7. The Omega

For the next two days, she endured life in a cell.

Doing nothing, just sitting on the floor as she leaned against the wall. Her hair was messy, and so was her dress.

In the past, it used to be her watching prisoners from outside their cells, but whoever would have thought...

No. This wasn't the time to reflect on that. The Eons were here. She had better think of how to get rid of them despite her powerless state.

By the fourth day, she couldn't even lift her hand and lay sprawled across the floor. Her hair was even more disheveled. The pain in her body had faded a little, but not enough to erase the anger building inside her toward the pack.

They had left her to such a shameful death. Hunger. How long were they going to keep her here?

"Radella," Zaphyra called weakly. "You want us to die."

Radella only stared at the ceiling. Her lips were completely dry, and now even her head pounded.

"Nalath waited and endured," Zaphyra continued.

Radella listened without responding.

"You're not a queen. Get up. If we die, everything Nalath built will be a waste."

Did she want to die? How could she throw away her second chance? But... she didn't know what to do to get out of here.

The next morning, Radella woke up. And the first thing that came to her mind was...

She wasn't a queen anymore.

To win her war, she first had to admit the truth. She wouldn't win as the Queen of Witches.

She had to start as Nalath, the loser.

What would a loser do? She wouldn't care about anything other than surviving.

So she dragged herself to the cell door.

"Look here." Her voice came out low.

The guards spared her a glance.

"I need food," she added, almost pleading.

The guard smirked.

"You think you're getting fed after what you did? The Beta forbade that."

Radella lowered her eyes as she gripped the bars.

"Beta Ghilas." She growled the name under her breath, almost imprinting it into her mind.

I will make you go through this.

The other guard turned to his companion.

"Hey, our commander warrior has returned. He defeated those rogues."

"What? That's good news. I also heard Khalien won the negotiations with the Red Moon Pack. Soon we'll be one of the strongest packs."

"Do you think it's true? That the Eonians are looking for their mates? I heard they ordered the gathering of all the maidens of the pack."

"Who knows what they want. And that fool sister of mine is enthusiastic about it. Tsk."

Radella listened before returning to the wall of her cell. Eonians searched for their mates?

"I will help you with your wishes," Radella said to Zaphyra, "if you join me. We might be different, but we share one thing. Revenge."

"What could you do?" Zaphyra questioned, almost with contempt.

At that moment, someone was at the gate.

The girl who had been with Katia.

She carried a bucket. Radella just watched her.

Crouching down, the girl passed a bowl of food through the bars.

"Is it Viola?" Radella asked coldly.

The girl shook her head. "No."

She waited for the girl to name the person behind this. Surely it was Khalien, or perhaps Eldric. But the girl remained silent, only watching her.

No one had sent her?

Radella crawled to the gate, looked at her sharply, and asked, "What do you want in return?"

The girl fell silent for a moment, looking down. When she raised her eyes, she quietly said, "Let me help you."

Radella didn't even look at the food before questioning her. "You even led the guards away. Who are you, and what do you want?"

The girl shook her head. "I just gave them some coins. My name is Elsa. I was born an omega, and because of the rules here, I had to become a servant." She looked at Radella seriously. "I want things to change for omegas."

"And you thought I would believe you?"

She went silent for a moment. "I can sense people's energy."

Radella frowned, confused. "Energy?"

Elsa nodded. "From the color, I can tell whether they're strong or weak, and whether their intentions are dangerous or harmless."

Radella raised a brow. That was new.

The ability to perceive energy?

A werewolf with an ability? She thought they only possessed elements.

Didn't that suggest she might have witch blood?

"What kind of energy do you see around me, then?" Radella asked as if she didn't care.

Elsa immediately handed over the bowl. "It's..."

"Are you still here?" a guard snapped at Elsa. "Your time is over. Get lost."

Elsa turned toward Radella. "I really can be useful to you."

Then she rose, took her things, leaving the food and left.

Radella scoffed. Did that girl take her for a fool?

Still, a few things intrigued her.

Her ability.

And her origin.

"What do you know about her?" Radella asked Zaphyra.

"She helped Nalath escape the pack."

Radella paused. "Did she ever ask Nalath for help?"

Zaphyra denied.

So Elsa had asked that of her and not Nalath? There must be something about her.

Zaphyra added, "By the pack's rules, you can't own another person's omega. Unless the master willingly lets you."

"Why should I fight for the omega?"

Even as she said it, she continued eating the food Elsa had brought.

On the evening of the seventh day, the cell doors finally opened.

She stepped outside, her face stern as rain poured relentlessly from the sky.

Looking ahead, she found Elsa waiting with an umbrella.

One side of the girl's face was swollen and bruised.

Elsa hurried toward her and raised the umbrella above her head. Since Radella was taller, she had to stretch her arm upward, leaving herself soaked by the rain.

Radella studied her silently. "Is there anything you haven't told me?"

"Lysha refused to let me leave."

Radella stared at the girl in disbelief.

She had already gone to Lysha without even receiving an agreement from her.

"So she wants to fight me?"

Elsa lowered her eyes. "You can defeat her... your energy is stronger."