2. A new life

Aiden´s P.O.V.

As I wake up the sun is almost down again. I had slept for at least 11 hours which felt so incredibly nice since I haven´t had that in my pack.

I always worked until late at night just to start the day a few hours later to make breakfast for all of them. There had been times where I got to lie down for half an hour before having to do my chores all over again. It was hard. So hard to keep my body standing with blue and purple marks scattered on my ribs and with the bloodloss from the beatings. I remember having to hold myself up on the kitchen counter every few minutes just to stop my weak legs from giving out. I have to get a grip. That´s the past.

I slowly start to look around as my stomach starts to rumble. God, I need to eat something, anything. I start to stand on my paws, shaking the dried leaves out of my furr and start searching for another hiding place where I will be able to wait for a small animal like a rabbit or a squirrel to come by.

After waiting for several minutes, staying as still as possible, I spot a rabbit making its way over the ground a few meters away from me, probably searching for something edible. It hurts to attack such a sweet creature but my will to survive and my hunger are too strong from constant starvation. I simply have to try.

I stalk forwards and halt for another moment before I take a big leap towards the unsuspecting creature. Unfortunately, I am not fast enough and the rabbit jumps away and takes off with me behind it. I run and try to reach it but it is turning corners like I never could and soon, it has saught shelter in a hole beneath a tree. Far too small for me to crawl into.

What was I thingking? I have never even had the chance to improve my hunting skills so why should I be able to do it now?

After three more failed attempts on other animals, I am out of breath and my body is so utterly exhausted that I feel like I could just lie down and cry forever. Ther´s only one more thing I can think of and that´s the city. There must be a dumpster behind a restaurant somewhere where I can find something... It is a big risk but one I must take, or I will starve to death right here.

It takes so much energy just to get myself in a standing position but I eventually make it back onto all fours. I know that Jax is helping me with everything he´s got.

I move back to my previous hiding place and take my bag out from under the leaves into my snout. I face the city and begin my way down to a field. Luckily for me, it is now pretty dark so at least a few humans should be sleeping by now.

The way there doesn´t last long and soon, I am faced with the street lights. They are so bright that it hurts my eyes. I always lived in darkness and from never being outside, I never got used to this kind of light. I squint my eyes and try to adjust as I walk behind a few bushes. I slowly step out when suddenly, out of nowhere, an extremely loud car speeds just a few centimeters away from me and off it goes, just like it was never there. I am so shocked, I just stay there, wide eyed and shaking. I have to catch my breath.

It´s okay.

You´re okay.

You´re fine, don´t worry.

I breathe out as I continue to walk towards a building. My limbs are weak and I trot slower than ever before. The hunger is eating me alive. Funny, huh?

As I turn corners, I spot a restaurant. I´m glad that I can read the sign, I´ve been taught to read and write by an older Omega who was with me in the pack before she passed away four years ago. I will forever cherish that woman´s memory.

I run across the road after making sure there are no cars coming. Ther´s an alleyway next to it and I spot a dumpster. Bingo!

Now, I just have to get up there and find something edible. I jump on a trash can and then I am able to see the inside of the big one. It smells vile but desperate times call for desperate measures...

-1 hour later-

I found many things that were still in very good condition and even some nice meat that someone must have thrown out by accident, it was very tasty for my standarts. I even found some old clothes in another alley.

I´ve changed back into human form and now, there´s something very important I must do: find work.

If I am to survive in this city then I have to have some kind of roof over my head and something to eat from time to time. And that requires money, that´s all I know.

So, there´s only the question of where to start... I think about my chores in the pack. Cleaning, cooking, polishing. That´s basically it, well, if you think about doing it for a good hundred people every week with an empty stomach and wounds all over you, then it becomes less easy.

No restaurant will let me into their kitchen in my state, that´s for sure. I´ve always been told that I look disgusting and weak by my superiors and if someone tells you that over and over again, then it becomes true for you as well...

