The alpha, the sultan and the omega

Your highness.

It cost me a little time to understand, she told herself while walking for the hall that would take her to the alpha of her new pack, that meanwhile, everyone in our pack was fighting for survival, out there were people that never had to fight at all. She had been dressed with fine green silk right after she was bathed and perfumed, they healed her wounds too and brushed her hair in a cute braid. She felt too spoiled.

The two persons at her side were betas, they found her while escaping from her former alpha. The man was an insane, unhinged and perverted old man that she wait to get rot in jail or die. However, she told herself too that she doesn't have to follow his rules anymore, since she already left the pack and was not under his protection anymore.

Now she belongs to another pack and it hasn't been that bad as she was afraid to be, at least not until the moment. It was a really nice castle where she was taken, she couldn't see the outside because she fainted in the road for the wounds and the fatigue, but she believed that even if the outside wasn't the incredibly nice as the inside, it could be fine.

—Omega —another beta, she recognizes as the second on intervening the last day, appeared in the place with his red hair and green eyes—. Our alpha is waiting for you —he announced, making her really nervous—. You guys bathed her? —the others affirmed with their heads—. Good.

She clenched her jaw. Of course, they bathed her, it was truly awkward and make her angry not even could tell them not to. She had her own hands, even if she couldn't use them that well. Sure, she was never bathed by someone else, not even as a child could remember something like that.

—How is he? —she asked, the man looked at her—. Your alpha —specified when she saw his confusion. She already saw the alpha while was an imposing big and black wolf with red and cold eyes. The aroma was strong, even if the alpha were so far and to be an alpha.

—You'll see —he shared with her a sharp look that made her quiet and then guides her for a new hallway, with the other two betas behind her, too close—. I'd have to tell you a couple of things. First of all, don't you dare to look at his eyes when you get in there?

—Why not? —she frowns.

—That's the rule, no one can look at the alpha into his eyes, a lot of less such thing as a rookie in the clan —snapped while walking—. At the moment that it turns, you're going to make a reverence and call him as Eminence or Your Highness, all the time. At least if he doesn't allow you to call him by any other name.

—¿Eminence? —she was confused but she tried to follow him.

—Yes. 

—Um...

—One more thing —he stopped so suddenly that she almost hit his back and looked at her in silence for over a minute. He was taller and his aquamarine eyes were so sharp—. Don't tell or do anything that the alpha doesn't want you to do, and if he says something, you do whatever he wants you to —said—. Whatever he wants you to —repeated—. Got it?

Whatever he wants me to, got it. She just got dizzy. What kind of pack was that? Not even in her former pack, the alpha was treated in that way, yes, it's true that the leader of the pack is more important than anyone else but he couldn't be compared with some prince or... Her body gets cold then.

—Is he... a royal or something? —she hesitated.

The red hair man smiled while they stopped in front of a big door with two betas on each side of that she supposed were the guards, they both had a shield on the right side of the chest, a royal shield. She swallowed hard.

—Call the alpha, the new omega is here for her audience —he said. Not even two seconds passed when one of the guards move into the room and then, the door was open for them to come in. The beta didn't move, just wished her good luck in a whisper that she was able to hear since their good ears. 

That gave her goosebumps. She bowed her head to avoid seeing the eyes of the person inside the room and got tense by the strong smell of lavender and lemon. It was a really strong odor, too much, if she may say. Her refined ear allowed her to know there was moving, near to a desk and papers moving. It didn't even get up to see her.

—Um.

—I haven't given you permission to talk —she heard and her back got tense. At least she knew that her presence wasn't unnoticed, so she closed her mouth. But she was upset for the way she got treated and frown, trying to calm down when the other person gets up—. You're weak —was the first thing that the alpha said, and even if she was warned to not look at his eyes, she raised up her eyes to face him up, offended.

Her mouth was open.

—It seems like you aren't too obedient either —pointed it. A long black hair in a high pigtail, black and deep eyes, white skin, and pink lips, one slightly pushed against the other.

It was a woman.

—Well. What's your name, omega? —she asked her.

Her mouth should appear like a big O. It was too shocking. She didn't expect that the alpha of that pack (and the royal highness) was a woman. I mean, she didn't think that was bad but at the moment she never had to be in front of that kind of pack, where the reins were pulled by a woman. She babbled a little until her neurons were able to get in order.

