Kasia wandered through the outskirts of the pack territory, her boots crunching on the gravel pathway. She shivered against the chill of the early morning air, drawing her jacket tighter around her.
She had locked herself away after seeing the bruise on her neck from Ethan's love nip. After two days of locking herself away from embarrassment, Kasia snuck out of the pack house in the early hours of the morning before anyone was stirring. She couldn't sleep, waking up from another fevered dream of what could have happened if she stayed in the car.
"I can't believe I kissed him. What the hell is wrong with me?" Kasia muttered to herself as she kicked a rock out of her way.
Kasia's stomach churned with unease. Ever since Ethan saved her from that deadly fall at the amusement park, her mind has been in turmoil. She still didn't understand why he had caught her and prevented her death. Kasia didn't understand why she responded the way she did when she accidentally kissed him. It wasn't like she hadn't been kissed before. And why did he let her? Why had he rescued her? And on top of that, she cried in front of him. Kasia wanted to die of embarrassment.
As she continued deeper into the land, Kasia found herself in the area where the Omegas lived. It was a stark contrast from the beautiful homes and lush gardens that graced the rest of the territory-here, ramshackle huts stood crookedly, their roofs patched with whatever materials were available. Omegas, the weakest members of the pack, were treated like dirt simply because they lacked strength.
A bitter wind whipped through the slums, and Kasia caught sight of several omegas huddling around a makeshift fire, their ragged clothes fluttering in the gusts. She felt a pang in her chest. No matter what the hunters said, these weren't monsters. They were people, living in squalor while the pack elite lived in luxury just down the road.
"Damn it," Kasia muttered under her breath, her fists clenching. She felt a pang of anger and sadness for these Lycans, who were subjected to such conditions solely due to their misfortune of being born weak.
"Lost, are we?" a voice called out, startling her. A young omega male approached. He was well fed and dressed, so at least they were not starving the omegas. He was handsome, but she noticed his eyes lingered on her body far longer than she liked. She noticed him sniffing the air, and a flicker of hope was in his eyes. "You're Kasia, right? The she-wolf that Alpha rescued?"
"Yes, that's me," Kasia replied, forcing a smile.
'To him, you're an unmated she-wolf, an opportunity to go up a rank as he believes you are of higher rank,' the voice in her head explained to her. 'Sad that he doesn't know he doesn't have a chance since you have the hots for the Alpha.'
'Shut up!' Kasia hissed to the voice before saying to the omega, "Just taking a walk. Trying to clear my head."
"Ah, I see," the omega said. He shuffled awkwardly before continuing. "I know it's not much, but you're welcome to come inside if you'd like."
"Thank you," Kasia said. "But I think I'll keep walking for now."
"Alright," the omega responded, disappointment evident in his voice. "Take care, Kasia."
Watching the young man return to his dilapidated home, Kasia couldn't shake the image from her mind. These omegas deserved better, and she knew it was something she needed to bring up with Ethan.
As Kasia turned to leave, her thoughts continued to race. Why had Ethan saved her life at the amusement park? She couldn't deny that his actions spoke volumes about his character. But could she trust him enough to help those who needed it most-the omegas?
'Goddess, I thought we went over this already!' The voice in Kasia's head was persistent, chiding her for her stubbornness. "You're a complete idiot for still believing that Ethan wants to hurt you," it said. "He could have let you drop to your death back at the amusement park. It would've been easier for him, but he didn't do it. That means that Ethan isn't a terrible person."
"Maybe..." Kasia whispered reluctantly, her focus shifting from the Omega slums to the man who had saved her life.
"Stop doubting yourself and face the truth," the voice urged. "You were lied to. He is not a bad person, and if you truly want to help these omegas, then you have to stick around and open up."
"Who said I wanted to help them?" Kasia retorted.
"Whatever you say," the voice laughed.
"Kasia!" A familiar voice called out, pulling her from her thoughts. Turning around, she saw Janet approaching her with a concerned expression on her face.
"Hey, Janet," Kasia replied cautiously, bracing herself for the inevitable interrogation about the amusement park incident.
"Are you alright? What are you doing out here? Why..." Janet began, but Kasia cut her off, irritation evident in her tone.
"I need to take a walk and clear my head," she said.
"Are you sure nothing else happened? You've been locked in your room for days," Janet asked.
"That's all. I'm fine. And before you ask, I used the spray," Kasia replied.
"Alright, alright," Janet relented. "I got worried because I couldn't find you."
"Why were you looking for me?" Kasia asked.
"I wanted to invite you to a meeting," Janet replied.
"What meeting?" Kasia asked.
"We should keep up appearances that you'll be joining us eventually, and since everyone believes you were a high-ranking female from a pack that was ransacked by rogues, you are expected to come to a meeting of high-ranking female wolves to discuss improvements to the pack," Janet explained.
"Isn't that what a Luna is supposed to do?" Kasia asked.
"Ethan has no Luna, so it is up to us to do it instead. So, are you coming or are you're going to make this difficult?" Janet answered.
Kasia hesitated but nodded and said, "I'll go."