Less than half an hour later, Alex was standing out on the cobblestone streets. The stone glistened with the morning's rain, and the air was thick with mist. Lucifer led her farther out onto the street.

"You came." The other alpha was standing there with Eliza. "I didn't think you would."

Lucifer laughed. "Of course I would come." With a single thought, he opened a channel between the Source and his omega.

Alex closed her eyes as khul'Shalkrum filled her. She pulled more and more in, smiling. She opened her eyes to see Eliza channeling. Light shone around her, a soft glow. Alex let go of some of the Source, matching her intake. She could feel everything. She felt the two alphas back to the side; she felt the rain in the air; she felt the omega in front of her. She opened her eyes, nostrils flared wide. An animalistic feeling took over her; she looked almost feral.

"Eliza." The opposing alpha spoke. "Bring her down."

Energy formed in the timid omega's hand, and suddenly it was thrown at her. However, it wasn't strong or direct. Alex easily caught it, dispersing the energy with the twist of her wrist. The omega tried again, and Alex repeated her actions. This time, however, she stumbled back, surprised by the new level of force. Anything stronger than that could kill a man. "Hey," she snapped. "Calm down. You can hurt someone with that."

"That's the point," the other alpha sneered. Alex didn't like him. She drew in the Source, and lightning sparked around her. She threw it at the omega, all senses locked on hitting her. The omega tried to block it, but Alex was one with khul'Shalkrum. They easily maneuvered around her, hitting their mark. The omega stumbled back, her knees shaking. Alex conjured up three balls of energy. She pushed them towards the omega, who was still recovering.

Eliza fell flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her. Alex hurried over to the fallen omega, worried that she'd hurt her. "Eliza?" she whispered. "You okay?"

"You damn bitch!" The alpha stormed over to her. Alex pushed him away with a gust of wind. Then the Source was gone, and Alex whimpered at the biting loss. She stumbled back, finding a solid body. Lucifer gripped her tight, a growl falling from his lips. "You never use it against an alpha. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Alex whispered. Lucifer tightened his grip, and Alex gasped. "Yes sir," she repeated louder.

"That omega is crazy!" the alpha spat. "That's what you get with a feral omega! She'll never be usable, you hear? She'll never be more than an animal!"

Lucifer let her go. "We're done here," he growled. "Take your omega and go home." He roughly led Alex back into the inn.

"Luce," Alex protested. "He hurt me! He wanted to kill me."

"Don't," Lucifer spat. They got up to their room, and Lucifer shoved her inside.

Alex backed up nervously. She had never seen him this furious. She immediately made herself smaller, defensively standing on the other side of the bed. "Lucifer," she whispered. "I'm sorry -"

"Sorry? You think sorry's gonna cut it?"

Suddenly Alex was on the ground, screaming out in pain. Her muscles spasmed, and her back arched off of the ground. It felt like she was being whipped everywhere all at once. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and her screams fell silent, the anguish and pain behind them too much for sound.

...

Lucifer didn't stop until his anger faded. As the red hot hatred disappeared, he became aware of his omega. She was laying on the ground, muscles stiff and locked in place. He immediately quit what he had been doing to her, and a small whimper passed through her lips. Her body quivered with exhaustion, and her eyes stared up motionless at the ceiling.

"Alex?" Lucifer approached. He nudged at her leg with his foot, knowing showing sympathy now would only defeat the point he had made. "Get up."

Everything hurt. Alex managed to roll over, holding back more tears. But that was too much, and she lay there, shaking.

She felt Lucifer kneel beside her. "I'm sorry I had to hurt you like this, but that type of behavior will not be tolerated. Do you understand?"

Alex nodded, pressing her cheek into the cool wooden floor. "Yes sir," she whimpered. She hated this. Why couldn't he have killed her?

"Don't think like that," the alpha chastised. He pulled her to her feet. Alex's legs shook and gave out, and would have fallen if the alpha hadn't caught her. He led her over to the bed. "You're okay," he whispered in her hair, holding her close. Sympathy for his omega overcame him, and he sat down, pulling her down into his lap. "You're okay, mi Se'leana."

My omega. Thou that art in service to me.

Alex turned in his arms, burying her head in his neck, tears rolling onto his skin. "You hurt me," she whispered, more to herself than him. "You said your job was to protect me." She pulled back to look into his eyes. "How am I suppose to trust you when you do that?"