—E-Emma, your highness.

The woman with the black eyes looked at her upside down.

—Well, Emma, welcome to my pack —faked a smile and raised a hand. Emma frown but then one of the betas that she had seen before getting into the room and touch her arm—. You're going with the others in the harem and stay there. I hope you enjoy your stay.

When the last word was out, the beta pulls her out of the room and in the hallway, she almost hit someone when she was left by herself. The first thing she saw was the feet with nice black shoes and when she looked up, she found the most beautiful man ever seen. Golden hair and blue eyes, deep, virile, and provocative. She swallowed again, he was an alpha. A very greek god.

—Sultan —the beta at her side pushed her and made a reverence, her back got tense again and her stomach ached—. Excuse her, please, she is new here.

—Ah yes, I can see that —he remind her of the last day—, an omega —the alpha with blue eyes smiled while looking at her. Even if his voice was bold and cloud, felt warm and nearly familiar, like a breeze in spring or sunshine in winter—, what a surprise. My, my. I'm Noah, great pleasure...

—Um...

—Oh, sure, you may call me sultan or your majesty —he claimed—, indeed.

—Oh —she was shocked and blushed, then she bow—, excuse me, sultan, I had no idea. I just came here and... ah.

The blonde's laugh came out and he took the dare of posing his hand over her head before smile. He looked so calm. Like a sun, was impossible not to say that her heart went crazy and that made her nervous knowing that he can smell, hear and feel like any other wolf. Even more, being an alpha.

—Don't worry, with the time you get used to our pack and our costumes —he said, smiling—. Just try not to get too confused, since, of course, we all had to pass by that once.

She smiled very slightly.

—Now if you excuse me, I have to see the sultan Soleil —he said then. She affirmed with her head and set aside to give him space, with respect and shame. The beautiful adonis didn't have to be announced as well, but of course, he was the sultan. She looked at the floor. He could do whatever he wants. 

She turns and saw the red hair beta watching her. When she heard the "sultan" from his lips she understood that somehow that alpha in front of her was the partner of the black-haired woman inside the room, which made her an alpha from the pack too. At least, that what she believed. She had the archaic idea of the male alphas were the most powerful and, as she was instructed in her former pack. Well, it could be that Farrell didn't want a female to take over his "throne".

—Well, now that you have been introduced to our alpha, you're coming to the harem with me.

—Why do you guys tell "him" if she is a-

She could not end the phrase since a new character showed up. It was a really attractive woman with a weird crown on her head and a giant belly. She had this angry smile and looked at the red hair like she was getting on bite his neck for the rage, but then the odor gets to her nose. That woman was pregnant with an alpha.

—Sultan —the red hair bow her head to the woman. Emma looked at the cute pregnant woman, she had light hair and green eyes, the sultan noticed that the greek god was with the alpha and she got her eyes on her—. Bow the head —he mumbled at her.

—Oh —she reverenced her.

The woman just raised up her eyebrow.

—An omega —said, smelling at her closer—, raise up your eyes, honey, I'm not gonna bite you.

Emma did it.

—My name is Reyham. You should call me Sultan Reyham, I'm the sultan's omega and mother of three royals, one incoming —she smiled with arrogance.

That was like a punch on her stomach but she did not say anything and just made sure that her smell didn't show up how uncomfortable she was about it. Did not take her eyes from the woman either, she couldn't. That would be a sign of weakness and she wasn't going to gave her. 

—You're going to the harem? —smiled.

—His highness, the alpha asked for us to take her there —the red hair beta said, making the green eyes stopped to watching her—. At this moment the alpha is talking with the sultan.

—Okay. I'll wait until he came out —she faked a smile and looked at Emma again—. Good luck.

—Thank you, sultan —she was pulled over far away from the green eyes and the hallway. The other two betas joined then—. She's... rude. Doesn't she?

—She didn't have an easy life —the beta settled the issue—. For today, you're gonna sleep in the harem with every omega here and tomorrow by morning someone will explain to you your tasks, your requirements at the place, and how our pack works.

—Alright —Emma tried to smile, even if she was not comfortable.

She just understood at least five things that day.

One, her former alpha was capable enough to sell her to a sultan's harem. And she cooperated.

Two, she shouldn't be carried away by stereotypes and confirmed by knowing the alpha was a she.

