-Dot-
An uneasy feeling had started in the pit of my stomach since I woke up this morning. Now, it was almost incapacitating me. I couldn't even look at the meals they brought to my room throughout the day.
At one point, Conri even stayed with me for a while. His visit only ended up agitating me more because neither of us could say much.
"Hello, Dot." The woman whose name I learned was Lupa creaked the door open gently. The smile on her face seemed forced as she settled another bowl of soup on the table adjacent to the bed. "Dinner."
They'd been giving me soup for a few days now, but today I didn't feel like eating anything. The restless feeling in my stomach blocked any hunger. I turned away from her and continued to stare at the quickly fading sunset. This view was so different than the one I was accustomed to. Back home, the only windows we had looked upon a stark courtyard where only a few tufts of greenery sprouted through the cement cracks and a singular tree. Here, I looked upon a dazzling view from above. Hundreds of trees and plants dotted the landscape for miles until dusky mountains sprouted on the horizon. I never knew the world could be so big.
"Eat." The light touch of fingertips on the back of my arms made me jump, and disrupted my calm. I whipped around with a hiss and knocked the bowl of lukewarm liquid to the ground.
My eyes widened and I backed against the window, remembering where I was. I curled into myself. Why was I always like this? Why couldn't I just behave? If only everyone could leave me alone and let me be!
Lupa let out a long string of panicked nonsense words, but it meant nothing to me as I sank to the ground, waiting for the oncoming blow. Instead, the woman let out a sigh and backed away with her hands raised.
"I'm sorry." She said in a pleading tone. "Accident. Don't be scared."
I peered up from my knees and couldn't help the shocked look I shot her. "Sorry?" I repeated her word.
Lupa nodded, the gentle lilt to her mouth returning. "Yes. Accident."
She crept forward and gathered the broken pieces of glass with another sigh.
"Not eat today." I spoke carefully. "Not hungry."
This was the first time I told her that I didn't want something. The act of refusal itself felt illegal. However, instead of getting angry, she merely offered another nod and a beaming smile.
"Okay. Tomorrow?"
I thought for a moment. How long would I be staying with them before they sent me home? Could I really afford to refuse food? Besides, maybe my stomach would feel better tomorrow?
"Okay. Eat tomorrow." I pursed my lips after I responded and rose to my feet.
"Sleep." She half whispered as she left the room.
I didn't bother responding, but merely turned to stare out the window again. The uneasy feeling in my chest didn't let up, but at least I was alone now. I've felt like I've been walking on egg shells around them for the past couple of days, but even alone, I realized I still didn't feel any better.
In fact, I felt worse right now. I missed the other omegas. Where were they now? Were they in a similar situation as me? How could I possibly ask these people? Would they even tell me?
The soft tinge of orange and red in the sky slowly disappeared and twinkling stars blinked into existence as time went on. I imagined stepping foot into the sea of grass below, trailing my fingers along the bark of trees, and breathing in the night air. It was like I was dreaming, but it was so close I could almost feel it.
Above the mountains, the crescent moon hung and cast everything in ethereal white light. Looking at it sent a shiver down my spine and I couldn't help but clench at my heart. The sad feeling in my stomach swelled.
In the distance, I heard the most heart wrenching sound. My ears twitched forward and my tail wrapped protectively around me. Like a mournful song, it echoed in the night. The desperate howl of a broken man.
My heart thumped wildly in my chest. His howls sliced through my composure and brought tears to my eyes. Who was this wolf? It sounded so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. How did he know the very song my own heart sang?
A sob broke free from my chest and I fell to my knees. I rested my head against the windowsill, and let my tear filled eyes droop shut.
I just wanted to be free from this nightmare.