Conversion Camp

Leo's P.O.V

It was hell. I couldn't count the number of times I spent awake thinking of the pack. Everything about the conversion camp was worse than home. I almost missed dad's punishments and the bullying; they were nothing compared to here. I was miles away from home in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles of cotton plantations. Running away wasn't an option. Dad would probably kill me if I ruined the one chance I had for redemption.

Often I would think of the first time I was brought here. Raine had just left my place after the incident. I was still bothered by the fact that she had seen me at my weakest. I was pretty much used to being a disappointment but not to her. I was her rock, I wasn't supposed to be weak. That night, came back home, sober. I was still wide awake in pain and thinking of every terrible choice I had made.

Seeing him in my room made me think of every possible mistake I may have done. I was still sore and in pain from the previous beating. "Get up boy, you are going to a conversion camp."

I didn't know what to feel at that moment. I had never even considered my sexuality, too scared to find out if I was actually gay as everybody claimed I was. It wasn't my fault being born an omega or having a feminine physique. " B-but I."

"Did I stutter? Get off the fucking bed you are going to camp," he said and left my room. I couldn't tell what ached more. My heart or the multiple bruises I had on my temple. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Raine. A part of me was grateful; I wouldn't be able to say it directly to her. I had to be strong for us both. I typed a goodbye message to her. My heart was constricting painfully as I bid my farewell. I switched off my phone and left it under my pillow. I knew her, she would call and it would end up being painful saying goodbye. It was the right choice.

I packed some clothes in my school backpack and slowly went downstairs avoiding jostling my already aching muscles. Dad was impatiently standing by the door and sent a glare my way upon seeing me. "You sure did take your fucking time princess," he said under his breath but I heard him. I looked at the house that had been my shelter for fifteen years. It wasn't home; nowhere was home. We drove off into the night as the house disappeared into a dot on the horizon the further we went. Maybe I would get a new beginning.

That long drive to this horrible place was the first time my dad ever called me son. The first time I got a glimpse of fatherly attention but all for the wrong reasons. "This is a new beginning for you son. They will get rid of that disease and you'll finally become a man. Am sure your mamma will be proud of what you'll become after being normal. Don't fuck it up." That conversation stuck with me for months to come. Was mom disappointed I turned out the way I was? Did she hate me being an omega? Did she wish she never gave birth to me? I couldn't tell. But the thought of my birth mom hating me hurt more than it should have.

The conversion camp was more of a juvenile for homosexual boys than an actual camp. Everybody was human. We would wake up at dawn and have a communal bath with guards on the watch. If they caught you looking or as much as taking a glimpse of someone else they would whip you to a bloody pulp, which was pretty hard considering the wasn't any privacy. You can't have your eyes closed the whole bath.

Our meals consisted of cold cereal, milk, and on rare occasions undercooked beef. We'd then spend the majority of our days in church listening to teachings about how homosexuality was a sin and we would end up in hell. They would go as far as to show us violent clips of people claimed to be homosexuals being killed or sexually harassed. Humans and wolves were similar in one way; thriving off of manipulating the weak and those considered different. I could see humans but there wasn't an ounce of humanity in them.

The evenings were the worst part of it all. We were divided into groups of two and made to fight each other. They said it was a way of hitting the homosexuality out of your neighbor. It wasn't a pretty sight. Everybody dealt with different demons, it was an approved way of blowing off steam and taking out your frustration on others. The weaker partners always ended up suffering more, I was among them. I couldn't bring myself to hurt another person; an emotionally manipulated person.

Nobody made friends with anybody. It was a solo ride. I'd often scrutinize the others here. No one looked different or possessed as they claimed. Some had an athletic build, others were on the lean side, others to human standards were considered chubby and others were simply small for their age. We couldn't all be the same, I didn't get why people were obsessed with difference. Sexuality doesn't matter, but it seems all our parents and guardians thought differently. Nobody wanted to be here.

I knew what they were going through. I had been dealing with this all my life and at no point does it get easier. People always say no storm lasts forever but fifteen years seemed like an eternity to me. I was slowly losing my sanity and my will to fight against the monsters in my head. I was exhausted from trying to be stronger than I felt.

Every thought I had was a battle, every breath was a war and I don't think I was winning anymore.