Mads

The pack school was a small building with few classes and too few teachers for the young wolves from six to sixteen. There was a tiny schoolyard where most of the friendly brawls of the pack took place. Yes. Friendly. It was about having fun and proving yourself. (Most of the time.) Two things that were a mystery to me. Of course, that didn't make my dilemma any easier... I preferred to spend the breaks in the school toilet. To be specific, in the girls' bathroom. Together with Emmie.

The toilets were plain and simple. It smelled unpleasant most of the time, but it was better than getting involved in a scuffle outside, the meaning of which I could not understand. Why the hell did everyone want to wrestle? Scratch and bite? Like the savages! The fear of being an omega could not be the only reason. This fear didn't catch up with most of us until our fifteenth birthday. Emmie also liked to avoid the brawls. We had just finished two hours of math and barricaded ourselves in the toilet as usual.

Our teacher was so impressed by my subterranean math performance that she gave me tons of extra homework. Wonderful.

"Mads. If you don't want to become an Omega, you have to start hunting together with all of us and also take part  in the playful brawls now." Emmie sighed. "Training with me alone is not enough. You also have to participate." She leaned against me. "Eventually, you're sure to win! You just have to want it. I showed you everything I could."

"I did... Emmie. I tried! The result was always the same. I lost!" Good... At the age of eight, I had given up participating in these brawls, as I had considered it futile. But I had tried.

"You give up too fast! After school, we train one last time!"

I looked at her shocked. "One last time? Why? I mean... The plan didn't work. And you just said that you showed me everything you can do! But... Emmie? What did your parents tell you yesterday?"

"You'll find out."

"Emmie", I protested. "What is it?"

"Soldiers come here in a week to take wolves for the market." She wrapped her arms around me. "You have to do your best Mads! Promise me!"

"The market." That sounded as scary as it was. Very scary. "I'm only fifteen. Surely I still have some time?" The market. This was a slave market of witches and wizards, where the rich citizens could buy their servants. The nobility liked to come personally into the packs to choose wolves without paying money (Unfair. I know! But for us, it is even worse!), but in our pack, this had never happened before. No. Our Omegas always ended up on the market. That was part of the old agreement. Of course, not only wolves from our pack came there. There were well over a hundred packs in wolf territory, as well as a few unfortunates without the protection of a pack. But... Nobody wanted to end up there. Neither did I.

I was too good to end up as a pretty commodity! No! I wanted to find a wolf to kiss and try to make babies with him at some point. Which, of course, would be unsuccessful, but you could always try. You just had to take it sporty, right? A baby didn't matter to me either, just... Well. The trying.

I didn't want to live as an old spinster in the service of a snob! No. I didn't want that! And this beta... Levi... He looked like he was very sporty.

There were no omegas in his pack. That sounded like a dream.

After class, our teacher delighted us with terrible news. An arrangement by Alpha Alva. The anniversary of the founding of our pack and our small village was approaching. Our pack was founded a few years after the war and that was over five hundred years ago. And our agreement with the witches was this old too. And to celebrate this, in two days there should be a competition of young werewolves from fifteen to twenty-five in two disciplines: hunting and fighting.

I was freezing with shock and looked at Emmie. She grimaced apologetically. Of course, she had known that already.

All young wolves were obliged to participate.

"Please remember", said my class teacher, "that this is an important event. Do your best. Since we expect soldiers in a week, this is your chance to secure your place in the pack. This competition takes place in this form for the first time. It is an attempt at a new method to honor the strongest wolves! So far, those of you who have now turned fifteen have had some time to get a nice place in the pack. So, this is a great opportunity! Our young alpha and beta wolves will have a special role in this competition. What, is a surprise!" An excited murmur went through the class. Some were happy, and others looked frightened. The second I could understand very well.

This was not a great opportunity. No. Certainly not. It was my personal nightmare.

I ran out of time. My life here in the pack was officially over. Of course. The Alpha had already said it. It was decided. In this competition, they would show my weakness to the whole pack and then solemnly hand me over into existence as a slave. And all the young wolves who also had the misfortune to be as untalented as I was.

So why should I train with Emmie?

I couldn't convince Alpha Alva of my value.

I didn't want to be an omega... Why was I, ME?

But Emmie didn't want to hear about my objections after school and pulled me to the gorge.

"So! You're attacking me! Don't hold back!"

"Emmie. That doesn't help. You know your parents already labeled me an omega."

She shook her head. "Oh no. You're not sixteen yet! They can't just change the rules! You should have time this year to fight for your place and not be sorted out immediately. You don't send a wolf that has just turned fifteen to the market! They should give you at least a few months! Like everyone before us!"

"That's what they just did. The day after tomorrow I'll lose and then I'll be witch fodder!", I snorted angrily. "Let's do something nice instead!"

She shook her head again. Tears glistened in her eyes. "I won't lose you! So, attack me!" She slipped out of her clothes, turned into a wolf, and resolutely challenged me to fight.

I sighed and did her the favor.

This time it was different. I was determined to show her how useless it was. I did my best, which wasn't very much. Emmie fought back. She bit. I bit.

I won.

I pushed my best alpha friend to the floor. She transformed back and wrapped her arms around my wolf's body. "You did it!"

Surprised and relieved, I licked her cheek. Then I climbed off her, transformed back, and quickly got dressed again. Just like Emmie.

"I really won!" I. Yes. I couldn't believe it.

"Let's celebrate", Emmie said, but I shook my head.

"I'll stay here a little longer."

"Here? Do you have a date?" She winked at me.

My telltale cheeks turned red and prevented me from successfully denying this.

"All right Romeo! I'll leave you alone! Is it a handsome beta wolf with light blue eyes? Kiss him from me!" Grinning, she hurried away.

"What? I won’t", I shouted after her.

But Levi did not come. Eventually, I gave up waiting and went home.

(Yes. He did not come. He ditched me. Outrageous! Me and my attractive self. And Emmie? She had let me win and I fool didn't notice. She probably wanted to boost my self-confidence... Instead, I ran straight for a big disappointment. A disappointment that should not surprise me. Such insolence!!!)