THE REJECTED OMEGA'S LIGHT

CHAPTER 5 — The First Day

Rena woke to sunlight, for a moment she didn't know where she was, the ceiling was different, the light coming through the window was soft and golden, nothing like the gray darkness of the holding room.

She sat up too fast, her back screamed, the memory came back—the yard, the pole, the rod, then the hand stopping it, the wagon, the room, Crescent Hollow.

She let out a breath, the bed was still clean, no one had come during the night, no one had dragged her anywhere.

A knock came at the door.

"Omega? You awake?"

Elara's voice.

Rena stood and opened the door, Elara stood there with a bundle of cloth, she looked Rena up and down.

"First thing," she said, pushing the bundle into Rena's hands, "change, can't have you walking around like that."

Rena looked down, simple clothes, gray, but clean.

"Bathhouse is behind the main house, wash, change, then find me in the kitchen."

Elara walked away.

The bathhouse was small, made of stone, Rena stood under the warm water longer than she should have, she watched the water run pink, then brown, then clear, her back still stung, but the welts were closing.

She put on the clean clothes, they didn't have holes, they didn't smell like sweat and fear.

She looked at her reflection, her face was clean, her hair hung around her shoulders, her eyes stared back, she didn't recognize herself.

The kitchen was at the back of the main house, Elara stood over a fire, two other women moved around her.

Elara looked up, "good, you look human now."

She pointed to a stack of wood, "start there, split what's left."

Rena picked up the axe, her arms were weak, her back sore, she swung anyway, the blade bit into the wood.

She worked, the sun moved across the sky, no one watched her, no one waited to strike.

When the wood was done, she carried it inside, Elara looked at the pile.

"You worked fast."

Elara handed her a bowl of stew, "eat."

Rena sat on a stool and ate, the stew was thick and hot, nothing like the thin broth she had lived on.

A shadow fell over her.

She looked up, a young woman stood there—dark hair, sharp eyes, a smile that didn't reach her face.

"You're the Omega," the woman said, "the one he brought back."

Rena set her spoon down, "yes."

The woman leaned against the wall, "I'm Alice."

Rena's hands went cold, she remembered the voice from the yard, *harder.*

She lowered her eyes, "I know who you are."

Alice laughed, light and easy, "relax, different rules here, can't touch you, he made that very clear."

She pushed off the wall and walked away.

Rena stared at her bowl, her appetite was gone.

Elara appeared beside her, voice low, "stay away from her."

Rena looked up, "I know."

The afternoon passed slowly, Rena carried water, swept floors, mended clothes, no one yelled at her, no one hit her, but eyes followed her everywhere, whispers followed like a shadow.

"That's her."

"He bought her from the trading grounds."

"Why would he do that?"

Rena kept her head down, she worked, she said nothing.

Near sunset, she was stacking wood in the yard, her back ached, her arms were heavy.

"You shouldn't be doing that."

She turned, a woman stood there—young, brown hair, kind eyes, she carried a basket of herbs.

"It's my work," Rena said.

The woman shook her head, "not with your back, I'm Rio."

Rena didn't move, "Rena."

Rio set her basket down and picked up an armful of wood, "you should rest, let the wounds heal."

Rena watched her, no one had helped her in a long time.

"Why?" Rena asked.

"Because you need it, and no one else is."

Rio finished the stack and picked up her basket, "come on, I'll walk you back."

They walked through the yard, wolves watched, but Rio didn't seem to care.

"Where are you from?" Rio asked.

"Nowhere."

Rio glanced at her, "everyone's from somewhere."

Rena didn't answer.

They stopped at Rena's door, Rio set her basket down.

"I know how things are here, but not everyone is like Alice," she paused, "you need a friend, you find me."

She walked away.

Rena stood at her door, kindness made her nervous, kindness was always followed by something, but Rio hadn't asked for anything.

She opened the door and stepped inside, the room was still clean, she sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath.

She thought about Alice, about the way she smiled like the yard had never happened, she thought about Rio, the way she picked up the wood without being asked, she thought about Darien, his voice, *she won't touch you again.*

Her hand went to her chest, the warmth was there, stronger now, not loud, but steady, she didn't understand it, but she didn't push it away.

She lay back and closed her eyes, for the first time in as long as she could remember, sleep came easy.