The Royal Omega

Chapter 6

Crack. Celia bit back a scream and collapsed to the cold tile as the first of her bones broke. Crack. Pain shot up her spine and she choked down bile. Crack. She counted in her head to try and distract herself as each bone in her body slowly broke, elongated, and reshaped.

Crack. She became one with the agony, opening her mouth in a silent scream. Crack. Blood poured from her nose as the bones in her face began to break change. She ground her teeth together as something akin to the feeling of sandpaper scraping against her skin overtook her senses. She opened her eyes to see fur slowly sprouting from her skin, but quickly closed them at the sight of her twisted and mangled legs.

Crack. Crack. Crack. Her ribs broke in rapid succession and she spat out a mouthful of blood onto the tile. A cold sweat covered her fur lined skin, and she prayed for mercy from the moon goddess as she writhed on the floor.

Every breath she took sent searing pain through her body. Every movement sent her straight to the pits of hell. She fought to remain silent, only letting out sharp gasps while she cursed her miserable existence. She repeated her mothers words in her mind with every broken bone. Crack. We are strong. Crack. We are strong. Crack, we are- her mantra stopped short when her spine broke. She forgot how to breathe, and the pain of suffocation overtook the agony in her bones. Her thoughts muddled, and she considered letting the void of unconsciousness consume her.

Icy water washed over her then, and her eyes shot open as she gasped, greedily filling her lungs with air. Ellen stood over her with the shower nozzle, a grim look covering her face.

“You can do this,” she mouthed, “you’re almost done.”

Time stood still, and Celia’s eyes clamped shut again as she rode out the last of her shift with gritted teeth. The cracking of her bones increased in speed and she focused every ounce of her energy on remaining silent while her body reshaped herself. At some point the pain faded and the sounds swirling around the large bathroom became sharper, while a symphony of different scents filled her nostrils. The combination of noise and smells overwhelmed her senses, and she forced her eyes open, taking stock of her surroundings.

Ellen was still standing above her, but her appearance was surreal. Every wrinkle on the old woman’s face seemed deeper, her skin thinner. Celia could simultaneously see and hear the pulse that throbbed in Ellen’s veins, she could smell the fear and determination flowing from the woman's pores. A tight smile formed on the old omegas lips and she bent down to Celia's level.

“You need to get up,” She whispered sharply. “It won’t be long before Karn notices you on the mindlink. We have to move, now!”

Celia gave a slight shake of her head, and gracefully rose to her feet, her long black tail swaying behind her to maintain balance. An instinctual agility fueled her movements in her new, unfamiliar form. Gently, she lifted her muzzle, her newly heightened senses keenly aware of her surroundings, and cautiously approached the mirror. Eager yet apprehensive, she peered into the glass, curious to see the reflection of her transformed self. Her body was now cloaked in sleek, shimmering black fur. Where her hands and feet once were, now stood soft, yet powerful paws, gleaming faintly in the ambient light. Satisfied with her reflection, but unable to speak, Celia motioned her head towards the door, and together the two women emerged from the en-suite.

Celia waited as Ellen, with a fluid, practiced motion, transformed into her wolf form. Chocolate brown fur, elegantly laced with streaks of gray, covered her compact form. They exchanged a final, meaningful look, a silent promise of solidarity and hope. Then, with a burst of determined energy, they both lunged towards the window.

Glass shattered, and a shout of surprise replaced the silence of the night as it rained down on the guards below. Ellen’s body twisted and landed ellegantly between them. Serving as a vengeful distraction, she launched a vicious assault before they realized what happened, tearing into their flesh with a fearsome snarl. She battled the guards as more poured out of the Alpha’s mansion, but didn’t balk in the face of her overwhelming odds, instead she howled in triumph and slammed herself into the fray.

Celia found her footing further away, and barreled into the forest ahead, letting her cat instincts take over. She expertly leaped from tree to tree, only touching the ground when the gaps between branches were too large. The forest whipped by at a speed she could never have imagined and she tried to focus on the scenery rather than the sound of fighting behind her.

A mournful growl spilled from her throat when Ellen’s howl of pain reached her ears. The thundering rhythm of paws hitting dirt replaced the sound of conflict, and she leaped into a nearby stream, hoping the miniscule amount of water would be enough to hide her scent from her pursuers. That hope disappeared when she heard them cross, water splashing in their wake. In the distance a bear roared, and Celia’s hair stood on end. Karn had joined the hunt.

She continued her path through the trees, her small size making it easier to balance on the smaller branches. For once she didn't curse her omega heritage, instead using it to her advantage to navigate through the dense forest.

She could tell she was getting closer to the border of the village territory, and strained her muscles to push forward while her animal instincts told her to turn back. Her mind blanked when she crossed it, and an eerie silence filled her soul as the connection to her people severed. Good riddance. She kept running, listening as the sound of her pursuers faded behind her, but not daring to stop. Her muscles shook, not used to this amount of strain, but she powered through the pain, the fear of being caught spurning her onwards.