Gamma Kailen Steele
I was waiting in my office chair for my students to arrive for class. I had wheeled it over. There was no way I could sit on the floor today. Just from the walk, I was exhausted.
I was reading over the extra text book I had on my desk since I forgot my laptop. I had a really good idea what I wanted to address today in class. Before I had arrived at my classroom, I texted my replacement to let him know that I was back and I thanked him for covering my classes.
Students started to enter my classroom, and I sat in my chair on the platform, waiting for them all to arrive and settle into their seats.
“Miss Steele, we didn’t expect you to come back so quickly. How was your trip?” Mr. Pierce asked me.
“It was uneventful,” I answered him.
“Are you sure? We heard you had been stabbed.” Mr. Carter asked, and I pushed my lips into a line.
“And where did you hear that?” I asked him and he shrugged.
“It’s all over campus, Miss Steele.” Mr. Pierce answered.
“Everything that happened is still an ongoing investigation, and I can’t talk about it.” I told them.
“So it’s true?” Mr. Carter asked.
“It’s no comment. Now let’s begin. Today, we are going to have a discussion that’s not in your textbook, but I believe that it’s important to discuss. I’m sure you all know that black wolves are Alphas and white wolves are Luna. Which is supposed to indicate who is in charge. Does anyone know the colour of my wolf?” I asked my class.
“Aren’t gamma wolves usually grey, like beta wolves?” Mr. Carter asked. And I nodded.
“Yes, but I wasn’t born a gamma. I earned my position. If you had to guess, what do you think the colour of her would be?” I asked them.
“Miss Steele, what are you trying to get at here?” Mr. Cooper chimed in.
“Before I became of age and received my wolf. Everyone in my old pack thought I was an omega. So the point I’m trying to make here is you can’t judge a book by its cover.” I told them.
“But if you're not an omega, beta, or gamma, what are you?” Mr. Carter asked. It was great to watch his face turn to an o-face.
“You’re a Luna?” He asked me and I nodded. The entire class gasped.
“And they treated you like shit?” Mr. Cooper exclaimed.
“This discussion isn’t about me, it’s about the treatment of omegas in general. Being leaders, you set the example. Your pack will treat others the way you treat others. Omegas make up almost all of your pack. They do all the work, so that the uppers can focus on protecting and maintaining the pack order.”
“So, you are asking us to be nice?” Mr. Carter asked, and I sighed.
“So when I was gone, I had to head back to my old pack. And it didn’t matter that I was now the King’s gamma. They still treated me like I was a joke. I had to defend my commands at every turn, even though by rank, I outranked them all. They only saw me as the stupid omega that they remembered, not the gamma I am today.”
“Shouldn’t you be mated to an Alpha?” Mr. Cooper called out. And I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“That really doesn’t have anything to do with what we are discussing.” Just then, the door to the auditorium opened and in walked Hunter, but unfortunately, Owen and Finn were following behind him. They took a seat in the back and I turned my attention back to my students.
“Okay, let me ask you this, when you think of the word omega, what do you think of? And keep it clean.” I told them. And they laughed.
“I don’t know, Miss Steele. It’s just a ranking.” Mr. Carter answered.
“I’m going to give you a scenario and I want you all to answer honestly. If you were to witness someone of higher ranking hurting someone of lower ranking, would you step in?” I asked them.
“Did the lower-ranking wolf deserve it?” Mr. Cooper called out, and I face palmed with the textbook I was holding.
“Cooper, I don’t think that’s the right answer.” Mr. Carter yelled out.
I placed the textbook down on my lap again and looked around the classroom.
“You don’t know the why. What do you do?” I asked them.
“Break it up?” Mr. Cooper answered.
“Are you asking me or telling me?” I asked him.
“Telling you.” He clarified.
“Okay, now tell me why you would break it up?” I asked him.
“Are you going to hit yourself with the book if I answer wrong again?” He asked me, and I smirked.
“No, I’m going to hit you with the textbook.” I told him and he pushed his lips into a line.
“Because it’s the right thing to do?” he said cautiously. And I wanted to cry. He finally understood what I was trying to say.
“Because it’s the right thing to do. Regardless of pack ranking and even pack status, helping someone in need is always the right thing to do. And all of you are the examples that your pack will follow. Remember, omega’s make up 95% of your pack. And they deserve respect. You can’t demand respect without giving it back to your pack.” I told them. And it was like watching 8 little lightbulbs going on.
“Miss Steele, how did your pack not know that you were a luna?” Mr. Carter asked.
“My old pack wasn’t my original pack. I was raised by omegas,” I answered.
