Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

Chapter 7: Hello, Fresh Meat

I show him my timetable. The trainer looks at it and grunts. "That's normally the class in this program, but it's way too intense for women. We have a room where the few female students can train on their physical fitness, maybe dance if they like, during combat or weapon training classes. It's all the way at the back of the building."

I'm about to argue when Zyméo sidles up next to the trainer. "Trainer Jethro, do we have a problem? I'm ready to start my training," he interjects confidently.

Trainer Jethro shakes his head firmly. "Not at all, Alpha Zyméo. This Omega here was just headed to the women's training room."

Zyméo shoots me a sympathetic glance, but I'm not in the mood for confrontation. I turn on my heels, seething with anger. What is it with the Silvermist pack and Omega females? Hell, I might as well declare myself a witch and wait for the pyre. I stride on, frustration bubbling within me, until I find a small, tucked-away room where I'm supposed to be.

The room is a stark contrast to the sleek modernity of the rest of the building. There are a few yoga mats scattered around, some exercise balls, a basic music system, a treadmill, and a small selection of weights. It's functional but far from luxurious. Three women sitting on the floor chatting look up and notice me. They exchange amused glances.

"Hey, I'm Ari," I introduce myself, trying to shake off my surprise. "Where's the rest of the class?"

They burst into laughter. "This is it. We're the only women on campus," one of them replies with a wry smile.

My jaw drops in disbelief.

One of the women stands up, her slender, athletic frame exuding a natural elegance. She has long, flowing black hair and lively gray eyes. She approaches me with a warm smile and wraps me in a friendly hug.

"I'm Willow Marblewater, a Beta’s daughter," she introduces herself. "I'm studying Pack Management here." She gestures to the other two women still seated. "And these are Gamma Ebony Breezewhirl and Gamma Kieko Cliffmoss. They're both in their final year, specializing in Alpha Support and Environmental Sciences respectively."

I nod, taking in the introductions. "Nice to meet you all," I say, feeling a bit more at ease now that I've found some fellow female students.

Willow chuckles. "You must be Ari, the new Omega in the Advanced Pack Strategy and Operations program, right?" She winks playfully.

I smile back, relieved to find a welcoming atmosphere. "That's right. It seems I've stumbled into a bit of a male-dominated territory."

Ebony nods knowingly. "You'll get used to it. But don't worry, we've carved out our own space here."

Kieko adds with a grin, "And we don't let anyone forget that we're just as capable, if not more."

I laugh, feeling a surge of solidarity. "I'm glad to hear that. Looks like I've found the right place after all."

We chat for a while, getting to know each other better. Eventually, Kieko and Ebony stand up to leave.

"See you tomorrow?" Ebony asks, looking at me. "We have 'training' on our schedule again."

Willow chimes in, " I won't be here until Wednesday. See you then."

As Kieko and Ebony head out, I turn to Willow. "Hey, do you want to do some combat training before I have to go to my next theory class? I could use some exercise."

Willow looks startled. "Combat training? Here in Silvermist pack, women don't do combat training. Why do you think we have yoga mats here? We're only allowed to train to keep our figures nice."

I slap my hand against my forehead. "How did my brother manage to stay here so long?"

Willow's eyes widen. "Your brother studied here? Who is your brother?"

"Nikolaj Featherstone," I blurt out without thinking.

Willow's mouth drops open. "Prince Nikolaj?? He's your brother? That means you're Princess... Ari... Namaari!"

Shit. How do I get out of this?

Noali's voice echoes in my mind, "We can trust Willow. Her aura is good and kind."

I sigh, looking at Willow. "Please, can you keep it a secret that I'm Nikolaj's sister?"

Willow bows slightly. "Princess Namaari, you have my word."

"Please, don't call me 'princess'," I say, waving my hands dismissively. "Just call me Ari. I need to seem like a regular Omega in the eyes of the Silvermist pack."

Willow looks puzzled. "But why? Why hide who you really are?"

