Chapter 9

His heavy footsteps thumped on the hard floor and he glared at her as he stepped around to confirm if the Omega was truly alive.

Jet was graceless not to say anything until Lovota nudged her.

"You're alive?" His dark voice had a hint of mockery and he raised his hand, expecting her to drop hers and he examined the bite. That viper must be merciless, it nearly bore a hole through her hands. And to think she survived it. He was tutting to her indignation.

Those set of fingers, the nails, her palms were calloused as well.

Lovota was getting uncomfortable. "You should sit down, all that standing is not good for your knees, flat feet can also be a devil," She laughed.

His eyes flashed on the claw necklace and she held on to it.

"Where did you get that?"

"I ran into a graveyard,"

He resisted the urge to yank it off her neck and his lips twisted rising. Lovota giggled sheepishly when he glanced at her.

"I am not here to sit, madam, you should keep her company until further notice,"

Jet gulped.

The bed creaked under Lovota's weight when she crouched. "Didn't you hear him!? Go to sleep,"

The words 'sleep' from her mouth was almost condescending. She laid back obediently and clutched the claw. Beta Jackson had singled it out now, it was nothing more than just a fossiled necklace.

Jet couldn't let her guard down with her 'ainchee' on the watch. She huffed when the bed was relieved of her weight and next, she heard the click of two footsteps in synch. Lovota was gone and so was her haze of perfume, she nearly keeled over with that scent. Her head throbbed and she whisked the necklace off her neck and tucked it anywhere but her jacket.

#1 Never leave your stuff in your ainchee's view.

The only skill set she managed to develop was how to survive a brute aunt. Lovota had been teaching her all her life...

She dozed for an hour and she felt a looming presence behind her and her body went rigid. She rolled over and fell to the ground. Piping at the pain in her head.

Gamma Ray had a look of question and Lovota meant to pull the pillow from under her head but tucked it down.

"Ah, you're finally awake," She said in a high pitched voice.

Jet looked from her to him and was expected to act all proper and Lovota couldn't bear to see them being courteous, Jet was surprised herself when Ray helped her up.

"Jackson forgot so I'd like to break the news myself,"

He wore buckskins and he was large in stature, he had auburn hair, brown eyes, a big nose and decent lips. His skin had taken on a paler complexion, and he smiled like a croc but he was a nice guy. The tassels swayed when he held her shoulders.

"Don't worry, this is an auspicious day for you,"

Well, I'll be damned_She thought. "O_Okay," Was all she could let out.

In no time, Lovota was heading home in haste, her red dress swished against the floors as she strut through the narrow street.

It was annoying being forced to watch the sway of her muffin-top hips, staying behind her to catch up and being prodded to walk faster.

Jet noticed she was bigger than usual_ if that was the suitable word for it.

The neighbourhood was full and there were lamps between every couple of cottages. They beelined across the narrow streets to the big field_good riddance, to their own house. An isolated brown cottage on a grassy field.

"Look how you were falling over yourself like a tramp! I wouldn't keep you in my home a day longer for the world!" She thundered standing on the green lawn and a dry leaf fluttered down the tree.

It caught her eyes and Jet looked up at the crooked tree but she didn't see any sign of withering.

Lovota shoved the door open, the house was congested with a lot of things and she tossed a picture away.

Jet caught it and bit her lip at her old portrait. The times when she used to be less bulbous.

There were plates stacked everywhere, even the dusty ones in the boxes. She shoved them aside to make room for passage and Lovota puffed.

"Leave them,"

"Ow!" She held her head at the bag Lovota flung at her, it was hard. She fidgeted to get it open to find shoes. The other bag fell into her view. She pulled up a purple dress that had the sleeves strung to the centre of the bodice and a repulsive flower in the middle. The rest of the gown was plain.

Lovota offered the other things she needed to look nice and to at least fit in. The sinister look on her face meant she didn't believe it one bit.

"You bought these for me?" She asked bewildered,

Her nostrils flared "Don't be ridiculous! I've had them for years," She blustered and Jet shrunk at her temper, her face was beet red. "If I had a say about it. Then you deserve nothing, you bastard child!"

Jet recoiled at more things she threw and crouched at the corner. Waiting for another hit but Lovota swayed walking to a chair to settle down.

Her neck melted into her chest and she was breathing like a dying ox and sweating profusely, there were big patches of sweat under her arms.

Jet opened the windows and Lovota wasn't so slow to react.

"Don't you see it's too bright!?" She bellowed and inclined over.

"Aunt Lovota, are you alright?"

The long walk may have caught up with her. "Get dressed, I don't want to see you here!" She retorted breathing harshly.

Jet saw she was being too difficult and just went on to assembling her new things for the time being. She rushed to take a bath.

There was a pristine river flowing behind their house and a well. She drew a few buckets into the bath and perked up when Lovota gave another agonizing scream.

"Jet, call a salutary, call anyone!" Her head shook and her hair was already out of place.

She dashed toward the door.

"Quick!"

She tottered at Bernard, her master.

He grimaced at why she was running in such a pretty dress. The ends and her shoes were already muddy.

"What have you done this time!?"

"Nothing, it's aunt Lovota, I think she's having a belly ache."

His face distorted in concern.

The other neighbours were afraid after they heard her screaming.

A couple of them helped her down the steps. If it wasn't for their enhanced strength, then there would be no point in moving her at all. She looked to be in real pain and her emotions were all over the place. She was screaming at Jet to clean up the house after they had unscheduled visitors come into their rabbit hole of a house to rescue her.

She bellowed as they whisked her away. Jet tried not to laugh and she cleared her throat under Bernard's steely gaze.

Bernard may not be as vicious as Lovota but he was still very stern and...otherwise.

"I trust that you will stay by her through this," He confided harshly.

"I was told to stay at home_"

"Never mind, just get to where you're going,"

She pulled up the royal purple elastic skirt and groaned. Her eyes followed him as he hobbled home, she noticed his unsteady gait and the few neighbours talking to him, he paid them no mind and shut the door behind him.

She swallowed and zipped to the stone building, knocking. The first to welcome her was Gamma Ray, he gestured her inside and she brushed away her wispy short hair admiring the interiors.

"Master, the impish girl is here," A scout announced to Beta Jackson and he stopped reclining in his office and met Jet.

She swallowed at her instructor. Jackson grimaced at the sleeves of her dress pulled up to mimick straps and he pulled them down to cover her thin shoulders.

She looked very small, even smaller in a violet flower barrette and a dress, which she hardly wore. He didn't see any sign of the necklace.

"You're not here for me, bummer,"

"I wasn't expecting to return to training at such a short time," She said sweetly and he scowled.

"You are unteachable but I hope you brought your manners," He gestured to the large doors, and a sentry pulled the door open.

She wondered if this was a dream. She walked up to the threshold and she was conscious of the damp hem of her dress and water squelching in her shoes.

Mustering enough wit to stop by at the Alpha's when he invited her. She marvelled at the big space with cream tiles on the walls and floors, there were palm trees planted on black vessels, a sunroof to let natural light joist into the hall. She held her arm at the chandelier swishing in the breeze.

"My child, come into the light," His croaky voice summoned. His bed was on a round tiled platform with a shelf by his right.

His grey hair was whitish under the natural light, her eyes scoured the bruises around his face and his waist down was covered.

She could see a clear image of Zev smirking and his eyes were without remorse. She cleared her head and proceeded to greet Efilian.

His eyes read between hers and picked a thing or two from her appearance, those meant nothing to him after years of being trivial, but there was something peculiar about her.