CHAPTER 4 - Aria, the Omega she-wolf

The Opal Moon pack, California

Aria

“Aria, you’d better hurry. We must start preparing breakfast and we are already late. Maria will be angry if we don’t start cooking on time.”

There was a knock on the door, and I looked up in the mirror. My hair had turned black and my eyes were dark blue. Where was I? Where did my violet eyes go? I looked around and found myself in a small bathroom, with the faucet open. Wait, wasn’t that one of the Omega’s bathrooms back in the Opal Moon pack? Had Alicia sent me back already?

I opened the door and met with Valeria, one of the pack’s Omegas. She was around twenty, with a plump figure and a smiley face. I secretly thanked Alicia for giving me Valeria as a roommate.

So, my predecessor granted me my wish and did things her way. I was back in the Opal Moon pack as a dark blue-eyed Omega and had to fight my way into Daniel’s heart without the help of our bond.

“Let’s go, Aria. What took you so long today?” Valeria pulled me by the hand and we exited the room.

On our way to the packhouse, I looked around and everything was just like before. The first thing I saw was the beautiful, small houses for the single Omegas with their petite gardens full of aromatic flowers. My mind filled with sweet memories of the Omegas greeting Daniel and me when we passed their homes every day after our morning run. We reached the family houses of the mated pack members that would soon fill with life, as the pups woke up and played outside until breakfast was served.

My heartbeat accelerated and a knot in my stomach took my breath away when I saw my parents’ house. I pulled at Valeria’s hand and we stopped for a minute. I looked up and saw the bathroom light on, a sign that my father was awake and would soon be at the packhouse. His affectionate smile came to my mind and I couldn’t prevent the tears from falling.

“Aria, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” Valeria’s concerned voice brought me back to reality.

“A sudden stomach ache, Val. I feel better now,” I lied, and we continued to the packhouse.

We were soon there. And before me was the old packhouse Daniel’s father had built for his mate when they were married. The three-story building was the same packhouse where Daniel and I had our first night as a couple. I stepped inside, holding Valeria’s hand afraid to let go. Worried that I would reveal my true feelings and start crying, embarrassing myself since no one could recognise me.

I soon found myself in the Opal Moon pack kitchen. Next to me, a pile of bacon waited to be cooked and served in the dining room where all the pack members would have breakfast. I stared at the pile of meat, confused.

“Aria, what are you doing? You should have finished cooking the bacon ages ago. Don’t you know what today is? Our Alpha’s son, Daniel, is coming back from his studies. Beta Jason will pick him up from the airport in a few hours. He and the Alpha should be here any minute and breakfast must be ready to serve. Stop stalling and move it, girl. We need to help with the cleaning today. Two girls are feeling ill and Luna asked me to take care of master Daniel’s room. I will take you with me to help clean the room.”

What? Was Daniel coming home today? I felt my mouth dry at the thought of seeing him again.

I looked up and saw Maria, one of the elder Omegas talking to me, her hands on her waist. She was the one responsible for the kitchen staff and was extremely anxious. Maria wanted everything to be ready on time. She hated it when anyone scolded the Omegas for delaying the breakfast and now she was worried we would delay the breakfast because of me.

“Sorry, Maria, I will get it done right away.” I smiled at her and turned to the cooker. Wow! That was a lot for me on my first day as an Omega. My anticipation of meeting Daniel overcame my disgust for the oily scent on my clothes and hair.

“That’s my girl. If you need any help call me, dear,” Maria said and left to check on the rest of the cooks. After burning the first batch, I got to work, cooked the rest of the bacon, and took it into the dining room.

Back in the kitchen, Maria called me to have breakfast with her.

“You’d better go clean yourself up, Aria. You smell after all that cooking. Our Luna hates the smell and won’t allow you to enter Daniel’s room like that. You have half an hour. When you return, meet me in the corridor upstairs, and I will take you to Daniel’s room.”

I nodded and left the kitchen. Not all the Omegas had access to the alpha’s quarters. And poor Maria thought I was one of those Omegas. I smiled, knowing I would soon return to Daniel’s and my room.

On my way to the exit, I passed by the dining room. The pack members had gathered for breakfast before the morning practice. I tried to see familiar faces and didn’t watch where I was going. So, when my head bumped into a hard wall, I looked up surprised, ready to apologise, and came across my father’s smiling face.

I froze and my legs turned into jelly. He helped me up and patted my head.

“Watch where you are going, little one.” At the sound of his baritone voice, I choked with tears, nodded, and rushed out of the packhouse without replying.

I ran all the way to my house and the moment I closed the door behind me I burst into tears: my dad, my sweet daddy. I had left him with my father-in-law that day and never saw him again. And now he spoke to me, not knowing who I really was.

That hurt like hell. I never thought I would be in so much pain seeing my loved ones and being unable to reveal my identity to them.

“You must get used to it, Aria. The spell has also limited my abilities and I can’t be of great help to you. Only when the spell is gone will I go back to normal. You must count on your abilities, sweetie. Alicia made that clear.” Tania spoke to me for the first time after I returned.

“Tania, I am so happy to have you with me again. I knew this would happen, but I never imagined I would be in so much pain. It’s killing me not being able to hug my dad or mum,” I cried.

“Hey, girl. Remember who you are. You are not a weakling, Aria. You are the Moon Goddess in disguise. And you are here for a reason. It’s only natural that you feel that way. You haven’t seen your parents for decades. You must control your emotions, or you will lose this game from the beginning, sweetheart.”

“You are right, Tania. It’s just too shocking for me, even if I am the Moon Goddess as you say. I have to stay strong.”

With that, I headed to the bathroom, removed my smelly clothes, and cleaned myself up, washing my hair and face well with warm water and a fragrant shampoo. I left the bathroom and wrapped myself in a dry towel. I entered my room and chose a pair of black leggings and a white t-shirt. Wearing a pair of blue sneakers, I checked myself in the mirror and liked what I saw. With long-toned legs and a slim waist, I had an hourglass figure, and I had nothing to worry about concerning the rest of the trained female bodies in my pack. The leggings I wore accentuated my round buttocks and the t-shirt emphasised my full breasts. I braided my long dark hair into a plait and left my home eagerly for my next mission.