Chasing the Omega

by Jessica Edwards

  I walk into the crowded cafeteria, and the first thing I smell is all the different foods that have been prepared for us. I can hear all kinds of chit chattering going on around me, I can see people laughing, gossiping, fighting and socializing with each other.

  I see Sam sitting alone on a circular table texting on her phone talking to God knows who. I sit next to her as Max sits opposite me.

  'It's kinda crowded in here don't you think.' Max looks around the cafeteria, and I can see on his face that he's taking in the different kinds of cliques in the school.

  'It's fascinating isn't it? How you come to school and figure out where you fit in.'

  'Did you figure out where you fit in?' Max smirks at me.

  I shrug. 'Me and Sam don't really fit in with these kind of people. We figured that out early on when we started school, we’re a weird pair as you can see.’

  'Really?' Max tilts his head. 'I mean what kind of people do you have here?'

  I point towards the back of the cafeteria. 'At the back is where the jocks and cheerleaders sit. They consider themselves as being the top of the food chain.'

  'They think they're better than everyone else?' Max frowns.

  Sam puts her phone down and crosses her arms over the table. 'To them, we are beneath them and nothing more than dog shit.'

  Max looks behind him to look at the jocks and stares for awhile. 'No one should feel like dog shit.'

  Sam snickers. 'Yeah, try telling that to them.' Sam stands and grabs her purse. 'I'm gonna grab some lunch and if I remember correctly, it's curry day today which means salad for me.'

  As Sam walks to the salad bar, a few of the jocks from the back wolf whistle. I can't help but laugh when I see Sam turn to the back to give them the middle finger.

  'What's that all about?' Max comes to sit next to me.

  'Sam used to cheerlead believe it or not. She used to be captain too, but those girls back there didn't want her to be their captain because she got all the male attention from the guys.'

  'I thought girls liked attention?' Max nudges me.

  'Not Sam, she prefers to pick someone that she wants male attention from.'

  'What happened after that?'

  'All the girls on the team complained to the coach that they didn't want someone they didn't like to be their captain. I mean if you were a coach what would you do? Keep most of the team happy and get rid of one cheerleader, or keep one cheerleader and the rest of the team quitting?' I shrug. 'So Sam left to keep the team happy. She was kinda upset when she left but then she got introduced to football and she loves it.'

  'It's their loss. And what about you?'

  'What about me?' I tilt my head and smile.

  'Do you play football?'

  'God no! You'll never see me playing football or anything involving running.'

  Both of us are laughing by the time Sam comes back. She looks at the both of us like we're crazy. She puts her tray down and sits next to me.

  'What's so funny?' Sam picks up her fork and starts digging into her lunch.

  'Max was asking me if I play football.'

  Sam starts choking on her food. 'Alice playing football? You've gotta be kidding me, you could pay her thousands and she wouldn't do it.'

  'Yeah well I wouldn't wanna play football after seeing photos of you with a red face and your nostrils flaring.' I will never get those images out of my head.

  'Football is an intense game. You either play properly or stay away from the pitch.' Sam turns to Max. 'Do you play football?'

  He clears his throat. 'Not anymore but I used to play.'

  'Do you do any kind of sport?' She goes back to eating her food.

  'You play basketball right?' I look at Max to see him smirking at me.

  'Yeah I do.'

  'See? I listen.' I pull out my purse and stand from the table. 'You wanna grab some lunch with me?'

  'Sure.' Max stands from the table and follows me to the line for the hot food.

  As we wait in the line together, I feel this shiver down my back and turn to look at the cafeteria door to see Ryder, Bane and Silver walking towards an empty table right next to ours.

  They sit down, Silver sits next to Ryder with Bane on his other side; Kellan's nowhere to be seen.

  'So where do they fit in?' Max motions with his head to the newcomers.

  'They kind of stick to themselves.' I turn back to look at Max. 'But, honestly? I don't know, I mean it's not difficult to see the goths, the nerds, the skaters and the rich kids...but them? They don't really have a name for themselves but everyone stays away from them. They kind of have a reputation.' I doubt calling them the wolf gang would go down well.

