Chapter 4

• Beta Gallows
• Fifteen girls were sleeping in my room. It was an entirely different experience. I slept on the top bunk with Emery on the bottom. The boys slept in the same building but on the other side. A huge living room where social gatherings were held sort of divided the building.
• In the morning Blair told me to be careful with my things. The omegas weren’t monitored and thefts occurred a lot. There wasn’t even room for my stuff in the lockers I had to settle with stuffing my things under the bed. I carried my phone in my skirt pocket that was something I could not afford to lose. I had to hold on to it for as long as I could. It was only a matter of time before it was confiscated.
• I sent Mom a text before I went to bed the previous night to let her know I made it through my first day okay. She hadn’t responded yet the next morning. I brushed it aside, who knew what she had done with her phone? The morning mist covered most of the field and I had no choice but to shower in freezing cold water.
• You guessed it, hot water didn’t run this side of the world. Didn’t have time to blow dry my hair either so I had to run with the curls at least they were all even. I slipped the extra small brown shirt over my head and then a long cardigan with the flowy skirt. It was a few inches too short, but it would have to do.
• We didn’t have breakfast with everyone else in the cafeteria at school. We had our little shithole not far from the castle. Blair had already left. Good thing she showed me where it was. Everyone had left already I was the only one slugging out of the quarters. I hoped there would be something left for me.
• I sighed, kicking the stones in my path. Punctuality had never been my strongest suit. It had to be now if I wanted to survive.
• “Decided to skip breakfast?”
• Alex’s voice came from in front of me. Why didn’t he get to wear a uniform? He wore a grey tracksuit instead.
• “I was just heading there.”
• He pulled his wrist out of his hoodie pocket and glanced at his silver watch.
• “You’re thirty minutes late. What are you going to eat? Crumbs?”
• I groaned, “On second thought I’m just going to chill with my friends.”
• He barked out a laugh. He fell in line with me and draped his arm around my shoulder.
• “Come on,” he said.
• I looked up. Gosh, had he always been this much taller than me? And bigger?
• “Where are you taking me, Alex?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
• “To eat obviously. You don’t want to run your first day on an empty stomach. Break’s only at two.”
• “Two?” I blasted. How would I make it out alive?
• “Exactly, but I got your back.” He smiled.
• Perhaps, things would be like old times, but I doubted it. However, we could still be close even though I was ranked beneath him. I brushed my hair out of my face. I didn’t want to think about that.
• “I guess I should say thanks… your majesty.” I bounced away from him.
• He scowled, “You forgot to bow.”
• “Oh, that will never happen.”
• “You know most wolves take punishments seriously.”
• I rolled my eyes, “Not yours.”
• “You are going to be serious trouble, Gabbie.”
• I laughed. He forgot how much trouble he used to get us in. We got to the cafeteria. A massive building behind the castle. Chatter came from inside where hundreds of wolves ranked higher than me were. I looked at my shirt and then at the tiny building where the rest of the omegas ate whatever leftovers were thrown at them.
• Back at the cafeteria, I took a step back. They’d see right through me! I didn’t belong there.
• “You know what it’s worth a shot just checking what’s left. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
• Alex grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him.
• “No, let’s go.”
• “No, Alex. I’m fine. I’m suddenly not hungry.” Stomach please don’t growl. I sucked it in just in case.
• He pulled his face, “I can tell you’re lying!”
• I sulked, “You know I can’t go in there. I’ll be totally out of place.”
• “So, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat.”
• My face fell. He was so sweet, but I doubted that would help me much against a room of a thousand bloodthirsty eyes that shared a common goal of throwing the omega out.
• Sensing my unease, he stripped himself out of his grey hoodie and handed it to me.
• “Here. No shirt in sight.”
• I pulled the massive hoodie over my head. I could fit three other arms in the sleeves! I groaned, but it could actually work. I could have breakfast in peace. Hopefully.
• We walked in together, yes I lingered behind. So much for going unnoticed. Everyone had their eyes on me. Some had their teeth on me. I lowered my head and stuck close to Alex. The chatter turned to whispers. Alex’s hands landed on my shoulders, stopping me by a table and shoving me down.
• “Shouldn’t I get breakfast now?”
• He sat across from me. Someone gasped. Oh, real dramatic. “We’re served here, sweetheart.”
• “Oh, you have it real good don’t you?”
• He flashed his perfect white teeth at me. “This is nothing.”
• I dipped my head to the side, my strawberry hair falling down my shoulder.
• “Why am I not surprised?”
• Before he could respond a guy in a black shirt with a dark blue slash on it popped up by his side. One of the gammas. He bowed. I frowned. Did wolves really do that?
• “Alpha, Mr. Stable’s asking for you. He says it’s urgent.”
• Alpha Alex. I blinked back a few times. I can’t believe that came to mind. But it had a nice ring to it. Anyway, Alex groaned getting up from the table. The little gamma guy scurried off. He had to be a freshman.
• “Are you really—”
• He leaned over my shoulder and spoke close to my ear. Someone gasped again. What’s next? Is someone going to faint?
• “Do not react.” His breath was hot against my cheek. I had to hold back the shiver.
• “What?” I whispered, completely subdued.
• “I mean it, Gabbie. Don’t react to anything until I’m back. I won’t be long.”
• I nodded. I still didn’t get what he meant. I wrapped my arms around myself and waited for my food. Maybe I could take it to go and catch up with Alex later. Now that I was alone I was the star of the show. I didn’t need hyper senses to hear a girl from another table say to her friend.
• “Who the hell does she think she is, sitting with Alpha Alex?”
• “What is she?” Someone else asked.
• “I haven’t seen her around.”
• Breakfast wasn’t really that important, leaving felt vital. Then I saw a woman carrying a tray of various meats and eggs. My stomach chose that moment to growl and I had to obey its demands. The elderly lady in a blue uniform was almost at my table when she was intercepted.
• By Leiah!