Silent Steps and Hidden Stars

The moon hung pale in the early morning sky, casting its final shadows over the small clearing where Rona sat by herself, her head downcast, her thoughts drifting like autumn leaves in the chill.

She hugged her knees close to her chest, half-wishing she could disappear, become invisible to the world around her.

Then again In many ways, she already was.

Rona was the girl no one wanted to remember. Her name was rarely spoken except in whispers, a half-wolf, half-human outcast marked as much by her lineage as by her position in the pack's hierarchy.

As an Omega, she bore the lowest rank,

as a half-breed? she was barely tolerated, only a step above a human in the eyes of her peers. Her father had been human, a secret affair that left her mother shamed, and Rona was the living reminder of that mistake.

The pack tolerated her existence, but just barely, and they made sure she felt it every day.

The early morning training sessions were a perfect example. She would arrive, stand at the edges, watching the other wolves her age spar and laugh, their wolves sleek and strong as they threw each other into the dirt with the ease of warriors-in-training.

Today was not that different. Today the Alpha's son, standing in the center of the clearing, directed the younger wolves-pups with a confidence and strength that made Rona's heart tighten with an uncomfortable mixture of admiration and a tiny sprinkle of envy.

Lately she caught herself just watching him. For some unknown reason recently she couldn't help but be mesmerized by him. The past years had been good to him, then again, he was born with really good genes.

The carbon copy of his father, the head Alpha who is the current leader of their pack.

Tall, dark haired, handsome, skin tan from all the time spent in the sun training and what not. He was incredibly handsome too.

The Alpha's son-Veyron, held the attention of every wolf in the training grounds. His presence exuded so much authority; even in his human form, he moved with precision, each step grounded, each command unwavering.

The younger wolves he was training, watched him closely, following his every instruction with eager eyes.

Truly he was everything Rona was not: strong, beloved by all, destined for greatness. And Rona... well, to put it simply, she was none of those things.

She sometimes observes the wolves training from afar, always after she was done with or on a break from her daily chores.

One time she dared to step closer, hoping that maybe, just maybe that day might be the day someone called her over to join, the scoffs, barely subtle sneers and quick glances were enough to remind her of her place. She never attempted to do it again unless when explicitly invited which was once in a while.

Having seen enough, Rona decided it was time to leave, but before she actually could, her luck for the day ran out.

One of the pack's older females, a Beta named Kara and an avid bully who derived joy from seeing the miserable face of others, shows up out of nowhere, scans the area, spots Rona and immediately scoffed as soon as her eyes spotted her target.

Ronas heart sank as Kara made her way towards her.

Kara smirks upon sighting Ronas miserable face.

"Oh Rona, there you are"

Rona lowers her gaze but gives a tentative smile and greets her respectfully. Kara ignores the greeting and went in straight for what she came for.

"Here to stink up the place as usual? Lol, go back to where you belong, half-breed," she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Rona to hear.

Rona flinched, her cheeks flushing as she took a step back. She knew she wasn't wanted there-she never was.

Thankfully, and to Ronas relief, Kara doesn't do or say anything else and she walks away probably to meet up with her friends.

She went back to watching the training session and the most recent object of her fascination- Veyron as he moved around the training grounds, his expression calm but intense.

His dark hair swept over his shoulders, and the strength in his stance was unshakable. To her, he was a distant figure of power and perfection, someone she dared not approach but couldn't help watching.

Sometimes, her gaze lingered on him longer than it should, and she would feel a pang of longing, the kind that made her chest ache with the cruel reminder that she was merely a shadow in his world, not even worthy of his notice.

"Why are you here?" came a sneering voice from behind her. She turned to see Darek, one of the Beta males, his mouth twisted in an amused smirk. "Lost, as usual?"

Rona's lips parted, but she found no words. She forced herself to lower her eyes, hoping that silence would make him lose interest, but he merely laughed, drawing the attention of several others who turned to watch with quiet amusement.

Another voice, soft and taunting, chimed in. "She probably thinks she belongs here," murmured another, a younger female who held no rank but never missed an opportunity to pile onto Rona's humiliation.

Rona bit her lip, willing herself to stay calm, though every word they spoke chipped away at her spirit. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, not out of anger but out of a desperate attempt to hold herself together, to stop herself from shattering completely under their gazes.

Veyron, busy instructing his students, seemed completely unaware of her presence, and Rona was relieved that he hadn't noticed the ridicule she endured.

It was better this way. If he looked, he might see her as nothing more than the others did-a half-breed, an outsider, an embarrassment.

As the training session drew to a close, Rona turned to leave, her heart heavy. She felt as though she was drifting further and further away from the world around her, as though she belonged to the shadows of the pack rather than to the pack itself.

When she reached the tree line, she cast one last glance back. Veyron was standing with his students, the kids were all over him.

Smiling and laughing as they congratulated each other on the day's practice.

Veyrons eyes sparkled with pride and warmth, and the respect of those around him was clear in every look they gave him.

And as Rona watched, a painful thought slipped into her heart, one that had been there all along: no matter how much she wished otherwise, she would always be alone in a pack where strength and bloodline were everything, and love and acceptance were only reserved for the worthy.