The Monsters We Hide

Chapter 1

It was a rush to run through the forest and I longed to keep running. To escape. To never come back. I knew that I wouldn't though. I had to get back before he did. It was at times like these that I was thankful for my werewolf speed, even when I was in human form.  It was still terrible to be an Omega, but at least they fed me. Sometimes.

         I was quite a ways away from the house, or mansion, but I managed to make it before I saw the black hummer in the long driveway. I sped into the kitchen, ignoring Aaliyah's warnings to slow down.

        I ran in and started wiping down the counters, organizing the shelves, making everything look neat. I hated doing the chores, but I had to, though I was supposed to do it as soon as I woke up, but I was too caught up with sketching the sunrise over the lake. 

        I had just finished putting the last things in the cabinet when I caught Alpha Cody's scent. As I suspected, he walked through the door a few seconds later. He glowered at me and I looked away. An Omega never looked the Alpha directly in the eyes. 

        I knew they all resented me because I was an Omega and I messed up from time to time, but it still hurt to see it in the way they looked at me. 

        We had a pack meeting in about twenty minutes, which meant I had to start preparing the appetizers. I was basically their servant, but it was always that hard, depending on who was giving me the orders.

         I decided to make the little pigs in a blanket because they were easy to make, so I made about a hundred of those and stuck them in the oven then set the timer. Fifteen minutes later, I took them out after the timer went off and went I took the tray into the large dining room, almost everyone was there. 

         My mother was there and she spared me a glance before turning back to look at my father. I looked at my father and he just glared at me. I knew my parents thought less of me since I became an Omega, but at least my mom had the decency to hide her emotions towards me.

         I set the tray in the middle of the long table and took my seat at the far end. We usually sat at the table according to our ranks. I was at the end then next to me was Abby, the Salutary. She was the only one who was even remotely kind to me. If I had a friend in this pack, it would be her. Though I couldn't think of it too personally. She was polite to everyone, regardless of who they were and how they acted.

        Soon after, Alpha Cody called the meeting to order. Luna Mackenzie sat beside her mate at the head of the table. She was kinder than the others and occasionally, she would make small talk with me and ask how I've been doing and how my day was. 

       "We need to discuss a few things," Alpha Cody said in his deep, rumbling voice. The rest of the pack listened attentively.

       "The Scouts and the Sentinels have all reported sightings of a wolf. It appears to be the same one, but he's been seen multiple times in our territory so we can only assume that it is a rogue."

        "What if it's a spy?" 

        They all froze and turned to look at me. It was only then that I realize that I had spoken aloud. Alpha Cody narrowed his eyes when he looked at me. I had spoken without permission, an action that I will most likely be punished for later. 

        "Why would it be a spy, Shyanne? We don't have any enemies," Alpha said. His words took me by surprise, that and the fact that he was still addressing me, allowing me to speak.

        I shrugged a little. "Maybe not yet. There's a first time for everything. Besides, maybe one of the other packs have assessed some things and see us as a possible threat. As for the Wolf, they could just be sending the same one so that we think he really is a rogue. You could never be too safe, right?" 

        He actually seemed to be considering my words as he leaned back in his chair and contemplated my idea. "The Omega might have a point," he said at last. "We'll have to be on our guards for a while until we can be sure that they are no threat to us. We will have Sentinels and Scouts patrolling the territory borders at all times. There will be one of each in every patrol, as well as a Guardian. Understood?" 

         We all agreed and he continued, but he was not looking at the Beta, Jeremy, also my big brother. "Jeremy will be responsible for organizing the daily patrols and the occasional hunting party. We will not let our pack be brought down by over reactive fools." He looked at each of us in turn as he stood up, trying to get his point across with his unusual, silvery gray eyes. 

       "The meeting is dismissed." Once he left, I stood up but was surprised to see Gage approach me.

         I looked up at his tall frame. I secretly used to have a crush on him when he was younger. When my mother was raising me here, he used to be the only kid that would hang out with me, but once I was made Omega, he stopped talking to me. 

         He was six foot three and towered over me. His brown eyes stared down into mine and I remember feeling like I could melt into them, like chocolate. His dirty blonde hair was pushed back and some of it kind of curled down over his right eye, which I knew was from him running his fingers through it, as I had seen him do so many times.

        He looked a little awkward to be there, but he finally said "That was a good idea. I don't think anyone else would thought of it. Good job, Shyanne." With that, he walked away and I smiled a little to myself. I turned and kept walking up the stairs until I got to the top floor. 

        As Omega, I got the smallest room. Luckily, we lived in a huge freaking mansion to fit the pack members so the room actual wasn't small at all, but it was on the top floor, where no one else was. It was very spacious with its own bathroom. I flopped down on my queen mattress and looked up at the ceiling.

         I thought more of the stranger in our territory. If he was a rogue, then didn't he at least scent the border markers? If he was from another pack, he would at least respect the border markers. That was one of the laws of the werewolf packs. What if it really was a loner or rogue? It's like I said I guess. You can never be too safe. I rolled over and fell asleep on my stomach, letting my dreams consume my mind.