Energy of the Omega

Part Two

Author’s Note:

This story follows several characters in the first-person point of view (POV).

The wolves have internal dialogue and actions, they appear ‘in italics and using single quotation marks.’   Mind-linked conversations also appear this way.

Caly Johnson ~~ Athena (her wolf)

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*****

Caly Johnson's POV (Present Day)

‘We’ve finally made Athena, today is our last day!’

I roll out of my bed and grab my phone.  I still have plenty of time.  Normally I would just walk down to the common room in the t-shirt and shorts I slept in, seeing as it was far more dressed than what some of the women wore to bed around here, but I can already hear a lot of commotion in the hallways.  I decide to grab a shower and get dressed first.  Nice schools have their privileges, and having single rooms with private bathrooms happens to be one of my favourite perks. I wouldn’t want to have to share a room with some rich b***h, or a ‘Do you know who my daddy is!’ type.

To be honest, I tend to rub the ranked members of my society the wrong way.  We live in a hierarchy, and my place is supposed to be at the bottom, the very bottom.  Unfortunately for me, the past three years have been, shall we say difficult.  Finally, today I walk away from being trapped in this ivy league hell hole, and away from all my fellow students who believe I shouldn’t have ever been enrolled here in the first place.

I grab a quick and scalding shower.  I guess the temperature is a quirk of mine.  I like to feel that I can burn away all of the negative emotions that are put on me by other people.  I’m a magnet for their bad energy, it clings to me like an insecurity blanket. I boil it off each day and then let the water carry it down the drain.

I get dressed, I'm wearing my best soft gray shirt dress, a slim black belt, and black flats.  It's my favourite go-to look.  Nice enough to wear for anything, from parties to presentations, and simple enough for me to manage it. I pin my wavy brown hair into something that resembles a bun. 

I look decent enough to make my escape.  I move silently through the halls on my way to the kitchenette.  Today is a good day, there’s a pot of coffee already made, and treats!  Someone’s parents must have been kind enough to leave the leftover ‘Happy Graduation’ cupcakes here for anyone who didn’t get one.

I grab an extra-large paper cup of coffee and two cupcakes.  That should be enough to wake Athena up. I pass all the students taking selfies in the common room.  I also have to flatten myself against the wall in the hallway as some young men remove boxes from one of the dorm rooms.  There are also a few mothers waiting for their baby girls to get ready for their big day.  They see me, and for a moment they whisper to themselves. Probably wondering what an Omega is doing here.  I smile politely, and they turn their noses up to me.  Probably trying to sniff out an answer to their rude question.

I head back into my room and scarf down my coffee and sugary confections, before trying to pretend there's a way I can fix myself so that I look decent today.  I still look pretty rough, almost like I spent all night cramming.  Red puffy eyes with dark circles underneath, and dull skin.  I don't even have much of an excuse, my last exam was three days ago.  Since then I have just been doing the normal college drinking, moving from one party to somebody else's frat house to another dorm common room. I personally would have skipped them all. Not like I would have been invited on my own anyway. I always just got dragged along by my best friend, Jason.  I'm a nerdy Omega, who happened to get a working scholarship to the prestigious Wolfgard University. Jason is the son of the Gamma, he at least, deserves to be here.   

Time to try to fake a decent appearance. I look down at the assembled contents of my makeup bag. Actually, the bag is a blue sequined clutch I got for my fifteenth birthday, (where would I go that I would need a fancy purse anyway?) It was a gift from Jason, and he rarely ever buys me something that's practical. I survey the contents, there are all of six items inside. A smokey eye colour palette, concealer (which matches my skin tone perfectly), a four-year-old bottle of foundation which does not match because it was from when being outside and getting a tan was a thing, mascara that was either used up or dried out the last time I tried it, and two lipsticks (one of which is a trashy red, which I am sure Jason bought for his own amusement).  Be thankful for what ya got, I remind myself.

‘We ain't got much, but we got each other,’ my wolf Athena chimes in.

