"The universe must not define you." Luna Ray sappily said as she chatted with a young boy about his marking. I grabbed the last dish I could before slowly making my way towards the kitchen and placing the rest in the growing pill for the kitchen crew. "You can think of it as a memory of the past that cannot define your future." Luna's words were always wise, so when she spoke; silence would rush the room and listen and learn. The boy she spoke to had come from a pack that had neglected and branded him as an omega when he wasn't close to being one. The boy was strong for a 12 year old but his temper was outmatched by all. I had seen this be heavier before, anger was one of the options to cope to push away and to hate all that tried to help so there would be less pain later on. I had also learned it never worked, because the boy I met years ago with the issue was now my best friend and was now known for his outspoken love and happiness.
"I don't care." The boy grumbled as he stared at the untouched food in front of him. "Can I leave now?" I watched him stare down at his now cold plate of pancakes and eggs while he avoided eye contact.
'Power, he hates people with power." Ash flooded my head as I watched Luna sigh sadly. 'Talk to him, understand him, you're good at that.' Ash's voice rang like bells at church, singingly it was time to fulfill something that needed to be done.
I watched Luna look devastated as she stood up and told him once again that he needed to eat to get better. The boy with the musical was strong, but if you knew what to look for you could see him starving. His cheekbones were slightly sunken while his bones began to prick the skin more than usual. The boy stared down at the food without saying anything as Luna walked away with sorrow following her like a cap.
"Go," Ash crept again. "Learn." I began to walk through the moving people, crossing the room towards the boy before sitting down where Luna once sat.
"What do you want?" The boy snapped after he realized I had no power of rank.
"Nothing," I looked away from the boy now looking out the large window of the pack eating area. The boy, who stared at me now, looked confused as he forwarded his eyebrows and relaxed his shoulder.
"What happened to your lip?" He quizzed as his dark eyes stared at the jagged scar that began at the top of my lip and ended below my chin. It has been healed for years but the thick scar was still the size of a medium size thumb and would stay like that for the rest of my life.
"What happened to you eating?" I fired back as I glanced back at him. The anger that once masked his face was now gone, instead he looked more relaxed and at peace as he stared into my eyes. "If you eat, I will tell you." I offered. I felt eyes on my back as people glanced at the progress the boy was making.
"Why would you care about me eating?" He snorted more to himself.
"So you can get better." I simply stated as I rested my elbows on the table and leaned closer. "You don't have to eat it all, just a bit for strength." I could see it in his eyes the war with food he was having.
The boy began to stab at the pancake with anger as he ate almost angrily with speed. Half way through the pancake, he began to slow to almost a sinking stop. His face tightened and corntroited into a face of sickness before he thickly swallowed the last bite.
"It's-" He swallowed again as he pushed away the half eaten food and pressed his head to the cold table. "It's your turn." He mumbled. I gently smiled at him knowing he pushed himself further today than before.
"It gets better with time, you eat just enough, and a little more." I quoted from my friend.
"Shut up and tell me about the scar." He sighed.
"A metal pull was swung from the side of me and hit my jaw, sliced it to the bone. I had nothing to hold it together for weeks so it healed very thick." I hummed at the flash of memory. The boy sat up brighter, almost excitingly at the thought of extreme violence.
"Did you get revenge?" He questioned on beat, waiting for my answer while he tapped excessively with his foot under the table.
"No. But at the time I had planned too, not anymore though."
"Why not?" The anger slipped through his tone as he hunched over the table to listen closer.
"It was unnecessary even if it was deserved." I plainly said. Besides, I said I would tell how I got it, not before and after I got it." The boy looked conflicted like he heard a good part of a movie but couldn't watch because it was still 14:99$ online.
"My name is Olive by the way." Olive said as he looked away from me.
"Nathan."
"How long have you been here?" His voice spoke of an unknown hope of knowledge he wanted to know about.
"About 2 years ago, I came here when I was 15." I smiled the best that I could.
"I'm 15, does that mean I can leave when I'm 17?" He asked excitedly.
"Sorry, but it depends on why you're here." I stayed with a sad smile. "I stayed this long because I would be a rogue if not. But for some, they only stay for a few months."
"Are you ever going to leave?"
"I'm going to find a pack that can use my help this week, actually." I grinned.
"What do you mean help? Do I have to find a pack to help?"
"I have Beta blood, I can't stay as a regular pack member without being a Beta. Since this pack already has one, and I'm coming of age to take a Beta position. I need a pack that needs a beta." His face lightened up as he began to understand what I was saying. Excitement and fear radiated off of him as his thoughts swirled, glistening in his eyes.
"What if you don't like them; or they don't like you?!" He hummed in wonder.
Before the conversation could go further, an echoing ring bounced off the walls signaling that the small breakfast break was over and now people had to get to school or jobs before they were late. Luna appeared around the corner from the kitchen area with Beta Duke on her heels.
"It's time for school, Olive." Luna hummed with a smile as she held a blue backpack up in front of her. Olive slowly got up as his face hardened into an annoyed expression as he glanced at me one more time before grabbing the bag and walking past Luna before following the rest of the kids.
"You do great with kids," Luna hummed as she took Olive's spot across the table. "I'm jealous sometimes." I smiled at what she said before looking down at my hands.
"I relate, it's not that hard. Then I use what we have in common, against them." A hint of truth seeped in my voice as I smiled jokingly while luna laughed it off.
"You're a good kid Nathan, I hope you know that."
"Of course I do, you made me the best." Nathan caught on on how she was trying to soften the blow of the reminder that I had to check out another pack for the empty Beta spot.
My smile fell as I glanced at Duke. He had become a father to me after 2 years of being attached to his hip. The thing that he truly didn't agree on was why I had to find another pack to live with. And I too, agreed with what he had to say. Even though we both knew I couldn't stay here. I wouldn't be the first kid to grow up in this pack and to have to leave even though I didn't want to. This pack was structured to take damaged goods in and reproduce good goods out. I couldn't fully say I was 'good goods' but I was better goods then the 15 year old me that would scream bloody murder every time someone came closer then 6ft away from me for months.
It's time to go." Duke grumbled from behind Luna. I sat a little longer in that spot before actually standing. The thought of leaving this pack, leaving people like me, that understood me, that liked the person I am today was utterly devastating for me and my wolf. I was trying to find a home away from my safe haven, the haven that held my true home close.