Starlight in the beast world (an omega verse)

Chapter One: Faye's POV

I recheck my bag for what seems to be the millionth time. I'm going to hike the Ashfield mountains for a week and my chest tightens with equal parts excitement and grief. It was my parents' and my favorite vacation and we'd do it for two weeks every summer as a kid. This will be my last time doing it for a while because I'm starting as a botanist in the town over. My momma and pa passed away a week before my college graduation 5 months ago in a car accident and I've been living in a penulant state of numbness. Doing this trip to spread their ashes feels right, but I also want a chance to say goodbye. To stop holding onto my grief like it owes me something. I want to start this job that momma was so proud of me for getting and continue to make them proud even if they aren't here anymore to see it happen. I was the youngest in my class, graduating high school at 14 and college with a bachelor's degree at the ripe age of 18 and it was something my parents boasted about to everyone they knew. I won't give that up.

Taking one last look into my unique light pink and lavender eyes with silver flecks in them, and I can see how dull they've become lately when they once thrived with life. Momma always said it was because I was born with the stars blessing and gave me a piece of their home so they're always with me. Obviously once middle school hit, I learned the harsh reality that I was extremely different from every other kid, but her words always made me feel better, even if it was only a fraction more.

I'm wearing my light pink high waisted 2-in-1 side mini skirt, a black sports cropped tank, an oversized black zip up that used to be my pa's and still smells of his cedarwood scent, thigh high black socks and my light pink combat boots that add two inches to my 5 foot height. My black hair fades into a light pink that falls to the top of my thighs with bangs that frame my face. Throwing on my huge black leather hiking bag with everything I'll need, my lavender duffel bag with a few of my nesting supplies, and my pink leather messenger bag with my books, notebooks, and sketch pad, I take one last look around my childhood home before locking the door and heading to my Pa's Chevy Silverado 3500.

The inside still smells like his Cedarwood and Momma's earl grey tea scent and it has my omega peaking her head out, comforted by the combination of their scents that have been imbedded from the years of use. Pa was an alpha and Momma was a beta but they were the rare scent match pairing. As an omega it's been my dream to find my scent matched pack, the perfect fit to my soul in every way possible. The last 5 months I've pushed looking to the back burner, I wasn't in the right head space to even be considering courtships or bonding. My black stainless steel water bottle, amethyst purple thermos, and my parents ashes are already in the front seat of the car and just like that, I'm on my way.

After three hours of driving, blasting my "fuck it" playlist and crying for a solid twenty minutes over my mommas favorite song, I finally arrive at the diner named "eddys" at the bottom of the mountain I'll be spending the next week on. Another tradition I'm doing alone for the first time in my life and it's like someone has a vise grip on my heart making it hard to breathe. Walking in with my messenger bag over my shoulder, I see Edith, the kind grandmotherly woman who's been working here since I was a kid. The diner was named after her by her pack when they first opened before I was even born. Her pack alpha Adam was the owner, cook, and life of this diner before he passed away back when I was in middle school. Theodore, her second alpha, and Steven, her beta are all she has left and they've made it their mission to continue Adam's legacy. "Faye sweetheart, how are you? Where are your parents darling? Are they still in the car?" Edith asks as she bustles over and sweeps me into a bone crushing hug that knocks the air out of me. Her lemon meringue scent is bright with life and I hate that I know it's going to sour in mere seconds because of what I'm about to say.

I give her a watery smile and take a deep breath, "car crash before my graduation 5 months ago. They didn't make it. I'm here to spread their ashes at our favorite spot on the mountains." My usual strawberry cheesecake scent betrays me by becoming slightly bitter around the edges showing how consumed in my grief I am. Edith's eyes become watery as she lifts a shaky hand to her mouth, as if she doesn't know how to process the information I've just given her. Suddenly she's calling out for her pack and telling them the news as I stand there trying my hardest not to break down and send myself into the spiral of darkness I've been living on the edge of lately. When Edith finally comes to her senses she gives me a look that signifies she knows exactly how I feel right now, and knowing Adam's death was just as sudden to her as my parents was to me, I guess she does.

They ended up giving me my food for free. I got blueberry pancakes, eggs Benedict, bacon and a mocha caramel macchiato, a mixture of all of our favorite breakfasts we had when we'd come here. Finishing my food and leaving a tip, I go hug Edith and her pack and give them my number since I won't be back anytime soon with my new job starting soon after I get back. I pay for my thermos to be filled with more macchiato for the trip, much to their protest and go back to the car. I load up my gear and strap the graduation gift I found in my parents room for me to my thighs. The handles are delicately carved obsidian with amethyst, moss agate, and rose quartz lining where my name is ingrained. The blade is coated in an iridescent oil slick that shimmers blues, greens, purples, and pinks and makes the get up magical looking. The thigh holsters are black leather with pink, amethyst, and green details to match the crystals on the hilts. I look around, memories of the years of us climbing these trails together hits me at once and I have to swallow down the tears that threaten to unleash. Okay Faye, let's do this

After three days of collecting herbs, foraging for fresh fruits, stopping at beautiful waterfalls and creeks, and blasting playlist after playlist, I'm finally at the top of our favorite mountain where a hot spring runs down the side. Pulling my parents' leftover ashes from my bag, the ones that didn't make it into the jewelry I had made, I walk up to the side where the summit drops off and slowly scatter them. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and let myself feel everything I have tried to push down the last 5 months. I'm so busy drowning in my emotions I don't even realize the part of the cliff I'm standing on starts to crack and crumble until I'm suddenly airborne and falling. The last thing I remember is seeing the sunset behind the neighboring peaks and then darkness.