Chapter 3 A CHANCE

"Oh, this is so exciting. My friend is going to be the new Lycan Luna. Ha!" Anna squealed with delight, knocking over a glass of wine. "Oops, sorry." She murmured when Mia, the Alpha's daughter of Montana Pack, eyed her. "Where is your maid when you need her?" Anna looked towards the door.

"I haven't been selected yet, Anna. And she went out to get the dresses." The door creaked open. "There she is."

Chanda, Omega to the Alpha's daughter, walked in trying to balance the pile of dresses in one hand and a box of jewelry in the other. "My princess, your dresses as you requested. Also, Alpha sent these jewelries to you." She moved to drop the dresses on the bed when she slipped on the spilled liquid.

Clothes and jewelry flew in different directions. Just my luck, she thought, as her bottom landed on the floor, and she braced for the rain of insults from the ladies, especially Anna.

"Oh, pray me, you are so clumsy and blind now too, it seems." Anna yelled.

"Let her be. Chanda, pick them up immediately before they get ruined." Mia instructed. "And go and get my bath running."

"Yes, my lady." Chanda picked herself up and hurried round the room.

Life in the Montana pack was all Chanda knew. She has served as an omega to the Alpha house all her life, from being a maid in the staff quarters to being a personal servant for Mia. She couldn't complain because Mia was still fair and just, unlike the rest of the pack members. This even caused some of the other omegas to dislike her, saying she received special treatment.

"I wasn't even sure the Luna Ritual was going to happen, you know, after they announced the Lycan King had been poisoned." Mia said.

Poisoned? Who would dare poison the most feared wolf in all the region, Chanda wondered as she walked to the bathroom to start Mia's bath. She had heard rumors that he had killed his father and brother so he could ascend the throne. For once, Chanda was grateful to be an omega.

Imagine having to marry someone like that, she shuddered.

"I never liked that Ryder. He was always so full of himself." Anna hissed loudly. "Well, guess it was the moon goddess' punishment for him that he died. He has brought shame to his pack."

Chanda was amused. The only reason Anna disliked the Gamma was because he had rejected all the advances she had made for him during the last wolf gala the pack hosted.

So, it was Ryder who had planned to poison the Lycan and died trying? Maybe he was not as bright as Chanda had thought he was.

"Mia, darling." Sera, Mia's mother, walked into the room. "Child, why aren't you packed and ready? Your dad has the cars waiting downstairs."

"Now?!" Mia and Anna exclaimed in unison.

"Yes. We will leave this morning." Sera walked to the bed and ran her hands on the dresses on the bed. Some of them were soiled. "Aren't these the dresses I had the dressmaker send to you? What happened to them?"

Chanda winced when she heard her Luna's question and said a quick prayer to the Moon goddess that Mia might cover up for her.

"That servant, Chanda, happened. She soiled the dresses." Anna blurted out.

Oh, there goes her prayer.

"What? Chanda!" Sera screamed.

"My Lady." Chanda ran out of the bathroom and bowed her head to the Luna in respect. "You called."

"You good-for-nothing, omega." A hard blow landed on Chanda's back, forcing her to the ground. "Do you know how much these clothes cost? Or are you trying to sabotage Mia's chances of becoming the next Lycan Luna?" Sera screamed at her. "Speak up, you servant."

"No, my lady." Chanda murmured, with her head down, trying to hold back the tears.

"No, my lady," Sera mocked. "What are we going to do now, uh? She needs those dresses for the Luna ritual."

"I can wear something else, Mother. I have tons of dresses." Mia finally spoke up.

"My daughter has to look her best today, hence why I ordered new ones." Sera turned to Mia.

"I still don't get this Luna ritual. Why can't the king just pick a female and marry her? Why do we all have to go parade ourselves before him first?" Mia complained.

"Don't say that, Mia. This is also a chance for different packs to show off their wealth and influence to the Lycan King. He doesn't only pick his Luna, he also picks his right-hand pack." She scolded her daughter and turned to Chanda. "And as for you, you will be confined to your room for three days, without food or water, so you can think about your stupidity."

Chanda felt like her world ended. "No, my lady. Please. It was an accident." She begged and dared to hold on to the Luna's drape. She didn't care about starving for three days, she had served worse punishments than that.

In all her 21 years on earth, she has never left the Montana Pack. Mia had chosen her to join her on the journey for the Luna Ritual and Chanda had been dreaming of it ever since. If she was punished, her dreams of seeing outside of the pack were gone.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you wretched being." Sera kicked her, but Chanda held on, crying. "See, the peasant must have other plans for her to want to go so eagerly."

"Just let her be, mother." Mia said. "I picked her to go with me."

"Do you want her to go and humiliate us there too?"

"It was a stupid accident." Mia eyed Anna, who looked away. "Besides, she has been my maid for 5 years now, and she serves me well. She is going. When she returns, she can serve her punishment."

"Fine." Sera agreed. "But she will work in the welcoming party. Maybe the thing can learn how to be a good maid when she sees how other omegas behave in the Goda pack."

Chanda finally let go of Sera's drape. "Thank you, my lady." She said, her head still facing down.

"Don't make me regret this," Mia warned. "Clean this mess up and come help me pack quickly."

Even though her back was screaming in pain, Chanda was relieved. She walked out the room, holding onto the promise of leaving this pack, even if it was just this one time.