Oméga & Alpha

I'm running without stopping and I stumble on the last step of this narrow spiral staircase made of old stones. I swallow hard and cast a brief glance behind me. He hasn't caught up with me yet, but I hear every reasoning of his footsteps echoing on the ground. Here we are, the dice are cast. Somewhere, I'm certain he has always known, just like me. We've simply ignored it until now, but now we know. There isn't enough room for both of us in this world. I straighten up and wipe the sweat running down my temple with the back of my sleeve. I clench my jaw as tightly as my fists. I can feel it, this willpower, I hear her voice… The wolf within me is ready to fight to the death. As his silhouette emerges from the darkness, I can distinguish a golden glint in his murderous gaze. "You're trapped, filthy little Omega!"

A few months earlier…

I scribble in a notebook while my brother and sister study together on the other side of the small table where we are seated. I respect their seriousness; there's no doubt it's a family trait. It's a shame I don't fully belong to it... My older sister, Uka, momentarily disconnects from her huge book to give me one of her famous moralizing smiles, which echoes something like: "You could work too!"

I look away, a mocking pout appearing on my face despite myself. She is about to lecture me when we hear the sound of the lock. Our parents have just come home. My mother works part-time as an accountant; it's also her great passion…

Her second passion is making me believe that I love it too. I much prefer my father's job; he is the healer of the pack and undoubtedly the most talented on the west coast.

— Ada, do me the favor of taking after your brother and sister instead of twiddling your thumbs! My mother scolds me as she carries a bulging grocery bag toward the kitchen. My father, carrying two equally heavy bags, takes a moment to stop at our level and kisses each of our heads.

— Tye, please go fetch the last two bags from the car trunk.

My brother doesn't waste a second to obey, and Uka quickly follows suit to join our parents in the kitchen to help them put things away. Any stranger walking into this house unexpectedly might think we are a real model family. But it hasn't always been like that. Thirteen years ago, my mere arrival created unprecedented chaos… My parents, who had always been a united and happy couple, struggled to cross paths without insulting each other. As for Uka and Tye, I could have painted a target on my head; it would have been quicker. However, I couldn't blame them. I was five years old, Uka was eight, and Tye was ten. If we add to that the conflicts between their parents, my sudden arrival, and my strange behavior, it was hard for them not to hate me. No one in this town, which is almost entirely made up of werewolves, is unaware of my arrival. I was walking alone on the main road toward the pack house. This old building is the only historical testimony of our little corner. The rest of the town is dressed in modern-style buildings. When I reached its level, I was awestruck by the grandeur of its grayish columns, the ivy climbing all around, and the magnificent windows with rounded tops. Even the staircase leading to the porch deserved the term: "work of art." This is probably the second reason I never miss an opportunity to follow my father when he goes to work—to enjoy spending time in the pack house.

My father is the most respected healer. He can heal wounds of the body as well as those of the soul. He saved me.

My mother is a much less gentle woman; she inherited the surly temperament of the alphas in her family, even though she's not one. There can only be one true Alpha in a pack. Mani Kyle Alphonse Lunilar, he is our Alpha, or at least, he will be very soon.

I had the misfortune of growing up with this kind of arrogant tyrant. With the influence of my mother's family and my father's position as the head healer, it was inevitable…

Kyle and I have been cordially hating each other since an incident between us during a hunting season when we were teenagers. Our respective parents agreed it would be wiser to keep us away from each other.

— Lunira Adali Primia, if you don't move your butt over there to help with the cleaning, I promise you will be punished for at least a month!My mother's threat reaches me from the kitchen; I sigh before joining her. When she uses all of my names, it's often a bad sign. Yet it's often what happens.

I stir my fork without the slightest appetite; it's been over two months since I've had trouble eating.

— Ada, don't you like what I've prepared?

I weakly shake my head, sorry to worry my mother, who offers to make me another dish.

— Don't worry, Mom, I'm just not very hungry. It must be because of this last year in high school...

I see my family exchanging knowing glances. Even my brother and sister avoid looking me in the eye; I must look quite pathetic. I wonder what they're saying? « She doesn't have an appetite because she went through her rite without finding her partner. » or « She's changing because she realizes she's an Omega? » Unless it's a mix of both…

— Is there going to be a celebration soon, from what I've heard?

Tye struggles to change the subject, and I'm infinitely grateful for that. His little wink brings a smile to my face… A little…

— Yes, our Alpha is going to celebrate his coming of age, and he will find his partner during this celebration! Maybe we could go buy outfits for the event?

— That's a great idea, Mom! Uka is excited about this prospect.

— Especially since you and Ada have grown so much; we'll take the opportunity to enlarge your wardrobes.

— What, do I have to go too?

— If you don't want to buy an outfit, you can still come with us.

— But I'm not talking about that! Why do I have to attend Kyle the despicable's coming-of-age celebration?!

