I pushed the thought away.
“Rorik,” Konrad boomed.
Rorik’s dense fur bristled as he stood to attention. He looked confident, without a hint of nerves. I wished I could be that brave, so certain...
“You are now a fighter,” Konrad declared. “Congratulations.”
The crowd indulged in a moderate cheer. Rorik nodded as he accepted the assignment in stride. Nobody was surprised. He was a massive bear, nearly rivalling Konrad in size, and he excelled at taking orders. He’d be a fine fighter.
Konrad focused his black beady gaze on me and called out, “Poppy.”
My blood chilled in my veins. All eyes swivelled in my direction. Determined not to buckle, I willed my fur to stay fluffed so it wouldn’t flatten against my skinny body. It would only make me look smaller and weaker.
Be brave,I told myself.
I forced my gaze up to meet Konrad’s as he spoke my destiny into existence.
“Hunter.”
The word brushed past my face like a cold wind.
A hunter. Middle of the road. Nothing special, but nothing bad, either. A perfectly respectable outcome.
And yet, I felt nothing. The dread stagnating in my stomach still coated my ribs like slime. I had no pride in my newfound position, and no hope for my future.
“Congratulations,” Rorik said over the crowd’s mild excitement.
I felt empty. “Thanks.”
Despite my lack of emotion, my body relaxed. With my assignment over, I knew what I had—and didn’t have—to look forward to. At the very least, it gave me a weak goal. After Charon or whichever omega received their assignment, I’d start my life as a hunter.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Hunting meant a degree of freedom other omegas weren’t allowed. I could traverse the fields, the hills, even the rocky beaches. I was free to feel the wind in my fur and the earth beneath my paws.
Most importantly, it meant I could still visit Violet. Would it be long before he recovered? I could offer to hunt for him in secret to help boost his strength. Then maybe when he was healthy he could—
“And finally, Sorrel.”
My thoughts crashed to a halt.
What did Konrad just say?
I slowly turned to face my younger brother. His expression was awestruck. He stared at Konrad, utterly still with shock.
I hadn’t heard incorrectly. Everyone in the clan pinned their eyes on my brother. Rorik’s brow furrowed in confusion, and Charon’s eyes were wide as moons.
The clan alpha’s beady gaze glittered down at Sorrel. “Surprised?” Konrad asked with a chuckle.
Sorrel nodded. I couldn’t move a muscle.
Konrad raised his head, standing proud on his platform. “Don’t be. You’ve proven yourself to be a loyal and brave omega, wise beyond your years.”
A shiver of dread shot across my pelt.
“You have unimaginable potential,” Konrad continued. “Perhaps more so than any omega I’ve met...”
A pit opened beneath me. I began to sink, trapped in a callous bog apathetic to my struggles.
“And so, due to your dedication to me and the tundra clan, I bestow upon you the title of—”