‘Well good morning, partner!’ I chirp.

‘Too cheerful and too early. Can we grab another cupcake?’

My wolf usually wakes up cranky, but she seems pretty reserved today.  She must be saving herself to be fierce for the ceremony.

I hear my bedroom door unlock.  I knew he was on his way over here, but it still irks me that now he no longer feels the need to knock. I should also be thankful Alpha Darius demanded I be in one of the all-girl dorms, otherwise, Jason probably would have been in the room right next door. He definitely would be over here all the time anyway. It doesn't matter now, this is our last day.

"You ready yet?" Jason asks.  He wears a nice suit, it's charcoal gray, a white with gray pinstripe shirt, and a silk tie. He probably chose gray to match me, because he knew I would be wearing my old standby. He has a fresh new haircut, it had been getting a bit too long, but we had been so busy the past few weeks with exams. I can smell his expensive cologne, the one that screams to me "manwhore" and "I can overpower you".  He looks and owns every bit of his role.

I dab on some concealer under each eye. "Yep, this is the best I'm ever gonna get, Jason," I say with a smile.

"Don’t call me Jason, it sounds like I’m going to get in trouble,”  He pouts. “No lipstick? I kinda like the red one on you."

‘I will not be presented around as this fool's girlfriend today.  This is a special day for us too.’ my wolf hisses.

Nope, that red lipstick is not going to happen.  My wolf's decisions are final, so no point in arguing.

"I doubt it will photograph well, Jase." He just lets out a frustrated sigh and starts to pick up my cap and gown from my bed.

"I don't know why you are so stubborn. You should have let me take you shopping." He scowls at me, and I scowl right back.

“Because I don’t want you around for your money?” I smile sweetly.

‘Daddy’s money. He’s a college student, too, remember?‘

"Are you excited for today?" Clearly, he's excited. He is done school, we’ll go home and he’ll do some light office work for a few years to prepare for when Alpha Darius retires.  Easy street.

But for me? "I don't know," I say honestly, "I'm glad school’s over."  It’s been a long three years.  I did extra credits during school breaks so I could graduate with Jase since he’s older than me by a year.  Probably didn’t need to, I know he would find some extra credits for a reason to defer his graduation.  He would never leave me for a year.

‘I might be allowed out, and *fake gasp* find my TRUE MATE.’

‘Sit back down.  I KNOW he’s not our mate.  He KNOWS I’m not his mate.  He’s our friend and he looks out for us. He tried to make us feel comfortable coming here, didn’t he?’ I remind her.

‘b***h please,  He drags you around cause you are a sexy bag of human bones. He WISHES you were his mate.’

I'm always b***h or babe to Athena, depending on how she feels about me at that moment.  

Most werewolves believe they are human first.  Athena begs to differ.

It's been about seven years since Athena has been rattling around in my head. Super early, I know. I was 12, and Mama had taken me to the pack Doctor. Wolves have great immune systems and quick healing abilities.  A 12-year-old she-wolf should not be getting migraines. Usually, your inner wolf would introduce themselves only days or weeks before your first shift, but the Doctor thought I should explore my mind-link. The first person I reached was Mama.  That night Athena waited for me to get sleepy, so I would be less guarded.  I spent half the night convincing her I didn’t know I was blocking her, I really did think I had headaches. Now I can't block or “push her back” at all.  I ended up with an early shift, the day before my 14th birthday.  I ended up sleeping right through the next day. Ever since then I was the bag of bones she had to carry around to interact with the world. I suspect that if she ever got full control she would never give it back.

Jason is still waiting for the 'but' part. "There's so much stuff to sort through at home.  I wish Mama was here today."

I am quickly engulfed in a huge bear hug from Jase. "I know you miss her.  If you want,  you can stay with me for a while." Damnit, I walked straight into that one.

"We'll see, Jase. I have a lot to think about." I don't want to have this argument right now.

‘I should have killed him when I had the chance,’ she growls.  I feel the vibration in my chest.

