Chapter 6: A Way Out

Well, my wolf is not wrong though. 

            Survival of the fittest is often not only being able to endure deep wounds and whipping, empty stomach and crying. It’s also being able to use your body to the most delicious advantage even if we have to bid ourselves to the highest bidder.

For some, being an Alpha’s Pet, his bed warmer, is a new level of torture.

            But for an Omega like me, it’s a new way out. A new way to climb on top without actually climbing.

            Omegas being shields. Omegas being the Alpha’s construction builders. Omegas being…sex slaves. Well the latter is not new to me considering we’ve been through worse, but…

            ‘Being it an actual title? Alpha’s Pet? Seriously?!’

            I can only pray to the Moon Goddess that our pussy would survive for at least a day if one of us is even hired.

            No—not hired. Promoted. Yes, being an Alpha’s Pet and bed warmer is a big deal that it rivals the title of being a Luna. It’s like living like a Queen of the Pack with all the luxury and treatment and whatsoever without the power to even speak for yourself, except opening that mouth to welcome an Alpha’s cock.

            Not that being an Omega has been given a chance for voicing one’s self, but—

            “I’ll join.” I raised my hand. And in the corner of my eye, Juliet, my former Alpha’s daughter, arched her brows. Giving me a wry smile that says, ‘You wouldn’t survive a day, bitch, considering the Alpha makes sure his Pets never be able to walk for the next few hours when being fucked.’

            Well I’ve survived worse. Lot, lot worse. So riding an Alpha seemed to be a treat even if it’s only going to be three months. Or one month, I don’t know. Depending on a Pet’s performance, the Alpha will be the one to judge whether she can stay for days, weeks, months or years.

            I hope it'll be a year since I badly wanna buy bags and clothes and jewels worth more than my whole life’s salary.

            Well shit, I remember Omegas barely have a salary.

            “So brave of you to volunteer yourself, girl,” an old woman, perhaps an Omega judging by her clothes and smell, grinned at me. I tried not to cringe at the insult or threat or warning, whatever that is.

            “So be it.” Alpha Cain’s mouth only tugged upwards. He’s wearing that cold mask again, speaking in that dictatorial tone that brought several Alphas to their knees.

            Although I now wonder if this is really his personality and the Alpha I met yesterday in his sprawling massive garden is the mask instead.

            I cleared my throat, and made myself small again. Someone who people forgot that I was actually beside them. There’s nothing wrong in trying this Alpha’s Pet title, whatever this is, than just being a plain Omega—waking up at dawn, working for more than twelve hours a day or so, and then preparing for the next day again to do the same routine over and over. Well except on Sundays, of course. The Omega’s Resting Day.

            “I’d like to join too.” A voice across me rumbled. She’s standing behind the Alpha, in his little platform only fit for two people. Or perhaps the platform was only meant for one and the other to beat him to death for everyone to watch.

　    Juliet remained beautiful despite being an Omega. Even from yesterday at the garden, her beauty is still powerful.

            Even from afar, her beauty is unmistakable.

Her privilege as the former Alpha’s daughter might be the reason. Or maybe because she fed her twin brother, Alpha Lucius’ heir, to Alpha Cain in exchange for her more comfortable lifestyle here compared to most Omegas.

Nothing has changed about her. Not even her being Queen of Bitches.

            I have never seen Juliet once in The City Under. No doubt she was given a home, even if it’s one of the cheap apartments here in The City Above.

            “So be it,” Alpha Cain murmured the same statement he had spoken to me. I cannot find Viviane from the crowd. The Alpha’s sister perhaps not present or is somewhat hidden by the Alpha from plain sight using magic to avoid the eyes of enemies and possible traitors.

            I’ve heard from the murmurings of the guards outside my prison-room that while we, Omegas, are the most unfortunate, mostly the ones who betray Alpha Cain either for money or personal gain are from The City Above.

            No wonder why. Greed mostly takes over to people who have everything—compared to us who barely have something. Who are used to having nothing.

            At the end of the discussion and the official welcoming of the Iron Wood Pack to the Blood Dawn Pack—their name as hair-raising as it is—we have received and drank from the cup of wine thanks to the High Priestess and Oracle of the Blood Dawn Pack, her reddish gold hair like strings of ruby under the sun, that we finally are a Blood Dawn Pack members.

