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Rorik

“ This is your enemy.”

Sheba snarled the words as she jabbed the piece of paper with a sharp claw. She was in her animal form—a polar bear—just like everybody else gathered in her audience. It kept us strong, and filled the room with instinctive, bloodthirsty energy.

My gaze narrowed on the paper. A grainy but recognizable figure was printed on it: a huge long-necked reptile with leathery bat wings.

A dragon. Our clan’s greatest enemy.

Just the sight of it fueled me with anger. My muscles tensed beneath my thick pelt, eager to rake my four-inch claws across the paper.

There were seven images taped up to the wall. Seven dragons of various colors, living in isolation on a remote island. The pictures were blurry, as if someone had taken film photos of a boxy TV screen, but clear enough to recognize the horrible reptiles.

A skinny arctic wolf named Sorrel growled beside me. “Those bastards killed Konrad,” he muttered.

At the front of the room, Sheba sighed and drew her paw over her chest in a solemn gesture. Konrad was an alpha, and our previous clan leader. He was Sheba’s brother, as well as the older brother of our current leader, Knox.

Thinking of Konrad filled me with dread and regret. I couldn’t recall that day without my blood turning to ice. If I closed my eyes, I could see every moment of it replayed in my mind, as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

The dark dragon. The hot, acrid flames it shot from between its fangs. The cold chill of its wing beats, and the avalanche that had crashed down upon us in its wake… Our clan was forever changed that day.

“Rorik.”

I snapped to attention dutifully as Sheba called my name. “Yes, ma’am.”

Sheba dropped to all fours as she sauntered up to me. Her expression was stern and serious. When she rose to her hind legs, she still had to crane her neck upwards to meet my eyes. I was easily the largest creature in the room. In the entire clan.

“You are our strongest fighter,” Sheba began. “If any one of us can kill a dragon with our bare paws, it’s you.”

Her praise thrilled me. Sheba was an alpha—just like Knox—and second in command. It was rare for our highest-ranking clan mates to celebrate anyone, even an accomplished fighter like me. We were punished for bad behavior; never congratulated for the opposite. In that sense, her comment made me feel slightly uncomfortable, like I was about to be backhanded for standing out.

“You’ve trained for years to hone your strength,” she went on. “And now, it’s time to unleash it.”

My heart raced as Sheba’s voice grew louder, building in momentum. A mix of confusion and excitement permeated the room. I stood still, not letting my anticipation show, but I knew something big was about to happen.

“Miss Sheba.” It was the wolf, Sorrel, who spoke, as if mustering all his courage. “I have a question.”

I cringed internally. We didn’t ask questions. We just obeyed.

Sheba swung her snarling muzzle towards him. “It had better not be a stupid one.”

The wolf was an omega, like me, but weaker and smaller. He swallowed.

“If we’re finally going to take revenge on the dragons,” he said slowly, “shouldn’t all the clan’s fighters be involved?”

Sheba cuffed him over the ears. Despite it happening right next to me, I didn’t flinch. It wasn’t the worst punishment in the world. She didn’t even use her claws.

“You think dragons won’t notice an entire clan of bears and wolves launching an attack?” she barked.

The wolf stammered. “I—”

“And how exactly do you think everyone will arrive at this hypothetical battle? Think before you speak,” Sheba snapped.

Sorrel went silent. That was the smart move. If he’d stayed quiet in the first place, his ears wouldn’t be smarting right now.

I didn’t know how I’d get to the dragons, either. But it wasn’t my place to figure that out. Knox and Sheba handled everything. I was simply a weapon in their paws.

Sheba turned back to me. “Rorik.”

“Yes, miss.”

She let out a derisive grunt. “At least you know how to act.”

I felt a secret flash of pride. The praise felt good, even if it was more of a sly barb at the cuffed wolf. But at the same time, I wondered what all this praise was leading up to. What was Sheba’s plan?

Sheba flashed a sly grin that bared her yellow fangs. “We have a lead for you—a way you’ll sneak into the dragon’s territory.”

I was no small bear. I was almost too tall to stand up straight in the room. Even in my human form, I stood over six feet tall and neared three-hundred pounds. How could I sneak anywhere? But unlike the wolf beside me, I knew better than to interrupt Sheba and ask.

She raised onto her hind legs and slammed her paw against the wall, making the taped photos flutter from the impact.

“These dragons have a shameless TV program that they use to lure omegas to their lair,” she barked. Then her disapproving tone turned sly. “And that’s exactly how you’ll get in.”

That was not the plan I’d expected. A TV program? I didn’t quite understand what that meant. Omegas weren’t allowed to indulge in frivolous entertainment. Only alphas like Sheba and Knox had access to things like TV, books, and the internet. We had weaker willpower. We needed to focus on hunting and battle training.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” I said.

“Of course you will,” Sheba agreed. “We’ll get you in, Rorik. But the rest is up to you. The dragons must die, no matter the cost.” She curled her lip. “If you can’t even kill one single dragon, don’t bother coming back.”

I nodded. That was fair. If I failed the most important mission of my life, I wasn’t worth the clan’s time or effort.

“I won’t let you down,” I promised.

