Torn Between Alpha Bosses

Today was the day when everything would change, for better or for worse. The omega didn't know. June 20 marked the day Alyssa would ask their pack Alpha to let her go to the city. She was leaving for a job. A job that would change her living situation and maybe help her take her mother to the big hospital in the city. She was tired of seeing her mother mask her cough like it was nothing. It's been years since she started doing that, refusing help so they can save money. Her seventeen-year-old beta brother can have the best training and afford elite high school in the city. Every few months, the wolves from the pack move away to the city in hopes of earning money. They never return, choosing to lead their lives away from pack. That's why the Pack Alpha might be hesitant to send her away. Or maybe because she's an omega. Most Alphas who have just turned 18 are sent away without any further questions. Alyssa was a bit sad, knowing she wouldn't have that kind of opportunity just because of her gender. At the back of her mind, she knew she would have to follow whatever the Pack Alpha said. She thought about Shawn, who turned 18 last November; an Alpha, so they didn't oppose it when he asked to leave the pack. He left just like that. Later, the omega found out he was working as a sales boy in a shopping mall. It didn't pay much, but at atleast it was better than the job they had to do in the pack. A shiver ran through her spine as she thought about how traditional and backwards-thinking most of the pack members were. Most betas worked on the farm, or if they were stronger, they got involved in hunting alongside Alphas. Hunting was seen as one of the best jobs within the pack. The hunters were treated with great respect because they supplied most of the pack's primary protein. Pack Alphas gave them a higher share after the Alpha guards. The Alpha guards were quickly the highest paid in their pack. No betas and omegas were allowed to take those positions. It was explicitly reserved for Alphas, which is why Alyssa hated their system. Then came the menial jobs for omegas. Omegas like Alyssa. They worked on the farm, harvesting food, which was considered ordinary, everyday work for wolves. The hours weren't long, luckily; most of the pack omegas worked there, taking turns picking and planting fruits and vegetables. The older ones worked with the animals and canned and preserved the harvest, making sure the pack had enough food to get through winter. Even in winter, their omegas strived to work for food with the help of the greenhouse. Alyssa's mother was one of them. After losing their father in pack wars, her mother took care of both of them. It was always the three of them against the world. They had no one to look after them. Most pack families frowned at the widowed omegas and their children. Her train of thought broke when she heard her mother walk out of the kitchen, holding a bowl of sugar. Annie Rivers was getting old. Her hair started to grey at the end, and she strained to walk a few miles without taking a sharp breath. Those warm honey eyes had lost their charm ever since she lost her mate. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow; her lips curved only when Alyssa was near her or when her son, Conan, scored goals on the field. She lived only for her children. "Ready?" Alyssa nodded her head. "Good. Be polite to the Pack Alpha, honey." Alyssa tried not to roll her eyes at that. She had heard that all her life. The same thing over and over again, like a broken record. Before, she would ignore it, but now it wasn't the time; if she wanted to get out of the hellish place, that was the only way. Act polite. Nothing she hasn’t heard before. The omega shrugged. "I know, Mother. I don't have a choice and have to do whatever he tells me to do anyway." A sigh slipped from her lips when her eyes fell on the clock. Watching the little hands on the clock face move, getting closer and closer to 9 am, Alyssa knew she had to get going. "Don't start now." Her mother stuffed her with a spoonful of sugar. The omega made a face but swallowed it. "For good luck." "Thanks. Where is Conan?" "On the field as always, hoping to get selected in that pack team this year", Annie pressed her lips together. Alyssa understood why her mother didn't really care for the Pack team. They hadn't been given fair opportunities since they lost their Alpha of the house. Her father. It was downright cruel, and Alyssa suffered a lot, but she wanted to change that for her brother. "Okay. I'll see you both at dinner." Her mother grinned. "Good luck." *** The chilly air made her shiver, Alyssa trudging through the thick bed of snow, towards the pack house. Her skin prickled with goosebumps, the omegas hand coming to tighten the jacket around her body. The packhouse was only a fifteen-minute walk from where they stayed. Not because they were a huge pack, but simply because their Pack Alpha wanted to be secluded and far away from his members. Yeah, he was one of those. Sometimes she wondered why the pack members agreed to everything he said. He was a fool who couldn't make any decisions on time. That's what cost her father's life. The omega's hands went to her hat, and she pulled it further over her ears, kicking up snow beneath her boots. As she neared the wooden cabin, a breath escaped her lips. Their packhouse was huge, surrounded by large trees and bushes alike. It was the largest building on pack lands, with an inbuilt hall. This was where the Pack Alpha lived, and where council meetings were held. She once sneaked into that room as a kid and got punished for it. The room was forbidden for omegas. As she matured, she realised the council room was where the Alphas sat and thought of ways to demean omegas further. That's what they'd been doing for years. When she rang the bell, a beta opened the door, letting the warm air out. "Yeah? How can I help you?" She swallowed noisily. "I have a meeting with Pack Alpha." "Alyssa Rivers, right?" The beta questioned, still not opening the door fully. "Yes" "Come in." A sigh of relief escaped her chest, and she sagged her shoulders. Without further thought, she kicked the wet snow and mud off of her boots. It would merely be disrespectful to track trails into the Alphas' home. That's the last thing she wanted. Disrespecting the Alpha *** The beta led her straight to the Pack Alphas study room. She sat on the couch and was told to wait her turn because someone else was talking with the Alpha. Alyssa roamed her eyes around the room, feeling a bit envious at the number of couches and plush leatherette it had. They didn't even have a proper bed at her house. "Alyssa Rivers?" James, the Pack Alpha, motioned towards her. She hastily stood up, rushing towards him. "You are the one who asked to leave for a job, right?" The omega nodded her head. "Okay, but I see that you're an unmated omega", the Pack Alpha stated, licking his lips. "What's that got to do with anything?" She bit back, unable to keep the anger from her tone. "Don't talk back to me". The Pack Alpha gritted his teeth, lifting his head to give the small omega a dark look, "As your pack Alpha, I deserve more respect than that." She stayed quiet. If she had it her way, the omega would never respect him. He did not deserve anything. "Don't you think?" He raised his brow. "Yes, Alpha" "Good. Now watch your mouth and be quiet. No one likes an omega who thinks they know everything. You should know your place." He said with a growl. She clenched her jaw, trying not to say anything. The Pack Alpha studied her application. "This job...are you sure you'll get it?" Alyssa nodded her head. "My uncle knows the owner of the company. He said he would talk to the owner." Her mother's brother felt the need to help them. After Alyssa's father passed away, her uncle insisted on taking them back to his packhouse, but Annie refused. She wanted to stay around for her husband's memories. Alyssa and Conan didn't get a say in it. When Alyssa told her uncle about Annie's worsening condition, he worried about his sister and wanted to help. Instead, Alyssa asked him to get her a job. The Pack Alpha shrugged. "You can go." Her eyes widened. A sudden whoosh of breath left her lungs. She couldn't believe it. The omega was finally free. ***