Alpha and Omega *SAMPLE*

Jade

The bitter cold stings my eyes as I walk down the long, dark alleyway. It’s just past midnight and the moon is almost full and glowing between the dark clouds, not that one can tell from here. The tall brick buildings make the passage pitch black, except for the dim light at the end, faintly glowing like a guiding beacon.

Maybe I should’ve called a cab but I can’t really spare the funds for it and I don’t live too far from here anyway. But walking home alone at night is still nerve-wracking, no matter how short the distance.

Being a werewolf doesn’t help at all. I’m a low-ranked weakling, an Omega. It’s almost more of a burden than a blessing. The heightened senses and accelerated healing are beneficial of course, but the constant bullying from other wolves having the urge to make it abundantly clear that they are above me, doesn’t make up for it.

Some times I wonder if it would’ve been easier if I was born human. There’s no point in even thinking about it. I am what I am and there is nothing I can do about it.

A gush of wind blows snow up my legs and under the skirt of my dress.

Shit! that’s cold!

The thigh-high, wool stockings does absolutely nothing to shield me from bite of icy air. I pick up my pace and pull my coat tighter around my body.

What kind of a stupid person goes out in this weather, wearing a knee-long dress and pumps, with only a wool coat as protection from the cruel weather. Me, that’s who. I knew I was going to walk home even before I left my house but I wanted to look nice for once. This is not a typical Saturday night for me and I didn’t expect this much snow, or for the wind to pick up.

My best friend, Galina, took me out to dinner. I don’t have a lot of friends, but no matter what happens, Galina is always there for me. The first time I met the little, but loud mouthed girl five years ago, we instantly clicked. We understood and respected each other, even though we were- and still are- very different.

She has this fierce confidence and she comes from a high-ranking family with a lot of money. She’s not afraid to be the center of attention or to stand her ground against anyone.

I on the other hand, is the complete opposite. I’m from a small, low-income family of Omegas. I’m quiet, timid and prefer to be invisible. I have about a gram of Galina’s five ton confidence. I see myself as less than average in every way possible.

But with her, at least I matter, I feel safe.

Money is still tight after leaving my parents house three years ago, so I have to be careful with every penny. Galina never says anything about my financial situation, nor does she push me to accept help. She knows and respects that I want to make my own way.

When she said that she wanted to go out tonight, I immediately hesitated, but she quickly put her foot down, saying it was her treat since she was the one that wanted to go out and she insisted I’d come with her. So, I caved. I love spending time with her.

Galina is the only werewolf I know who has never shown any desire to flaunt her dominance over me. She treated me as an equal from the very start of our friendship.

Tonight we enjoyed a three course meal, wine and then a few drinks. I haven’t been out to eat in.. Well, I can’t even remember the last time. I had a lot of fun and actually managed to relax since most of the people in the restaurant were human.

The wind howls around the corners of the buildings as I walk down the alley, thinking about how lucky I am to have a friend like Galina.

Suddenly I’m startled by a sound behind me.

I turn around to look but it’s too dark and the falling snow it thick. My heart starts to hammer in my chest and my body trembles in terror. I turn back and start walking again. My pulse is thundering in my neck, making it hard to swallow.

Nothing to be afraid of, just keep going. Probably just a cat.

My gut twists and panic starts to consume me as a gust of freezing cold wind hits me again. All my shitty history has made me a nervous wreck. My mind will always go to the worst case scenario, trying to prepare me, just in case shit hits the fan, which it usually does. It’s almost like I can sense it coming sometimes.

I still hear the faint laughter and chatter from the street with bars and restaurants behind me, but I doubt they would hear me if I screamed for help. The end of the alley is much closer than the bars anyway.

A clang echoes through dark walls, followed by the sound of a deep voice, too muffled understand but it’s clear that someone is in the alley. My eyes widen and the color drains from my face and I quickly rush towards the light at the end of the dark passage. My breathes are short and shallow, making me feel lightheaded.

Turning my head ever so slightly, I focus my hearing behind me and tune out the crunch of snow under my shoes. I don’t want whoever- or whatever- is back there to know I’m afraid and trying to get away, so I keep the same pace but lengthen my steps considerably.

As I speed walk my heel hits a patch of snow-covered ice and I slip and I fall straight on my ass. Stunned, with my bare ass on the snowy ice, trying to comprehend what just happened, I hear glass shatter behind me. I whip my head around towards the sound but still can’t see anything through the snow. Keeping perfectly still and focusing my senses, I squint into the darkness.

Finally, I can make out two small, faint specs of light.

A few seconds pass as I try to understand what is down there, before my heart rate skyrockets and I start sweating.

A sniff and a low growl echoes down the alley and I gasp before I finally stumble to my feet.

“Eyyy!”

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

I quickly kick the shoes off of my feet, bolt down the rest of the narrow passageway, and skid left at the end. I have to get to get away, fast! Tears are flowing freely now, making the freezing wind feel like painful slaps to my face.

Who or what the hell was that??

No, I don’t want to know!

I keep running, my mind racing at the same speed as my legs are pushing me forward. It must be a man, no doubt. The deep voice gave that away. His voice was authoritarian, incredibly hard, callous and merciless, and that scares the living hell out of me. He’s obviously high-ranked, dominant. It could be just a human man, but I still don’t want a confrontation. Humans can be just as mean as any wolf.

If he catches me, there will be no telling what the consequences might be. Best case scenario, it’s a verbal thrashing. Worst case scenario, it would be physical. I know I want neither, no matter what species he is.

In my experience, the more dominant, the stronger the need to assert themselves. For some reason I’m always the target. It’s like I have a bullseye marked on my face or something. If my intuition is correct, I do not want to meet this one.

As my house finally comes into view, I steal a glance behind me to check if he’s following. Fortunately, the street behind me is empty. I pull my keys out of my pocket while sprinting down the road, ready to unlock my door as soon I reach it. One second might be all he needs to catch me.

My house is just one kilometer from the human town, but the street is curved and the entrance to the alleyway is now out of my line of sight. He could still be after me so I don’t want to take the risk by slowing down no matter how much my body hurts, so instead I push myself even harder.

I can no longer feel my feet and the taste of blood is filling my mouth, my ears are ringing, and the freezing air is burning my throat and lungs.

When I stumble up the two steps to my front door, I hear a loud, animalistic roar from the alley. A shiver runs down my spine and almost make my knees buckle in fear. More tears fill my eyes and run down my freezing red cheeks as my shaking hands try to insert the key in the lock.

HOLY FUCK!