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Chapter 4: Aspen
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2026-03-18 05:58:42Jedediah paced the floor, my mother sat in her chair.
She traced his pace with a calculated eye. Sure that he had greater worry than she, but unsure as to his reaction. The Alpha leader’s daughter; both a secondary gender of benefit and hindrance. And alpha son would have been preferable; but an alpha daughter would do. One that could lead hunts, hold her own in debates. But an omega daughter… A nightmare for the tribe. The only hope for survival would be to marry her off; to pray that she could breed the next generation and create a stronger Idlewyld pack. But my mother wouldn’t have it. “Freya, I’d rather not beg,” the beta Jedidiah stated, “But we both know that this is the only option.” My mother stared blankly to the horizon, finding that dawn faded so quickly in the arrival of fall. Long gone were long endured sunsets of pink and orange. A deep blue beckoned after the fleeting sun, soon black would fall over the commune. Darkened, singed leaves left by the cold air. The sun skimming past their aging edges.. How had summer disappeared so suddenly? It felt faster with her mate not beside her. His warmth, his smile, his eyes that caught the glimmer in these late hours. She felt the light left when he did, her eternal sun… A chill seeped into her bones at the thought, and she shook herself of her memories. She turned her focus back to Jedidiah. “I won’t abide by archaic dogma, Jed. My daughter being an omega does not mean she should be subject to a life of breeding.” “She’s the only hope we have—“ “She’s 14.” She interrupted, “And deserves an adolescence. More than that, she deserves a future that’s her own. Not someone else’s—“ His hands slapped desperately on her desk, “it’s her duty Freya.” My mother rose, eyes dark and teeth bared. “Aspen’s life will not be dictated by a secondary gender. She is my daughter, she deserves as much respect and authority as I do!” She rounded her desk, meeting the beta face to face.. “If you so much as whisper a word of this, to anyone, I’ll leave you for the savages at our doorstep. We will wait until she’s of age, and…” Her fight faltering as his eyes widened, she stepped back to calm herself. She could sympathize with Jedediah; he was scared. They all were. Not only did they have to worry about their own species; but every other. Vampiric Empire, the Fae, even the Mages may not grace a pack as small and nearing extinction as theirs. More than that, every other tribe would be reaching for Idlewyld’s soon enough, especially Sylvers and Ravencloves. For their own kind, it was inevitable that a large and stronger pack would either pressure them into a corner or take their remaining members by force. They needed a leader. She nodded to herself. Her daughter could still lead, secondary gender be damned. “…she will remain in beta status until she is of age. Then she may either marry as an omega or lead as a beta.” He stepped forward, “You can’t guarantee our pack would follow in the footsteps in someone of lesser rank.” Freya’s gaze hardened, as if a wall stoned itself behind her visage. “Then she’ll prove it to them. I’ll have her enrolled in the academy; when she ranks high she’ll been seen in the right light as a leader.” The sun has nearly set, she looked out to the ever darkening forest. She could picture the sound of rogues, or of an army swarming her people. “It’s the only wage I’m willing to bet, Jed. Waiting another generation for an alpha isn’t guaranteed. She shook her head, voice wavering. “ —and my daughter. Forced to submit to the best of the pack,” she snarled the word, “reduced to an incubator is more horrifying of a fate than anything I could imagine.” He nodded solemnly, if he disagreed he didn’t show it. “Let Aspen live as a beta for now, I’ll make arrangements with the Elders. We can make this work.” He obliged. She nodded, eyes nearly catching mine in the crack of the doorway. I fled shortly after that, running down the hallway as fast as my legs could carry me I wasn’t sure what feeling consumed me more: the gratitude towards my mother and determination to live up to her expectations, or the fear of what fate held for me if I didn’t.
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It was everything I’d ever dreamed of. Wrought iron gates encompassing the grand and ancient campus; September gracing the grounds with warmth, a gentle breeze and touches of orange in the fading leaves. In inhaled the crisp autumn air. Finally. I was here. My hand clutching the luggage at my side, my other wrapped around the cold metal of my necklace. My mother’s voice echoed in my head “Under no circumstances will you take it off.” I swallowed at the memory. The delicately-wound silver choker newly placed around my neck, her hands clasped over my shoulders, a desperation in her eyes I’d seen seldom times in my life. “I beg you, Aspen. I can’t protect you when you aren’t here. Be smart, be sharp, and most importantly—be careful.” A ran over the grooves of the wire and chain, reminding myself to breathe. A bustle of students and their boisterous laughter interrupted my thoughts. People…. so many people. I watched as they clambered through the gates; shoving a
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Though the hall was absolutely stunning, I eagerly wished to escape. It was just so packed. So many people, so many noises—so much. More than I’d ever experienced. Our pack was quiet; a small knit community in the wilderness. Of royalty descendant, and holding great rapport with the mages of our nation, our colony still held great sway and power. Enough to get me into the academy, but not too much that I couldn’t slip by unnoticed.In fact, in some circles, we were notorious after all.I felt dizzy at the thought of running into a Ravenclove… one of many less-than-favorable relationships to the Idlewyld tribe. My foot tapped impatiently against the tile, sweaty bodies occasionally bumping into me as I waited to reach the bulletin board. There I’d find my dorm posting; hopefully with a beta roommate, ideally alone. Another shout came, another laugh, another squeal as two friends found each other. I closed my eyes in attempt to drown out the echoing voices. I felt
Tethered Chapter 4: Aspen
Jedediah paced the floor, my mother sat in her chair. She traced his pace with a calculated eye. Sure that he had greater worry than she, but unsure as to his reaction. The Alpha leader’s daughter; both a secondary gender of benefit and hindrance. And alpha son would have been preferable; but an alpha daughter would do. One that could lead hunts, hold her own in debates. But an omega daughter…A nightmare for the tribe. The only hope for survival would be to marry her off; to pray that she could breed the next generation and create a stronger Idlewyld pack. But my mother wouldn’t have it. “Freya, I’d rather not beg,” the beta Jedidiah stated, “But we both know that this is the only option.” My mother stared blankly to the horizon, finding that dawn faded so quickly in the arrival of fall. Long gone were long endured sunsets of pink and orange.A deep blue beckoned after the fleeting sun, soon black would fall over the commune. Darkened, singed leaves left by the c
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“Hellooooo?” Rima’s drawn out voice called. I shook my head, ridding the flashback from the foreground. My mind was wandering too often too soon, I needed to focus.Remember what you’re here for… “Earth to Aspen.” Rima teased. “Sorry, I drifted off there.” She chuckled softly, surprising me with the comfort and familiarity it elicited. The kind of laugh a friend of decades would give you, only assuring the fact that I’d found someone I could fall into ease with quite easily. Fate has a funny way of interfering with the mundane; waiting in line meant a newfound acquaintance. I hoped she felt the same. “We’re at the board now, space cadet.” She nodded with the confidence of someone with all the answers; and as I faced the board I couldn’t find my name placed anywhere in the listing. “Don’t tell me you registered late.” She chided. I recalled all the faux testing my mother had done to prove I was a beta; and how long the process had taken. The silence she had to b
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