide you. Keera says to me.

I trust you Keera. With my life. We are one. I reply.

As we get settled in our new room, Amber talks me through her plans for the menu.

“So, stop me if there is something you don’t like but I am thinking, Friday brunch, a range of egg dishes, cooked breakfasts, pancakes, crepes, quiche, muffins, and pastries. Friday dinner soup, brisket, paella, pot pie, molten lava cake, cupcakes, and such. Saturday, a standard range of breakfasts just with our own twists on it,” Amber says.

“Amber, I trust you. It sounds fabulous, honestly,” I interrupt her.

They are rather impressive, at least to me. While she works, she explains to me that she had been training to be head chef at the Mystic Moon pack and, while she could cook pretty much anything, her passion was pastry. She had attended a pastry school in Paris when she was 12 years old and travelled with the Alpha and had made it her speciality.

Once the menus and shopping list are complete, it’s 10:30pm. We prepare for bed and the return of my memories.

It feels like I’m tossing and turning for hours and hours. Keera bless her sweet soul; she keeps me calm and is humming Dotty’s song that she would always hum.