The wolf without a howl

Episode 5:The Omega Ground

Aurelia Vale’s POV

Blackthorn Academy never failed to remind you who you were.

Every morning,

in every hallway,

During every training session.

The ranks followed you like a shadow.

But everything changed after the Awakening Ceremony.

The students who had awakened their wolves were sorted into classes based on their abilities.

Their schedules changed.

Their training changed.

Their future changed.

And mine continued as it always had.

Omega.

The lowest rank in Blackthorn Academy.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

Maya asked as she stood beside me in the hallway outside our hostel, clutching her training bag to her chest.

I gave her a questioning look.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

She hesitated.

We both knew the real reason I was asking.

Today was the first day our classes would be separated.

Maya had awakened as a New Blood, which meant she would be training with the students who had discovered their wolves.

I, on the other hand, would be going to the Omega grounds.

"I just don't want you to feel alone," she admitted.

I gave her a small smile.

"Maya, you don't have to worry about me."

She gave me a strange look.

"You say that a lot."

"Because it's true."

She sighed.

"Just because we're in different classes doesn't mean we're not friends."

"I know."

And I did know.

But it was one thing to know, and another to feel.

For the first time since arriving at Blackthorn, I felt the distance between us.

Not because Maya had changed.

But because the academy had decided we belonged on opposite sides of the world.

The New Blood students were walking towards the eastern training halls, while the Omegas were being led in the opposite direction.

I watched as Maya disappeared around the corner, then turned to follow the other students.

The Omega grounds were much further away from the main training arenas.

Not that it was hidden from view.

It simply wasn't a priority.

That was enough to tell us everything we needed to know.

Blackthorn only invested in what made them strong.

And the rest of us had to fight for every opportunity.

The Omega training grounds were much smaller than the others, with far fewer students.

Some looked disappointed.

Some looked angry.

Some looked as if they had accepted their fate.

I refused to be one of them.

A tall woman was waiting for us when we arrived, her black instructor's uniform fitted to her frame, with a jagged scar running along one of her cheeks.

"This is Omega training," she said bluntly.

"Do not mistake this for easy training."

Nobody argued.

"Many students believe Omegas to be weak," she continued, her eyes scanning over us.

"They believe you to be failures."

It wasn't an unfamiliar speech.

It was one I had heard countless times since arriving at Blackthorn.

"Perhaps some of you are failures," she said coldly.

"But failure is not permanent."

Her gaze flickered over me before she continued.

"An Omega who trains harder than a New Blood can be more dangerous than a New Blood."

That was the first interesting thing she had said all day.

"Here, you will not be taught advanced wolf abilities," she said, gesturing towards the field.

Several students groaned at this.

"Because you do not have them yet."

Yet.

That word always stuck out to me.

"You will be training your bodies," she continued.

"Strength," she said, gesturing towards a row of weights.

"Endurance," she said, indicating the track that surrounded the field.

"Combat," she said, pointing at the weapons on the rack.

"Survival," she finished grimly.

"Because when you enter the real world, nobody will care about your rank."

Our first training exercise was simple.

Run.

It sounded easy enough.

But the instructor pushed us until our legs gave out, forcing us to crawl if we had to.

Some of the students complained, but none of their concerns were addressed

"This academy will not protect you forever!"

The instructor shouted at us.

"Do you think your enemies will care about your rank when they try to kill you?"

Nobody answered.

"Again."

We continued running.

My lungs burned, my muscles screamed, but I forced myself to keep going.

Because this was something I understood.

Pain.

Struggle.

Hard work.

I had known these things my entire life.

After running, we were sent to the combat training grounds.

The difference between the Omegas and everyone else was painfully obvious.

Whereas the others fought with abilities, we had to rely on skill.

There was no magic, no power, no supernatural strength.

Just technique.

The instructor paired us up to fight each other.

My opponent was another Omega, though he looked just as surprised to be fighting me as I felt.

"Don't hold back," I told him.

He gave me a strange look.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

The fight began.

He was faster than me, but I had spent years training my body.

I blocked his attacks, dodging and countering when the moment was right.

I didn't win, but I didn't lose either.

When the fight ended, the instructor looked me over.

"Vale."

I straightened, waiting for her to continue.

"Your movements are better than expected."

It wasn't much, but it was the first good thing I had heard all day.

"I've trained before."

"I can see that."

Then she moved on.

After some extra training, it was finally time for lunch,and I was famished. I got up and headed for the dining hall

The dining hall was the only place in Blackthorn Academy where everyone gathered.

Even here, the academy made sure that nobody forgot their place.

The tables were divided by rank.

The higher you were, the closer you sat to the front.

