Omega to Alpha

Run

Athena

“Go!” My mother's tensed whisper rang in my ears as the growl grew louder. It felt like the end of my miserable life. There was no escape. I was finally joining the rest of my kind or maybe get killed for trying to deceive the Alpha. It was as though the tears dropping from my swollen eyes were drying immediately as they fell with the heat that shot through my entire body. I jumped out through the window while my mother dashed out of the room in a panic.

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Rowan. Her scent is all over here,” the murderous voice echoed as I heard my father stand in my defense. This was the first time the Alpha visited our home. Somebody must have seen me. I was too careless. I scolded myself as I sat in fright, shivering and suppressing the cry ready to burst out of my mouth.

“I would never lie to you, Alpha Gonzalo. My mate and I have been the only inhabitant of this house after my son joined your warriors the last six months. There must have been a mistake somewhere, Alpha,” my father explained with a courageous tone and every bit of assurance that was hard to question. I sat still in the dark hole, dug by my father after the first visit of the Alpha to the Gamma’s quarters some years back, waiting for the next slap of woe. Everyone in the pack knew how dangerous and unpredictable the Alpha was.

There was tension in the house. I heard more feet marching in as the alpha commanded,

“Search everywhere!” I heard the heavy pants of monsters. I knew they were among the Alpha's ferocious wolves. My imaginations of them were so frightful. Sweat oozed out of me as the growls grew louder. If I stayed any longer, they were sure to find me, I said to myself as I swallowed a large chunk of fear in my throat ready to attempt a flight before I was caught—I had overgrown the hole.

My legs were already sore from squatting. I peeped through the hay over the wooden plank above me. The coast was clear but the thundering and shattering from the house made me question my sudden decision. Rather than sit there and await capture, I decided to prepare for an escape—Run. I took off my sandals, slowly climbing out. There was a thick forest ground close by—one of the places I sneaked out to witness the fight of roaming rogues. It was the only feasible option for me—the safest hideout for me at the moment. It didn't matter if I got killed by a wild beast or even a ghost—the forest has been known to be haunted by the ghost of dead witches.

I didn't want to be a slave to the Alpha or to anyone. I ran. I didn't stop. Every thought of the newborn baby fueling my motivation to escape. I was too scared to look back. Scared to find a pack of wolves chasing after me tears rolled down my chin while I licked the secretion from my nostrils. My feet sore from the harsh pricks of twigs. Approaching the forest grounds, I felt a sense of escape, finally far away from the clearing where my house was but it didn’t make me stop running.

The light from the moon strangely made me stronger, illuminating my path amidst the tall canopy of trees. As I ran into the heart of the forest, a cry came from within the forest. I froze in fright and looked around me afraid that the Alpha’s wolves have caught up with me.

Whatever thing that made me leave my father's trusted abode must have left me stranded at the spot when I discovered the cry was from a distance ahead of me. What was I thinking? I clutched the bark of a nearby tree, looking out for the source of the impending danger, my ears active for the slightest sounds.

“I didn't do it! I didn't do it” a cry broke out. I would have stolen a peek to satisfy my curiosity but I learnt that already. My stubbornness had left me. I was like a lost rabbit amidst wild beasts. Then I heard another screeching cry. I closed my eyes so tightly with my hands on my ears as I sat on decaying leaves with my back to the tree. I wanted everything to stop. I wanted my mother’s hug again, to tell me I was safe and that I was only having a bad dream. But I was wrong. Everything was real, and I was the prey.

As I sat there, trying to block out the sound of the scream, I realized that it wasn't going away. In fact, it seemed to be getting louder. My heart raced as I wondered what caused such a terrifying noise. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around, trying to locate the source of the scream. As I scanned the forest, I saw a figure running toward me. A slim woman. She was covered in blood and her clothes were torn. I froze in fear as she got closer and closer. Just as I thought she was going to reach for me and grab me, she collapsed at my feet. I quickly realized that it was a young girl, pretty much older than me. She was gasping for air with terror in her eyes. I knelt down beside her as a dead stump buried in snow—petrified and speechless.

“He's coming for me! Save me!” she urged, pointing earnestly at the space behind us. I needed help myself, but whatever was after the girl would definitely not spare me. I gathered dry litters of leaves to heal her bleeding sides, just as I caught my father do sometimes back. Somehow, I knew I had to act fast. I pulled her up with the best of my efforts after the bleeding reduced. Then, we started running through the forest, trying to put as much distance between us and the attackers or whoever was after her.

“Take one more step and you’re as good as dead meat,” a murderous voice commanded. I immediately let out a reflex scream as the girl fell to the floor without my support. I couldn't make out his face as the burning moon was right behind his large body as I back-crawled away from him. But, it looked nothing like the usual werewolves I was accustomed to. He leaned forward to get a good sniff of me and threw me a look of suspicion.

“Impossible,” it whispered while leaning toward me. I couldn't hold my gaze on him. His eyes were blazing, like a lightening ready to shoot and destroy everything around it. Amidst the fright, I felt something strange, a kind of calm I could only get from my mother.

“Run back home and never look back or I wouldn't spare you,” he commanded as he backed away from me, dragging the body of the girl along with him while retaining his gaze on me. I took to my heels immediately. I ran as though my life depended on it. At that point, it did. I didn't dare steal a second glance at the creature and it didn’t come for me either.

“Athena!” I heard my name from miles away.