Chapter Text
Tomorrow was the day, the day of the "Selection Ceremony”.
All the pups in the age of nine from the pack would go thru a process, and in the end they would be separated in Omegas, Betas, and Alphas.
The Omegas and Alphas were to be separated until they come of age, different schools, deferential studies, only seeing each other in ceremonies and celebrations, meanwhile the Betas could continue the normal process and be a part of the community, occupying normal schools, jobs, and affairs. The Betas are the majority of the pack, alfas and omegas were not common.
The alfas would become warriors, protectors of the pack. The Omegas would become healers and would learn about the history of the pack and breeding. The pack is ruled by the supreme Alpha and his mate omega, the Luna. The Supreme is chosen after the old Alfa died, in a deadly process. That measures the strength and wisdom of all the Alphas.
In the river, a group of orphaned children, rescued by the pack, were playing in the shore. They were in seven, and tomorrow the two eldest would participate in the selection ceremony. They did not know that this would be the last time in very long, that everyone would be together, as a family.
Hyunwoo was the oldest, the strongest fighter among them all also a very kind and calm spirit, you could say he was the leader and protector of their little pack. Then it was Hoseok or Wonho as he liked to be called, a very sensitive little boy that couldn't hurt a fly but was very strong, he loved to write songs. Following them were the two twin brothers Minhyuk and Hyungwon, Min was a sassy and feisty boy who loved to prank people and gossip, he was also very lovable between his friends, hugging everyone. Hyungwon was more introvert a very tall boy, for his age, and very sleepy but also sassy among his brothers. Then there was the small Kihyun, but do not be fooled by his size he might be the bravest of them all, always fighting and nagging them around, like a mother. The two smallest were Jooheon and Changkyun, Jooheon was very social and happy, like a puppy, easily scared. Changkyun was Kihyun’s little brother by blood, he is very calm and has a big will, very clingy towards his small family.
Six of them were playing catch in the water, only Kihyun was sitting in a rock watching his brothers with a sad smile on his contemplating face. Didn't take too long for Hyunwoo to notice, he soon crossed the river approaching his friend. But he wasn’t greeted with smiles, only a nod. “What is going on?” the bigger boy says sitting by the smaller. “They don't know! They don’t realize!” He says screaming holding his tears. “They will…” Hyunwoo says placing a hand in Kih's shoulder. “Let them play happy and forget for a moment, they will always cherish this, they wont if they reali…” Kihyun snatches back at him interrupting. “ Realize that you could be gone tomorrow!” He takes Hyunwoo's hand off his shoulder and looks back at the river.
“You know that will only happen if I’m not a beta, and you know thats unlikely...” say the taller calmly, but the other does not respond immediately, he breathes in really slowly and grabs the hand of his friend. “But you are my best friend… How will we survive without you?” Hyunwoo faces the younger and squeeze’s his hand. “I will always be there for you Kih. I does not matter what will happen, I will always be your best friend. And don’t worry they have someone to protect them.” Kihyun does not get it, the two strongest guys of their group could be gone. “Who?” He question the big one, who responds fondly messing the other's hair. “You”.
The two friends stay like that for a while, hands intertwined, looking at the silly kids they called brothers. They were scared of the future, but both far too proud to admit, the silence was the best any of them could hope right now.
The night soon settles and the day arises. The pack joins for the beginning of the ceremony, the little pack waits patiently for his brothers to be selected, all of them, by now, worrying about their fates. But especially Kihyun, who was looking for Hyunwoo everywhere, he had lost a lot in the past years he couldn't lose his protector, his friend. The selection starts, pup by pup they were separated. “Beta, Beta, Beta” say the priest, as each child appears to have his or hers blood taken and tested. It was usually like this, no Omega or Alpha, but Kihyun knew, he always knew, he was just too scared to say it out loud.
Then the other two appeared, Wonho followed by Hyunwoo. The first one scared gives his arm slowly to the priest, only to hear it out loud “Beta”, smiling he is excused, joining the rest of his friends. Then It was Hyunwoo’s turn, the boy who always seemed so big and strong, looked so fragile in the middle of all the adults, he extends his arm for the priest who collects a drop of blood, which is inserted in a vase, if the color of the water maintained transparent, Beta. If it changed to Blue, Omega. And if it was Black, Alpha. No one was really paying attention, no one but Kihyun, who could hear the blood dropping in the water and also hear the silence of the crowd as the water turns in to an opaque shade of black, immediately.
The Priest is also quiet for a moment, before looking at the scared face of little Hyunwoo and pronouncing the word “Alpha”. All the pack rise's from their seats and repeats “Alpha” Including the current Supreme.
The pack around Kihyun and Hyunwoo were cheering, everyone except the both of them, they were staring deeply at each other, both of them knew what that meant. Hyunwoo smile, a sad smile and nodded. Kihyun wished to scream loudly but he knew, nothing he could do would change what suddenly happened. He was escorted away by the elites of the supreme, eyes still fixed on Kihyun as he mouthed “again”, Kihyun understand that as “wait, we will meet again”.
And he would follow those words by heart, repeating every day before he went to sleep. The ceremony ended quite quickly after that, Kihyun was holding his little brother's hand. Changkyun had no idea what was happening, but by looking at his brother's face he could tell it wasn’t good, the truth is that the smaller just wanted to return to the river, to jump in Hyunwoo’s shoulder as they play and finally be taller than his brother. His brother that is shedding tears In this exact moment. All too confusing for a five-year-old.
