Chapter 5

The Alpha's Pardon

Scarlett's POV

My heart began to beat very fast at the mention of the Alpha's heir coming back home and my mind went down memory lane.

As children, Rush and I had shared an unlikely friendship. It was a bond forged in the innocence of youth, before the weight of titles and expectations had come to rest upon our shoulders. Back then, Rush was not yet crowned the heir to the Alpha King, and I was not defined by my wolfless status. We were simply two young souls going through the stages of growing up within the pack.

Our friendship was a collection of stolen moments and shared secrets. We would meet at the edge of the forest, where the dense canopy gave way to a clearing filled with sunlight. It was our sanctuary, a place where the strict old rules that governed our lives within the pack seemed to fade away.

"Race you to the clearing!" Rush's challenge would echo through the trees, his grin wide and inviting.

While me, never one to back down from a challenge, would accept with a laugh, knowing full well that I stood no chance against his speed. Yet, it was the fun of the chase, the rush of air against my face, that filled me with so much joy it was almost like as if I was flying.

"Maybe one day, you'll beat me," Rush would tease, helping me to my feet after yet another great defeat.

"Maybe one day, I'll grow wings," i would retort, the both of us collapsing into laughter, the sound mingling with the whispers of the forest.

But as we grew older, our paths began to diverge as responsibilities we assigned to us. Rush was called to his duties as the future Alpha King, his time consumed by training and lessons in leadership. Meanwhile, me on the other hand, found myself more and more isolated, my wolfless status becoming a barrier that neither of us knew how to bridge.

Our meetings reduced drastically, our conversations strained by the differences in social status of our lives. The clearing that had once been our playground was left cold and it was the only witness to the friendship that had faded like the leaves of winter. And to widen the gap more, Rush traveled abroad for futhur studies and i concluded that it was the end of our friendship.

Years passed, and the memories of our childhood friendship were tucked away in the deepest part of my heart, a reminder of what had once been. It was a chapter closed, or so I thought, until now when his father the Alpha King announced his coming back.

The murmurs of 'wow, wow' filled the hall as every one was happy at the coming back of their beloved heir. To everyone present, it was a sign of a new chapter for the Hidden Moon Pack but to me, it was the reopening of a memory that I have longed locked down in the recesses part of my mind.

"Silence!" The orator shouted as he banged the wooden gravel stick on the table and instantly, every one became quiet.

"I know you are all excited by the news but out Alpha has not yet finished his announcement and reverence demands that you let him conclude on what he is saying before you talk." The Beta to our Alpha ordered as he tried to bring back orderliness to the meeting.

When everywhere had become quite again, our Alpha continued from where he stopped.

"So, like I said, this news calls for great celebration and I expect everyone to know their duty and what is expected of them and ensure to do it well." He said and paused before he continued.

"There should be adequate preparations as the celebrations will last for seven days starting from the day he arrived." He revealed and everyone cheered

"Silence!" The orator said again hitting the wooden gravel on the table and this time, we did not need the Beta to tell us again to keep quiet before we comforted ourselves.

The Alpha whispered something to the Beta and the Beta nodded.

"All Omegas should come out now and stand before the great Alpha." The Beta announced.

We all looked at ourselves on fear as we came out to stand before the Alpha. When we got close enough, I was suddenly pushed down to my knees by the gamma at my back. I looked at the rest of the Omegas and they were all standing, I was the only one made to kneel down.

"You Omega, it came to our notice that you spilled the pot of stew meant for our Alpha and his Luna in the kitchen yesterday." The Beta said.

I bent my head in shame and fear as the people began to hurl insults at me. I kept hearing words like 'useless thing, worthless, weird, weak.'

"Silence!" The orator shouted again and everyone stopped talking.

"Omega, your offence is a very grave one and though it was reported to us that you were punished in the field of punishment, the punishment given to you cannot be compared to the weight and gravity of your offence." The Beta said.

I could not hold back the tears that fell freely from my eyes to the floor. I wanted to beg for mercy but I was too scared to even lift up my head to look at the Beta not to talk of opening my mouth to defend myself. I instead began to prepare myself for the Alpha's punishment. But what I heard next was far from what I was expecting.

"Due to the goodnews of the Alpha's son coming back home and also due to the kindness of heart and compassion out Alpha has because you are an orphan, you will be spared. You will not receive any further punishments." The Beta proclaimed.

The shock of the news was too much to bear that I could not stand up, I feel on my face in appreciation.

Maybe, I thought, just may

be there is hope for me in this pack. But it was obvious.