  Both of us have the curry, pay and go back to sit down.

  'Right, I've gotta go and catch up on homework before Math starts. You're working tonight are you?' Sam picks up her bag and stands from the table holding her tray.

  'Yeah but I'm only working till six tonight.' I take a sip of my drink.

  'Oh yeah, you finish school early on Wednesdays.' Sam pouts. 'You lucky bitch, alright see you tomorrow.'

  I wave goodbye and pick up my fork.

  'I didn't know you worked?' I notice Max's half empty plate.

  'Uh yeah, I work at the diner next to the forest.'

  'The forest? That's kind of an odd place to have a diner.'

  'It's actually a really nice place to work. It's out of the way and most days it's really quiet.' I start eating my food when again I feel people staring.

  'I'll come visit you sometime then.' As Max pulls out his phone I turn around and come face to face with Silver.

  'Why are you all staring at me?' I make sure to keep my voice low enough so that Max doesn't hear me.

  'What makes you think we're looking at you? You're nothing special to look at.' Silver sneers.

  'Silver.' Ryder warns from beside her. She huffs, turns around and takes out her phone.

  'Ryder, I swear to God if you're following me...'

  'Remember what I said.' He stands from the table and leaves with his Beta's in tow. I sigh and turn back around.

  'Everything okay?' Max looks at me with concern on his face.

  'Yeah, everything's fine.' I stand from the table and grab my bag off the floor. 'If you want I can show you where the basketball court and gym is?'

  He looks at my half eaten plate. 'You've barely eaten anything.'

  'I've lost my appetite.' We leave both of our trays on the table and leave the cafeteria.

  Our school campus is huge and there would be no way in hell that Max could find the gym on his own. I lead him towards the back of the campus where the football pitch and the basketball court is, and see people there already changed for practice including Ryder, Bane and Kellan. I ignore them and motion to the door leading to the changing rooms.

  'So here we are. The changing rooms are through there and there's another door on the end leading to coach's office.'

  'Thank you so much for this, I know that you've got better things to do.'

  I'd rather be here than anywhere else actually.

  'It's fine honestly.' I sigh. 'I'm heading to work now anyways.' I pull the strap of my bag tighter against me. What am I supposed to do now? Hug him? High five him? Do a thumbs up?

  'Alright then. See you tomorrow?'

  I smile. 'Absolutely.' Just as I turn around to leave, I hear Max laughing behind me.

  'I would've hugged you if you wanted to.'

  I roll my eyes, keep walking and I do it without looking back.

  Chapter 8

  That evening when I arrive at the diner, it's the same as it's always been. Practically empty. Robbie's actually working for once as he's seated himself behind the cashier speaking on the phone. He waves to me just as I pass him to go into the changing rooms. I quickly change into my black shorts, my red t- shirt, white apron and tidy my braid before going out into the diner.

  I grab an order pad and stand at an elderly couple's table.

 
; 'Can I take your order?' I smile at the old man who’s squinting at the specials, 'The specials today is the vegetable soup, curry, chili con carne, squid and bolognese.'

  'What's the curry dear?' The old woman asks.

  'We have Korma, Rogan Josh or the Pasanda.'

  'Richard shall we have the Rogan Josh?' He mumbles just as the woman answers. 'We'll have the Rogan Josh please dear.'

  'No problem, the wait shouldn't be too long okay?' I take their menus, walk into the kitchen where I see Terry singing along to the radio.

  'Hey Terry.' I place the order on the stand. 'You okay?'

  'I'm alright thank you Alice.' He flips over a pancake and catches it in the pan.

  I take a deep breath. 'Terry, I'm sorry you had to witness that the other night.' I wince just remembering about it.

  'I won't have some little shit shout at you like that Alice.' Terry slams the pan back on the stove a little too hard. 'You gotta stick up for yourself.'

  'What do you suggest I do?' I cross my arms over my chest and smile warmly.

  'Kick'em where it hurts the most.' He whistles. 'Right in the fucking balls.'