After the meeting, the omegas hunkered down in our quarters for the evening. A typical winter storm raged outside, shaking the thin walls. On most evenings, we had nothing to discuss and went straight to sleep, but everyone was alert and excited after Sheba’s briefing. I wondered why, if I was the only warrior being sent in, did she gather all the omegas? Perhaps as a reminder of what I was fighting for—the other omegas were important to the clan’s future.

“ Seven dragons?” one of my bunk mates blurted. He was a smaller polar bear named Charon. “I can’t believe you’re going to kill all seven of them, Rorik!”

I grunted affirmatively as I sat on the lower bunk bed. It groaned beneath my weight. Usually the bear shifters took the bottom bunks, and the wolves took the top. Our quarters were too cold to shift into human form, so I remained a bear with thick, protective fur.

“It’s my job,” I replied. I didn’t know if I could destroy all seven, but it was my duty to try. Just one would allow me to return home, but more was better.

“Are you excited?” Charon asked. He put his paws on the edge of my bed, making it groan louder. If he put any more weight on it, the bed would collapse, so I gently shoved his paws away. “Oops. Sorry.”

“I’m as excited as I can be,” I said, scratching my belly. “It’s a mission like any other. Only this time, I’m lucky for the opportunity to avenge our alphas.”

I figured that would be that, but other bunk mates lurked by my bed, curious for more of my thoughts. The wolf Sheba cuffed over the ears—Sorrel—was also present.

“I wish I could fight the dragons, too,” Sorrel mumbled in disappointment.

“You’re too small and weak,” I pointed out.

I didn’t say it to be cruel. It was just the truth. Wolves were weaker than polar bears, and if our goal was to eliminate dragons, we needed all the strength we could get. If a stronger bear existed in the clan, I would be understandably replaced. I simply happened to be the best fighter.

“I know,” Sorrel admitted. “But still. I want to be helpful…”

“You can be helpful by bearing a litter for Knox,” Charon pointed out. “He’s always choosing omegas to be child-bearers.”

Sorrel sighed wistfully, wagging his fluffy white tail. “I hope so…”

Sorrel’s older brother was supposed to be Konrad's top child-bearer before he disappeared in the avalanche's chaotic aftermath. Although Sorrel missed him, the wolf must've wanted to make up for his brother's failure to perform his duty.

I tuned out of their conversation. I was glad Knox hadn’t picked me for child-bearing duties, despite my status as a young, fit omega. My fighting ability was more important to the clan. I liked children, but I had no desire to be pregnant. It sounded like a hassle.

But if Knox picked me, I couldn’t turn him down. I’d step up to the task. That was what we did.

I stopped thinking about it and focused on my goal—killing the vile dragons who’d wreaked havoc on our clan.

“Do you really think you can do it, Rorik?” Charon asked hopefully, sucking me back into the conversation.

“I have no choice,” I stated. “I have to.”

For the first time, the two looked uneasy. I hadn’t exactly said ‘yes.’ But I couldn’t predict the future. Despite my strength, the dragons could kill me. That was a sacrifice I was willing to make, if only for the opportunity to claw a dragon’s eyes out, or sink my fangs into one of their necks...

My pelt rippled with determination. “I will do it,” I asserted. “If I can kill a single dragon, I’ll die happy.”

Charon and Sorrel brightened, their moment of anxiety gone.

“You’re going to be on that show, right? I wish we could watch you on the TV box,” Sorrel said under his breath.

Charon nudged him hard, muttering, “Shh. Don’t talk so loud. We’re happy without it, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

I bunched my shoulders, squeezing into my cramped bed. It definitely wasn’t sized for an adult male polar bear, but I’d freeze to death in human form.

“Go to sleep,” I told the others. “I need rest to be fit.”

The gaggle of omegas scurried away, but Charon and Sorrel lingered behind.

“Come find us before you leave so we can see you off,” Charon said quietly.

“Sure. I don’t know when exactly that will be, but I’ll say goodbye,” I promised.

Pleased with my answer, Charon and Sorrel left for their own bunks. When I heard everyone settle into their beds, I flicked off the light, plunging the cold room into darkness.

I didn’t dream.

A hard jab in my shoulder woke me.

I bolted upright, my eyes snapping open as I readied to fight an intruder. But it was only Sheba.

“Get up. It’s time for your mission,” she said.

Confusion washed over me as the information sank in. How could I leave so soon? I’d only received my task last night. Wouldn’t I receive any more information about my enemies? Would my years of battle training be enough?

I pushed my doubts aside. If Sheba and Knox said I was ready, that was all that mattered.

“All right,” I said, pushing my huge body out of the bed. “I’ll say goodbye to—”

“No,” Sheba interrupted sharply, already turning to leave. “We leave right now. The snowmobile is wasting gas. Don’t dawdle.”

Her command left no room for argument. Not that I’d dare argue with her.

I dropped to all four paws to follow Sheba, then cast a quick glance over my shoulder. Charon and Sorrel were asleep in their beds, unaware that they’d wake up to my absence. My stomach swirled with a thread of guilt.

I didn’t get to say goodbye after all.