Chapter 5 Crescent 🌘

• It has been three days since Xander was here.
• He left here fuming like a broken chimney. I must admit, I expected him to act against me immediately, but it's been nothing but silence since — annoying silence.
• Reef was cremated yesterday and the ceremony was extravagant. He was sent off like a true Alpha, that's much more than they allowed my mother.
• After poisoning her and ambushing her in her room, Reef had taken her head clean off. He presented the Pack members with my mother's severed head, and made them all bow to him. Those who didn't bow were killed.
• The Red Wolf's head was staked and hung up at the gate of the Pack House for weeks. Reef had to take it down when he saw the repelling effect that it had on the Pack members.
• I never saw this, though. I was imprisoned; awaiting my fate during that time.
• Not even I know what they did with her body, and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me.
• My ears twitch as it picks up the break of a twig — someone is approaching.
• I wait patiently and listen to the person's footsteps as they come closer to my shelter.
• I haven't fixed it since the last time it was torn, I didn't see the need to, for some reasons, I felt like I wouldn't remain here for too long now.
• "Ganymede."
• The voice of a stranger breached my eardrums.
• "I was sent by the Alpha to bring you to the Pack House."
• The man was still out of my sight, but he knew that I had sensed his approach.
• "I don't talk with ghosts," I say back to him.
• A tall bearded man steps out of the shadows. He has thick long hair, and is very muscular. His gold coloured cloak says that he's an 'Epsilon' — Guard at the Pack House. These ones are rarely seen outside of the Pack House.
• I smirk. "He sent only you?"
• With a small smile tugging at his lips, he nods.
• "And to what do I owe this invite?" I enquire further.
• He shrugs. "You would have to ask the Alpha that one."
• I take a moment to think and study the situation. An invite to the Pack House? What could that fool want from me? I was expecting a rash response to my impudence.
• Something like the raid of my shelter, an assault on the streets, a cut in my supply, anything rash or stupid. An invite to the Pack House is none of those.
• "Am I allowed to pack?" I ask another question.
• The Warrior raises his brow at me. Yes, it's strange to want to pack just for a visit, but I need to sneak my weapon inside the Pack House one way or the other.
• "Alpha Xander only requests your audience," the guard finally says. "I'm not sure packing is necessary."
• Fuck!
• The walk to the Pack House was rather tiring. I'd do it in transformation if it was a normal day, but it wasn't a normal day, and this huge chunk of meat wouldn't transform and run the distance.
• Entering the Pack House brought back memories, memories I didn't even know I still had.
• The last time I was here was when I was being ushered out and away to my shelter, that was twelve years ago.
• After leaving, all I could focus on was my hurt, my anger, my resentment, and my vengeance. I do not remember any of the other fond memories, I had some of those, surely, but they are unimportant knowledge, so I blocked them out; as if they never existed.
• "My, my," Xander's voice interrupted my thoughts.
• I raise my head to look at him. A huge grin is plastered on his face as he made his way down the stairs towards us.
• He is half naked from his waist up; is barefooted and the trouser he has on is so loose around his waist, it looks like it would drop around his feet anytime soon.
• "I must admit," he says after getting closer to us. "I expected you to put up a fight," his grin slowly transformed to a smirk.
• There is a lot that I could say. I could tell him that I am only here because the place is mine.
• Or I could bring to his knowledge how lame his attempts at seducing me are.
• Or I could just tell him to go fuck himself. But I remain quiet, clenching and unclenching my jaws.
• "Okay," Xander places his hands on his waist. "Seems like my Frore princess won't be talking."
• I hear footsteps come from my right side.
• Xander turns in the direction. "Nettle, she's all yours."
• "What do you mean?" I finally speak.
• Xander's face lit up in excitement. "Ow, she speaks."
• Rolling my eyes, I force out the question that's been hanging in my throat since the moment I set my feet in this building. "Why did you bring me here?"
• "To elevate you," he answers my question with a slight bow.
• The woman he addressed as Nettle moves closer to me and I move in the opposite direction.
• "What do you mean 'elevate'?" my glare slowly leaves Nettle and lands on Xander who seems to be enjoying the show.
• "My father made you an Omega," he drawls. "By elevating you, I'm taking you out of that Omega status and making you a staff of the Pack House."
• It took me a full minute to register what he's just said. "Well," I clear my throat. "That's a giddy ascent."
• "Twist of fate," he smirks at me.
• Surprise. I hate surprises!
• Just on the way here — thanks to my escort's slow pace — I imagined a dozen ways in which this visit would play out, this wasn't one of them.
• "And what is my duty amongst your staff?" I ask the question while trying to steady my nerves and play along.
• "You will work with the Phi to sit the pups..."
• He's making me a pup sitter. Great.
• "...you will live in the Pack House from now on."
• Hold up.
• "What did you say?" I take an unsteady step closer to him.
• The Phi is the pup sitter of the pack, but even they are allowed to go home after the pups are collected by their respective parents, and the circle goes on and on.
• "I did say that I was elevating you," Xander closes the distance between us. "I am making you a member of my staff..."
• The constant use of the phrase, 'member of my staff', shows that he is not officially making me the Phi. Noted.
• "...and I am taking you from that wretched place you call home."
• There is about 30 seconds of utter silence before I start to laugh.
• This doesn't sit well with Xander.
• "What's funny?" his voice is almost a growl.
• "Thank you very much, but I would pass," I answer defiantly.
• He raises a brow at me. "Excuse me?"
• "I will sit the pups if that's what you want," I confirm. "But I would like to return to my shelter everyday."
• Xander smirks, wrinkling his face in annoying ways. He takes tiny steps closer to me and lowers himself to my height, placing his head next to my ear.
• "I wasn't asking, Cress," he lifts his hand to my face and massages my cheek with his rough thumb.
• He raises his body to his full height and looks over at Nettle.
• "Take her," he says. "Introduce her to the pups, and show her what to do. Do not overwork her. In fact, you should seek her favour, she's going to be your Luna very soon."
• Nettle bows her head at me after he was done going off, I smile at her.
• "This way, please," she says.
• Deciding against arguing any further with Xander, I take a step away from him and follow Nettle as she leads the way.
• "And Crescent," I hear Xander call from where he stood behind me. "Lose the tail and the ears. You are no longer an Omega."
• The stay at the Pack House has been delightful. I didn't expect it to be so, but it's been so.
• I've been here for hours now, and Nettle is a wonderful soul, I feel bad for stepping away from her earlier.
• Pups have always liked me, so bonding with the pups wasn't very much of a hassle. There are a total of seven pups that we are to look after.
• The pups of high ranking members of the pack, of course.
• Two pups from the Kappa, three from the house of the Gamma, one from an Upsilon and one future Beta, who, I must add, is the most stubborn amongst the rest, but he's not too much to handle.
• I've since lost the hanging tail and the dropping ears.
• It is law that an Omega moves about with those two poking out, to differentiate them from other members of the Pack — this method is often used with demoted wolves who might, otherwise, lack the distinctive aura of an original Omega.
• An Omega must not wag their tails nor raise their ears. This too helps differentiate them from other pack members who might want to use their ears or tails.
• I must admit, it does feel good to be without them again — I feel sound.
• Xander is giving me power, I warned him, yet he's doing it. I honestly didn't want to remain at the Pack House after the pups are collected, but I think I like the idea now.
• Xander, watch your back.