Liora
"Where's my jewelry" ummu demanded as I kept cleaning the floor. My stepmother would kill me if I haven't finished by the time she gets back.
"I said, where's my diamond neckpiece?!" Ummu screamed even louder as she saw I almost ignored her the first time. I immediately stopped cleaning and looked her straight in the eye, she was fuming.
"I didn't see it, ummu" I retorted and continued with my task.
"You filthy wolfless omega, I told my mother to kick you out but she said you'll be of use to us. What stupid use, you thief!"
You can call me anything in this world, hit me if you must but one thing I knew was I am and will never be a thief.
I looked her in the eyes and told her I wasn't a thief but she wasn't having it. A dirty slap landed on my face. Before I could even respond to the slap, she hit me across my face again. I dare not say anything.
The sting burned across my cheek but I forced myself to keep quiet. Talking back would only make things worse. With Ummu, it always did.
I bent down again and continued scrubbing the floor. My hands were shaking but I focused on the bucket of water in front of me. If I finished cleaning before my stepmother returned, maybe today would pass without another beating.
But luck had never been on my side.
My stepmother came back and I knew I was in for trouble, I hadn't finished cleaning. She asked what had happened and before I could speak, ummu told her I wasn't a thief a thief and I had stolen her diamond neckpiece. Of course her mum would support her.
"I always knew you were a thief, now go upstairs and bring your bags down".
The words hit harder than the slap.
My chest tightened. I opened my mouth to defend myself but the look in her eyes told me it was useless. She had already made up her mind.
Ummu insisted that they had to follow me upstairs so I wouldn't take the neckpiece out.
They followed closely behind me like I was some dangerous criminal. My small room was at the end of the hallway, the smallest room in the house. It used to be a storage room before my father died.
When he was alive, things were different.
No one dared treat me this way when the Beta of the pack still walked these halls.
But he was gone now.
And I was just a wolfless omega no one wanted.
They had search my entire bag and my stepmom was about leaving my room when ummu said "let's check the top of the shelf, thieves always know how to hide stufff."
My heart started beating faster.
I knew I didn't steal anything but the way Ummu was smiling made my stomach twist.
She throws my books on the floor and scatters everything like she knows exactly where the neck piece is.
My old notebooks fell open across the floor. Pages ripped as she pushed things around. My clothes were thrown everywhere like trash.
Then suddenly she froze.
"I've found it!" She screamed "you thief".
She held up the shining diamond neckpiece like a trophy.
My breath stopped.
For a moment I couldn't even speak.
How did it get there?
I knew the answer before I even asked myself the question.
Ummu.
She must have hidden it there.
But who would believe me?
Now my late dad, the beta had one rule "no stealing" anyone who steals from the beta household leaves immediately. That seemed to be the only rule my stepmother quite remembered.
She didn't even look at me twice.
Her face twisted with disgust.
"In the twinkling of an eye, she threw my entire belongings out."
My clothes, books and shoes were dumped outside the house like garbage.
Ummu called her friends and they all mocked me till I left the four walls of the building and was left outside the pack to freeze.
Their laughter followed me all the way down the street.
"Look at the thief."
"A wolfless omega stealing from her own house."
"Disgusting."
I lowered my head and kept walking.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
"I'm so useless"! I kept crying and blaming myself even though I knew it was a trap ummu had set for me. She never liked me cos I was my fathers favourite.
My father used to carry me on his shoulders when I was younger. He would laugh loudly and call me his little moon.
He used to say I was special.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Her mum was simply the Alphas daughter and he never really liked her that much. On the other hand my mum was my dad's precious omega. He loved her more than anything.
After my mother died, the house slowly turned into a prison.
Then my father died too.
And the last bit of protection I had disappeared.
That night, I kept wondering around the bushes looking for where to go.
The forest outside the pack territory was dark and cold. The wind cut through my thin clothes and made my skin ache.
I hugged myself tightly as I walked deeper into the trees.
The moon was high in the sky but it gave little warmth.
Every sound made my heart jump.
A branch snapping.
Leaves rustling.
Owls calling in the distance.
I had no wolf to protect me.
No pack to return to.
No home.
My legs were already weak when I finally stopped walking. I leaned against a tree and slid slowly to the ground.
Tears rolled down my face again.
Maybe Ummu was right.
Maybe I was useless.
Maybe the world would be better without me.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard voices.
Low voices.
Rough voices.
My body stiffened.
Through the trees I saw shadows moving closer.
Three large men stepped into the moonlight.
Their eyes glowed faintly.
Not from my pack.
Their scent hit me seconds later.
A rival pack.
My heart dropped to my stomach.
They seemed hungry for flesh and they looked like they were going to tear me dead or alive.
One of them grinned slowly.
"Well look what we have here," he said.
"A lonely little omega."
Another one laughed darkly.
"No wolf too."
I stepped back but my legs felt like stone.
Running would be pointless.
What could a wolfless omega like me do?
I closed my eyes.
Maybe this was how my story would end.
Just then, I feel an hand pull me by my waist into the bushes
"I've been looking for you"