Chapter 5 - Who am I?

* * * Eve’s POV * * *

“Who are you?” A girl with black hair asks me.

“I’m Eve. I’m an orphaned Omega.”

“Are you sure you’re from here? I know all the cubs in the Coral Lake pack and I don’t know you. You must be a Mystic Moon member.”

“I don’t know. I was in the woods and the men took me.”

“It’s okay. I’ll look after you. My name is Elsie.”

“Thank you, Elsie.”

All the girls in the back of this van tell me their names and how old they are. Some are eight years old. Some are 14, and others are somewhere in between. The nasty Alpha has been asking them if they are the child of prophecy, he wants the child. They all promise each other that if one of them is the child he wants, they will keep the secret. They don’t want the nasty Alpha to take the prophecy child.

“Blindfold and cuff them until we return to the back,” the Beta orders the others and then follows his Alpha.

The nice man Walter climbs into the van and apologises to us before he cuffs our arms to the sides of the van and puts a blindfold over our eyes.

The ride is bumpy and my arms begin to ache from being held in the same spot. Once the van stops I can hear the other girls crying, it sounds like they are being carried away. Strong arms free my arms and carry me from the van.

I'm laid over his shoulder, my head hitting his back as he walks quickly. A nasty smell reaches my nose, it gets stronger and it makes me feel sick. The man puts me down.

BANG! A metal door slams, and seconds later my blindfold is removed from my face. I’m rooted to the spot in fear, there are four men outside the metal bars, they have scary and fearless eyes that make me shiver.

This room isn’t big enough for us all, but we are huddled together just like a herd of animals. The room has a small toilet and sink in the corner, unluckily there’s no windows to let in fresh air.

Some of the girls beg for their lives, some beg for food and water, others, like me, stand silently. Too scared to move or talk.

“You will spend the night here. No food and no water. You will remain silent. Tomorrow you will be assigned your jobs,” the Beta barks and walks away with the guards.

When the prison door closes and we are truly alone, the girls begin to cry. “Come here, Eve,” Elsie says. As I approach her, she wraps her arms around me.

“Why don’t I know you? Who are you?” She whispers to me.

“My name is Eve…” I begin to tell her.

“Yes, I know. You’re six years old, your mother was an Omega and you’re an orphan. It’s like a practised line, it’s going to land you in trouble. Do you know a witch?” She says.

“No. I never left the house,” I tell her.

“We need to teach you new words and new phrases. We need to make up your life. Something tells me you’re not what you seem and the Alpha will take you. I’ll help you and protect you,” she promises me.

I spend the night with Elsie, learning new phrases to say and building my life history. “My Mother worked in the kitchen and laundry, she was a cook and seamstress. She was teaching me how to launder clothes.” “My father was a maintenance man and died in a rogue attack with my mother.” “I’m an only child.” We practice lots of small details.

“But who am I?” I ask Elsie.

“I don’t know, it’s strange that you have no memories. You don’t know what you like or dislike. It’s like your mind was wiped clean, that’s why I asked you if you knew a witch. My cousin is a witch and memories are something they can alter. It must have been a powerful witch,” she mumbles.

“But what if I’m who they want?”

“They’ll never know. Keep up with the lines, learn new likes and dislikes. Behave and when we are old enough we can run away together,” she says.

“Why are you helping me?”

“When I was very small, I was held hostage by a bad Alpha. He wanted my family's land. I wished I had someone to help me, and promised that one day if I was ever able to, I’d help another person,” she explains.

“Thank you, Elsie.” I whisper.

“Sleep now, Eve. They’ll wake us up soon,” she says and wraps her arms around me even tighter until I fall to sleep on her knee.

I fall to sleep and dream that I have a mother and father. We are playing in the garden and they’re in their wolf form.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It’s the morning and the nasty Beta wakes us by banging a piece of metal against all the bars of the cages as he walks down the corridor. The girls I’m with startle awake and cower together, like scared animals.

“Rise and shine, ladies. You will follow me to the packhouse, where you will be given your duties,” he tells us.

A guard unlocks the door to the cage, and we file out one by one, walking the long corridor behind the Beta with our heads pointing down. Our footsteps sound like a burial march.

We reach the packhouse and are gathered in the reception room. “These she-wolves are Omegas. You will be paired with an Omega and learn how to serve. You will earn your keep and so as you are told,” the Beta barks at us.

I watch one by one as the girls are sent away with an older Omega. Some are sent to be laundry workers, some are sent to be kitchen workers, a few are taken out of the packhouse to begin tending crops and the harvest. I’m paired with Rose, she’s a packhouse cleaner.

I spend the day following her around, cleaning the things she tells me to clean, bagging rubbish, hoovering and mopping floors. Other than telling me what to do, the day is filled in silence. Rose doesn’t talk much. My small body is very tired by the time we finish and lock away the cleaning trolley. I’m given a slice of toast and a glass of milk.

“Come, I’ll show you to your room,” Rose says.

I follow her up to the Omega wing, desperate to sleep. “I’m sorry about you room, but it’s where I’m told you should sleep. You can use the sink in my room to wash and I found some clean clothes for you,” she says with a sad smile on her face as she opens a door to reveal a small storage room with a thin and dirty mattress on the floor. “I’ll give you some blankets to cover it with. I am very sorry,” she adds.

I wash in Rose’s room and put on the clean clothes. She gives me a candle and a lighter because the light doesn’t work in my cupboard. Then she walks me to my cupboard and carries my blankets. “I’ll find you a clock tomorrow, but I’ll knock three times on your door at 4am to begin work,” she tells me, gently rubbing my shoulder before turning away.

I lay in my cupboard, remembering the life I made up with Elsie. I can’t help the tears that fall from my eyes as I wonder who am I?