Ashton's POV:
I had assumed during the fight and when I didn't see them while we made our way to this pack that Ronaldo and Owen had been killed or escaped. Since we could only shift during raids to other packs and they never went with me or I with them, I didn't know their wolf forms. Picking up their scent was also out of the picture, since all I could smell was blood.
I was shocked and thrilled to see them in the house for Alphas, both alive and healthy. Of course, I feel bad to leave my mate, but I don't want to sleep alone in an unfamiliar place.
I turn to see my mate walking out of the building, and he looks defeated, but he's been so reassuring and kind that I don't think he'll reject me. Plus, if there was an option to stay in his bedroom, I'd be there right now as opposed to this other house.
I just don't like to sleep alone, but that was the only option at my mate's house.
The room we're staying in is spacious and warm, unlike the concrete one we lived in before. There are four smaller beds in the room, and they have frames unlike the one I used to use. It smells clean and I want to bury myself under the blankets.
"Who was that Omega?" Owen asks after we've all sat down on one of the beds. "He didn't have the same fear that the ones did back home..."
Ronaldo glares at him. "Don't call it our home, Owen. It never was our home."
Owen shrugs. "Fine. Who was that Omega, though? I noticed him walking with us on the way back and everyone seemed to listen to him... you don't see that every day!"
My cheeks redden. "He's my mate," I murmur, and my two friends gasp. "He saved my life."
"That's... wow," Ronaldo trails off, because none of us ever entertained the idea of being able to find our mate, much less being able to be with them.
The leaders in the past have taken mates away and claimed them in order to torture whoever found their mate. I'm beyond grateful that it didn't happen with mine, because that would kill me.
"I think I'm happy for you," Owen murmurs. "How the hell are you going to go about this, though? None of us has ever had a mate before..."
Ronaldo hums in agreement, laying back on his bed. "Ashton, where is Liam? I haven't seen him and I know he would room with us... do you think or know if he escaped?"
A choked cry escapes my lips before I can get a handle on myself. Ronaldo and Owen move to either side of me and guide me to one of the beds, holding me even though I haven't offered an explanation yet.
I know that they both know this story won't end well because when I finally relax enough to stop crying, I can see the tears in their eyes, though Ronaldo is controlling them better than Owen.
"You two weren't there," I say, wiping my eyes. "He woke me up and said we were under attack and that we could escape. He... you know he always dreamed of it, of escaping, but one of the leaders caught up with him and killed him. I couldn't save him."
My friends hug me even tighter, both of them trying to give me as much support as possible, but I feel so weak and sick.
Why couldn't I be stronger?
I'm an Alpha, we're traditionally meant to be stronger, but I wasn't enough to save my best friend.
Liam was a few years older than me, and ever since we were young, he would guide me and be my biggest source of comfort. Even though Ronaldo and Owen are close with me, I don't have the same strong connection with them as I had with Liam.
I miss my friend; he would know what I should do about having a mate and he'd be able to guide me.
"Don't blame yourself, Ash," Ronaldo soothes, rubbing my back as I cry into my hands. "He's free now and he's not in pain anymore. He doesn't have to suffer anymore."
"All he wanted was freedom one day and I wasn't strong enough to help him get that!" I cry, raising my voice and making my two friends cower for a brief second because I rarely raise my voice. "When he woke me up, I hesitated, because I was afraid! What if I hadn't? Maybe we would've gotten away!"
Owen holds my hand in his own while Ronaldo continues to rub my back.
"What happened is done. You didn't kill Liam, that sorry excuse of an Alpha did. He's not in pain anymore and he's finally able to rest, so in a way, he is free. Don't put this on yourself, Ash," Ronaldo says, half scolding and half comforting me. "Now come on, let's push three of these beds together, like we did with the mattresses back h-, uh, in our old pack."
These beds are different to move, because they have frames and not just the mattresses, so there's a bit of space between them. However, they're still close and we can all touch while sleeping.
I wish I was with my mate right now, but my friends are a close second.
Owen is the youngest of the three of us, at twenty years old. Ronaldo is twenty six, and so was Liam. I'm in the middle at twenty three, and Owen and I have always been guided and treated similar to little brothers by Liam and Ronaldo.
I wonder how old my mate is... he looks like he's as young as Owen, but he has a grace and wisdom to him that makes me think he's older, maybe my age.
Owen lays between Ronaldo and I when we finally turn the lights out. Liam used to lay on my other side, keeping myself and Owen safe in the middle.
We were expected to follow orders and be the strong, warriors that we were trained to be when we went on raids, but in our room, Owen and I definitely broke down a bit and needed physical comfort that Ronaldo and Liam always gave us.
Here, in this new pack, I don't feel in danger because of how my mate has been toward me, but it's a new place.
