An unusual combination

Aside the fact that I had always wondered about if I was really my parents' daughter, I had also thought about the union between my parents. I had never seen them act like a couple even once. They didn't discuss about anything, unless they did it behind my back. They ate separately, had their different bedrooms and hardly meet each other.I was surprised to see my father about to knock on mother's door but after looking at his eye color, I noticed it was Dardanus. I feared coming in contact with him, he was harsher and stricter than Mason.Looking down at me with judging eyes, I struggled to keep my legs firm against the ground."Where is Astrid?" Dardanus asked, his voice going deeper than it normally would. Sending shivers down my spine and making me gasp for air. I suddenly felt claustrophobic.Astrid was my mother's wolf and it made sense that his wolf asked for her wolf and not her."Mother, she went out." I struggled to reply."Where?" He drew back a little to have a full view of my face and I struggled to look at him. I knew my father despised a form of inferiority complex from me, I had to be bold and confident when interacting with him unlike my mum but his scrutinizing look made it difficult for me."A social gathering. She did not say." I replied.I wasn't ready for the low guttural sound that came from him as his look turned fierce. 

Was this jealousy?

I guess their wolves had different traits from the human. "Leave." He said and looking at him, I could see veins bulging from his exposed hands and forehead. Not wasting any minute, I hurriedly left the doorpost only to hear his voice again."Wait." He said.I turned to look at him. My eyes bulgy and lips trembling."Get ready, you will be attending the royal coming of age ceremony of the princes with us next week." He said and I could not believe my ears."I get to go?" I asked in excitement."It is compulsory for all executives and family. Not a single soul is supposed to be absent." He replied and walked away even before I got to ask him another question.His steps were heavy and brisk. I could feel the anger he was trying to contain but it did not affect the overflowing joy I had from the good news. Having the opportunity to leave the four corners of my father's house, I was going to make sure I maximize it and make it a memory worth remembering.Hopping towards the direction of the maid quarters, I met Riley on the way."Hey Riley?" She stopped to look back at me with the heavy load of something I could not tell on her head. Her smile was contagious."Hello Princess Jasmine." She greeted."Hey. Stop it." I said playfully offering to help her carry her load."No, Princess. I risk going hungry for days and being locked up in the dungeon if I am caught giving this to you." She said, the smile not dying of her face. Sometimes I wished I could keep a smile on my face constantly even when I know my life was going downhill. This was something I earnestly admire her for.Riley, she is an Omega. A slave bought by my dad from the palace to help the already overflowing slaves/Omegas in doing the house chores.Among the other omegas, she was someone a little close to my age grade. Someone I could relate to, being the only child of my parents and having no friend to share my secrets and insecurities with. Riley came in full of sores and dressed in rags but she never kept the smile out of her face. She was a bit older than I was and had had tough experiences. She approached me first when I still constantly hid myself inside my shell and refused to come out and be seen.Though not directly, she thought me a lot of lessons I needed to learn about life. Her attitude boosted my confidence. I still had my parents but she didn't even know who hers was. I was still being clothed and fed by my parents, she needed to work to get hers. I had an ability; she couldn't develop her and yet she woke up every morning with the enthusiasm I needed time and practice to develop. I can still vividly remember the first day I she met me. •••"Hello?" She said after knocking and opening my door. She held a tray of food in her hands."May I come in?" She asked after I had stared at her for a while.I was surprised to see someone as young as she was standing in my room.Keeping the tray on the table, she introduced herself. "I am Riley. A new Omega here." She said with a wide smile that made me want to cry.The smile she gave stretched her injured check that I could clearly see the already closing opening again. "Doesn't it hurt?" Was my first word to her, she shook her head in response."It doesn't." She said and smiled again making me cringe."I am Riley." She introduced herself again and it occurred to me that I needed to tell her my name too."I am Jasmine." I replied."Hello Princess Jasmine. You need to eat your lunch." She said and got down to persuading me into eating after I had gotten sick from not eating for a while.Our relationship had bloomed since then and there was not a thing about me, I didn't fill her in on and vice versa.

My parents were not okay with my friendship but let's think about that later.

•••

"Are you free?" I asked her. She looked at me with an amused smile."Have you eaten?" She asked me instead.After my first diagnosis, Riley had been on my neck every morning, afternoon and night. I could not converse or spend my time with her if I had not eaten. Even during the midnight, she would sneak in midnight snack into my room for me to snack on if I ever get hungry."Not really…" I said and watched her face change after she paused.