"Let's get this over with!" I say with a fake smile.  My wolf is a pretty good actress, so I hope he doesn't notice.

"Hmmm," he hums softly in my ear. It takes a while for him to let me out of the hug.  "I can't wait to take you home." 

‘Over his dead body…’

‘That is not how that expression goes!’

‘Well, I will not be sacrificing Our body for him, Babe.’

At least I’m still part of her plans.

*****

The actual Graduation Ceremony went smoothly, as it probably had for the over 200 years this school had been operating. The Commencement Speech was absolutely worth the wait and was given by an Elder of the Council.  After that there were too many faculty speeches, hauling yourself up and down the steps repeatedly to pick up each individual certificate, letter of merit and commendation, and finally our Graduation Scroll.  I was very surprised when they called me and added Summa c*m Laude, it’s usually only saved for the Valedictorian.  It wouldn’t have looked good to have an Omega as Valedictorian.  At least the speech was thankfully not mine to give, they gave it to that asshole, Tucker (who also was Summa c*m Laude, as if he deserved it). I tuned him out after only the second line.

I was thinking more about why we had adopted a ridiculous human tradition of cap and gowns.  Yes, let’s add an extra layer of clothes at the start of the summer while we sit here already suffering from heat exhaustion, werewolf metabolism, and the mental anguish of having to listen to Tucker.  I was the last one to stand up at the end because I didn’t even notice he was done blithering like an i***t.  Jase had ended up hauling me by my waist and throwing my cap for me. 

‘That mutt has got those filthy paws of his on us again!’

Athena was always good for bringing me back to reality.

Jase didn’t let go but instead guided me to where our pack family was gathered.  Four other wolves from Wolfgard graduated with us today.  Everyone had some family who wanted to hug and congratulate them.  This is the part I actually dreaded. Everyone is being all ‘happy family’ and glancing over at me in pity.  Pretty sure I only made it into some of the never-ending photos out of sympathy.

“Calypso, you have grown into such an incredible young woman.”  A soft hand touches my shoulder, Alpha Darius has finally made his way over to me.  He smiles brightly at me, I know he means every word.  He thankfully leaves out anything I don’t want to hear like ‘Your Mama would have been so proud.’  I already know it, I just don’t need the reminder.  Alpha Darius has been in my life for such a long time. He has always been my male father figure.  What I love most about him is that he's always so practical.

“It seems like I was just at your first day of school!”  I cringe.  Yep, that was quite a memorable moment.  The Alpha also has a way of reminding me of who I am. Today he’s just doing it in jest.

“Like I could ever forget!” He pulls me into a hug.  Such a public display of affection from an Alpha is rare, but Alpha Darius is a rarity himself. He’s the most perfectly balanced person I have ever met.  He aims to give his everything no matter what he does. He understands each person’s needs with ease and would be your fiercest defender.   

‘Strong is Alpha Darius.  He sees both of us,’ whispers Athena.

‘Yes, he always has.’

 “Caly!  You ready to go?”Jase hollers over the crowd.  He’s driving his own car home, I am one hundred percent sure he’s already raided my room to grab the little bit I came with.  That way he’ll have my full attention for the next three and a half hours.

“Sorry, Jason, I already made arrangements for Calypso to return with me.  We need to discuss her new job with us!”  He gives me a sly wink.  Alpha Darius has been wary of Jason being too close to me since, well since the incident.

“Yes, Alpha.”  Jason looks dejected but doesn’t question the Alpha.  He wouldn’t dare.

‘Thank you, Alpha Darius!  At least someone besides me sees that mutt for the evil squirrel that he is!’

Mutt is a common put-down in Athena’s dictionary.  But ‘squirrel’ is reserved for the truly heinous.  Today she finds Jase is an evil squirrel at that. All I can do is take a deep breath and try to calm us. My only two friends hate each other, and I don’t ever see an end to this tug of war.

“I already grabbed your things, Calypso, let's head home.” he gives me the once-over look, just making sure I’m ready.

“I’m ready. Let’s go home.”