Crowns and Claws: The Omega's Revenge

I know what I am about to do is incredibly stupid, but I simply have no choice.

There is only one way out of this pack, and it's through the scouts. So I need to join them–no matter what.

The plan is simple, maybe even stupidly straight forward: join the moonborn trials, pass the tests, join the scouts and desert the first chance I get.

It's technically treason, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

It would be a simple plan–if this hag would just leave already. Hag being my uncle's charming wife. With a smile she informs me for the hundredth time of the multitude of chores she has prepared for me today: clean her silver, scrub the floor, dust the shelves, make the beds, yada yada yada. Nothing I haven't heard before.

"Now, off to it girl" she says, locking the door behind her. I don't move immediately, I know she delayed this morning on purpose, fully aware of what today is and not trusting me to obey their order to not go. So I stay still and listen. I hear her breathing behind the door, no doubt hoping I make the mistake of running out believing she is gone.

A minute later she leaves and I move. I rush to the back but I hesitate. "Do the safe thing, Millie. You need to live, for us" Kael's voice whispers in my mind. I should listen. They gave everything for me to be here.

"Fortune favours the bold, Mille" Varek whispers, I smile and go out the door. The sun is high in the sky, but the air smells of rain. I can still make it if I cut through the market.

The market is busier than usual today but I'm not completely surprised. Today is the start of the moonborn training, a great honour in the pack and if you survive you get to join the pack warriors or the scouts.

Following tradition, parents of today's applicants would prepare a feast for their children to celebrate being accepted. A wholesome gesture if it wasn't the cause of my current dilemma.

I weave through the crowds slowly, I can't rush and risk offending some beta or worse an Alpha. That would certainly put an end to my plans, and I'll have to try again in a year's time.

I am halfway through the market when I hear her. "Let go of me".

I turn my head to the source of the plea to find a hooded girl struggling with a guard. A stupid thing to do, but I can hardly be the right person to tell her that.

From her attitude to a beta guard, I can clearly tell she's an outsider and as expected the guard looks to be getting annoyed with her.

He could kill her, it wouldn't be the first time a beta guard would take a life because of a minor inconvenience.

I look to the sky again. I'll barely make it if I keep going. But I can't turn away.

"Leave the girl" Riven's voice this time, the logical one. But I am at heart illogical, so I do the stupid thing and move towards the girl and the guard.

"You continue to test my patience, girl" the guard growled "show me your entry permit this instant"

"And I told you I forgot it back at my lodgings" the girl replies "I can go back and get it".

"You think I'm a fool?" the guard questions. The guards usually are but the unspoken rule is not to tell them and definitely avoid getting them to assume that's what you think of them. But this girl clearly didn't get the memo.

I focus my sight and I see his aura around him, the appropriate size for a beta, and it's flowing relatively well with small spikes. Meaning he's annoyed but not completely angry yet.

"Apologies sir" I start "why don't I follow her back to her lodgings and return with the permit. Instead of wasting your valuable time"

Getting closer I recognize him and he me. Great, this might be easier than I thought it would be.

"Amelia?" He asks.

"Yes sir" I reply

"You would take responsibility for this girl?" He asks.

"I would sir," I lie. Once he is out of sight I plan on sending this stranger on her way and heading to registration.

Once I become a cadet, not even the guards can touch me. Killing a cadet is solely reserved for their fellow students and the trials. I would have to register first though, but I'll be fine.

I still have time.

I see the slap coming, but I don't dodge. Dodging just invites more attempts, learned that the hard way. So I take the hit and I meet the ground. So much for easy.

"Walk away omega. Before I give you another one" he says.

"I told you, Millie" it's Riven's voice again. "You should have left the girl"

I have no idea what I was thinking. An omega stopping a beta guard from killing someone. What a bad joke.

"How dare you do such a thing" it's the strange girl again. "Hitting someone for no reason, is this how things are done in the bloodfang pack?"

This girl might be crazy, talking to a beta guard like that is suicide. Great, I risked everything to save a crazy person.

The guard moves to grab her again and she removes her hood "Why you-". He freezes. And I don't blame him.

She is beautiful, her golden hair shimmers in the sunlight and her eyes the most beautiful shade of blue, but it's not her beauty that stuns the guard.

It's the wolf mark on the side of her neck.

So bright and bold. An Alpha. I risked everything to save an Alpha from a beta guard. I would have preferred if she was crazy.

"I–why–I didn't know," he stutters. "Forgive me"

The girl looks surprised at this change in his behaviour. But here in the bloodfang pack, strength is everything and everyone knows their place. Except for me of course.

She turns to me now, stretching her hand for me "are alright?"

