☙ T Y T O ❧
I was shivering. Not from the temperature but out of fear. Fear. It was completely irrational I know but it was something I couldn't simple conquer. This emotion controlled my very existence and made me submit. I did not know how or why I felt this way but I did not remember anything else. I heard of other emotions. My wolf told me about them. Safe, happy, loved. He said that is how we should feel but we didn't feel that way.
We felt injured, scared, and alone. Those were the emotions we always felt and now they were magnified by the most feared person in the world of werewolves. The Queen of all wolves, Calixa Dunamis.
The reason? Well, every year her pack demanded a sacrifice for payment, seeing as she 'protects' us from dangers such as rogues. Not that we had any real threats. The rogues knew better than to trespass and never formed any substantial groups that were threatening in anyway.
This year my pack, Silver Blood, had to give an Omega sacrifice because it had been many decades since the last Omega male had been given to the Queen. The only problem with that was I was the only Omega male in my pack. There were several females, all of which were unmated, but she only wanted a male.
"Do not fret Omega," Alpha Orion assured as I sat before him in the pack house, "We will not sacrifice you or any members this year. If Alpha Dunamis wants to take one of our pack members, she will have to come and take one by force."
I let out a sigh of relief but my pelt shivered at the mention of Alpha Calixa Dunamis. She was the frightening queen who slaughtered those who set foot on her land and I was terrified of her coming to Silver Blood. Even more terrified that she would come to take me away. Although I was beaten daily, that was better than being killed by the Alpha Queen.
"Omega, go back to your collar." Beta Visenic snarled, jabbing me in the side. I let out a cough and followed his order, making my way outside the pack house where he clamped a silver studded collar around my neck and chained me to the porch. To make matters worse, he forced me to shift and my wolf had to endure the pain with me. I was fine with taking the pain but my wolf fought for control of my mind so he could take some as well.
'Let me handle this for once!' my wolf snapped, making me internally flinch at his tone.
I shook me head and curled up in a ball on the ground while pack members soon surrounded me and started to taunt and kick me, 'No, this is my pain to bear. You are the only thing keeping us alive.'
'I can still keep us alive and be wounded.' he growled, still fighting my hold on my mind. Soon he shoved me to the back and took the pain for me. I heard him whimper in pain and I cringed at the sound. Maybe death by the Alpha Queen would be better than what this life has served us. No wolf, even an Omega, should be treated like we are.
After a few more brutal kicks from my pack mates, darkness consumed us and we fell into it's comforting arms.
☙❦❧
I woke up to find myself alone and rain beating down on my matted brown pelt. I groaned in pain but found no way to get comfortable so I whimpered loudly. After a moment of whimpering in the unforgiving rain, I heard shuffling in the pack house and flicked my ears to the noise.
"Alpha Dunamis is coming!" yelped Beta Visenic.
I heard Alpha Orion's growl before he spoke, "Put Omega in the cellars. We cannot let Alpha Dunamis discover him."
Beta Visenic grumbled in approval and the pack house door flung open, "You're going in the cellars until Alpha Dunamis has left, understood?"
I bowed my head and followed him silently, still shifted into my wolf. I thought about attacking the Beta and escaping but shook the ideas away since I knew escape was hopeless. We soon stood in front of the rusty cellar doors and Beta kicked them open and shoved me down the stairs, making me hit my head at the bottom with a thud.
"Get in the cell mutt," he growled, kicking me into the wall, making me yelp in pain from the silver contents.
He then chained me with silver cuffs and put another silver collar around my neck. I whimpered and he let out a laugh, giving me another kick in the ribs before leaving. As soon as he left, the other inmates of the cellar began to taunt me and call me weak and pathetic. I knew this was true. I was born with a weak body and mind, even my last name spoke of my weakness. It meant 'low' in Hebrew and it was not my given name but they had beaten my memories out of me so I do not remember who I was before I was Omega. I knew it must have been just as awful of a life as the one I have now but there was no going back.
After thinking of how weak and pathetic I was I closed my eyes and found myself slowly falling asleep. This was surprising to me but I must be so used to pain that I found comfort enough to sleep. Soon enough, I fell into deep slumber, only to be disrupted by the cellar doors flying open.