            Another addition to the ever-growing territory of Alpha Cain.

            I drifted my eyes to the south, where my home had once been. Where that bridge now hangs solid between two separate territories bound as one even above the might of the Marianne River. The Devouring River as my ancestors would call.

            Maybe Alpha Cain is indeed cunning to finally build a bridge with the blood, tears, and sweat of the people who once resided in it. He shattered the protection magic, of course, before starting that bridging project. At first it was hard. But now Alpha Lucius is dead. The protective wards around my former home, the land where I grew up and discovered Ayana deep inside me, have vanished.

            I wonder if it will be the same if some Alpha do dare to sack and siege the Blood Dawn Pack—the marvelous territory of Alpha Cain consisting of more than ten thousand wolves once coming from four different packs with various traditions and culture.

            But all of those no longer matter now that we are under one ruler, one banner, one pack. The Blood Dawn Pack. The name itself sends shivers down anyone’s throat if enemies dare to speak our name. Where blood rose high above the sky, drowning the scream of those who tried to bring it down, and lifting anyone’s voice who helped its pillars become as strong as the vibrant red hair of the High Priestess.

            When the crowd dispersed and I was heading for the kitchen, the place where I am obviously assigned to, a hand grabbed my arm and whirled me to face its owner.

            “Anastasia, there you are.”

            “Vi-Viviane!” I looked to where Alpha Cain was, talking to his two muscled males who might probably be his general and commander of his Warriors. I drowned my shock with her sudden appearance with a bright smile, as bright as the dress she was wearing. Chartreuse green, I realized. Embellished with silver and gold threads all around in swirling and floral designs.

            She obviously looks like royalty in her attire.

            “Why did you volunteer?”

            “I-I am just curious to what it is,” I shrugged despite my stammering racing against the hammering of my heart against my chest. “Besides there’s nothing wrong with trying a new gig. Being a plain Omega seems boring especially when we’re bound to the Alpha for eternity.”

            “Everything about volunteering yourself is wrong!” She inhaled before speaking again, “It’s not a gig either. You don’t know what being an Alpha’s Pet is. You don’t even know my brother—“”she loosened a breath which seems she had been holding for a while. She looks genuinely concerned, and it's strange knowing that we just met yesterday. In the same lavishly designed garden where I smiled at her brother. “It’s just like you’re whoring yourself.”

            I folded my arms. “We’ve been a whore in some spot in our life, Viviane. The world is unrelenting, cruel. Living is not enough. You have to survive—you must thrive.” I grimaced even though it took all my efforts not to. “Although one might think you won’t understand any of it because you never, not even once in your life, know what it means to survive and claw your way just to see the sun the next day without both of your eyes being gouged out by an Alpha.”

            Silence spanned between us. She frowned. No, she became sad. With the words I released and spoke before her, I have no doubt she will be cutting our friendship short. “You’re my friend, Ansastasia. The first one I have in years since—since…” she shook her head as if some memory flashed before her eyes and badly wanted to bury it deep into the own graveyard of her mind. “That’s the first and only genuine conversation I had in years. My brother often forbids me to speak to anyone as he badly wants to protect me. Needed to protect me. I understand him, but…” Viviane straightened, eyes directly staring at my own, “Just don’t do anything foolish. To him or to me or to yourself.”

            I understand her sentiments. But again, this is the way of life. My life. I don’t live; I survive.

            “I know what you mean, Viviane.” Her name tastes bitter, especially when it’s also the name of my sister. Dead sister. “But sometimes, we must climb to the top of a cold mountain—even when we have to shred a bit of our clothes all the way up.” To shred every bit of ourselves no matter how high the top is.

            I have learned it the hard way. Staying in the ground makes you more near to your own grave. Better climb to whatever summit you can find. Yes, you might fall. But at least you’ll fall to your grave and that takes time—rather than being shoved with one hand into the earth below.

            “Then good luck, Ana.”

            Ana. No one calls me Ana. Only my sister and friends and family.

            Viviane was already away when a sliver of stone hit my forehead as soon as I turned towards the kitchen.

            “Hi, bitch. You thought you'd never see me again, didn't you?” Juliet purred, a smirk slicing her beautiful face into the face of a wretched crone.