I take a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts. "The dynamics here are different. If they know who I really am, it could change how they treat me. And I need to experience this as everyone else does, especially because I'm here to learn about pack dynamics and strategies. Being treated differently won't help me understand the reality."

Willow nods slowly, taking it all in. "I see. But what if you need help? If people know who you are, they might be more willing to assist you."

I shake my head. "It's important for me to blend in. I've learned that true understanding comes from experiencing things firsthand, not through the lens of privilege. Besides, if I'm treated just as another Omega, I'll get to see how things really work here."

Willow sighs. "Alright, Ari. I understand. But just so you know, you can count on me. I'll keep your secret and help you however I can."

I smile, relieved. "Thank you, Willow. I really appreciate it."

She returns the smile warmly. "No problem. Now, let's see what we can do with these yoga mats. Even if we can't do combat training, we can at least stay fit."

"Forget it," I say, shaking my head. "After today, we're going to have real training sessions here. I've learned a lot from my brothers and cousins. I'll teach you everything I know. Sorry, but women need to be able to defend themselves too. The war might be dormant now, but what if there's another major attack? Nope, I'll make sure you're ready."

Willow looks a bit taken aback but intrigued. "But we don't have the right equipment for real combat training," she points out.

"Leave that to me," I say with a determined smile.

Willow raises an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you plan on getting combat training equipment in here?"

"Just trust me on this one. No questions," I reply, winking.

Willow laughs, shaking her head. "You know, I'm really glad I've met you, Ari. I have a feeling you're going to make a big impact on this pack. The Silvermist pack could use some... well, women's balls."

I burst out laughing at that. "Thanks, Willow. And you can bet on it. We're going to change things around here."

Willow looks at me with a smile. "Come on, let's go get some lunch." We make our way to the spacious cafeteria.

"Don't Ebony and Kieko also have lunch now?" I ask as we walk.

Willow shakes her head. "Our schedules aren't exactly the same. They sometimes have longer classes or different lunch breaks. My timetable matches up with yours more closely."

We grab our trays, load up with food, and head toward a table in the corner. As we pass by, a few guys whistle. One of them grabs me by the waist and pulls me onto his lap.

"Well, hello, fresh meat. And what fine meat you are," he says with a smirk.

I open my mouth to say something, but an ear-splitting growl fills the cafeteria. I'm yanked off the guy's lap, and I turn to see Kaynim. My heart skips a beat as I take in his furious expression. He looks like he's ready to kill the guy.

For a moment, I think Kaynim isn't so bad after all. But then he speaks. "You should be careful who you pull onto your lap. Just because there are few women here doesn't mean you should grab everything. This one’s a filthy Omega. You shouldn't stoop so low."

The guy smirks and says, "Thanks, Alpha Kaynim, for saving me from a mistake."

Kaynim nods and walks away toward the table in the middle of the cafeteria without even glancing at me. I feel a surge of anger and start to move towards Kaynim, but Willow grabs my arm and pulls me towards the table in the corner. "Don't make a scene," she whispers urgently. "If you want to stay under the radar and not risk exposing your identity, you need to stay calm."

Seething, I shove food into my mouth, glaring at Kaynim. He's sitting at a table with Zyméo, who has a girl on his lap, and Tazzym, who's making out with another girl — different from the one I saw him with in the hallway earlier.

With my mouth full of food, I mutter to Willow, "What's the deal with those three?"

Willow giggles. "Our future Alphas are something special," she says with a hint of sarcasm.

"Alpha Kaynim is the firstborn of the triplets. He feels a deep-rooted responsibility for his pack and the people around him. He takes his role as leader very seriously, ensuring that every decision he makes is in the best interest of his pack. His sense of duty makes him reliable and a stable leader that the pack can count on, even if he sometimes comes off as an asshole. He values honesty and integrity and expects the same from others."

I chuckle. "Then he's going to love how many secrets I'm keeping."

Willow laughs. "Many secrets? Do you have multiple?"

"Like everyone," I say quickly, trying to brush it off. "So, what's the deal with loverboy Tazzym over there?"