|The Lost Omega|

4

Although Otis attempted to plead with me to stay, I made the hasty decision to go on my own. Fitting in with a new pack isn't a battle I want to fight right now. I'd rather take my chances with vampires. At least then I know who my enemies are.

The chilly evening air smacks me in the face as I trek my way to the gates of their village. I don't want to cause any more of a scene so I leave quietly. The innocent bystanders shouldn't be subjected to any of this petty feud.

I pass by all the modest homes and thriving livestock. This community was seemingly everything I ever dreamed of but of course reality is never picture perfect. I stick out like a sore thumb amongst them.

"Hey, where are you going?" Leo jogs to catch up with me. I didn't tell him I was taking off since he was busy checking up on his girlfriend.

"Home", is all I say without even glancing at him. I try to ignore him the best I can but he jumps in front of me forcing me to halt.

"Daniella, everything is under control-", he tries to speak before I interrupt him.

"No, it's not, I'm obviously not wanted here," I reply in the calmest voice possible. It's my defense mechanism, when confrontation happens I shut down. Arguing and fighting isn't my style when it comes to disagreements.

Leo's intense eyes soften, "You're not going anywhere. Don't be ridiculous, we can talk about this. Elizabeth is dealing with her own insecurities I wouldn't take it personally".

Much to my disdain, he's still trying to defend her. That wolf is unstable and dangerous, if I ever saw her again I would fear for my life. Not wanting to hear any of his excuses, I brush past him and keep walking.

"Don't walk away from your Alpha! Daniella, get back here now!"

I look back at the sound of his booming voice. It renders me speechless that he thinks he can speak to me that way. To make things worse, the entire pack gawks at the two of us. The sensation of butterflies fills my stomach anytime I'm the center of attention.

I freeze from both humiliation and confusion. Leo clutches my forearm and leads me back to his cabin like a frustrated parent. I submit to his authority by default. The growl of an Alpha is the ultimate assertion of dominance.

"Care to explain why my girlfriend was going to kick your ass? She refuses to tell me", he slams the door shut. His force is so great the walls vibrate.

The pure Alpha side of him shakes me to my core. His presence alone is enough to make me second guess myself, "It was about you. She told me to stay away, I was going to let it go until she touched me".

His face morphs into a deep crimson color, "That woman is getting on my last nerve. God, I don't know how I'm going to fix this shit. I put out one fire just for another one to start" he plops down on the couch. The pressure from their relationship is beginning to be a burden.

I still stand by the door, trying to ease some of the tension, "Maybe it's best that I go my own way. It's clear me being here is causing a lot of drama for you".

Leo shakes his head, "That can't happen. I'll get this handled with Elizabeth. If I let you go your life would be in danger not only from vampires but from our own kind" he insists that I remain in his protection.

The burning pain of helplessness closes in on me. I want to leave but I know that life will never be the same. My pack is gone and all I have now is this dysfunctional dynamic. I slowly drag my body next to him while tears build in my eyes.

"It's my job to protect you", his tone is sweet and gentle but I don't want to believe his words. I resist the notion that somehow all Omega's are damsels in distress. That would mean weakening myself even more than I already am.

"Please don't say that", my voice cracks.

"You need to hear it. You can't run away from who you are. You're an Omega and I'm an Alpha, do you know the weight that carries?" he inches near, so much so that his body heat radiates onto me.

"I know but back home none of that mattered. We were all treated the same", I sniffle and wipe my nose.

"It matters because I'm supposed to protect you with my life though we met only yesterday. Elizabeth could never be my Luna now that you're here. She feels worthless because of it but I can't change nature ", he further asserts his stance.

The first thing that comes to mind is how pretentious this all sounds. "She's your girlfriend though, it's not like a title will change anything", I try to rationalize the seemingly illogical hierarchy. If it was up to me, I would erase it from the memories of every wolf walking this earth.

"She's a Beta. Hypothetically she could be my mate but that's not how I was brought up. My parents always emphasized the importance of tradition. If I made her my Luna my pack can turn on me, and the council would allow it", he says matter-of-factly.

My brain pushes my sorrow to the side at the mention of a so-called council. I've never heard of such a thing. "There's a council?" I look to him for answers. He stares silently back at me with a perplexed expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

His face changes once he realizes that the question was a serious one. "Oh, so you really don't know anything. This is going to be a long talk."