A new identity

Few hours had gone by before Raine jolted up instinctively, only to slam her head against the moving carriage.

A choked cry escaped her lips as she blinked at the sudden pain.

"You're awake? How the hell is that even possible?" he asked.

"What did you do to me, and where am I?" Raine stuttered.

"Relax, country girl. I didn't hurt you, you were just too loud and I had to shut you down. But it was supposed to take you at least five hours or more to be up, but this is barely one hour ago."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know either. That was weird for me too."

"Get down, since you are awake," he ordered.

"Why?"

"Matteo won't like you like this," he continued, tossing her a small, tattered bag. "You need to be presentable and also need a good disguise." He stopped and turned to her.

"Strip."

Her breath hitched. "Excuse me?"

"Strip," he repeated, his tone impatient. "You smell like a pile of... Look girl, you can't come in with me to Matteo's tent looking like this."

"I'm not stripping either. I didn't escape being the alpha's sex slave to be a slave's sex slave."

The man chuckled. "Slave? You must have your nice way of paying someone back with words. Besides, you are all bones and no flesh, there's nothing to take advantage of in you anyway. I could throw up just looking at you and that torn, dirty gown of yours. The bag contains new clothes, change into them."

Raine sighed. It wasn't a lie. Her collarbones were all propped out like she'd starved for months, but who would second-guess she eats more than a normal wolf? Thanks to fast metabolism she isn't able to keep any of that as fat.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled off her ruined dress. From the bag, she pulled out a pair of dark pants; they were rough and oversized.

They reeked of leather, the scent clinging to her skin as she slid them on. They were better than the torn gown that had left her body exposed.

"I'm not a commoner. I'm not exactly sure why you chose rags for me to wear, but I guess the thought matters most. Thanks, by the way."

He scoffed and handed her a small, jagged knife. "Cut your hair. I'm only doing this because of that bitch that gave you the stone."

Raine hesitated, but the look in his eyes told her there was no room for argument. With a deep breath, she grabbed a handful of her long, wavy orange hair and sawed through it with the not-so-sharp knife he gave her. Strands tumbled to the ground; the edges weren't anything close to smooth or equal.

"Now bind your chest," the rogue ordered, tossing her a strip of cloth. "You'll pass as a boy easier that way. Oh sorry, I think you don't really need to bind anything. With this big shirt, I would never guess you were born with boobies."

Her throat tightened. She rolled her eyes as she wrapped the fabric around her chest, compressing her curves.

"Why look like a boy?" she whispered.

The rogue smirked. "We could have spies in Nkwell. I'm sure by now your father has sent a painting of you across Valdoria with a price tag. You just need to not be recognized as... What's that your name again?"

She nodded; his explanation made sense to her.

"My name is Raine. Just Raine. I've not figured out a surname yet."

The rogue seemed satisfied. " Just Raine is nice. You can use Omega as your surname now — as in Raine omega "

Raine didn't get the joke. She rolled her eyes at him.

"It was a joke. Okay let's see if Matteo will give a damn about you." He said awkwardly.

The town of Nkwell was nothing like a proper pack settlement. It was almost kind of empty with more bushes than makeshift huts. There were burning barrels for warmth, and the unmistakable glares of people who trusted no one bore on them as they walked. Raine kept her gaze down.

Matteo himself sat on a worn-out armchair with his legs spread apart, a cigar smoldering between his fingers. His eyes were sharp, and when he looked at her, it felt like he could see straight through her disguise.

"Who's this? Tobe?" he asked.

The man that brought her answered before Raine could mind-link. "Peter sent him." He threw the blue stone at Matteo and he caught it skillfully.

Matteo exhaled smoke, studying her. "And so?" He leaned forward. "Tell me, little girl, what's stopping me from gutting you right here? I could feed you to my pack."

Raine's pulse pounded. The rogue guy had earlier told her she could now pass as a boy, but it seemed her pretty, cute face had given her out again. "I want to survive and I can adapt."

Matteo blocked her from mind-link immediately, and all she tried to gain access didn't work. She stared at Tobe for help.

"No need to look at him. I can read your thoughts and I won't just give access to anyone."

She lifted her chin. "I need protection, and I know what it takes to earn it. I'll do whatever you need."

Hearing her, Tobe tensed, as if he hadn't expected her to say that. Matteo smirked, tapping ash from his cigarette onto the ground.

"Brave of you," he mused. "But you can't talk? Were you really born that way or did you just accept what they told you?"

She twisted her lips, not sure which of the options was her answer. She had never actually tried to talk. Probably because she lived alone and had no one to talk with except her mother who usually worked from early hours of the morning to late night.

"Alright then. Let's see how far you're willing to go." He gestured to a bloodied knife resting on the table beside him. "Bring me the head of the man outside. He was caught trying to trade our location for scraps. Prove your loyalty."

Raine's stomach twisted, but she didn't flinch. She stepped forward, took the knife, and turned toward the entrance.

I can do this! Just like an army, executing a criminal. I'm just an army executing a criminal for the sake of everyone's peace and safety.

The man waiting outside was already on his knees, his face bruised, his expression hopeless. He met her gaze and searched for mercy.

Raine's hands shook as she raised the blade, her lips smacked together. Tobe watched closely and Matteo smirked, as if he already knew the outcome. Judging by how she was holding the knife, it was just so obvious she had never killed before.

But she gathered the courage and forced herself to step forward, then plunged the knife without looking into the man's belly.

"I'm sorry," she muttered and ran back with the knife to Matteo, whose mouth was now agape. He was speechless as he stared at the girl bowing with a kitchen knife extended to him.

