Rising From The Ashes, The Vengeful Luna

Slave: Hope POV

The sound of the door swinging wide open had my head turning blankly to stare at the figure kneeling beside me. Of course, it was him, who else would it possibly be? He just loved to torture me and he wouldn't give two hoots about how much pain I was in.

“Come on,” he said impatiently, yanking me to my feet and causing more pain to flood through me. “I need you to make dinner for the pack” he added with a growl.

“Don’t you have enough omegas for that?” I taunted, watching him as he gritted his teeth, no doubt forcing back his anger as he recognized how much pain I was in and that I couldn’t withstand much more in the way of punishment.

At least not without rendering me completely useless and he wouldn't want that now, would he?

“Just move” he said, pushing the door open and gesturing impatiently “or do you want to end up back in here for the night as well?” he added darkly, knowing how claustrophobic I could get and that the darkness only added to my fears.

I swallowed my apprehension and swept past him. My clothes were hanging off me, some of them clinging to my frame due to the dried blood on my back. As I walked past, I heard him mutter under his breath but couldn’t quite make out what it was.

“Go clean up first” he ordered unexpectedly, causing me to look over my shoulder in surprise. “I can’t have you serving us looking like that” he added as I rolled my eyes.

Of course. Appearances were everything in the pack house. I should have known better than to think it might be some misguided attempt to care for me. I walked woodenly up the stairs, feeling pain in each movement, and then into the packhouse, finding my way to my small room which was nothing more than a large storage area that had been converted with its own small shower and toilet, in order to prevent me from using any of the more extravagant ones in the pack house. The pack members didn't like to share with somebody they considered disgusting and repulsive. This suited me just fine however, because it meant that I had privacy whenever I needed it. Not that I had much time to appreciate it. I was in the dungeon more often than not.

I was quick to strip off my clothes, throwing them to the side. They were no longer of any use and some of it was ripped beyond repair. I started the shower and forced myself to step beneath the water, almost crying out as it cascaded over me, forcing some of my wounds to reopen as blood trickled down to the floor along with it. I gritted my teeth and washed quickly, ensuring that all of the open wounds were cleaned, not wanting to get an infection. I was vulnerable to getting sick without my wolf. I dressed in some clothes, appropriate for cooking and cleaning in and put my hair up in a messy ponytail, frowning at how vivid the blondeness was beneath the light. I was one of the few dark blonde-haired girls in the pack, and it stood out. I knew my mother had been the same, able to judge from the photos my father had kept of her, but otherwise most of the pack consisted of the same boring shades of black, platinum blonde, and dark brunette hair. Standing out in this instance, was almost a blessing because it served as a reminder that I was not like them. I was different and I was never going to turn out like most of the people in this pack had. I would continue to show kindness to others, at least to those who were worthy of it.

I rushed downstairs, only to be greeted by the other omegas who either ignored my presence, as they usually did, or bossed me around, content in the knowledge that their Alpha would not step in and stop them.

“Hurry up and start serving” one of them hissed, shoving a large tray into my hands of chicken breasts stuffed with some sort of mouthwatering sauce.

It looked as though dinner had been prepared without me. Maybe because I had taken too long in the bathroom? Most likely though, Kobe did not know about what was happening with dinner and had simply forced me down here to make me serve the pack. I walked into the dining area, feeling as though I would rather face a damn lion in its natural habitat than have to deal with these obnoxious people.

“About time,” Kobe snapped, indicating for me to serve him first.

I bit my lip and then placed a chicken breast on his plate. I knew there would be other meat coming. He looked down at it and then nodded, motioning for me to serve the others at the table. I was forced to go down one by one, some of the pack members merely oblivious to me, or others making it their life lesson to make mine miserable. My stepsister was one such person. I had no idea why so many of the pack were eating inside today, but I knew better than to question it. As I went to serve her, she tripped me, almost causing me to drop the tray. Thankfully, I managed to get ahold of myself, but Kobe was looking at me with annoyance and Tiffany was smiling at me sweetly as though butter wouldn’t melt in her b***h ass mouth. I glared at her. Part of me itched to throw the whole damn tray in her lap, consequences be damned.

“Careful Hope” she sneered, looking at her friends delightedly as she soaked up all the attention. “You’re so damn clumsy. Look at what you almost did” she pouted.

“It’s a shame it didn’t stain your clothes” I commented dryly, causing her to glower at me. “That would have been a real shame” I added with sarcasm, shoving her chicken breast on her plate and almost splattering her with sauce.

She stared at me indignantly and then, of course, turned her attention to Kobe as she began to play the victim once more. She was a good actress, I would give her that.

“Kobe” she cried, looking down the table and pointing at me. “Did you see that? She almost got me” she said sounding like a toddler who had been denied candy.

I take it back. A toddler was much more polite than she was.

“It was an accident,” I said, looking directly into my mate’s eyes and daring him to refute me. “She got in the way” I added nonchalantly.

I was not about to be intimidated by her. I had already suffered enough at her hands. It was time she learned what it felt like to be on the receiving end of Kobe's rising anger. He did not disappoint me. It was easy to read the expression on his face but Tiffany was oblivious as usual.

“I did not,” she said, protesting loudly, her face contorted into an expression of indignance. “How can you lie like that?” she snapped at me as I winked at her.

“Enough,” Kobe slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone as he glowered at the two of us.

I noticed that Tiffany had a smirk on her face. She’d intentionally provoked me. I sighed. One of these days she was going to have karma bite her in the ass and I couldn't wait to be there to see it. Maybe I would even be up close. Wouldn't that be a laugh?

“Both of you cut it out. We have an important guest coming in a few days and I can’t afford this type of behavior from either of you” he roared, causing everybody to instantly submit and bare their necks in respect.

Except for me. I refused to do it. He knew he would have to use the Alpha tone on me and I saw him weighing it up before deciding it wasn’t worth the trouble. Shame. At least it would have meant a fight, even if it was one I could not win.

“I didn’t do anything” Tiffany whimpered, trying to come across as the victim still.

Gods, could she give it a rest? Didn't she get tired of acting all the time? It was pathetic, watching her use her feminine wiles to get sympathy from everyone.

Kobe’s look filled with daggers immediately shut her up. I leaned down, pretending to move her glass, and murmured into her ear. “Nice try, but next time work on your act a little better.”

I moved away as she opened her mouth to berate me, before closing it as Kobe eyed her with narrowed eyes. She was wise enough to realize that her Alpha was not in the mood and quickly turned back to her food, a resentful expression on her face.

I moved down the table, continuing to serve the other pack members, who thankfully behaved themselves after noting the type of mood their Alpha was in. As I served, I couldn’t help but wonder, staring idly into the distance, who this so-called important guest was that was coming and why Kobe seemed so nervous to make a good impression on him. By the time I had made my way back into the kitchen, I was fully intrigued, even as the omegas began to gossip amongst themselves while waiting for further instructions and to clean up after everybody had finished. Whoever he was, he was enough to rattle Kobe and that was enough for me to like whoever the guest was. Maybe I would be lucky enough to meet him, I thought absently, wanting to know just what it was about this man that had Kobe in such a temper and looking so nervous.