3. Luna
Luna
E zra is waiting for me to get out of his car and go into mine when I look over at his smiling face.
God, he’s so fucking handsome. His skin is pale, and he has the perfect shade of ginger hair.
It looks so soft, and I wish I could just trail my fingers through it.
There’s a scattering of freckles on his face, especially along the bridge of his nose.
I’ve always noticed what a beautiful Alpha he is.
It doesn’t hurt that he smells like a wet dream either, like rose and teakwood.
But of course, it’s his kind words and jokes in his Irish brogue that drive me the craziest.
“Luna, sweetheart, you all right?” he asks. I must have been staring at him. I shake my head and smile.
“No, I’m good. Thank you.”
“Hope your mom didn’t give you too much shite?”
I clear my throat and shake my head. “Haven’t seen her yet.”
My hand is on the handle, and I’m about to go as Ezra grabs my forearm. “If you ever need anything, if things ever get too bad, just call, okay?”
I put my hand on top of his. I swear it’s like an electric current. “Thank you, Ezra.”
He grins at me like he has a secret. “Anytime, love,” he says sweetly, and I shiver. Why does he have to be so sweet? Why can’t I find an Alpha like him? An unattached one that actually wants me and doesn’t already have the perfect Omega at home.
I’m in my head the whole way home, thinking about how pathetic I am, pining after what I can’t have. What I’ll never have.
Even if they weren’t already a bonded pack, why would they want me? I sigh as my phone rings over the speakers in my car. I click the button on the side of my steering wheel to answer.
“This is Luna.”
“Hi, Luna, this is Gina at Lavender Moon.”
“Hi, how are you?” Excitement is bubbling in my chest, and I can’t help the stupid smile that is taking over my face.
“Well, listen, we love your look, scent, all of it. How would you feel about working two days a week?”
It’s less than what I thought, but it’s not an opportunity I’m willing to let go.
“I’d love to, thank you so much for the opportunity.”
“Let’s plan on Fridays and Sundays?”
“That sounds great. Thank you so much, Gina.”
“Of course. I’ll email you all the paperwork to fill out and what you need to bring with you. Are you able to make tomorrow your first Friday?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great, I think you’ll love it here. We provide your outfits, so don’t worry about that. What size shoe are you?”
“Seven.”
“Wonderful, see you tomorrow at 4 pm.”
“Thank you again.”
“Of course, see you tomorrow, dear.” She hangs up, and for the first time in a long time, I feel giddy. I have something to look forward to. It may not be something that most people would be excited for. But I don’t really care.
I need this money, and I think more than anything I need this to give me the confidence to move on. Maybe this is what I need to move past pining over Ian and his pack.
My excitement is short lived as I walk through the front door. My mother is wearing a tight bodysuit, and her husband Stewart is sipping his coffee at the kitchen table.
“Where have you been?” my mother asks.
“I had a job interview,” I lie.
My mother scoffs while Stewart doesn’t even pay attention.
“You’re an Omega. Your job isn’t to work.
It’s to find Alphas.” I want to scoff, considering she’s an Alpha and has never been able to find a pack that tolerates her.
I’m not even sure why Stewart is with her, but maybe he’s just happy to be a Beta that holds an Alpha female’s attention.
“Well, I don’t have a pack, and I’d like to get a job.”
She rolls her eyes. “And who is going to hire an Omega?”
“Lot’s of places. Laws are changing and giving Omegas more options.”
“It’s a waste of time. You should be going on dates and joining those websites that I told you about. What skills do you have for a job anyway?” I wonder how many digs she will take at my expense for the rest of this conversation.
What I want to say is that my skill set includes showing my tits and perfuming in a cage for Alphas to scent, but I don’t. I just shake my head. “It’s a candle shop, not much skill needed,” I lie.
“What will people think if my Omega daughter is so hard off that she needs to get a job making minimum wage. This is unacceptable.” She slaps Stewart’s shoulder. “Tell her, Stew.” I grimace at his nickname, but my stepfather just shrugs.
“She’s an adult, Margo. If she wants a job, let her get one.”
“People will think we’re poor if she gets a job.”
I roll my eyes; it’s always about appearance with my mother. She picks mine apart constantly. She gives me a once over and scoffs. “Please, Luna. Just let me set you up on one date.”
