The Omega Queen

The air outside was dry and cold. It chilled her to the bone. Fatigue and weakness clung to her limbs. Her parched throat screamed for relief, but there was no time to dwell on that. They had to run. She couldn’t remember what it was like to have a full stomach. Vaguely, she had a memory of a birthday party surrounded by her entire pack. Her little brother was there stuffing his face with cake. He reached over with a pudgy hand to share the frosting-layered crumbs with her. That was a good day. But her brother was gone. They were all gone and it was her fault. Why was she even alive? Why didn’t she just die? “You have to live!” Why? What was the point? “Move, Erin! You have to move!” I—I can’t. They are all gone. It’s my fault. “It’s not your fault. It was never your fault.” Her sister’s arms wrapped around her and warmth seeped into her aching, starving body. Why? Why did this happen? “I know it’s hard to understand. One day, you will, I promise. Right now, you must survive.” Why? Hunting howls echoed through the night. Their escape had been discovered. It was all over now. She couldn’t go on. They would drag her back to the cell they shared with their brother’s corpse. “s**t. They are tracking my blood.” Blood? Erin sniffed. Yes, her sister’s blood left a tang in the air. But where was it coming from? She finally noticed the red trickling down her sister’s legs. Oh no, sister! “Don’t worry about me.” But… “You have to run.” I—I can’t. “Run, Erin!” I can’t leave you. “They are going to find me. They can’t find you too.” I can’t. “Erin!” her sister snapped, gripping her shoulders and forcing her to look into her eyes. Her sister’s gaze swirled and glowed yellow. Erin couldn’t help but stare. Her sister was only eighteen. Even though her wolf had awakened, it should have been several years before it emerged. But it was definitely her sister’s wolf staring at her, begging her, commanding her. “Erin, as your Alpha, I order you to run!” Sister, Erin’s gaze blurred with tears. “Run, Erin! Survive! Never give up!” Howls chorused in the night, much closer than before. “Go! Now!” Erin sucked in a sob, but her legs moved on their own. She stood and stumbled forward. Her sister’s command echoed in her ears, but it wasn’t as if she couldn’t ignore the compulsion to obey. Yet, she obeyed anyway. Why? Why didn’t she just stop? Stop! ‘Our sister told us to run. She told us to survive.’ Suddenly, she stumbled onto a road. Erin looked one way then the other. Which way should she go? The road would take her to a city, or at least a town, but then what? Her scent would stand out like a sore thumb. Surely, her pursuers would find her immediately. She heard humans locked orphans up in some sort of juvenile detention center until they were old enough to be considered adults. Could she survive in that kind of facility? That was assuming her hunters didn’t find her first. Erin gazed across the road to the sweeping desert beyond. It was a daunting obstacle. Many believed to even consider it would be certain death, but Erin knew better. There was life out there. She stumbled across the road and suddenly doubled over as pain ripped through her body. This was a pain she knew all too well. It was the same pain that assailed her when her parents were killed, the same as when her brother died in her arms. It could only mean one thing. Sister! Erin whimpered. No. Now, she really was alone. A new pain burned through her as her wolf forced itself to the surface, driven wild by its own loss. Black fur sprouted across her body as her bones forced themselves into new positions, and she settled on her four paws. This should have been impossible. She was only fifteen. Her wolf stood, gasping from the effort of their forced shift. Shaking its head, her wolf stumbled forward. They had to keep moving. Their alpha told them to run. Eir. ‘It’s all right, Erin. Rest. I’ll keep moving.’ But… ‘Our sister told us to run. She told us to survive. And we will.’ * * * Erin stirred. She blinked awake. It was the same dream, the same nightmare. It never changed. How could it? It was all history. Sitting up, she numbly headed to the shower. There was no point in trying to sleep any longer. Slipping out of her long T-shirt and flannel bottoms, she stepped into the shower stall. She turned on the water and stood under the hot stream. Her dark tan skin remained soft to the touch despite her scars. She soaked her long, straight, black hair before lathering it in fragrance-free shampoo. Erin took her time. If only she could scrub her mind as easily. Stepping out, she paused at the mirror to wipe away the steam and look at her reflection. Her features were straight, clean, with an aquiline nose and sharp chin. Her eyes were a deep, rich brown under a prominent, smooth brow. Her appearance was not unlike the Native American tribes her pack had lived beside for generations. She was a Kweo and a proud member of the Wolf Nations. They were werewolf packs that had made the arduous journey across the ancient land bridge alongside human tribes to settle the American continents long before Europeans discovered the so-called New World.[1] But she was also the last of her pack. She had reached through her pack’s long dormant bonds many times, desperate to find even one still alive, but it was always silent. She was truly alone. ‘Erin?’ her wolf stirred. ‘Yes?’ ‘I miss them too.’ ‘I know.’ Erin wiped her eyes, feeling the weight of her wolf’s sorrow. At least they had each other, but it was a small comfort after everything they had endured. Even after ten years, the pain of their loss had not faded. Would they ever have a pack again? Erin returned to her bedroom and dressed in jeans and a tank top. It was a workday after all. At least customers would distract her for a while. Pulling on comfortable, slip-resistant shoes, she used a scrunchie to tame her long hair before heading downstairs. The smell of oil, bacon and eggs greeted her as she reached the kitchen. Her employer and landlord hummed as she fried up breakfast on the griddle. The African-American woman swayed to the rhythm of a song only she could hear. “Breakfast is almost ready, honey. How about pouring us something to drink?” Erin nodded, moving to the fridge. She grabbed orange juice and a beer. Pouring herself a glass of juice, Erin set the drinks out as the cook brought over their plates. “Eat before it gets cold.” They settled in their chairs to eat. Erin glanced up to look at her host. Laverne was her savior. After weeks wandering the desert and circling the Grand Canyon, she had managed to reach the outskirts of Las Vegas. At first, she had been determined to avoid it, but hunger drove her into the city, seeking anything tantalizing out of the multitude of dumpsters. Her wolf was so scrawny and small that it appeared to be no more than a common stray. Its nose led them to a dumpster behind a small diner. They were rummaging through the garbage for scraps when Laverne turned the spotlight on them. They froze, unable to move even though they knew they should run. Yet, Laverne didn’t shout or approach them. Instead, she stared at them with piercing black eyes. With a sigh, she lowered her heavy frame to sit on the stairs with a sad smile. “Well, hello there, honey. Looks like you had a hard time,” Laverne finally spoke. “And there are many trials waiting for you still. How about you come inside and take a load off?” Eir let out a low growl-whine. “Now, now. That isn’t polite, young lady,” Laverne stood and turned back to the door. “One must learn to recognize the important events in one’s life and to rest when you can. I’ll just leave the door open for you. Come in when you are ready.”