"He's dead, sir. I'm sorry I couldn't sever his head. This knife is meant for cutting carrots, not heads."

"Dead?" Matteo scoffed. "You used your best strength and this is the result?"

"I'm also surprised, sir, at how far my strength has taken me. I'm convinced that I will get better with training. I will join your army and defeat your enemies," she said with trembling hands. The fact that she probably just killed someone hadn't settled on her yet.

His eyes widened to the point where they threatened to fall out of their sockets. Then he scoffed. "That was barely a scratch, you weakling! I didn't ask you to stab him, and even if I did, your skill is barely enough to make him lose enough blood. Gosh, you are even bleeding in your hand more than him."

"Tobe, take her away and let her be useful in cutting carrots in the kitchen. How could Peter send yet another unskilled, hopeless girl? Does he think I run a charity organization?" Matteo growled. He took his sword and severed the man's head with one strike.

Witnessing that gave Raine an immediate hiccup. It continued for a while before she started to feel dizzy and passed out.

***

Later that night, as she sat by the fire, Tobe, who was yet to believe what had just happened, leaned closer to Raine. "You didn't even try, did you?" he murmured.

"I did," she admitted, staring into the flames. "But it's ridiculous how I ended up bleeding instead of the one I stabbed. How would Matteo kill so violently? I was just shocked a little, that's why I fell asleep. Besides, I've been really stressed out from running. I'm really not that weak."

He nodded with scornful mockery. "Whatever. This is why you'll not survive. Give up and make dishes for him."

Matteo approached them, tossing something onto her lap. It was a folded piece of parchment and ID.

"His name was Rowan Vale. You will continue to live as him. All you need to know about him is written there."

"Thanks," she thought.

"Talk to me. I don't want that stupid mind-link thing of yours. Tell your wolf to help you. You can actually do it. No one was born without a voice, not when you even have royal blood in you. I heard you are the illegitimate Gemma's daughter. Your father is an Alpha in a western rogue pack, so literally speaking you are a princess. The moon goddess must have given you a special wolf to fill up where you lack."

Raine sighed and cleared her voice. She opened her mouth, but words wouldn't come out.

"You are not even trying, Raine!" Matteo screamed in frustration.

Raine, for the first time, talked with her wolf. She had long named him Ryan, the same name her childhood sweetheart bore before he passed.

With so much hesitation, she muttered to it, "Help me, if you can. Ryan." This was exactly the way she'd plead with the only boy that cared for her, but he wouldn't hear; he wasn't old enough to mind-link.

"Raine!" Matteo screamed. He was losing his patience already.

"S\_orry," she talked.

Her voice was the sweetest thing she'd ever heard. She couldn't hold the tears dropping from the side of her eyes.

"Did I really say something? Oh my goodness! I think I... Tobe, I think I can talk now," she cried.

"There it is! Werewolves aren't born with disabilities. If your voice is impaired, then your wolf's voice wouldn't be. There's nothing you can't do on your own. Especially knowing the fact you are a princess. You are already special because I can't seem to scent you ever since you arrived. I've been trying, but whoever taught you how to hide your scent is a genius."

"Nobody taught me! I'm a dusk wolf and I have no scent!" She screamed at the top of her voice and danced happily around the fire for a few minutes.

Abruptly she stopped and talked slowly like she remembered something.

"At which point of this am I supposed to meet my mother?"

"You have a mother?" Tobe asked.

Raine's brow furrowed. "Of course, asshole. I want to reunite with her. Father... I mean Gemma Anthony said 'take care of her' to his men and I wonder what that means."

Matteo, without mincing words, replied. "Coming from Gemma Anthony, your mother is probably dead or locked away. Either way, I will help you find info on her, but you have to earn that first. Your wolf is dusk, right?"

She nodded.

"Good. That means your potential is limitless if you put your mind to it. Your first real job, Rowan Vale," he said, smirking. "You ever heard of the Apex Trials Academy?"

Raine froze. Everyone had heard of the strange academy. There were even rumours that magic existed there.

The Apex Trials Academy was a whispered legendary school, a place where the highest-ranking wolves trained, where power flowed freely and only the most skilled or the most ruthless could rise. Everyone survived by killing who they were weaker than, and as long as you passed the entrance test, no matter your rank in the real world, you would be admitted. You could become a poor omega today and the leader of alphas tomorrow—only if you had the strength, guts, and skill. It's also a one-way easy suicide route for people like Raine.

"I've… heard of it," she answered with a dry throat. "But that's just a story, isn't it? A way to give people like me false hope. I can never rise to the level of alphas. I'm a girl after all and my mother usually tells me that's exactly why I need to live a low-profile life."

Tobe's lips curled upward, but there was no warmth in the smile. "It's real. And you've just stumbled into a path that could lead you there. I will leave the decision to you. Even I didn't get this golden opportunity. Who said I'd love to be a rogue's slave all my life?"

Matteo scoffed and rolled his eyes at him.

Raine blinked. There was no reason for someone like her to be involved. She was just a broken Gemma's daughter, weak, low-born, and hunted. She wasn't cut out for something like that.

"I… I'm sorry to disappoint you," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I'm not going to sacrifice my life when I just escaped death."

"You have nothing left to lose, Raine. If you really want to escape the life they've planned for you, it's also like the only way to get revenge on your father. Your mother would want that."

"I won't even survive a night there. I will just be their worthless prey."

"Few minutes ago, you spoke for the first time in your life, girl. That's why I believe you will survive and level up. The only thing I want in return is the death of three of their professors: Alpha Gabriel, Alpha Cole, and Alpha Kieran. And this time I don't need you to scratch them with a kitchen knife, I want their heads on a platter severed with a sword!"