  I chuckle, 'Noted.'

  I'm smiling by the time I walk out the kitchen but it vanishes when I see who's occupying the bar stools. Ryder's already sneering at me while Kellan pretends to read the menu.

  'Don't even pretend that you're reading that.' I take the menu from him.

  Kellan frowns at me. 'Everything okay?'

  'What do you think? I'm being followed around and it's driving me insane! If you think I'm going to tell Max about you, then you don't know me at all. I won't tell him anything.'

  Out of nowhere Ryder slams his hand on the counter. 'I don't give a shit if you tell him or not!'

  Everything falls silent in the diner.

  'Why do you have such a problem with him?'

  'Guys calm down,' Kellan looks warily between us.

  'You barely know the guy and you're already sticking up for him!?' Ryder spits.

  'He's been nothing but polite to you! How dare you!' I hiss.

  Ryder gets out of his seat and comes to stand face to face with me.

  'Stay away from him.' He points at me. ' I don't give a damn if he's polite or not, I don't trust him and I won't tell you again. Stay away from him if you know what's good for you.'

  'Who the hell do you think you are telling me to stay away from Max?' I lower my voice. 'I am not part of your pack and I never will be. Don't ever tell me what I can and cannot do ever again.'

  Just as I finish talking Robbie appears behind Ryder.

  'I'm gonna have to ask you to leave son.' Robbie places his hand on Ryder's shoulder which he nudges off and storms out of the diner.

  'Alright nothing to see here folks.' Robbie walks back into his office.

  I look at Kellan to see that he hasn't moved. 'Not following your Alpha like you're supposed to do?' I pick up a cloth and start wiping down the counter.

  'Nah I'm quite hungry actually.'

  'What's his problem Kellan? If someone's going to tell me what's up with him then it's you.'

  'Why me?'

  I shrug. 'You're the nice wolf.'

  Kellan sighs and clears his throat. 'Ryder's just protecting you. You may not think that he is but he's just looking out for you, he wants to protect everyone.'

  'What do you mean by that?'

  'Well the night I was bitten was the night that Ryder saved my life. I was at a grocery store buying all kinds of junk food like all teenagers do, I saw Ryder there and I obviously didn't know what he was. I was waiting in the line to get served when this man came in dressed in black wearing a ski mask. I knew this guy was gonna rob the place and I wasn't gonna have that being a cop's son. Ryder was standing quite far from where I was and I started talking to the guy in the mask, trying to calm him down to talk him out of it. Normally robbers are calm and they know exactly what they're doing...but he didn't. He was scared, he didn't know what the hell he was doing, he panicked and shot me right in the chest. Ryder dragged me out of the store, into the nearest alley and he told me I was gonna die if I didn't accept what he was offering. All I could think about was my dad and I had my answer.'

  'He bit you.' I sigh. 'Does your dad know what you are?'

  Kellan shakes his head. 'No, and I’d like to keep it that way.'

  'And the man in the mask, did he escape?'

  'Yeah.'

  I pause for a second. 'Kellan, do you mind if I ask you a question?'

  'Anything.' He answers without looking at me.

  'The other night at my house, why were your eyes different from Bane and Silver's?'

  Kellan puts the menu down. 'I was turned less than a year ago, a few months after Anna's death. When Ryder changed me, he wanted me in his pack but after losing Anna I just wanted to be left alone. Ryder would check up on me at school, to see if I was okay and he always told me that he'd be there whenever I needed him. A couple of weeks later, I decided to go and see him and that's when I met Bane and Silver. Ryder wasn't there and it was obvious that they didn't want me anywhere near him or the pack, so they did what Beta's do. They forced me out of the pack.'

  'Can they do that?'

  'As second in commands they can. Ryder didn't know anything about it until he asked them why my scent was there, and they told him. I was on my own for awhile keeping to myself and keeping away from everyone. That didn't last cause Ryder told me about how Omegas don't survive on their own and he brought me back to his pack. And for my eyes? They're yellow because I'm the weaker one out of them all. For example if we're fighting with another pack they can see who the easier target is, that being me, but my eyes will change eventually.'

