52. Promised mark

The next three days were spent in a hectic scramble to reclaim her life and adjust to the pack traditions.
It’s challenging to be a someone when she just wanted to curl up with her Alphas. Often the omega entertained the idea that she might run away with the Alphas to some faraway land and never come back. To avoid the unbearable sensation of missing them, her hollow pain, she tried to indulge herself with meaningless tasks.



On the outside, she’s a cheerful omega, ready to get mated.



On the inside, she was nowhere close to that degree–her chest ached with every breath; there’s a hole inside that no amount of fake smiles could fix. It's to the point that she had to rush to the bathroom, sink to her knees and fold up to keep from crumbling under the massive pressures. It was haunting her to the point that she doesn’t stick around after supper, instead choosing to curl up in her bedroom with her pillows, hoping that Liam would just let her go.





When she’s asleep, the nightmares haunted her, making her jerk awake to bloodcurdling screams and making her realise that no amount of noise was ever going to calm her down. It only intensified her breath to the point of short, panicked gasps.





There’s no light in her eyes; her smiles were bare of emotion. Meant to seem sincere, but with nothing behind them. By now the expression has been permanently plastered to his face. She didn’t stop smiling ever since the Pack Alpha announced the ceremony. Because she had an audience to entertain, and one slip up could prove fatal. So she was all smiles. But no laughter, never that; she can’t chop up the air to laugh.




Oh, and the talking was the worst part. Because what she managed to croak always seemed to be the wrong response. She hated it. But she had to use her voice.  Before she didn't stop talking, that’s who she was—talkative around the right people, her family and her Alphas mostly. Now silence has fallen over her.



Currently, she was sitting by the stream, staring at the clear water and wishing she was one of the fish inside there. Her life would have been so much easier. An irritated sigh slipped out of her lips when she heard footsteps approaching her. The omega hoped it was not one of Liam's pack members.




Alyssa didn't understand the need to bring them along was. Family, she could understand, but Liam had half of his pack with him. They were loud, annoying and ate like animals. One of them swallowed the entire rabbit from the forest without even cooking. That image still made her gag.




As a shadow loomed over her, she pressed her lips together, trying not to let annoyance show on her face. It was getting really difficult to keep a smile on her face. But that’s what the Pack Alpha wanted. Always a bright smile.




“You look troubled,” The voice said.




The omega whipped her head when she noticed the familiar dark cloak. Tilting her head, she came face to face with the witch. She was the same one who told her about her aunty’s past. Only that she forgot her name, her lips curled in a weak smile as she parted at the rock in front of her. “Hello. How are you...?”




“Amora” The witch added.



Alyssa nodded her head.



“I’m doing alright, but I can't say the same for you.”



Was it that evident? How can she be happy when her mates were that far away from her? It’s her fault. Alyssa should have let them come sooner instead of holding them off. She thought that Liam would be understanding, but he turned out to be a bigger asshole. Exactly as Eric described him, he didn’t want to hear her at all.




“Where do I start?” Alyssa moaned, staring at the water.



“From the start” The witch shrugged.



“Do you really want to know?” The omega raised her brow. She would never picture someone like her to be interested in Alyssas. Besides what do witches even do? Till date, the omega had no idea, but they don’t cause harm that’s for sure. Maybe because she only met the good ones.




“Yes that’s why I asked”



Here goes nothing. Alyssa thought, sucking a deep breath. Then she began explaining her story. From the start, even showed her the promise mark sitting on the wrist. All while Amora had a twitch on her lips like she was dying to say something. The omega ignored her looks and continued with the story.




“That’s what happened”



Amora exhaled. “Wow”



“Yeah, tell me about it!”



“This all could have been easily avoided if you knew the truth” Amora airily said, crossing her legs together.



Alyssa frowned at her. “The truth?”



“About promised duh. Now tell me what do you think happens if you try to get rid of the mark?”



The omega chewed on her lips. Was she testing her? Everyone knew what happened if they forcefully tried to get rid of the mark. The moon goddess will punish them, going as far as cursing them with death. It’s dangerous to imagine.




Alyssa met her eyes and answered her.



“Wrong” Amora chuckled. “That’s what the Pack Alphas want you to believe.”



“What?”



The witch took a deep breath. “I’ll explain. Keep up. So ages ago, the omegas were seen as the weakest links of the packs. As evolution started, they started becoming stronger and prone to natural selection. It was believed that one generation of the omegas killed the entire Alpha pack.”




Alyssa widened her eyes at that. There was no trace of that in her books.




Amora licked her lips before continuing. “Alphas started getting insecure, being the top of the chain. That’s when they all came together and decided to bind omegas. Make them restrained and obedient. The promise mark was given to the strongest, most rebellious omegas of the pack so that they can be later traded off with equally stronger Alphas. In this way, combining stronger Alphas and omegas would give them stronger lineage of Alphas and also strengthen the relations with other packs.”




The omega gasped. She couldn’t believe it. Her head began spinning with all the new information. Could it be true? Her hand flew to her temples, rubbing at the sudden pain shooting through them.




“I know it’s harder for you to believe but think about it. Did you see your promised when the mark was given? That’s how they fool the omegas. The mark has no value, Alyssa. If you try to erase it, you’ll only feel pain because it’s etched in your nerves. The pain will fade away in a day or so. That’s all.”




Alyssa's mouth fell open, and she stared at the mark on her wrist. As if to justify her point, the witch lightly rubbed at the spot. Nothing happened. She did not feel pain anywhere but near the wrist.




“See? Its Alphas tactics.”



At that, anger coursed in her veins. How dare her Pack Alpha try to fool her all these years? When she agreed to get a mark, it was only to save her family. She had no idea that he would lure her into getting the mark. It was his plan all along. The thought made her sick to the stomach. She wanted to kill him. Rip his throat for hurting her, letting her believe that she’s promised to some pathetic excuse of an Alpha.




She snapped her jaw. Alyssa was so ready to go and confront him. Make sure that he pays for what he did to her, the way he treated her all this time.




Amora gently shook her shoulder. “I know what you are thinking, and I believe in you. You can be his end.”



The omega parted her lips. “B-But he's an Alpha.”



“And? You’re the most strongest omega in the pack. I believe you are the only one who can end his fate and not let anyone else suffer like you” Amora sighed as she stood up, dusting off her cloak and wrapping it tightly around her body.




As she began walking back into the woods, Alyssa stopped her. “Why did you tell me this?”



“Because your aunt believed you are the one who will change the packs fate.”
***

Alyssa, with fire in her eyes, stalked to the packhouse. She didn’t care for the looks she received on her way. Her jaw ticked when she noticed the Alpha sitting in his chair, lazily flicking the pages of the magazine.




With a growl she kicked at the table, sending all the contents flying to the floor. The Alpha immediately stood up, his face tight. “Are you crazy? What do you think you are doing?”




“How dare you lie to me?!” The omega yelled, her voice echoing around the room.



The Pack Alpha gulped, rooted in his spot. Oh, so he knew!
***
Only two parts left!
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