Three, she was an omega and a rookie in her new pack and should learn to live as a servant.

Four, they all took too attached for their alpha and the sultan.

And five but not less important, the sultan was an adonis carved by the gods in person.

It could not be so hard to get used to it. 

Right?

There was not such a thing as harder than get used to it.

The days were too busy in the harem. Everything had a system and modus operands absolutely different that everything where she lived before. Yes, it was not the time of sultans and empires but there she was, locked in a room learning about the family Autumn, the hierarchy, the pack, and the harem. Everything on the castle and the empire, it was a little boring if you could ask.

She found herself thinking about how could be everything on her former pack, her house, or her cat that she almost forgot until now and if her friends would question where could she be at the college. She got depressed since she didn't think about it before.

In the morning she had to wake up early like everyone at the harem. They have breakfast in the place, made the beds, washed their clothes, get a bath (she also noticed that they all bathed together), made cleaning of the entire harem, and went out to the playground before going to classes.

—So the alpha and the sultan share the power —she doesn't understand that well.

It appears that the alpha was the most important person on the pack but in the hierarchy, this person was the sultan. So they shared the power or something. Then came the sultans and favorites, apparently the women that belonged to the sultan. To become a favorite you must be to the like of the sultan and then spent the night with him, and to be a sultan you should give him an heir or heiress. That part wasn't that complicated as well.

—Yes. In our pack, the person that gets the total command is the alpha —said the beta, that in the morning she discovered that his name was Gale—. The sultan is alpha too, that's why they share the power without any problem. If any of them gives an order, everyone in the pack made it happen.

—I see.

—For the moment, there are three sultans by blood and three for pairing —he continued, while showing at her pictures of each one and telling their names. The sultans by blood were the sisters of the sultan and the pairing, well, the name tells everything—. The sultan Reyham, you met her last night, as you already know, is the mother of three children and one incoming.

—Yeah —she ignored the feeling inside.

—The sultana Narges is the mother of one prince and the sultan Ayze of a sultan or princess.

And yes, you should call the sultan to the heiress of the sultan or the sultans, confusing but understandable at some point. Emma was two hours more in classes with the red-haired. For some reason, the other omegas in the harem were together to receive their classes with a beta of black hair and grey eyes called Claire.

—Why do you give me classes? —she asked.

—Most of the omegas are going to the sultan room, so they teach them another kind of things —he was writing something in a notebook—. You're not going there, at least if you're not in heat.

That did not make her that happy but to see Gale writing without paying her some attention was like realized it. He was serious about it, which make her a little awkward. Why's that? Not that she will complain as well, the sultan was a total snack.

—The other omegas have born here or been bitten by our alpha. Since you're a rookie and came from another place, the rules say that the first time you get in the heat you're going to the sultan's room —he continued—, because you'll need an alpha to calm down your desire. Unless you get married, then it's gonna be your husband's problem.

—What about the betas? 

—They have their own rooms and get out of the harem to be recognized as betas, still there are some cases where the rules are different —he said—. As in the case of the alpha, if he chooses anyone in this palace or even out of it but still in our territory, it's gonna be of "him" without question.

—Anyone?

—Anyone —he showed her a smile.

—Even the... sultan? —she bites her lips. Gale raised up his eyebrow and then smiled.

—Of course —he took off his glasses while writing and watch her, Emma felt that he could read her thoughts—. In fact, our sultan is the alpha of our alpha. When they decide to have a child of their own, that child will be the supreme heir, superior to any other prince or princess. It's gonna ascend the throne when it has enough age, no matter anything else. Or in case of the sultan's death, the throne will belong to our alpha until that kid has the age.

—But the sultan Reyham told me that it was probably her eldest son who would become sultan.

—The sultan Reyham was the first omega that gave an heir for his majesty. At the very beginning, she wasn't interested in him at all and was trying to become a beta, she didn't get it so —he raised up his shoulders—. You know, the sultan had a baby with the sultan Ayze and that changed her mind.

To Emma that wasn't good at all.

—But hey, she became a favorite quickly, and that way she became sultan at very least. Now she has three kids and waits for the fourth.

—Wow —didn't know what to say.

—Right, let's get this aside and focus on the hierarchy of the pack —Gale put his glasses on and gave her a new scroll. She took a big exhalation and begin to read.

