Chapter 9: Chapter 8

Mads

 

My sister was terribly excited. At breakfast, she spoke of nothing more than the upcoming competition. She was also flattered that she would get a special role. My parents listened to her with worried faces. Again and again, their gaze wandered to me. The problem child.

The upcoming competition was also the big topic at school. Everyone was excited or scared and no one knew what to expect. Except me. My downfall awaited us. Or not. I had won against Emmie. And if I could win against Emmie, then I could manage not to end up as an Omega!

No one approached me on the subject. They were just whispering behind my back. Emmie was unusually quiet. We didn't talk much, but she occasionally leaned against me.

"Mads! You have to make it! You have to show what you are worth! You are so much more valuable than many of the others", she whispered to me as she said goodbye. Today we wouldn't train because her parents wanted her to help set up for the competition. We had no idea what this meant. In addition, a small mountain of homework awaited us. I decided not to do this.

My way led me to the gorge. I was hoping to see Levi again.

And indeed, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, Levi appeared. I had just decided to go home...

"Hey! Mads!", he shouted to me, while his pleasant smell tickled my nose. "Sorry for yesterday. I was stopped! And today I wanted to come earlier, but... I was afraid you were already gone!"

He hurried to me and sat down between the bushes, where I had made myself comfortable.

"I was just thinking about swinging my pretty butt home!", I admitted. "So, you are lucky."

Levi cast a casual glance at the said butt, I blushed and grinned. "Lucky me!"

"You are!"

"You look worried. What's going on?" Levi tilted his head and looked at me closely. "You smell of fear again. Why?"

That made me laugh. "Why not?"

"I don't know... Maybe because you're too pretty to smell of fear?"

"What? Oh, stop it!" I knew I was good-looking, but apart from Emmie, no one had ever said that to me. Certainly not a male, attractive specimen.

"So? What is it this time?", the specimen asked again.

"Tomorrow there will be a big competition and if I lose it, I will be labeled as an Omega and I will end up on the market. I overheard a conversation, and it sounded as if soldiers would soon come here to take wolves with them again. This was confirmed at school today."

"What? And you have to join?"

I shook my head. "Yes. Hence the competition. Currently, we do not have anyone with the rank 'Omega' in the pack. Except me, if Alpha Ava gets her way."

The last time soldiers took five wolves were a year ago, all of which were labeled omega. Since then, no one had 'earned' the rank in the long term. Only one wolf had got it, but two weeks later he got rid of the rank again. A really lucky guy. That’s why they needed wolves that they could give away.

"I don't understand why your pack is so cruel. How did they do this before?"

"We were expected to fight as soon as we were fifteen, make a good figure, and be good hunters as well. Good school grades don't hurt either. I cannot serve with all three. At the latest with the sixteenth birthday, you were an omega, or not. But the fight for rank continues after that."

"Fighting... Only from fifteen?" Levi frowned in irritation. "Not before?"

I sighed. "Yes. Before that, too, but it doesn't count yet, so to speak. Puppy protection."

"Oh. That's crap. Your pack is crap!"

"You can say that out loud." I groaned and fought to put my head on his shoulder. I hardly knew him...

"I said it out loud, Mads."

"Not loud enough!" Instead of resting my head on the inviting shoulder, I lay down and stared up the cliffs. From here they looked like dangerous giants.

Levi lay down next to me. "Mads?"

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"Present!"

He laughed softly. "And if you run away? You could live in my pack. Ok. They also take wolves out of my pack, but... We don't have omegas. And no one is sacrificed! We would never do that."

That sounded more than just tempting, but... "My friends, well, my one best friend and my parents are here..."

"Mads." Levi reached for my hand and my heart somersaulted with happiness. "To be honest. Your smell didn't go out of my nose and I think I like you. Very much. I am in love with you, even though we hardly know each other. I know... But, I would be happy if you would accompany me to my pack. I'm sure my parents will be happy to host you."

"What?" But before I could agree, refuse, or confess my eternal love, I heard an unpleasant voice.

"Mads!" My lovely sister approached us and she seemed more than just upset! And she made a frightening impression. She wasn't quite as tall as Emmie, but Adahlia was also a female muscle man. A muscle woman with an extremely bad mood. "Here you are! Our parents sent me to look for you! And where can I find you?" She sniffed the air miserably. "In the gorge with a foreign beta! Come now."

I sat up and rolled my eyes. "How nice to see you, Adahlia."

"Is that your sister?", whispered Levi to me, sat up, and leaned close to me. I wanted to kiss him on the spot. "You are definitely your parents' prettier child. She looks like a... Pug with a cabbage hairstyle."

That made me smile. Cabbage hairstyle.

"Mads? Now!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me mercilessly to my feet. My wrist hurt because of her rough treatment. Her eyes wandered to Levi, who jumped up with a growl. "You! Beta! You will stay away from my brother. He doesn't become part of your pack. We need him! You'll never see each other again!" Then she pulled me away by the wrist.

Levi was so perplexed that he sat frozen. But finally, he called something after me. "I'll be back here tomorrow!"

"What was that?", my sister hissed at me. "Are you fraternizing with the enemy?"

"Enemy?" I looked at our hands. Adahlia's grip was iron. "You're hurting me!"

"Baby!" She snorted. "This pack is stealing our land. I'm sure Alpha Ava plans to evict them soon! That would be the best. And if she doesn't, then I will. Together with Einar!"

We saw Said Alpha on the way, with her husband, her children, and Beta Lifa with Sif. Emmie waved at me. I sighed. When we got home, my wrist turned blue. Fortunately, it would go away quickly. Still, it hurt.

"Mads! There you are!" My mother ran towards me. "What's that?" She looked at the bruise skeptically.

"That was Adahlia," I replied.

Mom looked at my sister, but she just shrugged her shoulders. "He was with a wolf from the other pack. The pack behind the gorge. That of Alpha Aksel. I brought Mads here before the other beta wolf could hurt him or fool him. I'm sorry if I was a bit rough."

"What?", I protested.

"A wolf from another pack?" Mom looked at me startled. "Mads! What if something had happened to you? What if he had kidnapped you to pressure our pack?" Then she looked at Adahlia. "Thank you, honey. That was very brave of you."

"Of course, Mom." My sister smiled hypocritically. She didn't want to protect me. No. She had been upset that she had to look for me.

Now my father came into the hallway. "Ah! Good." He grinned suspiciously. I frowned. "Mads is here! Perfect. Children? We go hunting and wrestling together. Mads? You have to be well prepared for tomorrow's competition!"

"What?", I said, stunned.

"Jarl was just here. He told us where and when the competition would take place." My father ruffled my hair. "In the gorge."

 

 

(Yes. That was it! Levi offered me a new home, but instead of moving out rejoicingly, I had to prepare for an unprecedented competition with my father and sister. But... I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave my pack either. It was everything I knew. And I loved my parents and my Emmie. I couldn't imagine life without them. On the other hand, I could do without Adahlia!)

 

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