Forsaken by My Pack: The Omega’s Luna Rises

I remained by my father’s grave long after the funeral had ended. Everyone had left, but I couldn’t. Not yet.

How could I leave the only person who had ever truly believed in me?

The moonlight bathed the cemetery in a pale glow, like a silent witnesses to my grief. I stared at the freshly turned soil, willing myself to feel something other than the crushing weight of responsibility pressing on my chest. I wasn’t ready to lead. I wasn’t ready to be Luna. I wasn’t ready for any of it.

The bond with Killian still sat heavy on my soul, even years later. We were mated, yes, but we were never in sync. Not the way mates were supposed to be. Killian, the omega. And me, the daughter of the great Alpha.

How was this my fate?

I had been prepared for greatness, to take over when my father stepped down. But instead, I was bonded to the lowest member of our pack.

It wasn’t Killian’s fault. But I couldn’t shake the bitterness that clawed at me every time I saw him. My father’s strength had kept the pack in check, silencing their mockery and disapproval of my mate. But now, with him gone, I was left to face their sneers alone.

The sound of footsteps behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Killian’s scent reached me before his soft voice did.

“Tabitha... I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

I didn’t answer right away, keeping my gaze fixed on my father’s grave. The pain in my chest tightened, anger bubbling up from the sorrow. “What do you think, Killian? Does it look like I’m okay?”

He just stood there. His presence was a reminder of everything I wasn’t ready for. The mate bond between us had been established the moment I turned eighteen, but even now, it felt wrong. Forced. I had spent years trying to accept it, trying to accept him. But every time I looked at Killian, all I saw was my failure. My father’s death had only made it worse.

“I know you’re hurting, but—”

“Hurting?” I laughed bitterly, finally turning to face him. “My father is dead, Killian. I’m supposed to take his place, lead this pack, and I’m mated to someone no one respects. Do you have any idea what that’s like?”

His face fell, and for a moment, guilt twisted in my stomach. But then I remembered the eyes of the pack on me, the whispers I’d heard just before the funeral.

‘She’s mated to an omega.’

‘She’s not fit to lead.’

‘She’ll never be the Luna her father was.’

I didn’t need their judgment. And I didn’t need Killian’s pity.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, taking a step back. “I just wanted to help.”

“Well, you can’t.” My voice broke, but I held his gaze, refusing to let him see the tears forming in my eyes. “Just… go, Killian. Please.”

He hesitated but eventually, he turned and left without another word. As soon as he was gone, the tears I had been holding back finally spilled over. I tilted my head to the sky, staring up at the full moon. It glowed brilliantly above me, but instead of offering comfort, it felt like a mockery.

“Why, Fenrir?” I whispered. “Why did you choose this for me?”

I waited for an answer that would never come. All I had now was the weight of my fate. And it was crushing me.

The sound of rustling in the trees nearby caught my attention, but I didn’t turn. I was too lost in my misery to care. I was certain I was alone, but I was wrong.

Ares stood in the shadows, watching me with cold eyes. Nimfa was beside him. Her lips twisted in a cruel smile. They had always been there, lurking, waiting for me to break. And now, they thought they had won.

I could almost hear their thoughts. ‘She’ll step down soon. She has no choice.’

But they were wrong. I wasn’t ready to lead, but I wasn’t ready to give up either.

The days after my father's funeral passed in a blur. The grief was still raw, and the weight of the pack's expectations loomed like a storm cloud over me. I knew it was only a matter of time before the council would summon me. And when the summons finally came, I felt the familiar knot of dread twist in my stomach. The council house was always a place of decisions, of judgment.

The rumors had already reached my ears, each one sharper than the last. I had overheard enough whispers to know what was coming. Some of them were blatant. Others were more subtle but no less harmful.

‘An omega as Luna’s mate? It’s disgraceful.’

I’d heard them all. And despite the ache in my chest, I refused to crumble.

I entered the council house, my head held high. But the tension was suffocating. The elders sat in a semi-circle. Their expressions were unreadable. But I could feel the judgment radiating from them, thick and oppressive.

"Tabitha," one of the elders finally spoke. "We’ve deliberated on the matter of leadership within the Crescent Moon pack, considering your... situation."

Situation. That’s what they called it. Not my birthright, not my duty to my pack. Just a situation. My eyes flickered over to the far corner, where Ares stood, arms crossed. His smug expression was barely concealed. He didn’t even try to hide his satisfaction. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as our eyes met. My blood boiled.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain composed. "I’m the rightful Luna," I said keeping my voice steady, though the anger simmered beneath the surface. "This was my father’s legacy. Killian is my mate, yes, but that has no bearing on my ability to lead."

An elder cleared his throat, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Tabitha, we must consider the wellbeing of the pack. Being mated to an omega... it complicates things. The council believes that—"

"I don’t care what you believe," I interrupted. My gaze went sharp as I scanned the faces of the council. "Being mated to Killian does not make me weak. I am my father’s daughter. And I am more than capable of leading this pack, with or without your approval."

