Back at her cave, she finally stopped, emptying the contents of her bag. She counted herself to have perhaps three fortnights of food. She pulled on the leather jacket, letting out a soft breath. It was warm, but it smelled heavily of an alpha. She scented it again. He had been drinking last time he had worn it. Quite a bit. She curled her nose. Yuck.

...

She slept on and off for the rest of the day. It wasn't safe to be out there during the day; alphas were constantly trampling through. She had already been lucky enough to survive here as long as she had; but recently she had been spotted. Now those three alphas seemed intent on her capture. Alex shook her head. Omegas were rare. They were special. They were the only ones who could draw and control the Source. Khul'Shalkrum. The all-surrounding world energy. Alphas would pay high prices for an omega. If an alpha bonded himself to one, he could control that omega, controlling the Source.

Alex shivered, drawing on the warmth of the Source. She created three small balls of energy, watching them fly around at the flick of a finger. One flickered out, dying on the far side of the cave. Alex closed her eyes, bringing it back. It buzzed back into life, and Alex smiled. She had taught herself. Not many omegas could say that. But it was hard to control.

As if to prove her point, one flew out the cave, striking a nearby tree. It sparked, and even from where she was sitting, Alex could see the scorched bark. She frowned disappointedly, but created another ball.

She worked on her control for several minutes before she grew weary. With a flick of her wrist, they disappeared, and Alex lay down. Before long, she had slipped into a light sleep.

...

It was barely past sunset when Alex heard the sounds of dogs barking. We'll bring the dogs back on a better night. The alpha's words flashed through Alex's mind, and she jumped up. She grabbed her leather bag and worn jacket, hurrying to the edge of the cave. The hounds barked again, and Alex knew they were at least a mile off. She had a good head start. She hurried back in, quickly wolfing down several strips of jerky. It would have to keep her fed for the night. Then she hurried out into the night.

The air was crisp and clear, and Alex paused, scenting the air. They dogs weren't close enough to scent. But if they came this way, they would find her cave. She took off down stream. She jumped across the flat rocks to cross to the other side, knowing dogs couldn't follow her scent across water. The alphas could scent her in the air, but it might buy her much needed time.

She hurried downstream, crossing every few miles or so. By then, she had slowed her pace, senses on high alert. The dogs were still baying, but far away, and Alex started to doubt if they were after her at all. She slowed to a walk, kicking a round stone across the river bed. She decided to circle back to her cave.

...

She took the long way up into the mountains, pausing to scent the air every few minutes. There was nothing. A thin trail led down the rocky mountain side, and she easily slipped down it, footsteps silent. Brush cracked to her right, and she froze. She drew on the Source defensively, and energy crackled around her. A deer bounded away, and Alex let the Source go with a soft breath, feeling the warmth of its presence leave her. Dogs barked below her, and she paused, looking around. She scented the air, and the scent of dog reached her nose. Along with it came the faint wisp of alpha. Alex knew that only a few feet in front of her was a steep cliff, and she crept forward. There were four dogs, large brutes with coarse black fur. They looked more like wolves than household creatures. The only sign of domestication was the thick leather collars around their necks. They snuffled around the ground, tails wagging. Alex shifted onto her other leg, and the largest dog happened to look up. Its eyes locked with Alex's. She stared back, unblinking. Then the animal threw back its head and howled.

Energy surged through Alex and she raised her hand. The dog yelped as the Source flooded through it. It collapsed, dead. Alex lowered her hand. She had meant stun it. Not that it mattered to her. The other dogs started as their pack leader fell, backing away from the cliff. They continued to bark at her, ears and bodies flattened defensively. Alex raised her hand to scare them away, but couldn't reach the Source. She growled frustratedly, slipping back into the bushes. She turned around.

"Hello, sweetheart." One of the alphas from last night stood there, a silver leash in his hand. Terror shot through Alex, and she stepped back, trying to draw on khul'Shalkrum. But it didn't come. She stepped back again, and the ground disappeared.

The alpha reached out, grabbing onto her shirt, but Alex wrenched herself away. And then she was falling.

Her back hit the rocky slope, and she tumbled down, head over heels. She hit the hard ground, the wind knocked out of her. The hounds watched her from a distance, still too afraid to approach. Alex didn't notice. Her eyes were fixed on the alpha on the cliff. He was searching for a way down, but it was too steep. Alex vaguely heard him calling for his companions, and she shakily pulled herself to her feet. She grabbed her bag that was laying on the ground and stumbled away.

The world spun, and a loud ringing filled her ears, but she pressed on. She tripped over the uneven ground, and blood dripped into her eyes. She shakily drew on the True Source, and she felt warmth spread through her, gently healing her wounds. She continued on. She paused beneath a large sycamore, scenting the air. The dogs still barked, and they were getting closer. But they sounded scattered, unsure. The stream babbled through the trees, and she walked towards it.

...

The sun was coming up before she returned to her cave. She had walked downstream, then had backtracked to her cave. She knelt down, crawling into her cave. Then she froze. Alphas.

"It took us forever to find this place." Rough hands grabbed her and forced her against the far wall. "Very clever, Miss."

Alex struggled. She drew on the Source, and the two alphas holding on to her stepped back as they felt it. "Let me go," she growled.

The first alpha studied her. "I don't think so." He motioned a small male out of the shadows. Alex felt it immediately. He was an omega; he could channel. A thin silver collar was around his neck, containing him. "We wouldn't have found you without his help." He patted the omega on the head as he would a dog.

Alex drew energy around her, lighting up the cave. The omega did the same, and the they faced off, unblinking. Then, the omega threw a stream of energy at Alex. She caught it, anger fueling the bond between her and the Source.

She heard one of the alphas murmured appreciatively. "She's a natural."

Alex twisted her wrist, and the energy dissipated. I'll ask you one more time," she growled. "Let me go."

When the omega didn't step down, lightning shot from her palm, striking the omega square in the chest. He fell with a strangled cry. Alex rushed past him, diving into the cave opening. A hand grabbed her jacket collar, dragging her backwards. Alex drew on the Source, and it built inside of her until she would let it explode into the cave.

Then, the Source died. A cold collar clicked around her neck, and Alex felt completely helpless. The Source was there, but not matter how much she craved it, it stayed out of reach. She struggled fruitlessly, but, without the True Energy, she was no match for the alpha's strength. Something came down over her head, and she fell into unconsciousness.

...

...

khul'Shalkrum: formal for the Source. It's the Elvish word for "living weapon"