You did this to yourself

He doesn't say a word, but the arena goes silent like a graveyard.

He shifts his gaze to where the other Alphas are seated and the leader of the Alphas gives him a small nod. To which he sighs.

“Let's get this over with, little wolf” he says, and I swear the class exhaled.

He walks to the center of the ring.

I look again to the Leader of the Alpha cadets; he resembles the man that may or may not kill me today. Fingers crossed.

Twins, handsome twins, but the leader doesn't sport the magic eyes like his brother. Magic eyes because I have no other words for them, they are entrancing, tempting and different colors; One the color of the earth and the other of the heavens.

My gaze shifts to Talia and her stupid smirk, and she looks right at me. I already know what she's thinking: “You did this to yourself”. I did, and I am going to survive this, like everything else that came before.

I move to the center as well, stopping a few feet outside his reach just to be safe.

“Well class” the instructor bellows, “we have a treat for you today before training officially begins tomorrow. Today you'll learn what happens when an omega fights an Alpha.”

And the crowd goes wild, so eager are they to see me ripped apart for my insolence.

“I almost pity her”, “This is going to be good”, “I wonder how long she'll last”, “two seconds tops”, “come on dude at least give her the benefit of a doubt”, “how about a bet”, “oh count me in”, “Start already, I want to see what her insides look like”

What a bunch. But that's the reality of being an omega, meat shields in times of war and play things in times of peace.

“You can do it!”

The words cut through the noise like a blade through flesh, and I am forced to find its source. It's a girl seated amongst the betas. What's with me today and catching the attention of crazy people.

“Here are the rules” the instructor starts, “first to concede or die, losses”

I really was holding out hope he wouldn't allow deaths on the first day.

“Run, Millie” my brothers again.

I'm sorry but not today.

I focus my sight– his aura is immense, even for an Alpha but oddly enough it's still; deathly still. I knew he wouldn't consider this a fight, but he doesn't consider this to be anything at all, not even a chore.

He's looking right at me, but I doubt he even sees me.

Perfect.

Underestimate me.

I drop low–knees bent, shifting my weight to the balls of my feet. My heels are barely above the ground. My fingers flex as my nail turns to claws and my breath slows as I block out the noise of the crowd and focus on the rhythm of heartbeats. Mine and his, which are oddly in sync, but I shove my curiosity away.

He tilts his head, confused or amused by my stance.

I focus my senses; hearing, touch and sight as I take in the man before me. He's relaxed but has no openings at all.

I guess I just have to make one.

If there's one thing I'm confident in; it's my speed. Ever since I was a child racing against my brothers through the forest to now when I race alone through the meadows.

Strength is fine, but it's not what I seek. For with lightning speed, I ensure my attacks feel like thunder; sudden and unpredictable.

Speed is freedom.

I start slow, shifting side to side as his beautiful eyes follow, and then I vanish. Or at least that is how it would seem to him.

I circle him.

Readying my claws then I lunge at his back.

He reacts: swinging his arm at me. Fast for his size, but I'm already low, and I slash his thigh.

A warning. I just couldn't help it. Not when he's looking at me like that, like her, like I don't matter.

I pause beyond his reach. Visible again to the crowd and they gasp and murmur.

Many are surprised they couldn't follow my movements, others question how an omega can move this fast.

Practice, that's how. Years of it.

The scouts favor speed and stealth above strength and now their members get to see mine on full display.

Just what I needed. Now I just need to survive this.

“Tear her throat out!” one wolf snarls.

“Make her beg,” says another.

Focus. I shut out the crowd.

The mark on his thigh is gone already–healed. Definitely an Alpha, I'll have to make the next one deeper. Although I start to wonder why he has a scar. What could cause something he couldn't heal, what a monster that must have been.

I fall into my stance but this time I go lower. He will be expecting me to circle him again–but I'm nothing if not unpredictable.

I lunge at him.

He starts forward–slow not rushed, a mountain of a man. He aims to pull me into his reach before I'm ready–before I can react.

My momentum is his ally, or so he thinks.

At the last second, I drive my palm into the ground, twisting my weight.

The force launches me sideways, my boots skimming the dirt as his arm slices through the space where my head just was.

Then I'm circling again–low and fast, seeking an opening or planning a way to make one.

Then I see it.

He glances to the crowd, to his brother. They share a look and I see a ripple in his aura.

I go in, lighting fast and quiet like a ghost.

And then I'm stuck.

Plucked from the air like an afterthought.

“You did well, little wolf” he says with a smile as his fingers turn to claws in my neck.

Shit.