The Royal Omega

Chapter 1

A young girl with curious emerald eyes, stood at the edge of the town square, clutching her mother's hand as she watched the scene before her unfold with a quiet concern.

“What’s an alpha challenge mama?” She whispered nervously.

Her mother patted her head comfortingly as she answered. “It's when two alphas fight to see who gets to be in charge.” the tremor in her hands broken the facade of calm she wore for her daughter as they stood in wait for what was to come. “No matter what happens Celia, stay close to me, understand?”

Celia nodded, tightening her scarf as she scooted closer to her mother. The weather had taken a harsh turn, reflecting the gravity of the situation in front of her, and a biting chill had sunk deep into her bones where it lingered, filling her with quiet trepidation. A white blanket of frost crunched under her feet, as she shuffled around, creating a harsh sound against the eerie silence that had swept over the village, and causing some of the other shifter families nearby to glance in her direction. She looked to the ground in embarrassment and tried her best to remain still, only glancing up again when her mothers hand tightened around hers in a fierce grip.

Standing in the center of the town square, with his head held high, was Alpha James. He looked strong and regal, and Celia marveled at the combination of strength and gentleness that radiated from him. He was a kind alpha that had led the village with wisdom, grace, and compassion long before Celia was born. His black hair fluttered in the breeze, and displayed a peppering of silver scattered throughout it. He looked to be in his mid forties, but in truth he was closer to a hundred.

He and Luna Wren had seen the village through the fall of the dragons, and kept it afloat while the war between shifters and fae continued to rage. They had attended the council of alphas when the queen had come of age to be crowned, and had fought alongside their people when the fae had set their sights on their small town. Now he was forced to fight against one of them, a burly bear shifter, Karn.

Luna Wren hovered nervously behind him, and Celia couldn’t tell whether her small frame was shaking from nerves or the cold. The alpha himself looked tired, weariness showing in his amber eyes as he stood before his people. He had accepted the challenge laid before him as the law required, but he was reluctant to fight one of his own. Celia thought that made sense as an Alphas duty was to protect his people, and fighting one seemed wholly wrong.

She sucked in a sharp breath as Karn announced his arrival by shoving his way through the crowd emerging in front of the alpha with an arrogant smirk. Her eyes widened as the pair, without even speaking, shifted into their respective beasts. Her hand tightened in her mothers grasp while bear and wolf circled one another, fear gripping her in a tight embrace. She watched each competitor size the other up, and sent a silent prayer to the moon goddess for her alpha to win.

Snarls erupted in the air, and the crowd around her took a collective breath, when the pair threw themselves at each other, becoming a mass of tangled limbs and fur. The fight was brutal and bloody. Teeth gnashed and blood flew from the pair as they tore into each other, neither one willing to give in to the other. Karn, fueled by his ambition and raw power, was a tempest of fury, while Alpha James fought with the desperation of one with the knowledge of what defeat would mean for his people.

Celia’s heart pounded in her chest,

And she looked away from the two clashing beasts, closing her eyes but unable to escape the roars that echoed off the trees.The crowd around her was silent and tense, all their attention directed towards the battle that would determine the fate of their community.

A sickening crack of bones snapped Celia’s attention back to the battle before her. One of Alpha Jame’s legs was bent in an unnatural position, and strength was waned. Karn, seeing an opportunity, barreled into him, throwing him off balance, and giving himself an opening to tear into his throat. A shrill scream erupted from Luna Wren as the bond to her mate severed, and she rushed to the body that Karn had tossed lifeless to the ground. Tears streaked down Celia’s cheeks at the sound of it, a broken bond meant death. She tried to call out to warn the Luna when Karn turned his bloody muzzle towards her, but a fierce grip covered her mouth.

“Shh sweet girl,” her mother warned her, “her mate is gone, this mercy is tradition.”

She looked away, her tears becoming rivers on her cheeks when the sound of ripping flesh rang through the air. The thud of another body falling to the ground, and the vicious roar of victory that followed it would be a sound forever engraved in her mind.

The crown kneeled in respect for their new alpha, and a few cheers erupted from Karn’s supporters. The new Alpha shifted back into his human form, his nudity shamelessly on full display, as someone rushed to give him a robe. Wrapping it around himself, he addressed the village in a haughty tone.

“In accordance with the law of the Goddess, there will be a three day mourning period for former Alpha James and his mate.” He cast a cruel glance over the group of omegas as he spoke, “after that time, I’ll be making some changes to how things work around here.” His teeth flashed in a threatening manner, and he continued to speak. “Let me make one thing clear. We are not and have never been equals. Your former Alpha fed your delusions for too long, but now it's time for the strong to lead and the weak to serve as they were meant to.” Celia's mother pulled her closer as he finished speaking, her hands shaking in fear for her daughter's future. “In three days, all omegas will report to me, failure to do so will result in punishment.” With those words he stalked off towards the Alpha’s house, ready to claim it as his own.

Sensing the malice behind Karn’s words, Celia looked to her mother’s face for comfort, and her blood stilled when she was met with a mask of poorly restrained fear. Even as an Omega, her mother had always been a beacon of strength, and Celia’s mind blanked at the idea of her being afraid of anything. She buried herself into her arms allowing herself to be scooped into a tight embrace as her mother turned and carried her home.

The way home had felt longer, the shadows deeper as grief swept the once vibrant colors from the village. The sky itself was a muted gray as if to mourn the loss of a good man and Alpha. Karn’s cruel grin flashed in Celia’s mind as she rocked in her mothers arms, and she whimpered at the memory.

As they reached their modest home, nestled on the edge of the village, Celia’s mother gently set her down. The warmth of their home, with its soft glow of candles, and the comforting scent of herbs drifting through the air, felt like a safe haven from the chaos of the day.

Her mother knelt, bringing herself down to eye level with Celia. “No matter what happens, we must hold on to who we are.” She said gently as she helped Celia remove her coat and scarf. “We are more than the roles we are given. We are wise, kind, and most of all strong.” she stood then, becoming a flurry of movement around the home.

Celia watched confused while her mother packed a small bag full of food. “Are we leaving mom?” She questioned.

Her mother nodded, continuing the flutter in and out of the kitchen, shoving essential items into the bag and flitting off again to grab more. “We’re going to go somewhere better, and start a new life.”

Celia was taken aback by her mothers words. “But ma–”

Her mother cut her off in a sharp tone, “I said we are strong didn’t I?” She snapped, but calmed at the fear in her daughter's eyes. “Things will be hard,” she explained, “but as rogues we can be free, we can survive. But here my innocent girl, here they will make us slaves.”