Wanting her to drop the questions about my new job, I agree. “Fine.”
She smiles and fixes my hair. “We can go to the store and get you a new dress. Jenny can do your makeup and hair. We can go over your etiquette again, so you can knock it out of the park.”
I think deep down my mom wishes she was an Omega. Lord knows she loves being the center of attention. “Okay, Mom.”
“This is for the best,” she says as I walk away and head to my room.
“Yeah, so you can finally get rid of me,” I say under my breath. I shut my door and look around my room. Mostly everything I have, Ian has gotten me. He bought my furniture, gave me money for clothes, he even bought my car.
I sit on the edge of my bed with a hand on my face.
I think back to the first day I met Stewart and Ian.
Ian was eighteen, and I was thirteen. I already thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.
He ignored me. He had already moved out of the house, and had the inheritance from his mother who had passed.
But even though he didn’t need to, he would still come visit at least once a month.
I think he noticed at some point what an awful person my mother is and took pity on me.
He showed me he cared by buying me things and doing little checks on me from time to time.
Then I presented at seventeen, and that’s when I knew I was in love with my stepbrother.
He started keeping his distance then, always bringing his pack with him when he came over for dinner.
He didn’t stop buying me stuff, but he hardly speaks to me.
If anything, he’s kind of an asshole when he comes over.
But I know Ian cares. He might not feel the same way I do, but for the longest time, it’s felt like Ian is the only person who cares about me.
The only person I know I can count on if I’m in trouble.
My mom is ready to hand me off to be someone else’s problem.
Even though I annoy Ian, I know he doesn’t want me in that way, and it’s something that I need to accept. If that’s all I’m able to get from him, then it just has to be enough.
I was stealthy as I left for Lavender Moon, making sure to not run into my mom or Stewart. Though I’ve made up where I work, I worry that if they ask me too many questions, I’ll break and tell them where I’m really working. I wore my normal clothes since Gina said stage clothes would be provided.
Nerves are coursing through me, but I feel excited too.
Like it’s the start of something big for me.
I want this place to be the thing that gives me the confidence to break out of who I’ve been.
To leave the house more, to not listen to my mom’s negative words, but most importantly, I’m hoping this is what I need to get over Ian.
If I’m being honest with myself, getting over his whole pack.
While Ian might be the biggest draw, the more I get to know Ezra the more I wish I could have what I can’t have.
I barely know their Omega, James, but I can’t deny that he’s gorgeous and his quiet demeanor is a draw to me.
I sigh as I push through the front doors of Lavender Moon.
The bouncer gives me a kind nod as I walk to the back room.
There are multiple women in states of undress getting ready for tonight and one man.
He’s smiling widely as he adds just a touch of highlighter to his already pronounced cheekbones.
There’s an open station next to him, and I sit down. He looks over at me and smiles. His dirty blond hair falls into his face a little, but he pushes it from his forehead. His eyes are a beautiful shade of light brown as he puts down the highlighter brush and gives me once over.
“You must be the new girl,” he says.
I nod. “Hi, I’m Luna.”
“Riley, but I go by Atlas on stage.”
I hum and tilt my head. “Right, I’m going by Selene on stage.”
“Seems like we’ve got a whole Greek mythology thing going on at the club right now. There’s Persephone, Aprodite, Atlas for me, and now Selene for you.”
“Seems like it,” I reply. My nerves are getting the best of me, and I’m wondering if I’m out of my depth. Riley seems so sweet and confident. Sure, I did a good job at my audition, but that wasn’t in front of a large audience. I’m an idiot for thinking that I could do this.
Riley’s hand touches my forearm and squeezes lightly. “Hey, the first time is scary, just give it a try. If you don’t like it, that’s okay.”
“I’m sorry. I just don’t know if I have what it takes.”
Riley shakes his head. “The Alphas that come here aren’t bad people. There are a lot of protections in place. You can stay on the stage or in one of the cages. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
I clear my throat. “Do you do more?” I ask, and he laughs, throwing his head back a little.
“Yes, but only because I like it.”
Riley puts some unscented oil on his body as he looks in the mirror.
“But don’t you want a pack?”