  'Wait, are you the only pack in Small Town?' I wheeze.

  'No Alice, there's thousands of us.' Kellan smirks. 'And soon you'll be one.''

  I shake my head. 'If I survive, which I probably won't.'

  Kellan gets up from his seat. 'Ryder is going to do anything he can to help you survive, fighting the first change was a huge mistake. The next time you change you're gonna experience a whole lot of pain.'

  That does not make me feel better at all.

  'Why does Ryder feel like he needs to be there for me all the time though? He doesn't owe me anything.'

  Kellan tenses his jaw and drops his head. 'Because the same thing happened to his sister.'

  Ryder had a sister? Wait..What?

  Kellan clears his throat. 'A while back, Ryder and his family were camping out in the woods. Ryder and his parents changed frequently into a wolf, but his sister fought every change because she feared that she'd lose control, and she kept growing weaker. The night was a full moon, and Ryder and his parents knew how to control the change but his sister was wondering around the woods, probably gathering more wood for the fire but she didn't come back for awhile and Ryder couldn't understand where she'd gone. It turned out that she did turn..but she barely managed it on her own.' Kellan clears his throat again. 'She ran for miles and ended up by the creak. Anna was found ripped to shreds by the river, they were too late.'

  Ryder and Anna were brother and sister!?

  'Anna..?' I gasp.

  'Anna thought she was adopted because she looked nothing like Ryder, but she meant everything to the two of us.'

  'Kellan, I'm so sorry.'

  'You'd never guess that they were related so no one asked about it. That’s why Ryder’s just trying to make people understand that changing isn't such a bad thing.' Kellan shrugs. 'I mean sure you lose control when it's a full moon but that's not every night.He just doesn’t want the same happening to you like it did with Anna.'

  'I fought the change because I didn't want to hurt anybody.' I quietly say.

  'You won't hurt anyone Alice because you've got me and Ryder looking out for you.' He grabs my hand gently and strokes his thumb against my skin. 'We won't let you hurt anyone, I promise.' He lets go of my hand and collects his bag off the floor.

  'How w
as basketball?'

  Kellan doesn't answer me straight away. 'Me and Ryder left before it started to come here to talk to you.'

  I snort. 'You mean, to warn me.'

  Kellan shakes his head and sighs. 'I can't make you listen to me but please listen to Ryder.'

  'Not you too Kellan' I snort. 'What is it about Max that you don't like?'

  'Please Alice, just listen.' Kellan stays still for a moment but when he sees that I have no response, he turns and leaves the diner.

  Listening to Kellan talk about his life as being a wolf and the truth about Anna, I realise that I have no idea what these guys have been through. What if what Kellan says is true? That Ryder's just trying to protect me. From what exactly? Max? He's been nothing but kind to me and he seems harmless.

  I'm walking to the kitchen when I hear Robbie calling my name from his office.

  'Alice, can you come in here for a second?'

  'Everything okay?' I lean my hip against the door.

  Robbie turns in his chair and slicks his greasy hair back. 'What was that all about earlier?'

  I look at the floor. 'Just a misunderstanding. I'm sorry, it won't happen again.'

  'I know Alice but I just can't have that in the diner, okay?' He dismisses me by turning in his chair and going back on the computer.

  Walking into the kitchen, I see Terry finishing off the couple's curry, I carefully carry the steaming hot plates to them.

  After serving the remaining customers, I say goodbye to Terry and Robbie, change out of my uniform and leave the diner.

  Working 5 days a week isn't so bad. I was lucky enough to get Friday's and Saturday's off. Some days I truly love working there because it gives me the freedom of not having to worry about anything, that was until I didn't have to worry about becoming a wolf. Now I'm living in fear that I'll change at the worst possible moment.

  When I arrive home, the house is silent and all the lights are off. My mother's probably still at work. I go upstairs, take a shower, change into my nightwear and walk downstairs to heat up some soup in the microwave, after today I don't think I can eat much. The moment it heats up I take it upstairs and into my bedroom.