In this alternative world, werewolves exist, and they are in clans
not packs
. The clans are like towns with large territories and a class hierarchy.
The werewolves of the alpha family lineage are gifted with special powers. The powers differ from one clan to another.
e.g. Clan A alpha lineage can have weather manipulation while Clan B alpha lineage can have shadow weaving
The rankings
Alpha-Beta-Omega
are considered in a high value where alphas are glorified, and omegas are objectified.
- - - - - - - - -
|Isabella's Point Of View|
To be born in a clan, they say, is the best life one could have as a werewolf. As a species that is born to live together and not alone, rogues out there suffer without proper food or clothes or any interactions.
But sometimes I wish I was a rogue.
Not just sometimes. All the time.
They cut my hair short when I turned eighteen. Omegas don't get the luxury of having long hair or any hairstyles. They have rules made just for us. We get toyed around. In the end, the high-end alphas get to choose an omega that they prefer through an auction. Then we belong to them, slave or mistress or concubine. We were told to accept our faith.
"The ceremony starts in a few minutes. Make sure to take the attention of the best alphas. Remember, the Leager clan doesn't have any omega slaves yet. Being their first will benefit you a lot. Calder Clan is the worst to get. However, your black hair is going to benefit you. You know that you are the only black-haired one around here." My mother combs my hair, as she explains.
I look at her and internally roll my eyes. Alpha Keen is the leader of our clan, Mayhem Clan. Being his concubine, my mother conceived me, and I was born as the pack leader's daughter. One daughter, to be specific. He has twelve children, and only two of them get any recognition.
The twelve of us have the power of weather manipulation. Though I don't know what that is or if that power is really there. But Alpha Keen and two of my step-siblings do have that power. I don't know if I really have that.
'I am so excited to meet our alpha.' my wolf, Lyra, comments.
'They won't treat us good. So let's lower our expectations.'
I watch as my mom walks out of the room, and I look out of the window. I know, in fact, everything's going to change from now on.
I walk out of the room when I hear the event bells and quickly join the line of omegas who are ready to walk onto the stage and stand in front of the alphas whose cunning eyes would select us.
So the event is simple, the alphas of every clan join this event where they bring the young omegas of their pack who have completed age eighteen. The omegas gather in one place, and then one by one, they are brought to the stage and auctioned off to the alphas, who bid on them. No money is transferred. This isn't a normal auction.
If two alphas bid on the same omega, other alphas get the upper hand in choosing which alpha should take that omega. The auction is as simple as that. We are mere objects that get picked up by them at the end of the day as a game.
The event officially begins. Number one walks to the stage, and the light dims and makes a spotlight around the omega, who looks down at her feet.
"Number 1. Blond hair, five foot three, blue eyes and no scars on her body." the announcer says. "The bidding starts now."
Murmurs are heard, and two hands go up.
"Calix Clan and Apex Clan." As the announcer says the names, two spotlights appear on the two tables of the clans.
"The voting starts now."
And the votes gather on the shared screen. I watch through the blinds with curious eyes to see what exactly is going on. It's my first time attending this event. As the votes go up one by one, I look around the dark hall. White tables are placed in a pattern with each clan's alpha, beta and two members seated on it. And they have got all kinds of food and beverages. It smells amazing.
'This is exciting.' Lyra gets my attention.
'Is it?'
'Yeah, because we get a chance to be away from our pack members who are the worst!'
'I agree with that. But will we get a good pack?'
'Probably. With the blackness of your hair, we have a chance to.'
"Clan Apex wins Number 1." The announcer ends the voting. And so the girl gets escorted out of the stage.
So Clan Apex got one omega to their side. But that doesn't mean they cannot bid on more. They can bid and get as many omegas as they like. Later exchange the omegas with clans if they want.
The auction goes to number forty, and I start sweating as I am number forty-three. I get chills down my body when my number gets called. I get called by my number, so no one in the hall gets to know my name.
"Number 43."
I keep standing at the entrance as I don't feel like going in there. So a worker pulls me and drags me to the middle of the stage. I hold the base of my shirt, looking down at my feet, but then I realise, being nervous or not, there won't be any difference. So I take a deep breath and look at the darkness in front of me. The spotlight above me has made me the centre of attention, and I look in that direction, waiting for someone to pick me up.
"Rare black hair, five foot five, brown eyes and no scar on body." the announcer looks at me. "The bidding starts now."
Six hands go in the air, and that's the most- one has ever had. I grip at the base of my shirt, cursing my black hair in my mind. I have always loved it, but right now, I wish I was bald.
"The clans, Apex, Hills, Leager, Arctos, Larken and Calder." The announcer looks at the display of the names on the screen. "Let's take a look at how many each clan has got yet."
My eyes move to the screen that shows that Apex Clan has got over six omegas. And so on, Leager Clan has got zero. I remember my mother telling me about that clan. If there's no way out of this shitty bidding, I better get to it.
"Leager Clan, Larken Clan and Calder Clan. The voting starts now." The announcer chooses the three clans that have the least number of omegas.
The voting goes horribly fast, and my eyes move from one number to the other in seconds. As the voting ends, I see that the Leager has got the highest votes. I feel something fall off my shoulders, a heavy burden, a heavy weight of all the things I had to bear all this time. I don't even know what this clan is, but my mother told me it's the best choice I have there. So I might as well embrace this moment rather than overthink it.
"Leager Clan wins number 43."
A round of applause, and I get down the stage. I decide to find my mother and let her know that I got to that clan, but a worker escorts me to the other side.
"I want to see my mom-"
"Later." he snaps. "Get into the vehicle." he pushes me into a vehicle, where I fall asleep after a few minutes of waiting alone in the darkness.
I wake up when I hear a voice next to me, and a man sits there talking on his phone. I get startled by his voice, and he raises his hand to stop me from freaking out. He speaks after he ends the call.
"It'll take only around ten minutes," he says.
"Who are you?" I question.
"Speak to him with respect." the driver barks, which startles me.
"I am Alpha Leager. You may call me what suits your rank," he says with a side glance. I notice the glow in his eyes, and even in the dimness, I notice that he's quite handsome. And I have heard that the Leager family line has the power of 'Emotion Sculpting'. Which allows them to manipulate another person into doing anything they want.
"Yes, sir," I mumble, looking down at my hands. I look out of the window at the passing buildings, and soon after, we pull into a large mansion. I have been to my old clan's mansion, but this is bigger than that.
We walk through the doors, and the maids bow their heads to him. They grimace at my sight and whisper to each other.
"The maids will let you know about the rules, and you have to follow them accordingly." Then Alpha Leager leaves.
The maids flock around me, and they notice my black hair.
"Tsk. If not for the blackness of your hair, you wouldn't have been chosen," they comment on my hair before taking me downstairs, where they show me an empty room. As I walk inside, they close the door behind me, and when I try to open it, it doesn't open.
"What are you doing?!" I yell from inside.
"We'll let you out in the morning."
'What is going on??' my wolf howls in the darkness.
'I don't know!'