As she already knew the alpha was the supreme leader, no one could object to his orders or pass over him. Then were the betas, leaders of their own, they escalated to be the guardians, warriors, counselors, or teachers in the pack. Then was the deltas, a lower race to the betas but superior to the omegas, they could choose to ascend (on hierarchy or work) if they wanted it to, and then, the omegas - children, rookies, novices, and other people in the pack or clan.

She was an omega because she was a rookie on the pack but if she wanted it to could ascend to delta o beta in any case. However, she wasn't so sure about how to do that. In her former pack, the person that could ascend challenged the leader of the division that wanted to join, and if she wins, then she could do it. In her case, she had to defeat four other persons to become the alpha's right hand. But still was not enough.

—You're a...

—Guardian —said the red hair, surprising her—. Don't be surprised. You thought I was a teacher?

—You look like that —she made a face.

—Well, I was a teacher a couple of years ago —he said—, to become a guardian beta you have to escalate the others if you want it to.

—Why do you become a guardian?

—I didn't in purpose —he came back his view to the notebook—, they made me do it. You can't think I didn't love my job as a teacher in the harem.

—Is so obvious to know what I think? —she made pouted.

Gale smiled.

—Your smell gives you away. Remember, far from being humans, we're werewolves.

She bows her head confused. She thought she was good hiding her smell and her emotions, it couldn't be that transparent as they tried to let her think. 

—Why do you say they made you do it? —she gets curious.

—The alpha decided that he needed someone of his trust between the guardians and he chose me —he replied—. What was your role in your former pack? 

—Beta, I was the alpha's counselor —replied, wrinkled her nose at the moment she remembered that creepy old man. The smell on her feromones changed again and the red wolf looked at her intrigued—. He was an asshole —she solved—. Well, doesn't matter. How is...?

—How is who?

—The alpha. Shouldn't be the alpha as in her?

—You mean the alpha as in him. He, him, you must mean her as him, all the time, even in her presence. Like already told you, with the other one, he's an eminence, your highness or even sultan if she allows you to.

—Got it.

He sighed.

—It's something about the alphas being males —he told her—, when a female born of made her an alpha in the dynasty, we kept the secret the better we can. This is important, young lady.

—Why?

—Because others pack used to proclaim war to the female alphas since they think they're weaker than a male alpha. That's why you always refer to him, not her. It remains the order and that way we don't have many threats. She never let them see her in human shape out of our territory. That's the way the alpha likes and we respect the decision.

—How should I... No, how do you call her then? —she inquired.

—Her name is Soleil Autumn if that's what you mean.

—Autumn? As in the pack and the family of the sultan? —she frowns.

—When they became family or part of the pack they get the last name, don't think too much on her, it's not good for you —he warned her for some reason that she couldn't understand—. Now you should be focused on your duties and being a good omega. How advanced you think your skills are? Read this with attention and answer —he showed her up a paper with a list on it and then passed to her an answer paper.

She was like a half-hour reading and answering, and when she gave him back the two sheets for the evaluation, he looked at her sideways and then keep reading in silence. Emma asked herself a couple of times if he didn't believe she was too good or something.

—This is... depressing —she looked at the green eyes of the beta—. How could you be a beta on your former pack? How low were the standards?

A vein popped out in her front.

—What do you mean?

—Well. Basically, in here you're a rookie, not just because you just came but your skills too.

—What? —she showed her nuisance.

—We take our safety too seriously. Every member in our pack its family and we protect them like that —he commented—. Far from the palace there's a town, we all have our own packs but in the end, every pack is part of the Autumn's. We're all one big pack. Gotcha'? 

Emma was confused.

—Each person no matter if it's an alpha, beta, delta, omega must be trained and it's a rule. Except for pregnancy, sickness, or losing cases. Your skills are equal to a child rookie in our pack.

She wrinkled her nose.

—Tomorrow you should start your training with the novices and rookies of our pack, that way you could develop your real werewolf potential —he claimed then, with his eyes on his notebook. 

Emma learned something new again.

The sultan Reyham was not good.

The hierarchy was harder to understand than she thought.

In her former pack, she never was able to develop her real potential.

And, as always, the sultan was handsome and brilliant as the sun even if she didn't saw him that day, she knew it was like that.