I don't answer, instead I pick myself up and run into the crowd as I hear her call out to me. I already wasted too much time.

I get to the arena to see everyone already seated. Last to arrive, not a very good start. I hurry to the instructor as he moves away from the entrance.

"I want to register!" I yell.

He turns slowly, "and who might you be?"

"Someone ready to serve the pack" I say, panting.

"You're late" he says with a tinge of annoyance "Your name and class, child"

"Amelia Wr–" I nearly choke on my original name. "Amelia Dane, sir. Omega"

"Dane?" He questions, glancing at the students already seated in the arena. His eyes find–Talia Dane, my cousin, and she looks absolutely furious.

My cousin clearly doesn't find this as amusing as the instructor–as she stares daggers at me.

Her expression reads: "how dare you" and her eyes scream "consequences". But I don't care, it's too late to turn back now.

"An omega from such a strong family" he starts, "Miss Dane, care to explain?" He gestures to Talia and I see her fury spike, sending shivers down my spine.

"She is my cousin from a failure of a family–from my father's side" she says quickly with a grin. Fully expecting a reaction from me but I'm not going to ruin this for myself, it's been a long time since provocations like that worked on me. For good reason.

"But she is your blood nonetheless" he says to her, "and as a beta in your household she is your responsibility. Letting her come here makes me question your ability to lead"

Talia's expression turns stoic at his words. Her gaze focused on the man. She will remember him. The instructor dared to question her leadership skills, knowing full well she aims to be Luna of the pack, like most of the girls that applied for this year's trials.

Talia's friends–if you can call them that, shift nervously beside her. I can't blame them, her mood is ruined now– someone will have to pay, and we all know who that will be.

The instructor is about to add more when I am nearly deafened by squeals and roars. Someone has the whole class riled up, and I shut my ears in response. That's when they walk past me. An entourage of Alphas; really the children of Alphas.

They pass by me without so much as a glance. The one at the helm and clearly their leader gives a brief nod to the instructor before taking the stairs to his seat and the others follow.

That's when I see her, the strange girl from the market, she sees me and offers a wink before joining the others. So much for being late.

The instructor clears his throat with a cough "Well it seems everyone is here now, let us begin"

"Wait! What about me?" I ask.

"What about you?"

"I want to join the trials too"

He sighs "Go home, child. This is no place for an omega"

"No" I proclaim, that's right. Going back empty-handed is not an option, not when I'm so close. Risking the wrath of

"What?" he asks with annoyance and I can immediately feel the eyes of everyone on me. This is the part where the omega scurries away. Actually that's wrong, any omega would have left five steps ago. But as they will come to learn, I am nothing like the average omega.

"I refuse to just leave" I start, hoping he doesn't take off my head. "At least give me a chance to prove myself"

He takes a deep breath and exhales. "Child, this is for your own good. The trials were not made for omegas".

And he's right–an omega participating in the trials is nothing short of a death sentence. In the past omegas died in spades, mostly from spars with Alphas and betas, barely anyone got to the wilds training and none who did survived.

So I understand him wanting me to turn back. But not even death can deter me. After all, I'm covered in it.

"That you are" my brothers whisper in my mind in unison.

"At least give me the chance to prove myself" I say, "if I fail, I'll leave without a fuss"

"And if you die" he asks

"Then I leave without a fuss"

I say it with a smile.

He stares at me for a moment, rubbing his beard. "Okay then, I guess this will be a perfect teaching moment for the others".

Front row seats to seeing an omega be put in her place, a spectacle I doubt any of them would want to miss.

"Talia Dane" he says, and I start to panic. "Seeing as she's your blood, it is fitting you do the honours of picking her opponent." My heart sinks. "It cannot be yourself of course, I wouldn't want you to go easy on her just because you're related.

Relief.

An Alpha bloodline producing an omega is seen as one that is losing its power and after today the alpha's present will know Talia's family produced an omega.

If he had allowed her to pick herself, I have no doubt she would kill me for this.

I expect to see her frown a little, but she's smiling. And that never means anything good for me. Nothing good at all.

"I pick him," Talia says, pointing behind me and the class gasps.

I turn to see a large man slowly approaching, and I could hear the instructor's heart beat faster.

"Are you sure Miss Dane?" He asks, clearly confused.

"I am" her smile widens.

"Very well then" he exclaims, "Sire, would you be willing to spar with the lady here?"

Now it's time to panic.

There's only three people in the pack the instructor would address with "sire"; the Alpha king and his two sons.

I turn.

He stops just behind me, looking down at me with complete disinterest. He is tall. Broader than anyone in the arena. Eyes like magic and a scar that screams a story.