“I've always knew he would be alpha! The best alpha!” Jooheon says after they return from the ceremony, now only in six. Wonho and Kihyun hadn't spoken a word since then. While the others were praising their beloved hyung.”You don’t get it, do you? He is gone! We will only see him one time in every year until his 17 birthday!” Kihyun screams, mad but still holding little Changkyun. “Is his fate, what could we do?” Say Minhyuk grabbing the free hand of the sad boy. The truth is that in that moment, all of them realized that the older would not return to them.
Holding hands they wept in silence.
One year has passed.
Kihyun had finally turned nine, joined by Hyungwon and Minhyuk. The ceremony would be held in the evening and this time he couldn't wait for it. Because this would be the first time he would see Hyunwoo since he left, he wanted to show how he had grown, show to him the new tricks he had learned, or just hold his hand as they did in the riversides. He missed his friend so much, that he prayed every-night to be sorted as alfa. He many times tried to find him, going where they trained alphas, but he couldn't get a visual of no one except the guards. “did he grownup? He must be so tall right now…” he could imagine how glorious his friend would look like a complete alpha.
“Hey, world to Kihyun!” Minhyuk says behind him. “Sorry, I just can't wait…” the two boys laugh, an awkward laugh. They were ready, waiting to be called, already said their goodbyes to the other friends and brothers. The wait was difficult, a lot of pressure to appear in front of the whole pack. Both of them start to worry when Hyungwon was not among them. But they couldn't do anything anymore, it started.
“Beta, Beta, Beta, Beta” the priest would say it, as all the pups would come up the stage, scared. Kihyun tried to look for Hyunwoo, tiptoeing, trying to see the crowd, unsuccessfully. But then a storming sweaty Hyungwon appears running to them. “You're late!” Say his brother as he joins them. “O no? Really?” Wonnie responds with sass. “Shut up both of you, and help me look for Hyunwoo” Kihyuns says annoyed in the middle of the brother fight. The other two start to look when suddenly Hyungwon was pulled by his clothes into the stage, the taller one falls near the priest and looks back at the Beta who pushed him with hate in his eyes. The priest just nods in discontent and pulls little Wonnie to get his blood.
As the water hits the water, everybody is shocked, everyone except Kihyun who is still looking for Hyunwoo, but when they hear it out loud the words “Alpha”, he looks straight to Hyungwon, who is in a state of pure shock. Once again all rise and repeat “Alpha". Minhyuk starts to shout, trying to get to his brother, but the Betas helping the ceremony would not let him. Kihyun is in a complete panic, and just the word/number “Five” comes to his head, they are in only five now, he is scared, that is until he manages to get a glimpse of his friend, Hyunwoo, repeating with the pack those hateful words that once again took another friend away. Kihyun is mad, he wants to hurt someone, he wants his friends back.
It was now his time, he climbed those stairs with dignity looking once again straight to Hyunwoo, who was staring back at him with a calm and warm smile. He had changed, grown, way more than Kihyun, and he had a different hair, more military with an undercut. But that look in his face had not changed, not even a bit.
A feeling creeps Kihyun spine, that look that he was so used to a year ago starts to do something in his body, fear? Happiness? He didn't know, he never felted… He was so intrigued by that look that he didn't saw the priest taking his arm, punctured, and drop the blood in the vase. The only thing he remembers is seeing the bright blue water appearing, in front of his face, he looked back at Hyunwoo, he was frozen, mouth opening.
This time the pack does not get up, but say it out loud, with a clap, “Omega".
He remembers seeing Changkyun crying, he was climbing Wonho’s lap. He remembers looking at the older Beta and screaming “Take care of him!”. He also looked at Hyunwoo, who had diverted his look to the ground. Soon he was taken away, tears running in his face, he couldn't hear what people were saying to him, he could only move, then he was alone in a separated room looking at his bloody arm not understanding what just happened. That is until the door opens up again, and someone comes running towards him, hugging him. The smell that surrounded him was a familiar one, it was Minhyuk. “What are you doing here?” The smaller says not letting go of his friend. “Im a Omega as well…” the blonde responds with a sad voice. Both of them knew what that meant, the true purpose for them now was to find a mate and reproduce, not every child's dream. Soon they were lead to the “Omega school” with two more pups, none of them would be able to say goodbye to their family or friends.
They were to meet with the current Luna of the pack, it was a female named Raven, the most beautiful woman they ever saw, tall and gracious, with platinum blond hair. She greeted them with smiles. “Welcome pups, this will be your home for the remaining eight years, you will learn everything about Omegas, heats, body system, soulmates, the scent, and marking. And here is also the place you can study to decide a profession to help the pack when you become of age.”
They entered, It was a white marble building, guarded heavily by elites of the Supreme. Inside there were classrooms, stores, gardens, and rooms. All very organized.
“For the first year, you are not allowed to leave this place, except for the ceremony’s, the other years you’ll be slowly inserted in the community, being able to leave on weekends and more. The contact with Alphas is strictly prohibited until the age of 17, leaving to reclusion and losing the possibility of leaving for the city. We all know the hormonal part of our body will chant louder than rules, but believe me, it is for your own safety, untrained Alphas can be very aggressive towards Omegas. The only alphas you will have contacts are some of the elites guarding this place and the supreme.” This last part she says with a hint of sadness in her voice, and Kihyun notices. Soon they were divided into two rooms, thankfully he was separated with Minhyuk. The two of them were now in a big white room, with two fluffy white bed’s and with white bars on the windows.
It was a prison, and little Kihyun noticed, it was all so shiny and beautiful, to hide the horrible meaning that was behind it. Omegas were inferior, sex toys, they all needed to be beautiful and give it all for their mates. He at that moment, looking out from the window, to the rest of the pack, he promised himself that that would not be his future.