So, it will have to be something where I will clean and maybe serve... that´s what I´m good at. I can´t be picky, so let´s just try every building that will take me in. But not before I have used the scent masking liquid again. I don´t want unnecessary attention.

-3 hours later-

I´ve tried so many places... let´s just say most of the time I didn´t even get an answer to my question. Now, it is deep in the night and restaurants are closing down. I don´t know where I´m going, I just know that I should find a place to sleep because I should be awake when all the places open up again in the morning.

Don´t give up Aiden, we´re gonna find something.

Suddenly, I hear music, it seems to be very loud but it is muffled. I make my way over to where it came from and discover an old looking building that is very plain on the outside but there are bright lights that are shining through some of the top windows. The music gets louder and it isn´t very pleasant, just loud.

Not like the music I listened to when Julia and I discovered a small old CD player while dusting the attic alongside with some CDs. We listened to them on her birthday in secret and very quietly with our ears pressed against the machine in order to not wake pack members up. It was beautiful and calm music, very soft and light. Not like this.

I stop when I see one man standing in front of what seems to be the main entrance. He is tall and bulky. Exactly what I am most afraid of. The Alpha looked like that... I can never trust those types of people.

I make my way around the building. Maybe there´s another entrance? I look everywhere but all I can find is a small door that is very much locked. What was I thinking? If the people who run this place put a man like that in the front, why would they leave other doors open? Stupid Omega.

Right when I´m about to turn around and leave, the door suddenly swings open to reveal a girl with brown hair, very big eye lashes and kind of an apron on. The music from before is blaring out from inside. She looks at me for a second but then just leans against the wall after she has closed the door. It becomes silent again.

"Hey", she says. "H-Hello", I stumble over my words. I´m nervous. "You shouldn´t be here, this place is for staff", she bluntly states with a look of absolute disinterest on her face. "Umm, I was actually, um, trying to find someone who could tell me if you guys need any he-", I getcut off by her annoyed sigh.

"Listen kid, I´m just trying to smoke in peace. Go in and ask yourself." She takes out a key and opens the door. I´m dumbfounded for a second but snap out of it when she gives me an angry. With a quiet thank you, I walk into the new environment, trying to find someone who looks like staff.

It smells weird in here and it´s very loud. As I step closer, I can see people dancing to the music and seeming to have the time of their lives. The lights flicker like they´re broken and my senses are a bit overwhelmed.

I look at a woman who is wearing the same kind of apron like the younger one from outside. She is skillfully balancing a tray with glasses on it through the dancing crowd and to several tables that are placed around this big dance floor.

I step forward as she passes me by and try to get her attention, which proves to be difficult over this music. "Excuse me? Excuse me?", I kind of yell. She looks at me: "Yeah? What can I get ya?" "I-I was just wondering if there were any jobs available here?" I ask. "Umm, come with me for a sec.", she says as she leads me to a place behind the bar and closes a door so that the music is muffled again. "What´s your name?" She asks. "Aiden Williams"

"Hi, I´m Josephine, I´m kind of the manager here. Got any experience?"I pause. Is she actually interested? "Y-Yes, I know how to cook and clean. I´ve done it all my life." I say. Wow that sounds so unprofessional.

"Alright, so, we have no kitchen here because we don´t serve food but Hailee just quit last month and we need some help. You´re gonna serve people drinks, clean up tables and wash glasses. Salary isn´t great but what can you expect from this place", she says more to herself than to me, "you got any refernce?" Oh no. "N-No, I haven´t had a job before", I say quietly. She sighs.

"Well, I´m just gonna assume that you´re not a criminal but if the police show up for you then you´re on your own, got it?", She states with a slight smirk. "Okay", I nod, unsure of what to think of that.

"Alright, can you start right now?", she asks, already picking up a small apron like her own. I´m baffled. Did this just happen?

"Sure", I say as I grab the apron.

"Welcome to the crew, Aiden"