There was a murmur of discontent among the elders, but I didn’t back down. They needed to hear me, to understand that I wasn’t some fragile girl they could manipulate. I had seen what they were trying to do, and I wouldn’t let them strip away what was mine.

But Ares, of course, had other plans.

"It’s not just about you, Tabitha," he said. His voice dripped with false concern as he stepped forward. "The pack needs stability. Strength. And with an omega by your side, the pack will always question your authority."

I clenched my fists at my sides, resisting the urge to snap at him. "This isn’t about Killian, Ares. This is about you. You’ve been undermining me since the day I was named my father’s successor. You want the pack for yourself."

Ares’ eyes gleamed, but his expression remained cool. "I only want what’s best for Crescent Moon. And let’s face it, the pack doesn’t trust you to lead. They never did."

I turned to the elders. My heart pounded. "You can’t let him manipulate you like this. My father wouldn’t have wanted the pack in Ares’ hands."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances. I could see the doubt creeping into their faces, but I knew that Ares had already sunk his claws into them. His influence ran deep, poisoning their thoughts, twisting the truth.

"I am not stepping down," I declared. I managed to voice firm despite the growing sense of helplessness inside me. "This is my birthright. And I won’t let anyone take it from me just because I’m mated to someone you don’t deem worthy."

Ares chuckled. "It’s not about worth, Tabitha. It’s about power. And you don’t have it."

My heart raced as I glared at him. Fury and frustration swirled in my chest. I knew I wasn’t going to win this fight here, not today. The council had already made up their minds. And Ares had stacked the odds against me.

Without another word, I turned and stormed out of the council house.

I had never felt so powerless… so alone. The pack was slipping through my fingers. And I didn’t know how to stop it.

Ares’ POV

The sun was barely up when the someone's knock pounded on the door, loud enough to wake the entire street. I groaned, rolling over. Beside me, Nimfa grumbled, tugging the blankets over her head. The peace we had, brief as it was, shattered in an instant.

“Who in Fenrir’s name is that?”

I sat up with my mind racing. I hadn’t been expecting anyone, and certainly not the investor. A cold knot of worry twisted in my gut. I had made too many promises and delivered on too few. If the investor was here unannounced, it couldn’t be good.

“I’ll handle it,” I muttered. Nimfa stayed buried under the covers. I barely had time to start pulling on my clothes before the voice outside demanded her presence as well.

“Nimfa, get up,” I barked, already halfway dressed. “Our guest isn’t someone we can ignore.”

She groaned but reluctantly pushed herself out of bed, still wearing nothing but a thin nightgown. She muttered curses under her breath, following me downstairs. But when I opened the door, her bravado disappeared. The man waiting outside, tall and broad-shouldered, with eyes that could freeze over hell, was staring straight at her. Nimfa, suddenly aware of how little she was wearing, crossed her arms over her chest. Her discomfort was clear.

“This is… unexpected,” I said, forcing a smile as I opened the door wider. “I wasn’t informed you’d be visiting today.”

The investor didn’t wait for an invitation. He stepped inside. His presence filled the room with an unsettling aura. “I didn’t need to inform you,” he retorted coldly, his eyes locking onto mine. “I’m here because you’re late, Ares. Far too late.”

My forced smile faltered. He had been patient for weeks now. But I knew that patience was running thin. The plutonium shipments were delayed. Everything had been complicated lately. Tabitha’s stubborn refusal to relinquish control had split my attention. And now it was catching up to me.

“I understand,” I began, keeping my tone even, trying to mask the panic that had begun to bubble up. “But these things take time. The pack has been difficult to manage, but the shipment is coming. I just need a little more time.”

The investor’s eyes narrowed. His lips curled into a menacing sneer. “Time? I’ve given you more than enough time, Ares. My clients are growing impatient. Do you know what happens to wolves who disappoint me?”

Beside me, Nimfa stiffened. I could feel her fear radiating off her in waves. She knew the stories. We all did. The investor didn’t just punish failure. He obliterated it. Nimfa tugged at my arm, whispering frantically, “You promised him, Ares. We can’t afford to cross him.”

I ignored her. I had to keep my focus. “Look, I can make this right. Just a few more days and—”

The investor cut me off with a sharp wave of his hand. “I’m done with your promises. You have until the end of the week. After that, you’re no longer useful to me.”

With that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

Nimfa’s face went pale. Her hands trembled as she began to pace. “We’re dead." Panic crept into her voice. “He’s going to kill us, Ares. You’ve crossed him too many times.”

“Stop it,” I snapped harshly, turning on her. “Panicking won’t help.”

She kept pacing as her voice rose with fear. “You don’t understand! He doesn’t just kill his enemies, he wipes them out! You promised him the plutonium, and now—”

My patience snapped. I struck her across the face. And the sound of it echoed in the small room. Nimfa stumbled back, clutching her cheek in shock. It wasn’t the first time I had hit her, but it still caught her off guard.

“Get a grip,” I growled. “I don’t need your hysterics right now. We’ll handle this. I have a plan.”