"Where is the smell coming from?" growled a female voice.
I shivered at the voice but I felt... Delight? How could that be? It was just another female right? I shook the feeling off and continued to lie in the dirt floor of the cell until the voice was considerably close.
"He is here," she snarled, "Beta Walker, find the one who this scent belongs to."
"My queen, I am afraid all I smell is death and rotting flesh." her Beta admitted.
I could hear the confusion in her voice as she spoke next, "What? Does this mean... Let's hurry, I have business to attend to and Silver Blood is wasting my time. Once we find where this scent is coming from we shall leave with the wolf and head back to Wild Moon."
I froze as she spoke of Wild Moon. She couldn't be the Alpha Queen could she? But why was she in the dirty cellar tracking a strange smell? It made no sense to me until I caught a whiff of her scent and my wolf went wild.
Mate.
"No. No. No." I mumbled, scrambling to the back of my cage, "S-she can't be!"
Then my cell door flung open with a bang and she growled, "Mate."
My eyes widened as she walked towards me and then ripped the cuffs and collar off my body with ease, not even wincing as the silver touched her skin.
"Shift!" she commanded and I obeyed.
Her hazel eyes looked me over and she handed me a pair of shorts that her Beta gave her, "Here, put these on mate."
I complied and stood up, slipping into the shorts. We then stood there for a moment and I took in her beauty. She had long, silky brown hair and entrancing hazel eyes, the rest of her body was magnificent as well and I really wanted to see it up close. It took all my will power not to go and sweep her off her feet but she did not hesitate to take in my scent.
"What is your name mate?" she demanded, not tearing her eyes away from mine.
"I'm Omega Tyto." I responded, lowering my head in submission to her, "Will you be taking me with you Alpha Dunamis?"
She nodded, "Yes. Now follow me, I have to have a word with Orion. Also, call me Alpha Calixa, mate."
"Of course Alpha Calixa," I replied, bowing my head again.
I followed them out of the cellar, trying my best not to wince at each painful step I took. As we reached the top of the stairs I wanted to collapse from exhaustion but I forced myself to follow my mate towards the pack house.
"Orion," Alpha Calixa spat as they stormed into the pack house, narrowing her eyes at the Silver Blood alpha, "I have the sacrifice chosen. Omega Tyto will be coming with me."
Alpha Orion's eyes widened then narrowed as he caught sight of me, "You don't want that mongrel. There are much more worthy servants that could be slaved to you my queen."
She snarled and barred her teeth, feeling strangely emotional as he insulted me, "You shall not speak against my will understood! I will rip your throat out so you cannot speak if that is what you need to stay in line Orion."
He visibly stiffened and bowed his head to her, "I am sorry my queen. I hope Omega Tyto is fitting to your needs."
Alpha Dunamis nodded in approval and turned to her Beta, mind linking him before they left the pack house. I followed silently behind and Beta Walker ushered me into the black SUV that awaited us. No one asked any questions as I entered alongside Alpha Calixa and the car sped off immediately. The driver was a buff, burly man with a long shaggy beard, he also had a coating of tattoos that covered all his arm and went up his neck. Although he had many tattoos, I spotted the mark of his mate on his shoulder and silently wondered if my mate would mark me soon. I sure as hell wouldn't be allowed to mark her first. I feared that she would kill me if I tried.
"Tyto," my mate spoke, breaking the silence, "Why were you chained like a prisoner in your own pack?"
I didn't dare look at her as I shamefully answered, "I was being punished for being a bad Omega. Alpha Orion doesn't take mistakes lightly."
She slightly growled at me and turned my face towards her, "You shall not address that half bred mongrel as Alpha understand!?"
"Yes, of course. Sorry Alpha." I quickly apologized, fearing she may strike me, "Would you like me to sleep outside as punishment?"
"Why would you sleep in the dirt when you can have a bed?" she questioned, "Did you sleep outside in Silver Blood?"
I nodded, "Yes, but it's quite alright if you want me to Alpha. I understand what I did was wrong."
"You are a sad excuse for a mate, Tyto, but I will not make you sleep in the rain. I have a guest bedroom prepared for you in the pack house. Gamma Mond will guide you to your quarters." she responded, turning back towards the window.
