I don't know how I feel about this. Over the years, I have always tried to avoid situations where I could be held against my will. The last time it happened, I was held back by a group of banished as they stole everything I had. It wasn't a fun time.
I'm so used to being able to go wherever I wanted. To eat whenever I could. To survive the way I wanted to. Being imprisoned makes me a bit sick. I never really knew how it was in the territories. I've always been curious about it. They probably feel indebted to me. That's probably why they are doing this. They are also pretty welcoming despite my race. I thought wolves hated humans since the war.
Now, as I stare at the wall in front of me, trying to process this new reality, Jin reassuringly smiles at me with sympathy in his eyes.
- This situation must be hard for you knowing you are used to go wherever you want in the neutral ground. At least, tell yourself this is not permanent.
I meet his gaze, trying to assess whether he's lying to me or not.
- Do you really think that I will one day regain my freedom? I'm beginning to wonder if I ever had freedom at all.
Would you call hiding in every corner, always on alert, in constant search of food and water freedom? I haven't been able to trust anyone because of how the neutral ground works. It never has been freedom. I've just been striving to survive.
And now, I shall try to find a way to survive and defend myself again in the golden cage that has been offered to me. They may be welcoming and nice, but I still got to keep my guard up.
- This is just for your recovery, assures Jin. In the meantime, maybe we'll show you a little bit about how our pack works. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Maybe even a few misconceptions that I can try to correct to make you more comfortable.
I think about it for a second. The stories told by the camps and the banished pack are all quite similar, featuring strict packs, where hierarchy and head alpha cravings prevail. I never considered that there could be any false in them. The banished seems to prove to me every time how accurate they are. However, this pack seems different. Gaining some information is a good idea, to be ready for any eventuality. It's my chance to feed my curiosity but also to prepare myself for anything that could happen to me in the next weeks.
I sat up in the bed, resting my head against the wall.
- I heard that alphas have an alpha voice. They can apparently use it to subjugate any rank below them. Is it true?
Jin smiles at me, amused.
- Fortunately, this is not the case. Other than their intimidating aura and dominating nature, they don't have "alpha voices," he explains, quoting with his fingers. If this were ever real, it would lead to so much injustice it would be horrible.
I nod. Well, this is good to know. Then, omegas and betas from the banished packs likely obeyed out of fear rather than forced submission.
- And on full moon nights? We were told that each wolf would take on their wolf form with their animal instincts uncontrollably, losing their humanity for the night. It must be true. I've seen it so many times.
He looks at me dumbfounded, frowning.
- What? No, it's not a thing. We always have control of our instinct.
I am taken aback. So all those nights of intense hiding, shivering in fear of facing a banished during the full moon, was for nothing?
- But I faced so many crazy wolves at full moons. Are you sure?
- I would know for sure if I turned into a complete beast once a month, he says after clicking his tongue.
I take a moment to think this through. What were the banished doing then? Scaring, hurting and sometimes killing humans just for fun? That's sick. I take my head into my hands, sighing. The assholes.
- They really attacked people, the outcast, ask Jin.
- Yeah, I say as I lay against the wall again. It was common to hide even more than usual, covering yourself in dirt to neutralize your smell, your weapon clutched in your hand tightly all night long. So many people got attacked, some were even killed. The banished, as we call them, looked so crazy.
- This is sick, he says with soft eyes. People must be so scared.
- You wonder sometimes if you are going to pass the night.
Jin doesn't answer back. He seems caught in his thoughts. After a little while in silence, I ask him something else.
- Jin, what is your rank?
I must know what I am facing.
- I'm an omega, he says as I pull him out of his thoughts.
- And you are a doctor?
- Hum, yes, he says, confused.
- I thought that omegas were meant to stay home to take care of the kids and their alpha, I say in a questioning tone.
He looks at me, his arms crossed over his chest, anger plastering across his face.
- Excuse me? Yah, you think we live to only serve our alpha? For raising puppies for him and cooking dinner for him to come home?
I think I upset him. I didn't mean to. I cannot take on an angry wolf right now.
- W-Well, it's just that omegas seem to be only there to satisfy their alpha's needs. I've seen it so many times in banished pack, I quickly stutter.
- Yah I can't believe this is the kind of mentality that flows across the neutral land, he quickly exclaims angrily. This is ridiculous. We are our own person, thank you very much. We can handle jobs.
His anger doesn't seem directed at me but at the world in general. I sigh in relief.
- I am sorry, Jin. I know omegas are perfectly capable of doing whatever they want. I never doubted it. I'm so sorry...
The omega stands by the window, his hand pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
- Aah Hyung, you can see that he doesn't know anything about what makes a healthy, kind and respectful pack. Let's not be angry for such details, says a slightly high-pitched voice.
As I turn myself towards the door, I realize that my guilt has kept me from hearing the new man coming.
YOU ARE READING
The Moon's bet
FanfictionTaehyung is a lonely human who travels across the neutral ground, a no-man's-land where humans and exiled werewolves roam, to survive the day and see the next. Despite his good heart, he's seen a lot of terrible things in this land. He struggles to...