I swallow hard.

This man could break me with a shrug.

I'm so screwed.

He doesn't say a word, but the arena goes silent like a graveyard.

He shifts his gaze to where the other Alphas are seated and the leader of the Alphas gives him a small nod. To which he sighs.

"Let's get this over with, little wolf" he says, and I swear the class exhaled.

He walks to the center of the ring.

I look again to the Leader of the Alpha cadets; he resembles the man that may or may not kill me today. Fingers crossed.

Twins, handsome twins, but the leader doesn't sport the magic eyes like his brother. Magic eyes because I have no other words for them, they are entrancing, tempting and different colors; One the color of the earth and the other of the heavens.

My gaze shifts to Talia and her stupid smirk, and she looks right at me. I already know what she's thinking: "You did this to yourself". I did, and I am going to survive this, like everything else that came before.

I move to the center as well, stopping a few feet outside his reach just to be safe.

"Well class" the instructor bellows, "we have a treat for you today before training officially begins tomorrow. Today you'll learn what happens when an omega fights an Alpha."

And the crowd goes wild, so eager are they to see me ripped apart for my insolence.

"I almost pity her", "This is going to be good", "I wonder how long she'll last", "two seconds tops", "come on dude at least give her the benefit of a doubt", "how about a bet", "oh count me in", "Start already, I want to see what her insides look like"

What a bunch. But that's the reality of being an omega, meat shields in times of war and play things in times of peace.

"You can do it!"

The words cut through the noise like a blade through flesh, and I am forced to find its source. It's a girl seated amongst the betas. What's with me today and catching the attention of crazy people.

"Here are the rules" the instructor starts, "first to concede or die, losses"

I really was holding out hope he wouldn't allow deaths on the first day.

"Run, Millie" my brothers again.

I'm sorry but not today.

I focus my sight– his aura is immense, even for an Alpha but oddly enough it's still; deathly still. I knew he wouldn't consider this a fight, but he doesn't consider this to be anything at all, not even a chore.

He's looking right at me, but I doubt he even sees me.

Perfect.

Underestimate me.

I drop low–knees bent, shifting my weight to the balls of my feet. My heels are barely above the ground. My fingers flex as my nail turns to claws and my breath slows as I block out the noise of the crowd and focus on the rhythm of heartbeats. Mine and his, which are oddly in sync, but I shove my curiosity away.

He tilts his head, confused or amused by my stance.

I focus my senses; hearing, touch and sight as I take in the man before me. He's relaxed but has no openings at all.

I guess I just have to make one.

If there's one thing I'm confident in; it's my speed. Ever since I was a child racing against my brothers through the forest to now when I race alone through the meadows.

Strength is fine, but it's not what I seek. For with lightning speed, I ensure my attacks feel like thunder; sudden and unpredictable.

Speed is freedom.

I start slow, shifting side to side as his beautiful eyes follow, and then I vanish. Or at least that is how it would seem to him.

I circle him.

Readying my claws then I lunge at his back.

He reacts: swinging his arm at me. Fast for his size, but I'm already low, and I slash his thigh.

A warning. I just couldn't help it. Not when he's looking at me like that, like her, like I don't matter.

I pause beyond his reach. Visible again to the crowd and they gasp and murmur.

Many are surprised they couldn't follow my movements, others question how an omega can move this fast.

Practice, that's how. Years of it.

The scouts favor speed and stealth above strength and now their members get to see mine on full display.

Just what I needed. Now I just need to survive this.

"Tear her throat out!" one wolf snarls.

"Make her beg," says another.

Focus. I shut out the crowd.

The mark on his thigh is gone already–healed. Definitely an Alpha, I'll have to make the next one deeper. Although I start to wonder why he has a scar. What could cause something he couldn't heal, what a monster that must have been.

I fall into my stance but this time I go lower. He will be expecting me to circle him again–but I'm nothing if not unpredictable.

I lunge at him.

He starts forward–slow not rushed, a mountain of a man. He aims to pull me into his reach before I'm ready–before I can react.

My momentum is his ally, or so he thinks.

At the last second, I drive my palm into the ground, twisting my weight.

The force launches me sideways, my boots skimming the dirt as his arm slices through the space where my head just was.

Then I'm circling again–low and fast, seeking an opening or planning a way to make one.

Then I see it.

He glances to the crowd, to his brother. They share a look and I see a ripple in his aura.

I go in, lighting fast and quiet like a ghost.

And then I'm stuck.

Plucked from the air like an afterthought.

"You did well, little wolf" he says with a smile as his fingers turn to claws in my neck.

Shit.