Chapter 3: Gardens and Ponds
Eldora knew she was supposed to stay back inside the quarters with the other omegas to serve the food.
But she had been tired after single handedly stirring the swallow that would feed two hundred werewolves and virtually being the principal person in cooking almost all the other major meals with the others only helping out to run errands and grind the tomatoes and cut the onions.
She is the strongest one among the omegas, so it was easier for her to do all the heavy work in the kitchen and she gladly did it since she had no other alternate choice.
After setting the food, she decided to let the rest of the omegas share the food to the hundreds of guests that were here for the ceremony organized by the Luna for the future Alpha to find his mate instead as she wandered away into the flower garden in the darkness of the night to get fresh air.
The garden was made of different rows of a variety of flowers but consisted mostly of rose flowers and Lillies, there were also huge acacia and bamboo trees around to add the beauty of it and serve as a hedge over the flowers.
It was a place she loved to visit but could only sneak to because the Omegas were not allowed at the garden except they were there for a clean up or summoned by one of the superior wolves.
In fact since Eldora usually likes to stay out of trouble for the meantime, she only dared to sneak there because the person in charge of guarding the garden entrance was also an omega, one who secretly has a crush on Eldora, the strongest female Omega he had ever seen.
She would often come to the garden whenever the superiors were asleep or too busy with other activities and functions to wander in the garden.
He usually let her inside for some minutes when there was no one around and kept watch if someone was coming.
Since today is the Mate Finding Ceremony of the Future Alpha of the Shark Park, It was only natural that all the other werewolves would be at the Castle Pack Hall where the ceremony would be held.
Every female wolf except the omegas who are regarded as servants and unworthy to be mated to the Future Alpha was in attendance hoping that she would eventually be lucky enough to be fated as a mate to Alpha Adam.
In addition, the other werewolves were there to witness the occasion and secretly hope to meet with other she wolves to gain more network land exposure themselves and besides, there was going to be great food since it was done dinner style
So he let her stay for as long as she wanted today while he watched over her.
When she finally reached the extreme end of the beautiful rose garden where stood an artificial pond of water, only then could she relax and breathe the fresh air coming from the nearby trees.
The main reason she liked the garden in particular was because of the pond, although it was artificially made by the Luna who enjoys nature and comes to be on her own when she needs solitude,
It still reminded her of the the numerous natural ponds in the Silver Lake Pack, the pack where was originally from before her step mother gave her away to the Shark Alpha as a collateral to pay for the loan Alpha Luther, her father had incurred over the years.
Tonight seemed the perfect time to be outside in the garden, the sky was bright with stars accompanying the moon.
She decided to enjoy the night because it might end up being her last one here if she found her mate.
But as much as she did, she couldn't help recalling the very day Veronica, the new Luna Alpha Luther had gotten himself, took her to the Shark pack house and handed her over there.
**
Before then, she knew the Silver lake pack suffered a lot, they were known for farming cash crops and rearing animals, real agriculturists.
It was their pride when they got large produce and sold it to other packs and then there would still be plenty left for the pack to eat to their satisfaction.
But that soon became a luxury they could not afford when the skies had become empty of clouds, the ground was dry and arid with no rain to water it.
Soon enough when famine crept in, the Silver lake pack that depended on the rain and the crops they farmed was in a deep problem as they don't have any source of livelihood again.
Her father must have borrowed money from the Shark Pack to help run his pack and could not pay back.
She remembered that someone came to their house and shouted, since she was sent to her room, she couldn't hear what the adults were discussing.
"Pay up the money now or lose something dare to you"
That was the last thing she heard from them.
But the next day her dad traveled and after a week of him not returning, her step mother decided to take her out.
If only she knew she was going to be sold, maybe she would have run from it.
The memory still remained fresh in her mind, it was as if it was happening at the moment.
"I brought good news"
Her step mother sounded happy when they entered the office.
"It means you have my money, you're a more competent leader than that husband of yours"
The big scary man who sat on the wooden chair behind the big black table.
She was no fool to understand that it was her father they just spoke of but still didn't do anything absurd and kept observing the adults.
They talked in hushed voices but since she was also in the room, she made sure she heard everything.
"I have come to pay your loan and collect some more but I don't have money, what I have instead is a girl, she's an alpha blood so I bet she'll be useful in many ways to you, you and I know it"
Because he did not fancy children, he did not pay attention to the girl who sat at the corner in the office.
But when she mentioned that the girl beside her was in fact brought as a collateral, it was the only time he turned around to take a very good look at her,"