The Slap

CHAPTER 1 - The Slap

I punched Cassiel in the face. He doesn’t fight back, just let me do it. I punch him harder, sinking my fist into his cheek.

“What happened to us?” I whisper, my eyes lowering.

“I’m not an expert at this but I'm sure that’s not the proper way to knead a dough,” Liora says as she comes to stand by my side.

I gave the dough which I had been imagining as Cassiel, one last punch. “I know, just imagining it was your brother.”

Yeah it’s only in my imagination that I, Elaris, the lowest ranking Omega, can punish the Alpha’s son.

Liora snorts, picks an apple from the nearby bowl and takes a bite. She pulls out a nearby stool and sits beside me at the kitchen counter.

The other Omegas in the kitchen carry on with their work, ignoring the two of us. We couldn’t afford to slack off, because the Bonding moon will take place today. An event which happens every five years at midnight.

It’s the only time when wolves who are over eighteen are drawn to their fated partner.

“He’s coming back today, you know?” Liora said, her eyes transfixed on the trays of not baked cookies on the table.

“Yay! How wonderful,” I reply, flatly.

I glance at her while kneading the dough properly this time.

 Liora and her elder brother, Cassiel shared the same blond hair and bright green eyes but that’s where the similarities end.

Liora is a kind sweet soul while Cassiel is a certified asshole and also the boy who broke my heart five years ago.

“You know when Cassiel finds his mate tonight, you won't be bothered by him anymore. He would be too busy sucking up to his mate,” She says with a laugh. “I hope she’s someone like you. Goddess knows, I won't be able to tolerate a bitchy sister in law.”

I don’t reply. I know she’s trying to comfort me but her words are making my heart ache.

Liora doesn’t know that I and her brother were once something, if not , maybe she would have been careful with her words.

She continues talking but I can hardly hear what she’s saying anymore. I can't stop thinking about Cassiel finding his mate and being all over her. 

Giving her all those soft looks he gave me years ago. His lips on her. More than his lips connecting with her.

Liora eventually got bored of being unresponsive and went to find something to do.

Hours later of nonstop work in the kitchen. I finally have trays of cookies, donuts and the likes of them lined up for the oven.

I placed a tray in the oven and headed out for a hall in the packhouse. My portion to clean for today.

***

Packmates walk past me as I scrub the hallway floor, not bothering to avoid the side I had already cleaned.

This was the fate of a typical Omega in a pack. As the weakest link of the pack, we were made into doing the house chores and cleaning after other pack members.

A familiar scent makes me tense. The soft footsteps of Melody and her friends as they approach get louder.

“Im sure you are going to be Cassiel mate tonight,” I hear Vera say to Melody.

“I already had a mate, remember?” Melody says softly, her voice low and soothing. “I doubt the goddess is that generous.”

“Oh, she’s very generous. That’s she made Cassiel to finally see you and take out the unimportant things in his life,” Another says.

I know she’s talking about me. After Cassiel woke up one morning and decided to start being cold to me, he suddenly moved on to Melody. A shewolf who had lost her first mate in a rogue attack.

For years before Cassiel left for Alpha training, he had always been where Melody was, following her around like she was his safe Haven.

And then there was me, confused and hurt by it all.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and kept scrubbing, plain bent on ignoring them.

But as they got closer, the shewolf closest to my side kicked the bucket, sending dirty water all over the floor.

I get up quickly, narrowing to avoid my dress getting soaked by it.

I glare at her, my chest heaving and she raises an eyebrow at me.

“Rachael,” Melody says quietly.

Rachel feigns an innocent look. “It was a mistake honestly.”

But she doesn’t apologize.

My eyes meet Melody’s. Her face is blank as usual. I tamp down the frustration rising inside me, I’ve never been able to read her.

She looks away, casually dismissing me. She and her friends continue down the hallway.

My whole body trembles as I rise, tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I picked up the bucket and glared at their backs until they disappeared around a corner.

Omega weren't offered much protection in the pack, always the target of bullying from most wolves.

Cassiel used to be my protector, no one even dared look at me the wrong way. But when he stopped caring, the bullying came and I was left alone and afraid.

I stare at the mess they created and my fist clenches hard around the bucket handle.

I begin walking down the hallway to go get another bucket of water.

 Just as I'm rounding the corner, I slam into the person coming at high speed.

The force had me staggering back and I barely had time to recover before the slap came.