The Tribute (Clexa)

Chapter 18

They had been riding for an hour, and Clarke was so distracted by the omega riding next to her that she had forgotten all about the discomfort in her leg. She kept stealing glances at the man named Lincoln. He smelled like an omega, but he looked like an alpha. He also had an air of confidence around him that screamed dominance to her. Truthfully, the blonde had a feeling the man was probably more powerful than any person on the Ark.

It was astonishing to her that an omega could be so strong. The man fairly rippled with muscles. He was the embodiment of pure power, yet he had a calmness about him that had Clarke feeling at ease. It was a heady combination, and it had her wondering if she could be like him one day.

She shook herself and looked ahead. Sure, she was stronger than she had ever been, thanks mostly to Anya's training, but she doubted she would ever be powerful or be able to command respect. She had a distinct lack of faith in herself. Her confidence was growing, but she suspected it would never be what she wanted it to be.

She clenched her fists around Haula's reins and silently scolded herself for having such an attitude. Already she was more than she ever thought she could be, so why did she keep thinking she couldn't be stronger, faster, or more confident than she was now? It was that attitude that would hold her back, and she didn't want that.

She stole another glance at Lincoln. She wanted to be more like him. She didn't want the muscles, although to have a few might be nice. No, she wanted the relative ease with which he carried himself. It was clear to her that he didn't doubt his abilities, and she had a feeling that he was powerful enough to withstand the dominance of many of the alphas around him.

It would be nice to be able to stand in a room full of alphas and not worry about being sent to her knees with just a glance. How many times had Clarke been forced to submit on the Ark? It was too numerous to count.

She wondered if Lincoln could help her with that. She wanted to ask him but was too shy. It didn't help that he was a quiet man. All the riders around her were being quiet. Except for a few quick commands from Lexa, the group had been traveling in silence.

Clarke looked at the others. Anya was riding point with Lexa in the back but close enough to Clarke to keep her well protected. Their group rode in a diamond pattern of sorts. Anya and Lexa taking the front and back with Gustus and Ryder on the sides. She and Lincoln were in the middle, being protected from every angle.

It still surprised her how the alphas set themselves when riding. On the Ark, the omegas would have been shoved to the front, making them the most vulnerable to attack. The alphas would have kept themselves in the middle.

It made her realize something. The alphas on the Ark weren't powerful, they were weak, and they were bullies, and just like with most bullies, they were cowards. They preyed upon the vulnerable instead of protecting them, and they would be the first to sacrifice someone else in order to save their own skin.

That wasn't how it went on the ground. Clarke knew that Anya and Lexa would protect her, and Lincoln too, with their lives. They would not sacrifice anyone to save themselves. At the same time, she knew that Lincoln didn't need protection. She knew just by looking at him that he could defend himself.

Looking at everyone, she realized that she was the only one who needed protection, and she didn't want that. She wanted to be able to protect herself, and if push came to shove, she wanted to be able to protect others.

She let her hand drift down to the dagger strapped at her side. She decided she wanted to learn how to use it properly, and not just for practical tasks. She needed to learn how to wield a weapon, and she needed to learn how to fight. She wanted to be strong, just like every other person she had met so far. Everyone around her could protect themselves. She wanted to be able to protect herself too. She didn't want to feel like she always needed to be placed in the middle of the pack.