Author's note: this is from Luca's point of view

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I didn't like that they split us up for cleaning duties.

Zoe went with a petite brown-haired Martine who observed us with curiosity.

Ash headed outside with a blonde guy called Horace whose smirk told me that Ash is going to experience some hard work.

I was assigned to help a female named Nila.

Nila is about thirty years old. Her black hair was pulled into a high bun and her t-shirt and leggings showed her toned physique. I was confident that she can whoop my ass without trying.

Luckily for me, Nila is far from violent. She is a chatty she-wolf.

"We will clean up the gym equipment. We do that twice a week, Monday and Thursday afternoon. On other days, we come and only keep scattered things in place. It's expected that everyone cleans up after themselves, but sometimes people forget to tidy up when they are done.", Nila said with a dose of sarcasm, which told me that not everyone picks up when they are done.

I guess they are not set on following rules. Actually, when I heard that they don't have an Alpha, I imagined a place much-much worse than what I'm seeing.

She gave me a spray bottle with lemon-scented greenish liquid and a small towel.

My eyes swept over a decent-sized gym that had six treadmills, four ellipticals, four rowing machines, a dozen workout benches, and in the back were stationary bikes, a variety of weights, and several machines I didn't recognize. It seems that these guys like to exercise. No wonder they are so well built.

Nila noticed my uneasiness as I was glancing in the direction Zoe and Martine left.

"Are you worried about your girl?", she asked teasingly.

"Sister.", I corrected her.

"Oh, sorry…", she responded swiftly.

"Will Zoe be safe?", I asked.

Nila looked at me like I asked something silly. She is an Omega, but me being a malnourished teenager fifteen years her junior didn't strike her like someone she should respect.

When we arrived, I noticed that Fynn nearly drooled at the sight of Seraphina. Disgusting. Otto and Bert behaved with a bit of constraint, probably because they feared Fynn. Even Lazarus was looking at Serina like she is his next meal.

The only male who didn't look lustful was Aldus, and that guy scares the shit out of me. What the hell is he? The image of him walking leisurely among four werewolves made him appear reckless or ignorant, but then he did some magic that froze Gil until he collapsed like a dried corpse within seconds, and I realized that he knew exactly what he was getting himself into. The way Lazarus and Fynn are treating Aldus with respect is telling me that he is someone I should not cross.

"Zoe will be safe.", Nila responded. "Here, everyone has a voice, even an Omega."

Nila's confidence in Zoe's safety spilled on me and I relaxed a bit. But only a bit.

How could I not be worried about Zoe who left on her own out of my sight? Sure, she left with Martine, but what can one weak Omega do if they get into trouble?

I wondered if I'm overreacting. Not everyone is sleazy like guys from the Dark Walkers pack, and there is nothing wrong with looking. After all, Seraphina is an attractive female and it's normal that guys would be interested in conquering her.

Actually, with Seraphina by our side, no guy paid attention to Zoe... or me, or Ash. It was like we were invisible.

I am quiet, so people assume that I'm dumb, but I learned that speaking up only brings trouble. The fact that others underestimate me, puts me at an advantage. With talking less, I spend more time paying attention to my surroundings and I end up seeing and hearing what I'm not supposed to.

For example, three years ago I overheard Damon (aka my father) talk with his drinking buddies.

I was shocked to find out that my and Zoe's mothers were 'pack-ladies' back in the Bluemoon pack. Every child idolizes parents, and at ten years old, it was difficult for me to accept that my mother was a plaything for others, and she did it willingly, for money.

On that same evening, I found out that Damon is not our father. He gave us his last name in order to keep our mothers tied up to him. At the Dark Walkers pack, our mothers continued working as 'pack-ladies' and Damon was taking a percentage of their earnings. With them gone, so was his income.

The only good thing in that story was that I'm not related to Damon. And neither is Zoe.

On another occasion, Damon was cursing about our mothers being disobedient and since then I started doubting the story that they really left the pack. It was more probable that Damon killed them in rage. But that was only my suspicion, and even if I found evidence, it's not like there is a higher authority where I could report him.

You see, Damon has a temper and more than once he broke my ribs when I came into his sight and he was not in a good mood. He is one of the reasons I am so good at diminishing my presence.

"Why are you keeping the pups?", one of Damon's drink-buddies asked. "They are dead weight. Useless mouths to feed."

