Born without a howl: The Omega's Legacy

River of strength

As the last of the omegas crossed the finish line, Georgia didn’t waste a second before shooting me a dirty look. A silent warning. A challenge. I met her glare with a sharp smirk, refusing to let her taunts shake me. She wanted to make this a battle? Fine. I had already won fair and square, and nothing she did would change that.

A few omegas hadn’t made the cut, their faces shadowed with disappointment as they sulked back toward the pack. I sympathized with them—this trial was their last chance to rise above insignificance, to carve out a future beyond what fate had dictated for them. The unforgiving reality of pack life loomed over all of us. And today had only reinforced that brutal truth.

But I didn’t have time to dwell. My attention snapped back to the warrior trials, knowing the next test was all about strength. Being wolfless put me at a disadvantage, and Georgia knew it. I could practically feel her reveling in the idea of my failure, drinking it in like victory itself. She lived for moments like this—moments where she could remind me that I didn’t belong.

Alpha Jack stepped forward, his sharp gaze scanning the group. “Well done to those who passed the test of agility. Next comes the trial of strength. This is unlike any challenge you have faced before, and it may surprise you. Physical strength alone is not what makes a true pack warrior.” His words carried weight, hinting at something deeper, something unexpected.

Georgia locked eyes with me, her lips curling into a slow, mocking whisper. “Watch out.”

I clenched my fists, exhaling sharply. The sooner I got out of here, the better. Becoming a pack warrior was my one shot at escaping, at leaving this place—and Georgia—behind for good. That was all that mattered. Winning, surviving, and getting out.

I turned my attention back to Alpha Jack as he explained the next trial.

“The next task is to travel upriver. Celeste, our pack witch, will be adding an extra layer to test your strength. The first ten to cross the finish line will advance to the next stage.”

I glanced up at Celeste, who stood apart, emotionless yet intensely focused. Her long black hair was woven into a simple braid, a crown of wildflowers resting atop her head, delicate yet commanding. The wind toyed with the emerald-green folds of her dress, but nothing distracted her—she was already weaving the obstacles that would make this test far more than just a battle against the current.

We clustered at the riverbend, waiting. When Alpha Jack raised his arm and dropped it, the pack surged forward, a chaotic rush of bodies colliding with the depths of the river.

I hung back for only a breath, assessing. The deeper waters churned violently, and Celeste was already conjuring illusions—logs tumbling downriver, debris appearing out of nowhere, forcing the omegas to fight against both the current and their own instincts. Some stumbled, unable to regain their footing before the river swallowed their progress.

I made my move—not into the chaotic depths, but toward the edges where the shallows would give me control. Strength isn’t just about brute force, I reminded myself. It’s about knowing where to fight and where to conserve your energy.

Step by step, I navigated forward with precision, letting the others exhaust themselves while I slipped past each manufactured hazard. Celeste’s eyes flicked to me more than once, as if testing how long I could keep avoiding her traps. But I had already planned for this.

I reached the final stretch first. The finish line was just a few paces ahead, but the river forced me into the deep. Still, I had conserved my stamina—I was ready.

But then I hit something unseen.

A barrier.

I placed my hands against it, confusion flashing into realization as I lifted my gaze to Celeste. Her work.

And then it began.

“FATTY KATTY, FATTY KATTY.”

The voices weren’t real, but they might as well have been. Every cruel taunt Georgia and her crew had hurled at me over the years echoed around me, creeping beneath my skin like poison. My body locked up, frozen by the weight of their words, dragging me backward—not physically, but emotionally, as if I was still that omega they had tormented.

No. Not today.

I inhaled sharply, forcing my mind to pull away from the illusion. It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s NOT REAL.

I pushed forward. First my hands, then my torso. The barrier resisted at first, pressing against me like thick air, as if it wanted to keep me trapped in my own past.

Then, finally—it gave way.

The strange sensation passed through me, and when my body felt normal again, I opened my eyes. Beta Luke stood ahead, hand outstretched.

I took it, gripping his palm firmly as I stepped onto solid ground.

Alpha Jack approached, his expression unreadable, though something—regret? Pain?—lingered in his gaze.

“Well done, Kat. Congratulations. That was… very impressive.”

His voice was measured, but something about the way he said it stung.

Did it hurt him to see me succeed? Had he hoped I would be the one to fail?

I squared my shoulders, refusing to let the doubt take root. Whether they liked it or not, I was here. And I was winning.