I didn't say anything more and let the rest of the ride go on with an uncomfortable silence. I felt a strange calmness and safety with my mate but I knew that was just the mate's bond doing it's work and I actually hated it. I hated that I had a mate such as the queen and I despised it even more that she told me I was a sad excuse for a mate. I knew I didn't deserve her but she didn't have to be so blunt about my weakness.
Once we arrived at Wild Moon, Alpha Calixa quickly left me to continue on with her Alpha duties and Gamma Mond quickly appeared in front of me, "So you're the sacrifice from Silver Blood? Must be pretty special if you get a bedroom instead of a cell. By the way, I'm Gamma Mond, but you can call me Sol. No need to be so formal with me."
"I'm Omega Tyto," I replied, giving him a forced smile.
He looked at me for a moment and noticed me shuffling and wobbling in my spot, "Well you look like you could use a doctor, huh? Surprised Calixa didn't send you straight to the doctor. That neck of yours looks awfully painful. Want to see Dr. Serce? She'll make sure you can walk straight."
"That sounds good," I admitted, "Thank you Gam- I mean Sol."
Sol grinned at me and led me to the Wild Moon pack doctor, "Dr. Serce! I got you a good one today!!!"
I heard shuffling in the next room before the door flung open and I was greeted with a middle aged woman, "Oh my! He looks like a challenge. Alpha's latest victim?"
"No, Silver Blood pack hasn't been so kind to him," Sol replied for me, shoving me into the clinic.
I was immediately placed on the bed and the doctor examined me, "Well these wounds are pretty deep. I'm shocked you're still walking around, let alone conscious. Did they reopen these often?"
"Yes," I said honestly, "They said it was to break my spirit and that I was a disobedient mongrel."
When I spoke I was surprised how easily I got over how they treated me. It was years of abuse but I felt free the moment Alpha Calixa took me away and made me come with her. Although I didn't want to come with her before, now I was glad to be a part of Wild Moon, if she would let me.
"Well sweetie," she cooed, "I'll give you some antibiotics and painkillers. You should be healed within a few days but the scars will be deep. That Orion must've done some real damage."
I nodded and let her tend to my wounds, wincing every once in awhile as she got to the bad ones. After she finished covering my wounds with soft bandages, she sent me one my way with some ointment and a stock of bandages to change myself. She said something about not being ungrateful and to do some work on my own.
"Well, let's go to your room. Did you bring anything?" Sol asked as we walked down the on of the halls towards where I would be sleeping.
I shook my head and he sighed, "Tomorrow I'll let you have some of my clothes. Alpha Calixa isn't much for clothes so you'll have to make do with some of mine and Ryder's for awhile."
"Who's Ryder?" I found myself asking, curiosity getting the better of me.
"Calixa's older brother." he replied nonchalantly, "She challenged him for the spot of Alpha and since he didn't want to hurt her, she won. I actually wasn't that surprised, Ryder doesn't have a cruel or fighting nature like his sister."
"Oh," was all I said as we stopped in front of a room.
Sol grinned at me before shoving me inside the room, "This is your bedroom. Cyrus will get you in the morning, he's the Beta by the way. Around Calixa we have to be formal so I am assuming you didn't catch his name."
"You got that right," I agreed, "Well, I am fine now, thanks for showing me here Sol."
The Gamma pretended to lift a hat to me and I gave him a toothy smile before he left, shutting the door behind him. I then took in the room around me. It was a grand bedroom, the largest I've ever been in but seeing as though I was not allowed inside, that wasn't saying much. There was a wardrobe and dressers pressed up against a wall and the floor was wood with a large plush carpet on both sides of the bed.
"That carpet looks soft," I commented, curling up on the soft floor, "This is going to be one of the best sleeps I've ever had in my lifetime."
Then I closed my eyes and let the darkness consume me, not caring of what might come tomorrow.
☙❦❧☙❦❧☙❦❧
A/N: So guys how do you like my first book!? I wasn't sure what to write so you're gonna be stuck with this. I have a plot planned out so don't worry about it being discontinued or anything of that sort. Also, I will have my own werewolf terminology so you'll have to bear with me. I'm not sure if you guys will have a read a book like this or ever will but please tell me what you think in the comments and admire that sexy picture of Tyto above!