"They don't eat much. Zoe will grow up into a fine young lady. Only a few more years and my investment in her will start paying off.", Damon responded with a chuckle and I felt my bile rising together with my anger as I realized that he is waiting for Zoe to grow up so that he can take her. Will he make her sleep with other guys for money?

"And Luca?"

Damon snorted. "If I get rid of him, Zoe might start asking questions. The boy is not too bright and at this point, he is useful to distract her because she is taking care of him."

They all laughed and to this day I didn't muster the courage to tell Zoe the truth. Maybe I am a coward, but Zoe dreams about finding a mate and how life will be wonderful, and I don't want to spoil it.

Zoe is not weak. Far from it. Zoe took care of me from a young age. She protected me and gave me care and attention that was very scarce as we grew up. I knew that Zoe gave me part of her ration when the food we received was not enough for one. I knew that she would quarrel with others who called me names. She was the one who would crawl into my bed and hug me to sleep when I cried after Damon gave me a beating.

Zoe is a gem, and I would do anything I can to protect her. Unfortunately, I can't do much right now, but I will get stronger and not allow Damon or any other guy with wicked thoughts to touch her.

Zoe is maybe not my sister by blood, but it certainly feels like one.

Zoe is the reason why I volunteered to come to the right-of-passage ritual.

I heard Damon saying how Alpha Enric will be out for the week, and with Gil taking recruits for the ritual, there will be no one to prevent him from doing as he pleases. Damon's words, "She is young, but unripened fruits are sweet as well", put me in panic.

I needed to get Zoe out of there, and I needed to think fast.

I knew that Zoe will not let me come on my own, so I went to Gil and volunteered with a story about how we need more and warriors are getting larger rations; it was not a lie. Just as I expected, Zoe followed. I didn't have a plan other than to get her away from our pack and Damon, at least until Alpha Enric returns. Gil was an asshole, but he was one of the few who wouldn't put his hands on an underage girl.

I'm still not sure if Seraphina showing up was a blessing or a curse, but it's leaning toward a blessing so far. In less than twenty-four hours since we are following her, no one hit me, and I already had three good meals.

"Here you are…", a singing female voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"I'm Tessa…", she said with a big smile and my eyes landed on an apple she was giving to me. "I heard that your name is Luca. Welcome to our small community."

Tessa seemed nice. How I see it, everyone who gives me food is nice. She even got one apple for Nila.

"Thanks…", I mumbled and put the apple in my pocket.

Nila rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Zoe got a snack also."

How did she know I was keeping the apple for Zoe?

Nila gestured toward Tessa. "Tessa makes sure we are all fed. It's her week to manage the kitchen."

"He is concerned about Zoe?", Tessa asked while wiggling her eyebrows. "A crush?"

"Sister.", Nila said before I could.

"Oh… how sweet…" Tessa was nearly tearing up.

"Luca was concerned if it's safe here.", Nila continued ratting me out with a mouthful of apple.

Tessa bobbed her head ambiguously. "Guys are mischievous, but it won't go beyond pranks. However, considering that you are new and kids, they will probably leave you alone. For now. One day, when you find yourself slipping on the floor because your shoe soles are greased up, or your soap is not working because it's covered in see-through nail polish, or the Oreo filling turns out to be toothpaste…"

"Tessa!" Nila waved at Tessa to stop talking. "You are scaring the boy!"

Tessa responded through giggles, "Sorry, sorry… what I'm trying to say is… When they start pranking you, it means they accepted you as one of us."

My frown probably spoke volumes because both Tessa and Nila were holding their bellies while laughing heartily. It took them a while to calm down.

"Eat up…", Nila said while gesturing toward my apple that was making my pants pocket bulge. "After this, we are helping Tessa with dinner."

"I will see you there…", Tessa sang with a big smile on her face, and she pinched my cheeks roughly before leaving the gym.

"Eat or work!", Nila exclaimed, and a towel flew in my direction. I caught the towel and saw Nila rolling her eyes before explaining, "We need to finish here and then help in the kitchen. If we are late, dinner will be late, and that means a lot of grumpy wolves. Trust me, it's not pleasant."

I nodded and continued wiping the elliptical machine while my cheeks throbbed from Tessa's pinching. That woman has quite a grip.

I will keep the apple for Zoe, maybe she will be hungry later. She loves apples.

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