Her

Chapter 5

Morning seems to come far too early. I groaned quietly as I was shaken awake. Drool still ran down the corner of my mouth as I sat up, trying to remember my surroundings.

"You should wipe that drool off." Lux's voice pulled me from my stupor.

I jumped and wiped the drool with the back of my hand. I blinked sleepily and stood up shakily. The room seemed in order and Lux stood in the center looking exasperated. Her cloak was slung around on her shoulders once again.

"Finally, I thought you would sleep forever. We need to head out now." She turned and opened the door.

I scrambled up and grabbed the sack. It had sat in the corner, undisturbed by anyone or anything. I opened it though to make sure that its looks weren't deceiving. When I was satisfied with the looks of the contents I trailed after her.

She walked with confidence down the hall. Her tall frame blocked my view of anything that laid ahead but even with my weak sense of smell I knew what awaited us. Her body swayed down the corner and I was left scrambling after.

Just as I had smelled there they were. Seven other Omega's stood at the front door. Their starving frames identical to my own. They bowed their heads respectfully as she sashayed past them. As I scrambled after her, their faces wrinkled in confusion.

I looked at each face. I prayed that among the group there would be a boy with auburn hair and dull blue eyes that matched my own. My heart was wounded though when I saw that he wasn't. He hadn't been picked. We had always known we may lose each other. We had thought only death could separate us but now we were being shown otherwise.

"Cyra!" Lux's voice called from ahead.

"Coming!" I whimpered.

I trotted next to her, my head bowed. Tears leaked from my one good eye. They streamed down my freckled face and blurred my weak vision. A hand reached out to roughly grip my jaw and I recognized her touch instantaneously. Even though her touch inspired fear in my heart, it also put a warmth in there too.

She pulled my head up and I was face to face with her. Some raw emotion lurked in her predatory gaze as she searched my face. Her fingers relinquished their grip on my jaw. They now slinked their way up to my cheek and settled into an almost soft caress.

Her face softened. Her thumb moved to brush a stray tear from my cheekbone. She kept her hands there for several seconds until a voice broke her from the embrace.

"Lux! The boat is awaiting your arrival!" The bearded man from last night was suddenly there.

"Ah, yes sorry about that Ivor." She apologized.

He raised an eyebrow as he glanced in my direction. He seemed curious about why I was still here. He didn't say it aloud though, instead, he turned and walked towards a schooner that awaited us.

"That's my Beta," She said, "He's been with me a long time."

"Oh," I stated.

I glanced behind me to see the other Omega's being rounded up like sheep behind us. Several members of Lux's pack ushered them along. Occasionally they would snap their jaws and the Omega's would cower and run.

I walked up the gangplank uneasily. The boat's floor rocked back and forth underneath my feet. A lulling motion that would have otherwise soothed me if not for my state of emotion now. Instead, it only rubbed salt in my wounded heart. If I went across the sea then I would never see Calix.

Tears threatened to spill once again. Lucky for me the session was ruined by the herd of frightened Omega's. They stumbled around, fear lurking in their eyes and the scent of it was pouring off of them in waves.

A Delta spoke up, "Where should we put them?"

Lux glanced at the crowd in disgust. "Put them in the bowel of the ship." She flicked her fingers at them.

The Delta that had spoke opened up a large hatch that laid in the center of the ship. Another Delta growled and shoved me into the group. We were led down the steps, the inside of the ship smelled of salt and filth. I glanced at Lux's fading figure. She was walking to a cabin, either oblivious or uncaring that I was being put down here.

I grunted in slight pain as I was shoved. I fell on my knees but I caught myself from falling any further. I stood up and brushed off the pain from my stinging palms. My knees were bruised and bleeding.

I sighed and found a corner to sit in. Despite the smell and darkness that flooded the bowel, it was spacious for us. Of course, it was filled with cargo and barrels and they swayed and slid as the boat sailed but it was still better than what we were used to.

"Hey, one eye," Someone called out, "Do you know what's going to happen to us?"

I swallowed. "No."

"Maybe they'll use us as bait for the wild animals." Someone whispered.

"Or they'll murder us and use our bones for decor." Someone said half-heartedly.

A silence set in after that. Horrible fantasies of our fate sprung in everyone's mind. The boat groaned and swayed every second. Footsteps from above were heard and water would occasionally come and trickle down upon us. We were drenched after what felt like an hour but no one knew the time that had gone by.

Abruptly, the hatch swung open and footsteps were heard. We all scattered, hiding in the small cracks and sliding under things. Everyone held their breath as we saw who it was. Lux stood there, her expression haughty and the elk cloak now on one shoulder.

"Cyra, I would recommend you getting your ass out here now." She said calmly, yet as she held up her hand to clean her fingernails they were stained red.

I shook slightly and squeezed out of my hiding place. The barrels shifted and allowed me with ease to clamber out. I stood in front of her, my hands shaking slightly.

"I'm here," I whispered.

Something changed in her suddenly. Her arms reached out and enveloped me, pulling me close to her frame. I was surprised to feel hard muscle underneath her clothes. She hugged me tightly, her cold face pressing into the crook of my neck.

"I didn't know where you were." She mumbled against my skin.

The motion sent chills down my spine unlike any other. They weren't chills of fear, they were something else. I tried to shake off the feeling though as she pulled away.