Page 52 of Wild Omega

“Nah, most of them relax after an hour or two.”

“Guess this one’s got guts.”

“Or an anxiety disorder.”

Their laughter hurts my ears and I back away. Sounds are different out here, thinner as the wind carries them away, but I can’t settle. My job has always been to fight, and if I can’t do that, what’s left?

I’m thirsty and I open my mouth, testing the dry air. An alpha on the other side goes to a silver box and I smell water.

Maybe the fights have changed, and now I’m the challenger.

“Whatchyu thinking, crazy boy?” the big alpha asks, eyes narrowing on me.

The longer I wait, the more dangerous this gets. The heat radiating off my skin might dry me right up. I peel back my lips and give myself a bit more space from the fence.

“Guys, I think he’s—”

A gust of wind rushes through my hair, cooling my heated skin. I take one skipping step and then throw myself at the fence, clawing my way up. The metal cuts at my toes but I grit my teeth and push on.

“Fuck! He’s climbing!”

Now the challengers wake, and I double my speed, muscles screaming in pain as I force my body up over the fence that’s higher than any cage I’ve been in. Screeching alarms go off and finally the lights flash. I grin in triumph as I drop into the challenger ring. The game is still in play, it just changed forms. I had to act first this time.

The alphas flock my way as I hit the ground. I spin and kick out at the first one and the satisfying thump of flesh under my foot settles the jitters crowding my body. This is what I was born to do.

I kick and flail, catch alpha after alpha. They fight strangely, with their fists up in front of their face like they don’t understand this is life and death. All the better for me. I weave in and out of their sluggish movements, striking weak points. No padded fur skins here.

A heavy force slams into the side of me, knocking me head over feet. I blink light spots out of my eyes as the big alpha holds a long wooden block over my head. Fiery pain runs through the entire right side of my body, and when I lift my arm, it dangles loosely and won’t obey. I wheeze, frozen with pain.

The alpha bares his teeth at me with a predatory grin. “Fuck, kid, you’ve got balls on ya.”

Shrill whistles fill the air, and I flinch as the sound streaks straight into my brain. I scrabble at the dirt, putting some distance between me and my dangerous foe.

“Put it down, Mr Alhedy!”

The wood tumbles to the ground and the alpha puts his hands behind his head, making his elbows stick out. Exposing his throat like these guards pose no threat to him. His teeth flash as he grins. “All right, officer. Don’t give me grief for doing your job now. You just gotta know how to handle them right.”

I snarl and lunge to my feet, but one of the guard alphas sweeps his leg through mine. My arm hits the dirt first, and I whine in agony as white-hot light shoots through me, paralyzing my body. By the time I’ve started breathing again, they have chains on my feet and hands again. I slump on the ground, panting.

The guard growls and shakes me. “Fucking psychos! Seriously, why don’t they just put them out of their damn misery!” Waves of pain blast through my body, each one stronger than the last, and a strangled whine slips through my bared fangs.

The big alpha turns his head from where he’s leaning against the fence, eyes tracking me. “Come now, Barrows. You’ve got to admire that kind of fighting spirit.” He chuckles, a low, threatening sound that makes me growl in reply. “Hope you’ve got enough medics on standby to clean this up.”

The guard jerks me to my feet and surveys the groaning, writhing alphas on the ground. “Yeesh! What a day.” He shoves me forward. “You can kiss your future outings goodbye, Zazu.”

I snarl in reply. His scent leaks everywhere, charred. Why’s he mad at me for taking down the challengers? He’s the one who brought me out here to face them. Maybe he’s angry because they’re still moving. I didn’t kill like I’m supposed to. I growl a warning, letting the alphas know I’ll finish the job next time.

One of the other guards grabs me by the arm and I howl as the bones move.

“Shit! How the fuck they gonna set a broken arm on this wildling?”

Another male clicks his tongue. “They’ll put him under. Let’s get him out of here.”

I look down at the metal circling my hands and feet. The big alpha took me down using something other than his body. The other alphas here often carry something in their hands, but I only have my fists. Is this why they didn’t treat me like a challenger? This fighting arena operates differently.

My gaze settles on an alpha in the corner, who shrinks away from me, holding the bundle of thin pages up as if it could protect him. Maybe it’s filled with power, like the metal rods the kennelothersused. Or that fence that bit me.

The agony in my arm spreads until my chest feels like it’s cracking open. I thought something was missing from my life, but now I realize it could be many things. Things I should get in my hands.

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