My father bursts out laughing and spits his water out in the same gesture, earning him a disapproving glare from my mother.

— Ada, he's the Alpha; whether you like it or not, you owe him respect!

— He's always been mean to her; it's normal that she doesn't want to be...

— Tye! My mother warns, pointing a finger at him in a reprimanding manner.

— Dad?! I plead with a devastated expression; he turns to my mother, but her mere look discourages him. Like any good husband, he knows when a battle is lost before it even begins… He shrugs, sighing, and cowardly redirects his attention to his plate.

— Mom! I try to control my anger. My mother remains deaf to my protest, and as always when she refuses to negotiate a point, she starts ignoring me. She grabs the dish in the center of the table, asking, "Who wants more tartiflette?" I can't stand it when she does that; I jump up from the table, letting my chair crash to the floor, and glare at her. "Stay calm! It’s not worth it."

— You can't force me to go!

— Who wants cheese? She insists."She's continuing to ignore me! She's provoking me!"

The rage swells in my heart, so much so that for a split second, I see myself losing control and transforming. With the back of my hand, I sweep a plate off the table, which crashes against a wall and shatters into a multitude of tiny pieces. However, I still manage not to metamorphose. My mother remains still, like a deer caught in headlights. My brother and sister mirror her reaction; only my father is looking at me. I can sense his tension; he watches me as if I were a ticking time bomb. I leave the table before the situation escalates further. As soon as I leave the room, I hear my mother slump into her seat with a sigh. I push the door open and start running; two strides later, I've already changed form. I let my wolf guide me; I sniff the air fiercely. My instincts take over, and I let myself be carried away. I run at full speed until my lungs feel like they're on fire. Once in the forest, I reach a spot where bears are not uncommon; very few wolves dare to take on this kind of hunt. The bravest prefer wild boars…

After twenty-five minutes, I spot an adult male, which guarantees an interesting challenge. My muscles are bubbling with energy to expend. The beast is calmly munching on berries when I pounce on it, but another wolf beats me to it. « What a nerve! That's my prey! » My lips curl back, revealing my sharp fangs. But this second wolf is not willing to be intimidated; he sizes me up with a growl. The bear takes advantage of our mutual hostility to flee. He wouldn't have hesitated to defend himself if there had been only one of us… But here we are, two. « Get lost! This is my territory! »

I growl louder; we circle each other, testing one another. I know I'll come out on top, I’m sure of it, but I have to admit he’s imposing. I would even say magnificent if I weren't so annoyed. The color of his fur, his eyes between orange and green, and his size… Aside from mine and Tye's, I'd never seen a wolf so large; I even think he is a bit bigger than us. He refuses to yield to me. Suddenly, he lunges and tries to bite my jugular. He manages to do so for the first ten seconds. But as expected, I regain the upper hand. He is very strong, but I have much more rage. I push him away, and we tumble down the cliff, landing in a lake about fifteen meters below. The coolness of the lake makes me revert to human form; I emerge from the water shivering and drained of energy. Four meters away from me, the stranger I was fighting with has also regained human form. And what a human form! I look away and try to cover my nudity as best as I can. The rustling of the water indicates that the stranger is approaching me.

— So? Do you want to continue fighting?!

— D-don't come any closer! I stammer. It's ridiculous for a she-wolf to be so modest; it's evident that being naked in front of others is not that rare. But I've never been able to get used to it; I've always arranged to preserve my privacy. So finding myself naked in a moonlit lake with a perfect stranger is a first.

— Are you embarrassed? He teases. I don't need to look up at him to understand that he is examining my body closely. There's no doubt about it; my desire to not be seen heightens his desire; you can indeed recognize a hunter.

— P-please. I curl up in the cold water, vulnerable; my voice is pitiful. « The fierce, combative wolf is far gone now, huh, old girl... » my conscience mocks me. By some miracle, he freezes and raises his hands in a sign of resignation.

— Alright, I won't come any closer, look.

— I... I can't.

— You can't look at me? Again, I can sense the amusement in his question.

— I don’t mind you seeing me. I shake my head; I’m getting colder and colder, yet I'm sure my face must be crimson. I'm not so modest as to refuse to look at a man's body, but I want to share such a moment with my future partner, if he exists, not with a simple, slightly cracked stranger.

— Almost violet... He whispers.

— W-what?

— Your hair, I suspected it when you were in your wolf form, but now in the moonlight, it looks almost violet.

— Auburn. I correct mechanically. « But who cares, Ada! » I scold myself.

— If you want, I don't care! That's just a girl thing, that kind of detail.

— Yeah, you're right, bye! I head toward the shore, eager to cut short our conversation.

— Wait, I didn't mean to offend you; what's your name? I try hard to ignore him; I've spotted a tree half-submerged, and I plan to use its foliage to camouflage myself and get away from this overly curious guy.

— We'll see each other again, you know?

— You can dream on, buddy!