Chapter 2 - Lady Luna Has Decreed.

As the sound of her father's approaching footsteps grew louder, Remi swiftly and silently limped away, her heart racing with the urge to escape. She moved with a quiet urgency, her eyes fixed on finding a safe haven, until she finally turned a corner and slipped into an adjacent corridor, disappearing from view just as her father was about to come into sight

Remi had honed her skills in evasion and stealth to an impressive degree, allowing her to move with a silence and swiftness that made her all but invisible. Even her father's exceptionally keen hearing thanks to his wolf nature, a trait that would have allowed him to detect the faintest of sounds, was no match for her expertise. She was able to slip away undetected.

Wulfric's voice boomed through the hallway, "Thane! Boris! Where are my sons?" He called out his sons in a lighter tone and voice. A tone he could never use to call Remi. His words grew fainter as Remi swiftly ascended the stairs, her footsteps quiet on the stone steps. She made her way up to the dark corridor, where flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the walls, their flames dancing in the iron torch stands that lined the passage. As she reached the top, she pushed open the massive wooden door that led to the kitchen, the creaking of the hinges a soft whisper compared to the distant sound of her father's voice, now a muted rumble that seemed to belong to a different world.

As Remi pushed the large wooden door open, she had to pause for a moment, holding it ajar with a strained effort, until her awkwardly curved body could clear the threshold. Her hunched back, a constant reminder of her physical imperfection, made it difficult for her to navigate the doorway with ease, and she had to wait until she had fully passed through the opening before she could release her grip on the door and let it creak shut behind her.

Aileen's voice rose above the clatter of pots and pans, the murmur of conversations, and the bustle of activity in the kitchen as she called out to Remi,

"Remi, where have you been?" The sound of her voice was like a beacon, cutting through the chaos of the kitchen and seeking out Remi, whose arrival momentarily went unnoticed amidst the hustle and bustle of the cooking staff.

The kitchen was abuzz with activity as the kitchen maids who were also Omegas, led by Aileen, busily prepared breakfast for the Lupercus family, stirring large, steaming clay and metal pots filled with savoury delights.

This was where Remi felt a sense of belonging amidst the warm chaos of the kitchen, surrounded by the sights and smells of cooking. It was a refuge from her other duties such as stables, fetching fruit, or being used as a plaything by her brothers and sister.

Remi's eyes dropped, as they often did, and she mumbled a soft apology, "I'm...I'm sorry, Mrs. Aileen," her voice barely above a whisper. Her fingers fidgeted nervously as she stared at the floor, a habitual gesture that had become a shield to hide her face and emotions, a constant reminder of her submissive and timid nature.

Aileen's tone was gentle, yet firm, as she chided Remi, "Don't apologize, dear, just be on time. You know how Lady Luna can be when you're not here to help. I'd rather avoid any trouble with her, if you don't mind." Her words were spoken with a softness that belied the underlying warning, a kindness that tempered the reprimand and made it more a guidance than a scolding.

"I know." Remi replied with an awkward nod, her voice very tender.

"Lady Luna has decreed that you'll be serving breakfast this morning." Aileen said. Her voice was laced with a hint of sympathy, which she struggled to conceal, as she delivered the news.

Remi's eyes fluttered closed, and a pang of anguish crossed her face. She knew what this meant - another day of being humiliated, belittled, and mocked by those who were supposed to love and accept her. With a resigned nod, she accepted her fate, her silent acquiescence a testament to the desperation and hopelessness that had become her reality.

With a quiet determination, Remi stated, "I'll get the meat and wipe the dishes," her words a subtle assertion of her freedom in a world where she was often stripped of control.

Aileen, with a gentle gesture of respect, bowed her head, a courtesy she didn't have to extend, but one that acknowledged Remi's fragile heritage.

She was a Luna Princess of the Lupercus Pack after all...

As Remi began to move forward, her limp a poignant reminder of her physical vulnerability, Aileen discreetly signaled to the other servant maids to create a path for her, allowing Remi to pass through the kitchen unimpeded, and giving her the space she needed to navigate the crowded room with as much dignity as possible while the fellow maids whispered among themselves.