TRISTAN

 

Breaks within the snowstorm meant that there was a chance for us to leave our tents without getting caught in the snow. It was an opportunity to clear some of the snow that had gathered, get some more supplies if we needed them, or just get a breath of fresh air.

I stepped out of the tent and my foot sank into the snow. The snow was falling softly all around the camp with a bitter cold to make sure that we didn’t stay out for too long.

I took a moment to peek inside of the tent and check on Julius.

“Do you need anything while I’m out here?” I asked.

“If I needed something, I’d be out there with you. Come to think of it, why am I not out there with you?”

“Because… Do I have to remind you that you’re still injured?”

“My wounds have healed.”

“You can leave when you can walk without a limp.”

“To think… An Omega ordering an Alpha around. What would anybody think?”

“They’d think that I’m caring for my Alpha just as any good Omega should.”

He smiled and I did the same before I closed the entrance to the tent. I stepped out into the clearing and saw that some of the others had decided to leave their enclosures for the moment.

“Hello,” Rudy said to me. “How are things going?”

“Just fine,” I replied.

“And your Alpha?”

“He’s… He’s recovering.”

I didn’t think much of the question but when Rudy grinned, I immediately felt the heat in my cheeks.

“There’s nothing be ashamed of,” he said.

“I’m not ashamed,” I said. “Being with an Alpha like Julius… I’ve never been more proud of anything in my life.”

“I understand. I didn’t think much of Vesper but when I learned that I was fated to him, I would do anything to stay by his side. You have that with Julius now.”

There was nothing for me to hide but it still felt odd to admit it.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” Rudy said. “Being stuck out here must be unappealing for a city-dweller like yourself.”

“Not at all. I’ve lived in the Timberlands. It was a long time ago but I still remember it. There’s something about the woods that I can’t explain. It’s just a feeling. It’s nothing I could feel in Dirge.”

“You and your Alpha are free to stay here for as long as you like.”

“It’s tempting. But our lives are in the city. When the snow ends, we’ll make our way back to Dirge.”

“I expected as much… Would you like to join me, Tristan?”

“With what?”

“Vesper is resting in the tent. He’s a bear, so he tends to sleep through the snow longer than most.”

“I see… So you’re gathering supplies for him in case he wakes up grouchy.”

“No. I’m collecting supplies for myself. The fruit is particularly sweet when it’s frozen.”

Rudy smiled at me with the enthusiasm of a child. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him.

“All right,” I said. “Let’s go pick some fruit. How far are we going?”

“Far enough to find some good fruit and still be able to make it back to camp before the snow becomes heavy again. Let’s go!”

Rudy made his way through the snow like he’d done it so many times before. I trudged right behind him through the trees.

There was something beautiful about the way the forest looked when it was snowing. The tinge of white on all of the branches highlighting them was like something out of a painting. They even smelled different.

I took a deep breath and cleared my lungs while Rudy continued to lead the way.

“Here we are,” he said. “This should be a good start.”

I looked down at the bush he stood in front of.

“Help yourself.”

I picked one of the berries from the bush and popped it into my mouth. Rudy stared at me eagerly, his eyes wide and a growing grin on his face. I chewed on the berry. The cold juice splashed against my tongue. The flavor lingered in my mouth. I widened my eyes in surprise from how good it tasted.

“Wow,” I said. “That’s good.”

“It was something Vesper pointed out to me. There’s nothing quite like fresh fruit in the snow.”

“I think I can do something like this in Dirge.”

“From what I was told, it doesn’t get that cold in the city.”

“It doesn’t have to. We have freezers.”

“Freezers?”

The confusion in Rudy’s eyes was genuine. I chuckled softly and nodded.

“Let’s just say, I can mimic the taste of these fruits,” I said. “Or get something close to it at least.”

“Ah… I see…”

Rudy and I made our way through the forest as we continued to pick fruit. Every taste was a new experience for me.

We found a clearing full of various fruits. We each took our time picking fruit for ourselves.

“What’s he like?” Rudy asked.

“Who?”

“Who else? Julius. He’s an impressive man if he’s been elected to lead all of Dirge.”

“He’s impressive,” I sighed. “That’s one thing.”

“Why do you suppose the city picked someone like him?”

“Getting to know him, there are a lot of reasons. He’s honest. He’s loyal. He’s brave. He’s intelligent. He’s really good at what he does.”

“He’s also handsome.”

“I don’t think being handsome has anything to do with being elected,” I said with a laugh.

“You’d be surprised.”

“Maybe. All I know is that Julius is a leader. Maybe it’s because there’s a lion in his heart. I’ll never know for sure. But he’s the right man for the job.”

I was picking some fruit off of a bush and didn’t realize that Rudy was suddenly standing right next to me. There was a curious look in his eyes.

“All Alphas carry a heavy burden,” he said. “But Julius’s is especially heavy. It’s important that you stay by his side when he needs you most. Being a leader, he’ll face challenges. As an Omega, you have to be there for him.”

