The Moonless Omega

Two: It’s Best Not To Fight Back

I just made it to the bus stop on time. The bus driver was about to drive away before he saw me running down the road. I thanked him, and a grumble was his only response before he closed the doors, and I made my way to the back seat. All the other students on the bus did not even acknowledge me, even though I stood out in my burgundy gym clothes while they were all in their uniforms. Blue blazers and white dress shirts with burgundy and navy plaid ties around their necks. I was used to being ignored and invisible. It was better than being noticed and catching someone's attention; they only had something negative to say.

It was near the end of April, so I only had a month or so left before I graduated. Being late would not have been the end of the world, but the school’s headmaster was always quick to inform Mother when I did even the most minor infraction. She never hesitated to give me more chores as punishment. Tomorrow was Saturday and my birthday, and I would rather it just be normal, like any other weekend, since I already knew no one would be celebrating it except me, probably after everyone went to sleep.

The trees were just now starting to fill out, making the view of the town that was nestled in a small valley start to come alive once again. The bus made its way down the winding road. My father’s house and the house of the Alpha were situated up on a hill, away from most of the other members. The only other house larger than ours was the pack house, which was nearer to town. The Alpha spent more time there than at his own home, helping new members transition into the pack and just running day-to-day operations.

The town had one main street with various shops, a café, a restaurant, and even a place with a bowling alley and an arcade. The rest of it was housing and maybe a few playgrounds here and there. The pack even had its own hospital and fire department. We were self-sustaining. Trying to keep ourselves secluded from the human world as much as possible.

I watched as the town was waking up, the line for the café already out the door. I saw a lot of school uniforms in the line, knowing they would most likely be late and that the Headmaster would not even bat an eye at it. It was the Omegas who were held to a higher standard. We had to show up to school early to set up classrooms and stay late to clean the place after everyone left.

The large school complex came into view. It was the only school in the pack, so it went from pre-school up to higher education. As an Omega, however, higher education was not an option. We were all very limited in what we could study. The Alphas, Betas, and Gammas could be whatever they wanted. Omegas could only serve others.

“We’re here,” announced the bus driver before opening the door.

All the other students rushed off, and I just sat and waited until it was all clear before heading down the aisle.

“Next time, I’ll drive off. Be on time.” The bus driver informed me sternly, nodding my head in reply before rushing down the steps and hearing the door shut behind me.

I have always been treated like a delinquent, even though I never did anything truly wrong. I think it had something to do with the fact that the Headmaster was Mother’s younger brother. He liked to call me to his office and nitpick every little tiny mistake I made, which has given me a reputation as a problem student among the faculty. I let out a sigh to try to ease my anxiety as I headed towards the administration office, not looking forward to having to ask for a new uniform.

The school was large, separated into different wings. The West Wing was for Higher education, the North Wing was for primary school and pre-school, the East Wing was for combat and physical training, and the South Wing was for omegas. Our part of the school was primarily focused on maintaining the school grounds and training in jobs that involved serving. The highest educational job we were allowed to do was in nursing or secretarial work.

I headed up the main steps to the administration offices. They were in the center of the large complex, and from there, you could head in whatever direction you needed to go. Outside the building was all modern architecture with lots of windows and metal columns. The inside, however, was very clinical. It was clean, with tiled floors and walls painted in various shades of white and grey, but there was no artwork or any character to be found.

As I stepped through the main doors, I headed straight over to the front desk that was separated from the rest of the hall by a large pane of glass. The secretary looked up when I approached and rolled her eyes before pressing a button to speak through the speaker.

“What do you want? Aren’t you supposed to be checking into morning chores?” She asked, pushing her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose.

“I need to talk to someone about maybe a replacement uniform? Mine got ruined this morning," I explained while holding up the plastic bag.

She let out a long, exasperated sigh before moving her finger off the intercom button, a buzzing noise sounding before the door to the offices unlocked. She snatched the bag out of my hands and shoved my shoulder a little too roughly in the direction of the administration offices.

The staff at school was very familiar with who I was. Typically, one would think that being the daughter of the head Beta would give me respect, but instead, I was treated like a piranha. She led me over to the desk in the far corner of the room, and I could see my home teacher sitting there.

“Hello, Mr. Perkins,” I greeted immediately, knowing what was expected of me.

“This one has ruined another uniform,” the secretary who had led me here said.

I bit my lip to keep myself from responding to her accusation. This was actually the first time I had ever ruined a uniform. I had only ever requested new ones when I had outgrown them.

“Go to the girls' locker room at the training grounds. There is a lost and found bin by my office,” Mr. Perkins instructed, not even lifting his head from his computer screen to look at me.

“Yes, sir,” I replied, doing my best to suppress that annoyance in my voice.

I hated going to the training grounds. As an omega, I did not go there often; our self-defense training stopped at the basics. The omegas only went there to clean up, and it was the worst chore assignment. The blood and sweat, especially in the indoor rooms, have been challenging to get used to.

I quickly ducked out of the room, leaving the grumpy secretary behind, who luckily did not say another word. I made my way quickly to the east wing, knowing that if I got there fast enough, I could avoid all the Alphas, Betas, and Gammas getting ready for morning training. I made it to the long hall that led to the training gyms and locker rooms and glanced out the windows, seeing some of the students already warming up on the training fields. One figure stood out amongst all the others, and I felt myself taking a step closer to get a better look.

Luke Warren was the youngest son of the Alpha. We had grown up together, and when we were younger, we played around in the forest near our houses. However, ever since school started, he has never spoken to me. The occasional nod at family gatherings was the most acknowledgment I would get. I stared out the window as he stretched, watching how his muscles moved since he was not wearing a shirt. His blonde hair was blowing into his face, and he had to push it back, exposing those beautiful blue eyes of his. He was the epitome of what comes to mind when one thinks of a Greek god.

“What are you looking at, freak?” A voice shouted from behind me, causing me to jump.

Oh no, I turned around already expecting to see Waverly’s face. She was Gamma’s daughter, and everyone knew she expected Luke and her to become mates. Of course, no one could honestly know the Moon Goddess’s plan, and her putting a claim on him was almost sacrilegious. The school did its best to prevent fraternization between the boys and girls. All other classes were divided by gender, training being the only exception.

“She was drooling over Luke again,” her friend Marcy said, looking out the window I had been staring out of.

“How many times must I beat you before you learn that Luke is mine!” She shouted, lifting her fist.

I closed my eyes and just waited for the blow, knowing that fighting back only made it worse.