The President's table was the most obvious one of all.

Not because it was any different from the others.

But because everyone knew who sat there.

The Highborn.

The strongest students in the academy, aside from Xavi Blackwood himself.

Then came the other ranks, in descending order.

Iron Fang.

Silver Fang.

New Blood.

And finally...

Omega.

The lowest.

The forgotten.

I sat at the Omega table, staring at my food for a moment before pushing it away.

Not because I wasn't hungry.

But because I was still adjusting.

A few days ago, I had entered Blackthorn Academy, believing that everything would change for me after the Awakening Ceremony.

Instead, it had only reinforced the reality that I was powerless.

"Aurelia."

I looked up to see Maya sitting across from me.

"You've been staring at your food for five minutes."

I blinked.

"I was thinking."

"That usually means trouble with you."

I gave her a small smile.

"You know me too well."

Maya chuckled.

For a moment, everything was as it should be.

Even though we were no longer in the same classes, even though she trained with the New Bloods while I remained an Omega, she was still my friend.

Then the atmosphere in the dining hall shifted.

The students grew quiet, parting to allow a group of people to pass.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

But when I did...

My breath caught in my throat.

Bianca Ashford.

Silver Fang.

One of the strongest female students in Blackthorn Academy.

Unlike the New Bloods, who were still learning to control their abilities, the Silver Fangs had already proven themselves.

They were powerful.

Skilled.

And respected.

Bianca embodied all three.

She swept through the dining hall like a queen, making people part for her as if she owned the place.

Her gaze landed on me almost immediately, and Maya stiffened beside me.

"Aurelia..." she started, but stopped when Bianca reached our table.

"What's this?" Bianca asked, looking around at the other Omegas.

"So this is where we sit?"

I continued eating as if she hadn't said anything.

"Is there something you need?"

Several students nearby gave me strange looks.

Most people would not have spoken to Bianca like that.

Her lips twitched into a smirk.

"Interesting."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You don't act like an Omega."

I looked up at her.

"And how are Omegas supposed to act?"

She smiled.

"Quiet."

The answer was obvious.

"Obedient."

Her gaze flickered over my uniform.

"And aware of their place."

Maya stood up.

"Bianca, just leave."

Bianca gave her a strange look.

"A New Blood defending an Omega?"

She laughed softly.

"That is almost embarrassing."

Maya's expression darkened, but I stopped her.

I didn't need her to fight for me.

Bianca looked back at me.

"You know what the difference between us is, Aurelia?"

I said nothing.

"I earned my position.

I awakened my wolf.

I trained.

I fought.

I proved myself."

She leaned forward.

"You came here because of your mother's name.

You are Seraphina Vale's daughter."

She tilted her head.

"And yet, you are still an Omega."

The dining hall grew deathly quiet.

I set my spoon down on my tray.

"Are you finished?"

Her expression changed, as if she hadn't expected me to speak.

"You really don't understand, do you?"

"No," I said honestly.

I looked up at her.

"I understand perfectly.

I think you're wrong."

Bianca blinked.

"You think having a higher rank makes you better than everyone else?"

"Doesn't it?"

I looked around the dining hall, meeting the eyes of every student who had been watching the confrontation.

"You think rank defines who we are?

What we're worth?"

A murmur of agreement rose from the students.

Bianca's smile faltered.

"Rank is a reflection of what we've achieved.

It is not a measure of our worth."

I picked up my tray.

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Bianca leaned forward, resting her hand on my tray.

"You should be careful, Omega," she said quietly.

"Confidence is dangerous when you have nothing to back it up."

I met her gaze.

"Then I guess I'll have to find something to back it up."

The silence that followed was almost as shocking as the words themselves.

Bianca stared at me for a long moment before finally releasing my tray.

"You're interesting," she said.

I'm not sure if it was meant as a compliment or a threat.

Perhaps it was both.

Either way, she left soon after, and the tension in the dining hall dissipated.

Maya exhaled sharply when Bianca was gone.

"Aurelia," she said.

"What?"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

I chuckled softly.

"No.

I'm just tired of apologizing for existing."

Maya fell silent.

Because she understood.

*****************************

From the upper floor of the dining hall, Xavi Blackwood watched the entire exchange.

Not because he cared about what had happened b

etween Bianca and me.

The President had far more important things to worry about.

But Aurelia Vale had caught his interest for one reason.

Most Omegas would have lowered their heads in front of a superior, but not this one.

She had no wolf.

No power.

No rank.

And yet, she had stood up to a Silver Fang without hesitation.

Xavi watched her leave the dining hall before turning away.

Courage was common.

Survival was not.

And Blackthorn would eventually test which one she was made of.