exhausted from pushing all night long. Sweat beaded down my face.
“It’s a girl!” announced the midwife.
My husband, Therman, squeezed my hand, and I smiled, seeing pride and shock in his eyes as he gazed at our little girl. The midwife walked across the room, and I could hear our baby’s little cries as the midwife washed her up in the sink.
“You did it, honey,” Therman praised, kissing me.
After a few minutes, the midwife laid the baby on my chest. I touched her little shoulder carefully. Her wrinkly purple skin was so soft against mine. She calmed down instantly and stopped crying at my touch.
“Her name will be Tiana,” I cooed.
“It’s perfect,” my husband agreed, kissing my hair.
“She has the mark,” said the midwife, pointing to a pink mark on my baby’s shoulder. I panicked, turning her to see. It looked like four claw marks. “It’s the omega sign. She’s an omega. I couldn’t see it at first until you held her.”
Omegas were rare and highly coveted in our community in Howl’s Edge.
“How is that possible?” I asked in shock.
I turned to my husband, whose eyes were as wide as mine.
“Well, it makes sense. I’m an alpha, even though you’re a beta. It’s rare, but it happens,” Therman assured me. “We have to leave Howl’s Edge immediately. Before anyone takes our child.”
Horror filled my heart at the thought of anyone taking my baby. It wasn’t safe during these times.
She could get kidnapped off the street and auctioned. No matter how they obtained her, it was the law for an omega to mate with alphas. She would be taken by alphas and made to mate with three or more of them. I couldn’t let that happen.
“We have to leave tonight,” I said, trying to get up, but my head spun.
“Miss, you just gave birth,” insisted the midwife, cleaning up the afterbirth.
“We will take the first boat out tomorrow morning,” assured Therman. He kissed our daughter’s head and rubbed my arm reassuringly. “I’ll make sure our family is safe. Whatever it takes.”