What if they expect us to raid as well or want us to be warriors because the majority of us are Alphas? Will they carry out public punishment and torture for what we did to the Omegas?
That's what our leaders used to do when we messed up. It was public beatings and punishment if we made a mistake, execution or severe torture if we tried to run or Omegas escaped on our watch.
I have never experienced severe torture, but I have been beaten and punished for making mistakes when I was younger. After that, I learned quick.
"You being on edge is not helping me sleep," Owen mumbles, reaching over and hugging me. "It's not your fault and it's gonna be okay. Besides, this pack doesn't seem to have as many Alpha warriors. If we want to run, we can."
"I don't think it matters if you're an Alpha warrior here... I witnessed my Omega mate murder one of the leaders and barely get hurt in return."
Owen huffs. "Well, we could still run. We could do it."
Ronaldo gently shushes him. "We don't know to expect right now, so we need to rest. Go to sleep, both of you."
Ronaldo would have been made one of the leaders if he didn't care so much about myself, Owen, and Liam. There's no doubt about it; he's strong, follows orders, and can take control over Alphas which is what the leaders wanted.
He got beaten before for not cowering before the leaders, who were nothing but pure evil.
"Goodnight," Owen whispers in my ear, making Ronaldo growl softly to get him to shut up. "Sorry."
"Go to sleep, Owen," Ronaldo says again, and he finally quiets down.
•••
There was no sun in our rooms in my old pack, but sunlight flooding through the window of the room is what wakes me up.
Owen is sitting at the window, excitedly looking outside.
I join him and see a bunch of people milling around, all of them seeming to be happy and at ease. There is no one standing at a corner of the path trying to beat those who speak and are outside.
Ronaldo is still asleep, his dark hair sprawled all over the pillow.
"Look," Owen whispers, pointing at a group of pups running around in their wolf forms. "They're so cute!"
There were never any pups in our pack. Any Omega who got pregnant was forced to miscarry or the baby was killed. So many of those poor Omegas died because they were so broken when they watched their babies die.
There's a knock at the bedroom door and it opens to reveal my mate, already fully dressed and he looks like he's been up for a while already.
"Good morning," Sage says, smiling at me. "Are you hungry?"
My stomach growls in response.
Meals at the old pack were definitely get what you can before the food disappeared, so I'm definitely always hungry.
Owen's at my side in a second. "Food, you say?" he asks, making Sage smile at him as well.
I don't think Owen's intimidated because Sage is an Omega, but I have seen him murder a wolf who controlled us for years, so he's a force to be reckoned with.
"Yes, breakfast is downstairs," Sage says, and Owen shoves past him and runs off to go eat. "Uh, should we wake up your friend over there?"
I look back at Ronaldo. "Will there be food later? I want to let him sleep, but if there is no food later, he will need to eat."
Sage looks pained by my words. "There will be, don't worry. We have a big pack so we have a lot of food," he says, taking my hand. "Come on, then."
I let my mate lead me downstairs to a large kitchen and dining area where the other Alphas are all eating like they've never seen food before. However, there are no fights breaking out and I'm grateful for that.
There's a buffet set up and a lot of food left, and I can seen chefs refilling the chafing dishes.
Sage fills a plate for me because I'm overwhelmed by all of the choices, many of them unfamiliar. He then leads me outside so I can sit on the grass.
I never ate outside back at the old pack. We rarely, if ever, got to be outside for our own enjoyment.
Sage watches me dig into the food, but once I realize that no one is around attempting to take my food, I slow down. It seems to please Sage and makes me feel warm inside when I realize he's happy because of something I did.
"What's it like here?" I ask because this setting and people not trying to kill or hurt each other is very new.
"Well, it's very progressive. My mom is the Alpha, my dad is the Luna, and I'm the next Alpha in line."
I'm taken aback. "But... you're an Omega!"
Sage bites the inside of his cheek. "Yes, but I've been trained and I know how to protect this pack as well as anyone born as an Alpha," he says.
"I'm sorry if I offended you," I murmur, because it's clear to me now that he does not like being told that he can't be a pack Alpha simply because he's an Omega. "Uh... what does that make me?"
"Well, it would make you my Luna. The co-leader of the pack. That is, if you accept me as your mate."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Being an Omega leader can be a bit of a turn off for many Alphas," Sage says bitterly. "It's not like it matters, though. Even though I can have babies doesn't mean I'm weaker than an Alpha. My skills are just different."
I try to be reassuring and pat his shoulder because I really don't know how I'm supposed to act around my mate.
"I don't want to reject you, Sage," I tell him and he smiles. "But I don't know how to be with a mate. No one in my old pack had mates."
"I'll show you, don't worry!" he exclaims.
I force a smile, even though I'm very anxious. How am I supposed to be a good mate when I don't know how to be a mate? I'm so worried Sage will see through me and reject me, so I'll try to enjoy this for the time being.
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