The Uncaged Omega

Chapter 2: Fang

I sighed, leaning against the wall. I decided to turn my back, so he would think I was asleep, and it seemed to work. He dropped his load to the side with a loud thud, and I heard him removing and shaking his clothes before getting under the sheets we shared. He didn't touch me, stayed silent, and I understood that I had to wake up soon; I had to leave everything as it was before he arrived. I slept for a couple of hours and, even with the moon outside, I got up from the foot of the bed, careful not to disturb him. The dim light from the embers didn't allow me to see clearly around me. I grabbed an oil lamp and lit it with a soft snap of my fingers. I illuminated the area, focusing on the alpha's unchanging face as he slept in bed; not even in that situation did his expression change.

I started my typical routine when he was there, cleaning and feeding. By the time the sun wanted to rise, breakfast was ready, and I saw him get up. He glanced at me and stared into space.

"Welcome home, alpha," I said, receiving no response. I served him the food and brought it to where he was sitting. "Would you like the same drink?" I asked, looking at my hands clasped in my lap. He nodded.

I took out the bowl I had stored with wine and poured it into one of his favorite gold cups. I offered it to him when he finished eating, and he drank it in one gulp.

I took the utensils and went to wash them, leaving his training clothes on the bed. I had understood that we didn't need to talk; our current situation was enough. He cared no more than I did.

I had resigned myself to not finding my alpha since my mother had left and my father had taken me as, at first, his servant, and in recent years, as his omega. Although perhaps I wasn't even his omega; I had a bond with the alpha and would know when he died. It would be pointless if I found my chosen one; he would never accept me if he knew that the only thing I had to offer him had already been taken by someone else. It would be painful, but I had prepared myself for rejection; I just had to focus on surviving the elements, improving my skills, and fleeing when I knew the alpha was about to die. He knew I didn't want him; I never showed gratitude or joy at seeing him at home again, not since I became his omega, not after he took me in such a rampant manner. However, I didn't hate him. War took many minds and damaged them, as had happened to him. The renegades apparently had killed his parents, and I heard him mention my mother's name during his deep dreams, followed by "damn renegades."

It was easy to put two and two together, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions. Nor was I interested in finding her; I just wanted to live quietly. Alone and quiet. I went to the village secretly when there was scarcity or when the alpha asked me to accompany him; I knew they didn't want me in the village. No one knew my face in detail because whenever I went, I had to wear a long tunic that protected me from the fierce wind, but my hearing was sharp. Definitely, they believed me to be the one who had forcibly taken the alpha, causing my mother's escape. It was painful for a while; I could never talk to my wolf. I assumed she detested me for allowing all of that, but what else could an 8-year-old girl do? Over time, I got used to it and observed what surrounded me in amazement. I was about to turn 18; the alpha never wanted to tell me my exact date of birth, they only celebrated my birthday once, so I had an idea of when it would be more or less. There were about 4 full moons left before it happened; I wasn't excited, but for some reason, I found myself counting.

"Come here," the alpha's voice resonated in my head; the bond being so reinforced allowed me to hear him clearly.

I got up with the ceramic and the spoon. My dress, made of a modest rough linen fabric, was wet in the back, gracefully falling over my bare ankles. Fortunately, my sleeves, wide and practical, allowed me freedom of movement while I performed my daily chores, so I finished quickly. I walked quickly on the snow, forgetting my woolen shoes; I grumbled, looking over my shoulder and making a mental note to return as soon as I attended to the alpha. I arrived in less than ten minutes, feeling the soles of my feet burning from the cold of the snow; I shivered slightly as I left the utensils on the table and organized them.

"Alpha," I addressed him carefully, he was sitting in the small wooden dining room with his back to me. He used his hand to call me and indicate that I should sit in the chair next to him. I did as he asked.

"Have you been to the village without my authorization?" he asked, furrowing his brow lightly, and I shook my head. He didn't turn to look at me, but his deep voice indicated that he was annoyed, along with his facial expression. He was tracing a map with ink and quill. I saw his perfectly straight line cross from the west to the south, just behind the waterfalls. Finally, he gave me a rustic and disinterested look. "Don't go to the village during these days."

He stood up, and at that moment, I saw he intended to put on his combat gear; he was a very committed alpha to his warrior duties.

"Will you leave again?" I asked, going after him to help. He pushed me aside without much care, making me stumble; I held onto the wall, staring at him fixedly from behind. As soon as he turned, I lowered my head. "Will you be back soon?"

"Do not go to the village, Samantha," he looked at me sternly. I nodded; several had noticed my scent, it was so intoxicating that most could recognize it from afar. "Do not leave the cabin either."

I nodded, looking at my bare feet. I felt his cold hand take my chin and turn my head to lower the fabric a bit at the neck; I heard him growl a bit, and then he left without saying anything else.

I let out a long sigh as I watched him walk away into the woods about 7 meters from the cabin; he carried a spear on his back, and I saw his wolf dart out, his weapons and bag were designed to fit his werewolf form, so I imagined he had important changes of clothes in there.

I nibbled on my lower lip, prey to the cold ground; I remembered that I had left my shoes at the stream, ignoring the alpha's warning, I ran to the area, it wouldn't take me long, so there wouldn't be any problem. The sun was setting on me; I sat on a rock and washed my feet with the icy water, my skin tingling all the way to my back, enduring until they dried in the air; I put on my shoes and went back to the cabin. A creak made me stop in my tracks; I looked in the direction of the sound, but didn't see anything suspicious, just a flying squirrel eating some seeds.

I resumed my pace and entered the forest to take a shortcut, something made me feel a little uneasy. Perhaps the alpha had returned and had discovered that I had disobeyed him; I had to return as quickly as possible. I started running, and heavy footsteps echoed behind me; a large gray wolf was chasing me, showing its teeth, growling, and salivating fiercely. I gasped when I looked ahead and almost hit my face against a large tree, a specialty of the area, the cedars. They were wide and rose imposingly, and I almost couldn't dodge it.

I thought about what to do; I had two options. If the alpha had returned, I could defend myself, but if I went to the cabin and he wasn't there, I would have nowhere to hide. The other option was to fight.

I had never fought anyone in my life; although I learned by replicating the alpha's techniques, I never really had the opportunity to practice them against a rival. But I had no alternative. My body throbbed, and I hardly felt the burning in my legs from running due to the adrenaline coursing through my body. I changed the route; I would go further south, right towards the border. I had to lose him before crossing it, or I would be in serious trouble; that village was an enemy and was settled in the center.

I looked over my shoulder, starting to pant from exhaustion when I thought I had lost him, I didn't see anything behind me, so I let myself fall on the snow, it was starting to weaken at that point, meaning I was too close to the neighboring village. I had to turn back.

When I caught my breath, I stood up, shook my dress, and began to walk with a smile on my face. I had confused a foolish wolf. As I walked, I wondered what a wolf of that kind was doing there; it seemed desperate. A rustle among the trees made me snap out of my thoughts; I only saw the large canine fangs open to trap my head between them.