Lucifer closed his eyes, pulling her head back into his neck. "You don't know much about Myhidr, do you?"

Myhidr: the bond and relationship between an alpha and his omega. Alex mumbled something against his neck that sound like a 'no.'

The alpha sighed. "I am your Desh'miriai. Your alpha and protector. But it's not only my job to protect you. I have to control you, Alex. Keep you safe from khul'Shalkrum." Alex shook her head, and Lucifer continued. "I've seen it drive omegas mad, my love. I saw you when you fought. You looked like an animal."

Alex shook her head again, refusing to believe it. The Source was her life. It was her everything.

Lucifer held her a little longer before pulling back. He looked out the window. The rain had ceased. "We're leaving," he finally decided, pushing her to her feet. Alex frowned, but a look from Lucifer silenced her.

She dipped her head. "Yes sir."

Lucifer smiled. "Sh'mai."

Alex frowned. She knew the common phrases of the Old Tongue, but she had never heard that one.

"It means 'beloved of my soul.' " Lucifer quickly packed his saddlebag, tossing it to Alex. She staggered under the weight, crying out. Lucifer frowned. "You still hurting?"

"You fucking whipped me for like, five minutes!" Alex snapped. She saw Lucifer's eyes flare, and she flinched away. "Sorry, I'm sorry, sir."

"We've been over this," the alpha growled. "You will not talk back with that attitude, and you will definitely not swear like that." He approached, satisfied as she shrunk further away. "Now. How badly does it hurt?"

Alex closed her eyes as the alpha touched her. His cold hands ran up her arm, coming to rest on her shoulders. "Bad," she whimpered.

"Hmm. It's too bad I don't feel sorry for you." However, Lucifer took his saddlebag. He gave her a simple task. "Go out to the stable and saddle my horse. Can you do that?"

Alex nodded slowly. "I'll do my best," she promised quietly. Then she took the saddlebag and hurried out of the room. She quickly made her way out of the building and into the stable.

Ruby whinnied softly as she entered, and Alex ran her hand up her nose. "Hey, girl." Alex tossed the saddlebag on the ground, approaching Alistair. He nickered, reaching his black head out towards her. Alex unlatched the stable door, grabbing onto his halter to lead him out. Then she grabbed his saddle pad, tossing it over his back.

Alistair snorted, and Alex ran her hand down his muscular shoulder. "Good boy," she whispered. She awkwardly lifted the saddle onto his back, ignoring the protests the horse gave her. She centered it, grabbing hold of the straps.

...

It took some muscle, but Alex thought she got the saddle on secure. She wrapped Alistair's reins around a post before turning to her horse.

Lucifer entered. "Everything going okay?"

Alex blushed. "Think so. I, uh, I'm not sure if the saddle's on correct." She dipped her head. "I've never saddled up a horse before."

Lucifer grunted in understanding. "Come here." He led her over to Alistair. He placed several fingers in between the strap and the horse, motioning for her to do the same. "Do you feel how loose that is?"

"It was tight before," Alex retorted. "Well, tight-ish."

Lucifer patted Alistair on the neck. "He was blowing out his stomach. Again. Horses usually do that." He undid the strap, pulling it roughly up until it was tight. He re-buckled it. "Now. Can you get your fingers under there?"

Alex tried. "No."

"That's how tight you want it." Lucifer looked at Ruby. "I'll finish saddle her up. Attach my saddle bag, okay?"

"Okay." Alex quickly did as he asked.

Lucifer finished his task quickly, and took Alistair's reins. "Come on. We'll be crossing the mountains today." He led Alistair out into the streets; Alex followed with Ruby. She started to mount, but paused when Lucifer just kept walking down the street. She followed, confused.

They stopped in front of a building, and Lucifer handed her the reins. "Stay here."

Alex nodded. There was no way in hell that she was going to try to escape. She took Alistair's reins, scratching him between the ears. Lucifer disappeared into the store.

...

khul'Shalkrum - the Source. Elvish for "Living Weapon"

Se'leana - omega/one who is in service [to an alpha]. A female Elvish name meaning "In service to you."

Desh'miriai - alpha/protector. Elvish for "Guardian."

Sh'mai - Elvish for "beloved of my soul."

Myhidr - the bond/relationship between an alpha and his omega. Elvish for "Lover/Companion/Soul Mate."