Nimfa blinked, tears welling up in her eyes, but she didn’t say a word. She knew better than to argue when I was like this. I turned away from her, pacing the room. My mind was working furiously. The investor was a problem, sure. But I wasn’t out of options yet.

“We just need to keep things under control for a little longer,” I muttered, more to myself than to her. “The council is already in my pocket. Tabitha’s hanging on by a thread, and it won’t be long before she snaps. When she does, I’ll make my move.”

“And what if she doesn’t snap? What if she fights back?”

I stopped pacing, looking at her as my eyes narrowed. “Then I’ll deal with her.”

She stared at me. “Deal with her?” she echoed. “You mean… kill her?”

I didn’t answer immediately. I just stared at her as my jaw tightened. “If she doesn’t step down willingly, I’ll make sure she’s out of the picture… permanently.”

Nimfa’s eyes widened in horror. Before she could protest, I struck her again, this time harder. She crumpled to the floor, sobbing silently, clutching her face.

I stepped over her without a second glance. “Keep an eye on her,” I commanded. “No one is going to stand in my way… not even Tabitha.”

I paced back and forth in the small living room as my thoughts spiralled. The creak of the floorboards beneath my feet was the only sound breaking the silence. Being an omega had its benefits sometimes—no one noticed me. I could slip into the background, move unseen, listen to the whispers of the pack without drawing attention. That’s how I learned about Ares’ plan all those years ago.

I clenched my fists, the memory as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. I’d overheard Ares speaking to the council about the mating process, how it had been tampered with. And the corrupt or indifferent wolf council had turned a blind eye. They didn’t care about Tabitha’s happiness or future. They wanted control. And Ares, power-hungry as ever, was more than happy to give it to them, even at the cost of her dignity.

I knew then that Tabitha and I were worlds apart. She, the daughter of a great Alpha, destined for greatness.

And me?

Just an omega. A nobody. But that hadn’t stopped me from longing for her. From praying and begging Fenrir to give me a chance. I convinced myself that if I prayed hard enough, the universe would hear me. That Fenrir would answer.

And in a twisted way, he had. I volunteered to be her mate. It was the only way I could think of to protect her from the likes of Ares and the others who would use her. Ares had laughed at first. But when I suggested that mating her to an omega would humiliate her even further, pushing her closer to breaking, Ares had jumped on it. He thought it was brilliant. The pack would never accept an omega as the Luna’s mate. It would be a disgrace that would tarnish Crescent Moon’s reputation forever.

I agreed to the plan, thinking it was the only way to keep her safe. But years later, it haunted me. What I thought was protection had only added to her suffering. I became part of the humiliation that weighed her down every day.

My pacing stopped when I heard the knock on the door. My heart sank. I didn’t need to guess who it was.

Ares.

I sighed as I opened the door to find him standing there. His impatience etched across his face. Without waiting for an invitation, he pushed past me into the small room.

“We’re running out of time,” Ares snapped. “I need that authority now, Killian. Every day we wait, it gets harder to control the council. I’ve bent the rules as much as I can, but if we don’t force Tabitha to break soon, all of this will be for nothing.”

I closed the door slowly, trying to keep my thoughts in check. I didn’t trust Ares. I never had. But right now, I didn’t have much of a choice. Ares had the upper hand. And if I made one wrong move, Tabitha would suffer even more.

“What’s your plan, Ares?” I asked. “What are you really after?”

Ares turned to face me with a cold smile. “That’s none of your concern, omega,” he spat. His word dripped with disdain. “You’re here to do what you’re told. Nothing more.”

My jaw clenched, but I didn’t take the bait. I was used to the insults, used to being treated like I didn’t matter. The sting of it had worn off a long time ago. But something about the way Ares spoke made me uneasy. Whatever he was planning, it wasn’t just about forcing Tabitha out.

“Just… tell me,” I pressed. “If I’m involved, I should know.”

Ares’ eyes darkened. And the smirk faded from his face. “You don’t question me, Killian. Don’t forget your place. I have the council eating out of the palm of my hand because I ‘worked’ for it. You? You’re nothing but a pawn. Pawns don’t get to know the full game.”

The tension between us thickened. I wanted to argue, to push back, but I knew it would be useless. Ares was ruthless. And if I pushed too hard, he’d crush me without a second thought.

Still, there was one thing I knew for certain. I couldn’t let Ares destroy Tabitha. Not while I had breath in my body.

“I’ll do what I can,” I finally said. “But I won’t let her fall.”

Ares narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed, but he didn’t press the issue. “As long as you remember where your loyalties lie, you’ll be fine. Now, up the ante. The council is getting antsy, and we need Tabitha to crack.”

Without another word, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I stood there in the silence. The echo of the door reverberated through the small space. My thoughts swirled like a storm. Ares wanted power. And he wouldn’t stop until he had it. But I wouldn’t let him destroy Tabitha.

I would move mountains if I had to. Whatever it took, I’d protect her. Even if it meant risking everything.