The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 13

Clarke regretted every second of riding on Lexa's back. Having her legs wrapped around the alpha, and the way Lexa's strong arms gripped the backs of her thighs as she was carried, did things to her. Those feelings didn't even come remotely close to how having her entire torso pressed flat against the alpha's back made her feel.

As soon as Lexa stood, the omega had been forced to fling her arms around the alpha, and she held on for dear life as Lexa began to walk. Each step had her chest and core pushing against the rippling muscles of the brunette's back, and it had Clarke's mind short circuiting. Never had she felt her heart flutter quite like it did then, and the sensation down at the apex of where her legs met, that feeling had her downright alarmed. She had no idea what was happening to her or why she was feeling anything at all as the alpha carried her through the forest, and the problem was that it had her holding the alpha that much tighter which only made things worse. It was a vicious cycle that Clarke found unfair and confusing.

It had her so distracted that the omega didn't even notice when Lexa stepped into a wide-open field. It wasn't until a beam of sunlight hit her face that the omega took in the sight in front of her.

"Oh!"

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lexa carefully put her down, and Gustus ran forward to give the omega her crutches.

"It is." Clarke almost...almost forgot about the feelings she was just having.

Before her was a field of rolling hills covered in a riot of yellow, pale blue, orange, and pink flowers just like the ones Lexa had given her when they ate under the tree. The flowers nearly carpeted the field.

"I have never seen anything like this, not even in pictures." Clarke took a few steps into the field, partly because she wanted to get closer to the flowers, but also to get some distance between her and Lexa. The alpha's scent was permeating her nose, and it had her confused. She wanted to be enveloped in it at the same time as wanting to bathe herself to get the scent out of her hair and off her skin.

Lexa gave her the space she needed for a few minutes before she moving to stand next to her. "Would you like to sit for a few minutes?"

Relief flooded Clarke. She wasn't sure how much longer she would have been able to stand on her feet. She nodded, and Lexa helped her sit, placing the omega's crutches behind them and out of the way.

Lexa let Clarke relax for a few minutes without speaking, but after a little while, couldn't help but say, "I think before I explained myself poorly when we were discussing why omegas are so important to society."

Clarke felt Lexa's nerves when she didn't immediately answer her because to be honest, it still seemed like omegas were only valued because of the pups they could have. "It's okay, Lexa. You don't have to explain."

"But I do. I need you to understand that omegas aren't only valued for the pups they can give us, although I admit it used to be that way...but it isn't that way now," Lexa hurried to add. "Like I said before, omegas are looked up to for their calm demeanors. Even when things get tough and out of control, it is always the omegas that rein things back in and make other people see reason. It is why most of the clan ambassadors in Polis are omegas. In the old days, the ambassadors used to be alphas, but it wasn't long before Heda realized that filling a room with alphas and trying to come to agreement about whatever the issue was never worked. Alphas are hot-headed, impatient, and quite frankly not nearly as intelligent as most omegas."

Clarke looked at Lexa like she was making things up. All the alphas she had met so far since falling to the ground seemed plenty intelligent enough.

As if sensing her feelings, Lexa said, "It's true. Alphas, well most of them, don't have a head for business, strategy, or politics. It is why Heda must always have an omega at his or her side. Crucial decisions about the coalition are not made until they are passed by Heda's omega. It is also why the alpha novitiates are trained from such an early age. It takes alphas longer to grasp most concepts than omegas, and truthfully, it takes a lot of patience. When I was training before the Conclave, I enjoyed the physical aspects of what we had to do, but the sitting and learning were hard for me. It's hard for me to sit still and be patient but give me a weapon and I can go all day. Alphas have brute strength for a reason, but it is for that exact same reason that omegas do not. An omega's strength comes from their patience, perseverance, intelligence, and endurance."