“I don’t intend on leaving him, if that’s what you’re thinking. I…”

I looked down at the ground and hesitated before saying it.

“…I’m carrying his child.”

“I figured you were.”

Rudy smirked and nodded at me.

“Fatherhood is a wonderful thing,” he said. “It makes the bond with your Alpha that much stronger.”

“Vesper… Does he face the heavy burdens you speak of?”

“Yes. He’s the protector of the herd. A bear living among deer. He would tell you he enjoys being here and he’d be telling the truth. But it’s also his responsibility. I love that I’m able to do what I can to keep him happy.”

I thought about what Rudy said for a moment and smiled.

“We should probably get back to camp,” I said. “I’m eating so much fruit that I won’t be able to move.”

“That’s a good idea,” Rudy said with a laugh. “Just a few more bites and I’ll…”

He cut himself off suddenly. He looked over to the side and stared into the darkness between the trees. I looked in the same direction as him but didn’t see anything.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Do you hear that?”

“I…”

I closed my eyes and listened. I could barely make it out but there was something.

“In the brush,” I said.

Rudy nodded to me. I swallowed anxiously as we both headed toward the brush.

We heard the sound getting louder and louder. We got so close that it became unmistakable.

It was breathing. Someone was hiding in the bushes.

“Hello?” Rudy called out. “Is someone there?”

There was no response.

“It’s all right,” Rudy said. “We don’t want to fight. We’re peaceful people.”

I held my breath and kept waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, the brush before us started to stir. I watched as a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. My eyes widened in surprise.

A young teenage boy stepped forward. His body was covered in dirt. His hair was unkempt. He looked like he’d been stuck in the forest for ages. The filth on him made his blue eyes that much more striking.

He looked at Rudy and me with his lips sealed.

“It’s okay,” Rudy said as he took a step forward. “We’re not going to hurt you. My name’s Rudy. This is my friend, Tristan.”

“Hello,” I said. “Do you have a name?”

The boy’s lips quivered nervously like he wanted to speak.

“Go ahead,” Rudy said. “You can say it.”

“A… Amil,” the boy said.

“Amil. What are you doing out here in the cold?”

“I… I was gathering food. For the others.”

“The others?” I said.

“We’re hiding from the snow. In our burrow.”

Rudy and I looked at one another.

“What do you think?” Rudy asked.

“He’s an Omega. I can smell it on him.”

Rudy nodded then turned back to Amil.

“Amil… We can help you,” Rudy said. “Can you take us to your burrow?”

Amil looked hesitant.

“It’s okay,” I said. “We have a lot of food back at our camp. We can share it with you. And we have a place to stay to keep you warm from the snow.”

“I… I don’t know if the others would like that,” Amil said.

“We only want to help,” Rudy said. “You can trust us.”

“You might be predators.”

I smiled softly at the young man.

“There are no more predators in the Timberlands,” I said. “I promise.”

Amil swallowed nervously then nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the slight smile form on his face.

“You’re really not trying to hurt us?” Amil said.

Rudy and I both shook our heads.

“…The others are over here.”

Amil turned around and started walking through the trees. Rudy and I followed him for a few minutes until we came upon an empty forest clearing. I searched for any sign of where someone would hide. Then I noticed the bundle of twigs and branches collected on the ground.

Amil worked to remove the branches and revealed a giant underground burrow.

“This way,” he said.

We followed him down into the darkness. There was just enough light shining from above to see that Amil wasn’t alone. Five other Omegas just as young and innocent as Amil were all huddled with their arms wrapped around themselves.

“They’re alone,” Rudy whispered. “Hiding from predators. Hiding from the cold. Omegas with nowhere to go.”

It broke my heart to see them like this. But knowing that they had a place to stay now, I breathed another sigh of relief.

I looked at Rudy and he smiled back at me.

“Is there room at the camp?” I asked.

“There will always be room with the herd.”

I turned to Amil. He stared at me wide-eyed and innocent just like his brethren.

“You don’t have to hide any longer,” I said to the young Omega. “There are no more predators in the Timberlands. Nobody will try to hurt you. I’m an Omega just like you. I can find you shelter and food. You don’t have to stay in this cold and dark burrow any longer.”

“…Do you promise?” Amil asked.

“I promise.”

I looked around and watched the smiles slowly form on all of their faces. Seeing their sudden happiness made me laugh to myself. I looked at Rudy and saw a tear leaking from the corner of his eye.

“Come on,” Rudy said to them. “Let’s get out of here and head back to the herd. I’m sure they’ll be anxious to meet you. It’ll be a lot of fun with all of you around.”

“I can’t wait to see the look on Julius’s face when he sees these Omegas,” I said.

“Why’s that?”

“Because we came out here to save Omegas. Now he’ll know that heading out to the Timberlands was all worth it.”