Chapter 2 The Law of King Alpha
The government we lived under was completely unjust. The caretaker groups were made up of people who didn't have their own wolves or who didn't have the strength to awaken them. It wasn't enough to be descended from wolves; things weren't as easy as inheriting a trait. It wasn't just about having the wolf; you needed to know how to control it, train it, and gain its trust.
But people born into the caretaker group didn't have time to train. We were too busy trying to survive. Besides having to work hard to get a little food, we were easy prey. To make matters worse, we didn't live in the pack's houses.
Our houses were almost 2km away. In other words, we had no security. The wolves seemed to consider us people who didn't even deserve pity. Despite being in the pack every day, scrubbing and cleaning their messes, the wolves seemed not to see us.
We had no chance to change our lives, always in misery. But the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to have arrived. Could this be our salvation? Had a god, born of royalty, noticed us? Not only that, but was he also saving us?
I walked with my head down towards the city, still in disbelief. Everyone seemed happy, but I couldn't show it. I was simply confused. "Why?" This question repeated itself time and time again.
The city was also a real mess, and people were walking back and forth.
"Not everyone is as bitter as you," Harper teases me, as always.
How did they accept the big change so easily? I look at their notice board and see the news of King Alpha's visit, but theirs had a date. Today.
"See the reason for their happiness," I say, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth.
Was it acting or reality? I continue walking and see several people hugging caretakers. Those scenes deserved to be photographed, just to have proof that it was really happening. Suddenly, the wolves were seeing us.
"Welcome, neighbor!" A she-wolf approaches me and tries to hug me, but I quickly move away.
"I've lived here my whole life, I don't need a welcome." I say in a serious tone and continue walking, leaving the she-wolf speechless.
I couldn't help but feel disdain; after all, I've always tried to fit in. I've always wanted to make friends. I enter the cleaning house and approach the counter to see the day's available services. Incredibly, the place was empty, except for the usual boss.
"Welcome, dear caregiver!" The man says with a big smile, looking at me.
I raise an eyebrow, staring at him seriously. His smile slowly fades from his face, giving way to shame. I couldn't reciprocate his kindness; in fact, I think I was looking at all the she-wolves as if they had been brainwashed. That theory seemed to be the only explanation.
"I don't see the service lists, haven't they been delivered yet?" I ask, looking at his empty desk.
"Today we won't have any services, it's a day of celebration! We'll just focus on celebrating alongside our beloved King and our new tenants," the man replies cheerfully.
I force a smile and leave the place. No money, no merchandise.
"Your kidneys will thank you," Harper says ironically.
Was this supposed to last? What would we do to survive? Soon I see a crowd further ahead. In the middle of the crowd I see a little girl emerge from the throng. The girl looked at a pink dress full of ribbons in her hands, with endless joy.
That hurt me. I was once a girl her size and it was my dream to have a pretty dress. My clothes were old, faded, and ugly. They were the clothes I picked up from the pack's garbage. I always ate, lived, and dressed myself on other people's leftovers.
I saw that new clothes were being distributed and, further ahead, they were also distributing food. What were the chances of finding good whiskey there? I started to smell a woody aroma; the scent was wonderful. I had never smelled anything so pleasant, almost addictive.
I shook my head, trying not to get too distracted by it. It was definitely coming from the new clothes. I started walking towards my house, but I saw several cars passing through the large gate of the pack. The cars were luxurious, shiny, and enormous. It was the King, without a doubt. I quickened my pace, heading towards the forest.
"Where are you going? I want to meet the King!" Harper complained.
"I'm not used to crowds, and attention is something I don't want. Not to mention I still don't know if some strange virus is messing with the wolves' thoughts," I replied, unable to stop a laugh from escaping my throat.
"Maybe things will really change this time," Harper said, igniting a spark of hope.
Hope was something I hadn't felt in a long time. I was near home when I heard screams. They seemed very close, and I could feel the adrenaline pumping. The screams were loud and desperate.
As I predicted, the wolf started running towards me, completely careless. I ran to meet it and jumped as soon as it got close, easily climbing onto its back. I let out a loud laugh at the wolf's idiotic behavior.
It wasn't difficult at all to plunge my dagger into its nape, the ideal spot to kill a wolf. I heard its cry of pain and jumped to the ground as the wolf writhed. Soon it was on the ground, dead. I looked at my clothes, which were covered in blood. Some of it was the wolf's blood that had spurted out. Some of it was the blood of the victims that had soaked into its fur.
I approached the bodies and sighed sadly. A little of the hatred in my body intensified. If they had been in the pack, this invading wolf wouldn't have killed them. They would both be alive.
"You did your part, it wasn't your fault you arrived too late." Harper tried to console me, feeling the sadness and anger growing in my body.
My eyes widened as I saw a small boy emerge from behind a tree. His face was contorted with fear, and blood covered his body.
"My mommy and daddy." The boy said only that and began to cry loudly.
I looked around, unsure what to do. How could I comfort that child? I saw an old sheet ahead and placed it over the bodies; the boy didn't need to see his parents' dismembered corpses.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright." I said, immediately feeling stupid.
I wasn't good at comforting, that was a fact. But in a few seconds, I didn't need to think anymore, as the little boy had his arms around my legs, comforting himself. I froze. It was the first time someone had touched me.
His skin was soft, which gave me a good feeling. It was strange, and I didn't know how to act; I just left him there. It seemed like the boy needed exactly that.