“So that Alpha mate of yours?” Mr. Copper asked, and I just shook my head.
“I’m not available, if that’s what you are asking, Mr. Cooper. And you’re too young for me,” I told him. I didn’t expect Hunter and Owen to let out a growl. Mr. Cooper was blushing. I think I broke his little heart.
“Okay, that ends class today. And remember, it takes nothing to be a good person.” I told them before I excused them.
“Next week we will be training, so prepare to get your ass kicked.” I yelled out to them, when they were exiting.
I stood up with a groan as Hunter, Owen, and Finn made their way down to the platform.
“You’re early,” I told Hunter, while I moved my chair back over to my desk.
“That’s my fault. I wanted to see what you do.” Owen answered.
“I usually teach about pack history, but I decided to have a different conversation today,” I told him.
“Yeah, we heard it.” Finn huffed.
“Finn, what the fuck is your problem? This is my fucken pack and I outrank you. So if you’d like to step outside, I can kick your ass and be done with it.” I growled, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I’m sorry Kailen, Finn is just upset about his father and sister,” Owen explained.
“This isn’t just about his father and sister. He has always hated me and I want to know why? It’s not because I’m of lower rank, because now I officially outrank both of you, and he still treats me like I’m dirt. So what the fuck is your problem?” I demanded. I wanted an answer, and I was going to get one.
“Fine, don’t answer me.” I told him when he didn’t answer me.
“Owen, what are you really doing here?” I asked him. I walked down the steps to stand by Hunter, and Owen let out a growl.
“Why didn’t you tell them that you have an Alpha mate?” He asked me and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes.
“Did you want me to tell them that I also rejected him for cheating on me?” I asked him, annoyed.
“I never cheated on you, Maya admitted to drugging me at that party. I fell asleep and woke up naked and I thought that I did, but I didn’t.” Owen told me.
“And that is supposed to make me feel better? You still didn’t come look for me and you just accepted my rejection without a fight. So I don’t understand why you are here?” I told him, and he let out a sigh.
“Kailen, you are my mate, and I take back my acceptance of your rejection,” Owen said.
“So, let me get this straight. You want me to uproot my life, that I built up from the hole I was in, to go back with you to a pack that hates me?” I asked him.
“Kailen, it’s not like that. They don’t hate you. They just didn’t know that you were a luna.” Owen tried to defend his pack, but I just laughed.
“Even your own Beta hates me. And it was never about being a Luna, it was about respect. I was with you for almost two years and I always felt like I was your dirty little secret. You never respected me and now you are here because Maya turned out to be a monster.” I told him.
“Kailen, that’s not fair, and you weren’t my dirty little secret. Everyone knew we were together. And of course, I respect you,” he said.
“You just never defended me. Do you have any idea the amount of crap that I had to put up with because I was with you? And I endured it all because I loved you and I believed that you loved me.” I wiped away a stray tear. I was getting emotional. I hated thinking about my past and the life I used to live.
“Kailen, what are you talking about?” Owen asked me, confused.
“Ask your beta.” I told him and he looked at his beta. Finn glared at me before looking at his alpha.
“It doesn’t matter, Owen. We aren’t the same people we were four years ago.” I told him.
“Then why can’t you give us a chance?” Owen asked me, and Hunter let out a growl.
“I get it, you two have been fucking, but seriously, I’m your fucken mate.” Owen growled out.
“If you think that Kailen is just some kind of booty call, you are sadly mistaken. She is my chosen mate and future Queen.” Hunter defended me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
“Kailen, is this true?” Owen asked me, shocked. And even Finn looked stunned.
“Owen, I never wanted to hurt you, but this is my life now. I love Hunter and we are going to be chosen mates.” I answered him.
“So the fact that I never cheated or marked Maya means nothing to you?” He asked me, hurt.
“If this all came out in the beginning, when I first left, things probably would have worked out differently, but you are asking me to give up my job, my life, and the person I love and who loves me. He has been here for me through everything and you just want me to throw him away like none of that matters because you are my fated mate?” I asked him.
“Yes.” He answered without hesitation.
“Would you give up being an alpha to come live with me here?” I asked him, and he raised an eyebrow at me.
“My pack is my birthright and my Luna and fated mate should respect that,” he answered.
“I wish you all the best, Owen. I really do. But I won’t be going back to that pack nor will I take back my rejection. Now, if you two will excuse me, I need to go lay down, doctor’s orders.”
“I’ll meet you back at the house,” Hunter told me, and I nodded. I figured he had to deal with our guests of honor. I walked out of my classroom and made my way out of the building. The ten-minute journey home was not something I was looking forward to.