Faith

part one

' My name is Eian, and I'm two months pregnant.
I'm... sad. Lonely.
The emptiness of this apartment suffocates me more with each passing day. Today, I visited Dr. Jane. Sitting in that waiting room, watching all the mated couples—omegas holding their alphas’ hands—I couldn’t bear it. Why do they get to have that, and I… don't? The weight of it crushed me, and I broke down. Dr. Jane was kind, though. She helped me calm down and suggested that I write my feelings in a diary to relieve the stress. So here I am... feeling small, miserable, and broken. I miss my soul mate so, so much, I ... '

Eian paused, her pen trembling in her hand. The sudden, gentle knock at the door startled her. She sighed, wiping away her tears with a shaking hand. Placing the notebook carefully on the floor beside her, she pushed herself up. The soft thud of her bare feet against the cold ground seemed almost too loud in the suffocating silence that filled her home. The walls, pale and barren, offered no comfort, and the furniture, still and untouched, seemed like shadows of a life she no longer recognized. Even the air felt thick with the weight of her sorrow.

Drained and barely able to move, Eian slowly walked to the door, unlocking it without a glance at her visitor—there was no need. It could only be Lily, her one constant, the only person left in her life who hadn't disappeared. Her only friend, her only support. A beautiful beta in her thirties, with black hair and dark brown eyes.

“How was your appointment?” Lily’s voice was soft, careful.

Eian didn’t answer. Instead, she sank back down onto the floor in her usual spot, feeling the cold beneath her skin.

“No, sweetie, not on the floor.” Lily's tone was tender but firm. She grabbed a pillow from the sofa, offering it to Eian before settling down beside her. “At least sit on this, okay?”

She knew. Lily always knew. Visiting the doctor wasn’t just a routine check-up for Eian; it was a fresh wound every time. Seeing the other omegas, happy and whole with their soul mates, tore at Eian’s heart, reminding her of everything. And all Lily could do was sit quietly by her side, sharing in her silence, knowing there were no words that could truly ease that pain

Time passed slowly, as it often did in this quiet apartment. Lily moved around freely, knowing every corner and creak by heart. She opened the fridge, pulling out vegetables, and set to work preparing a meal for the both of them. Lily had taken care of the young, vulnerable omega for a long time now, ensuring that Eian ate properly, took her vitamins, and didn't slip too far into despair. At twenty years old, Eian had no one else. Her soul mate, locked away in prison, wouldn’t be out for another ten months.

As Lily chopped and stirred, she cast worried glances toward Eian, who sat once more with her notebook. She scribbled slowly, as if the words themselves were too heavy to carry.

' He used to hold me close every night ' she wrote ' and promised he would never let anyone or anything harm me. But now... now he is harming me with his absence. I'm hurting. The pain is too much... How could life be this unfair? I left everything behind, and yet...'

Eian’s hand shook, the pen wobbling in her grasp. The ache was too much, even to write. She let the notebook fall to the floor, her gaze meeting Lily’s from across the room. Lily's expression was one of deep concern, but when Eian tried to smile, Lily mirrored it with a softer, brighter one of her own.

"I can smell it... did you make soup?" Eian asked, her voice quiet but trying to mask the pain.

Lily's smile widened, and she answered gently, “Yes, your favorite. It’s almost ready. How about taking a shower in the meantime?”

Eian nodded, slowly pulling herself to her feet before heading to her room. The warm water of the shower was soothing, but it couldn’t wash away the deep sadness clinging to her like a second skin.