Wolves Without Hearts

☙ Chapter 1 ❧

☙ T Y T O ❧ 

I was shivering. Not from the temperature but out of fear. Fear. It was completely irrational I know but it was something I couldn't simple conquer. This emotion controlled my very existence and made me submit. I did not know how or why I felt this way but I did not remember anything else. I heard of other emotions. My wolf told me about them. Safe, happy, loved. He said that is how we should feel but we didn't feel that way.

We felt injured, scared, and alone. Those were the emotions we always felt and now they were magnified by the most feared person in the world of werewolves. The Queen of all wolves, Calixa Dunamis.

The reason? Well, every year her pack demanded a sacrifice for payment, seeing as she 'protects' us from dangers such as rogues. Not that we had any real threats. The rogues knew better than to trespass and never formed any substantial groups that were threatening in anyway.

This year my pack, Silver Blood, had to give an Omega sacrifice because it had been many decades since the last Omega male had been given to the Queen. The only problem with that was I was the only Omega male in my pack. There were several females, all of which were unmated, but she only wanted a male.

"Do not fret Omega," Alpha Orion assured as I sat before him in the pack house, "We will not sacrifice you or any members this year. If Alpha Dunamis wants to take one of our pack members, she will have to come and take one by force."

I let out a sigh of relief but my pelt shivered at the mention of Alpha Calixa Dunamis. She was the frightening queen who slaughtered those who set foot on her land and I was terrified of her coming to Silver Blood. Even more terrified that she would come to take me away. Although I was beaten daily, that was better than being killed by the Alpha Queen.

"Omega, go back to your collar." Beta Visenic snarled, jabbing me in the side. I let out a cough and followed his order, making my way outside the pack house where he clamped a silver studded collar around my neck and chained me to the porch. To make matters worse, he forced me to shift and my wolf had to endure the pain with me. I was fine with taking the pain but my wolf fought for control of my mind so he could take some as well.

'Let me handle this for once!' my wolf snapped, making me internally flinch at his tone.

I shook me head and curled up in a ball on the ground while pack members soon surrounded me and started to taunt and kick me, 'No, this is my pain to bear. You are the only thing keeping us alive.'

'I can still keep us alive and be wounded.' he growled, still fighting my hold on my mind. Soon he shoved me to the back and took the pain for me. I heard him whimper in pain and I cringed at the sound. Maybe death by the Alpha Queen would be better than what this life has served us. No wolf, even an Omega, should be treated like we are.

After a few more brutal kicks from my pack mates, darkness consumed us and we fell into it's comforting arms.

☙❦❧

I woke up to find myself alone and rain beating down on my matted brown pelt. I groaned in pain but found no way to get comfortable so I whimpered loudly. After a moment of whimpering in the unforgiving rain, I heard shuffling in the pack house and flicked my ears to the noise.

"Alpha Dunamis is coming!" yelped Beta Visenic.

I heard Alpha Orion's growl before he spoke, "Put Omega in the cellars. We cannot let Alpha Dunamis discover him."

Beta Visenic grumbled in approval and the pack house door flung open, "You're going in the cellars until Alpha Dunamis has left, understood?"

I bowed my head and followed him silently, still shifted into my wolf. I thought about attacking the Beta and escaping but shook the ideas away since I knew escape was hopeless. We soon stood in front of the rusty cellar doors and Beta kicked them open and shoved me down the stairs, making me hit my head at the bottom with a thud.