I snap my head towards him, wondering how he knows. That is not common knowledge.
“Yes. They take us and kill us there to sacrifice us to the gods to save everyone else from the Ravage,” I say snidely. “Or that’s their excuse for their continued murder.”
His head snaps towards mine. “That’s ridiculous.”
I flick a smile his way, preening at the way he looks down my body and back up.
“I know that. But since the days of the Ravage, seven hundred years ago, they have been dragging alphas and omegas to the city and slaughtering them, one by one, until there are so few of us left that it’s almost a miracle to run into each other.”
We walk so close our arms touch. I ignore the pain in my legs and the lightness in my head. I can sleep when I’m dead. The alpha towers over me, attracting attention from men and women alike, but I feel safe beside him, like I’m supposed to be here.
He is beautiful. As if he can feel my gaze, he twists his head. I smile, but he doesn’t return it, just cocks his head to the side. With that awkward exchange, the strange possessive feeling dies, and I’m left with the cold reality of my life again.
Bear whistles and stands at the edge of the market I was at yesterday. We need to cross it, but I suddenly have a bad feeling about it.
“All right, it looks safe, let’s go.” Bear’s attention is focused ahead of him.
We step out into the masses of betas. People look at us, they see the alphas I’m with, and their mouths drop open. It’s clear as day what they are, but then they notice me and my white hair, and everyone averts their eyes, the air turning sour with the collective fear.
Everyone fears the white-haired beta and omega
I look up and see the grey skies. I inhale the cloying scent of the world. It’s a habit. I spend so much time in the shadows, looking up at the silvered world is a treat I rarely get to indulge in.
“This way,” Bear says and turns, leading us down a side street. I reluctantly follow the Resistance leader into the shadows. My skin prickles.
I know this neighbourhood. This is where I lived; this was where I was born.
“I don’t think we should go this way—”
Bear stops dead, his anger ripples through the air and is slowly poisoned by fear.
I turn, almost knowing what I will see. He’s tall and thin, dressed in black; his smile is always devastatingly sad, though his eyes gleam with cunning. He’s heartbreaking. His hair is as white as mine. His eyes are mercurial steel, he’s a pale ghost. A nightmare that walks the Earth. My nightmare. I see him in my dreams every night.
To me, he’s the reason my family is dead.
To me, he’s the pain that eats at me every day.
“Walker,” I say just quietly enough for the two of us to hear. “Let us go.”
“No.” His voice is smooth but his words succinct. “Your time’s up, Keres. Your family is waiting to reunite with you. No more running.”
I jerk as if he’s run me through with a sword. “What do you mean, reunite?”
I stare at my enemy. The boy I grew up with, and it all seems inevitable that it ends here, where I was born, where we met.
The alpha drags me back and behind him, startling all of us. The Warden studies the alpha with interest that makes my skin crawl.
“Three for the price of one. I’m having such a lucky day.”
His toneless voice gives nothing away, but the Beta’s Path that swiftly surrounds us laughs like it’s the most hilarious thing they’ve heard.
“You’re a monster!” I snarl at him.
He doesn’t even flinch, turning away to collect his horse from the black-robed beta holding it for him.
“Get them ready for transport and send them to the camps at Foreen.”
I’m going to the Culling Grounds? No one escapes from there. He’s just handed me my death.