He smirks in the mirror, looking at me in its reflection. “One day, but I’ll be damned if I don’t try out every knot on my way to happily ever after.” That gets a laugh from me and a few of the other girls around me. “A lot of the dancers find packs, if that’s what you’re hoping for.”
I sigh, getting my makeup out of my bag and placing it on the vanity.
“Maybe. Really, I just need the money right now.”
Riley shrugs. “Then go out there, dance, get your bag, and only do what you feel comfortable with. You can make good money just by dancing. You don’t need to do private shows or more,” he says.
A girl behind him nods. “Seriously, most of the Alphas are honestly the sweetest.” She holds out her hand, and there’s a glimmering bracelet around her wrist. “Heath just bought me this just because.” The bracelet sparkles under the soft light of the dressing room.
“How much longer are you going to hold out?” Riley asks.
The girl clicks her tongue. “He said he wants to help pay for the pottery classes I want to take.”
Riley rolls his eyes. “She’s in love with Heath and wants to bond, but Heath doesn’t have a pack yet.”
My brows furrow. “What’s wrong with that?”
Riley and the pretty woman shake their heads. “Established packs are always the way to go,” Riley says.
“Why?”
“First and foremost, more stability. Second, jealousy issues. Third, well, more the merrier for your heat.”
“That makes sense.”
Riley turns and chats animatedly with the girl who was showing off her bracelet. All of these Omegas have seemingly turned what should be a downside of our designation to a positive. I want that; I want power and control over my body and who I choose.
It’s at that moment I feel myself grow a spine. I’m dancing tonight, and I’m going to give it my all. If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t. But if I don’t try, I know I’ll regret it.
Tonight’s theme is cowboys and aliens, and I’m extremely thankful that I’m a cowgirl.
My bra is silver with little tassels hanging down.
I have assless chaps and silver boy shorts that are nearly digging up my ass.
I’m having a hard time getting used to the shoes, but I’m able to walk to my stage.
Which is really like a giant bird cage with a pole in the middle.
“You good, hun?” Gina asks as she holds out a hand and helps me to my stage.
I take a deep breath and nod. She gives me a kind smile, and I wait for the doors to open.
“Only Girl” by Rihanna blasts through the club.
The lights are drawn down, but each ‘stage’ has an overhead light featuring the dancer.
My stage is circular, and there are seats around the cage. I can feel my hand shaking, but I shake my head. I notice all the other dancers have started moving, so I do the same.
Gina told me I don’t need to be the best dancer, that my scent and personality are the most important things. But as I look over at Riley doing insane acrobatics on the pole, I feel so insecure.
A group of Alphas are already planting their asses in everyone’s chairs but mine. I try to keep dancing, to just be patient. I’m new, they don’t know what to expect.
When an Alpha sits in front of my cage and slips a twenty between the wide bars and smiles, my heartbeat stops for a moment.
He’s not unattractive, and he seems kind as he sits and spreads his legs wide.
He licks his lips as he watches me dance slowly to the music.
I make sure to dance close to where he’s sitting.
I know the rules, no touching unless I say. And I don’t think I’m ready for any touching quite yet. But letting them scent me, yeah, I can do that. I bend down, my knees bent as he leans forward to speak to me.
“You’re new,” he says. I kind of want to reply with ‘no shit.’ Instead I smile and nod.
“I’m Selene.”
“You smell amazing, Selene.”
I give him a wide grin. “Thanks, what’s your name?”
“Calvin.”
I smile and nod. “Is there anything you like, Calvin?” Riley gave me the tip to say their name as much as possible. It makes them feel like you’re connecting, and they’ll tip out the ass because of it. He slides two more twenties on the floor of my stage, and I grip the bars.
“Let’s see you on the pole, sweetheart.”
I nod, and even though I’m not good on the pole, just kind of swinging and wrapping my calves around it, Calvin seems to enjoy it.
Before I know it, I have five Alphas sitting around my stage watching me attempt to dance.
They look up at me while I’m looking down on them.
It may not seem like it, but I’m the one with the power in this situation.
I say who touches, I do what I want in this cage.
All of them look at me hungrily. My scent drives them wild, and I can see how much they all want me.
I can’t help the smile that takes over my face. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more beautiful or powerful in my life. It almost makes me forget about what I can’t have.