The Hidden Omega

CHAPTER 4

As I fall, arms flailing and fingers reaching for anything—anything—the wind rips a scream from my throat.

Rocks swirl, moonlight flashes, and then— My body snaps sideways with a forceful jerk. My shoulder hurts like crazy. Air torn from my lungs, I bang against stone, drop once more, and land on a thin ledge.

My mouth is filled with dust. Behind my eyes, stars exploded. Stunned, I lie there and gaze up at the dark patch of sky. Alive. I grip my ribs as I cough.

Nothing feels broken, but everything hurts. Slick with moss and old rain, the ledge is just too small for my physique.

Chaos rages above me, with Magnus yelling commands and growls and snarls. "LIORA!" Through the commotion, Rylan's voice is audible. "I'm present!" With a trembling voice, I yell back. I hear him curse.

A shadow jumps over the brink of the ravine and suddenly falls, his body twisting in midair and his arms spread wide. "No, Rylan!" With a bone-jarring thud, he lands next to me and rolls to lessen the impact.

With his eyes wild and his chest heaving, he gets up on one knee. "You fool," I exhale. Breathless, he laughs once. "One must know one." The ledge trembles.

Rylan raises his head. "They'll come." A rock skitters over the edge above us as if called. "We must relocate," he declares. "Now." A tiny channel dug into the ravine wall is formed by the ledge's curvature.

Rylan leads the way, holding onto my wrist and helping me across the slippery stone. Darkness yawns underneath us. Shadows move above us.

A wolf jumps— —and fails. With a cry that ends too quickly, it plunges into the ravine. We don't turn around. We sprint till the path leads into a secret cave covered in vines and roots.

Just as claws shred the stone where we stood, Rylan drags us inside. We are engulfed by the cave.

The only sound that breaks the silence is our breathing. Neither of us said anything for a long time. Then, with sparkling eyes in the dark, Rylan turns to face me. "You froze them."

Every one of them I mumble, "I didn't mean to." "But you did," he murmurs. "With your voice." I give a headshake. "I'm not sure how. It simply happened.

He examines me as though I were a riddle that he is both scared of and excited to figure out. "Alpha power wasn't that." "I am aware." A faint growl can be heard above.

Magnus's distant, angry voice comes next. "Look for them!" Rylan clenches his jaw. "We are unable to remain.”

He guides us through the cave and out the other side, where our scent is carried away by a small creek. We travel quickly and silently till the forest gets denser and the walls of the academy appear in front of us.

Dawn is breaking by the time we slip through a side gate. With students rushing onto the grounds and training horns booming, Moonfang Academy awakens like a beast.

Just before the path splits, Rylan stops. "If someone inquires—" I blurt out, "—I fell." "Clumsy Alpha" He gives a snort. "You? Are you clumsy?"

I force a feeble smile. His face darkens. They will put you to the test today. Initial trial. My stomach sinks. "Today?" He says, "Speed run." "Forest course. Not a weapon.

My chest tightens with fear. "I am unable to." "You can," he adds firmly. "I've observed your movement." I mumble, "That was fear." "I'm quick when I'm afraid." "Excellent," he says.

"Then be terrified." "And don't use your voice," he says softly after pausing. I give a nod. We parted ways. --- There is a lot of noise at the training field.

Stretching and bragging, wolves form a line. With his arm bandaged, Magnus stands close to the teachers while surveying the throng. They glide by me. Stay put. Grin. Chilly.

I stand at the starting line with a blank expression.

The teacher, a whistle-wielding, scarred Beta, paces in front of us. "The initial test. Control and speed. The forest course is marked. You're out if you miss a turn.

My heart is pounding. "On my signal." Alongside the other elite Alphas, Rylan stands alone. His eyes briefly lock with mine. Steady. Yes.

The whistle lets forth a scream. I sprint. We are engulfed by the jungle. Mud sucks at boots, branches break, and roots grasp. Wolves charge by me, their muscles thumping and their confident laughter piercing.

I released them. I'm not a pusher. Not quite yet. The path takes an abrupt turn. The path is blocked by a fallen tree. Wolves either detour wide or jump it.

I don't slow down. I put one foot on the tree and *slide*, propelling myself forward with the help of the slippery bark. Behind me, gasps erupted.

Magnus laughs, and I hear it. "Tricks." I continue to run. The path forks after narrowing. Markers obscure the past. I listen instead of thinking.

There is a hum in the jungle. The wind changes. The Earth tilts. On the left. Without hesitation, I cut to the left. When someone makes a poor decision, they yell.

My lungs are burning. My legs scream. Fear rises, sharp and burning, and speed follows. When motion occurs, everything narrows. I skim rocks, jump roots, and dash between trees.

Wolves appear briefly in my vision before disappearing. The same ravine from last night yawns ahead.

Panic attacks. *Make a move. I run faster. I don't stop at the edge. I leap. I fly for a heartbeat. I roll after landing on the far side and emerge without losing my gait. Shouts resound throughout the woodland.

I'm alone when the finish gate opens. I broke through it— —and skidded to a halt. There is a crash of silence. The teacher looks at me. Open your mouth.

A heartbeat goes by. Then one more. Someone croaks, "Time?" The teacher examines the crystal timepiece. Blinks. Take another look.

He murmurs, "That's... impossible." Slow applause reverberates as Magnus advances. "Beginner's luck" Rylan has a sardonic smirk. "She surpassed your record."

The throng is filled with murmurs. I stand there with my eyes watering from perspiration and my chest heaving. That's when I sense it—the abrupt, incorrect silence.

The raising of noses. The narrowing of eyes. My skin is warmed by my pouch. Too hot. Magnus looks down at my throat. His grin gets bigger. "Interesting," he murmurs.

"You start to perspire when you run that fast." My heart falters. The wind changes. There's a murmur. Curiosity and confusion. Rylan jerks his head in my direction.

His eyes enlarged. He mumbles, "Liora." After burning, the fragrance blocker *fails*. Just take a breath. Only a flicker.

Enough. The field becomes silent. "That scent," someone murmurs. Magnus takes a deep breath, his eyes glowing with victory. "There you are."

With my heart pounding, I retreat. Rylan advances. "She passed the exam." Magnus holds up a hand. "Hold her." The guards move. I retreat a step— —and the earth hums beneath me.

At the edge of the field, the Moon Stone is glowing and has spider-like fissures. Everybody freezes. The silver flashes in the stone.

And before I can stop it, my delicate trembling voice escapes. "Don't." The guards secure themselves. The light gets brighter. Magnus looks at me with a look of disbelief on his face.

"What are you?" With a thunderous boom, the stone *splits*.