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A cycle class after a breakfast of pancakes was probably not the best idea. I felt like I was going to explode. Tired and a little grumpy, my legs trembled with exhaustion as I stumbled into the shower. Why did people choose to start their day this way? I wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed and sleep.
After I had stood in the shower daydreaming for twenty minutes before shaking myself back to reality and actually washing myself, I threw on another pair of leggings and an oversized shirt.
While roughly towel drying my hair my phone buzzed loudly on the counter. My feet made slapping noises on the tiles as I padded over to the counter to check it.
It was an email notification. Notifications from the Haven weren’t uncommon, it was how we kept track of appointments, the packs we were talking to, if we had any food requests, and any parcels we had delivered.
Fawn’s phone was always buzzing as the mailrooms received copious gifts from her many, many admirers.
Parcel for Lavender Wood awaiting collection in the southeast mailroom. Collect in person now or we’ll deliver it on rounds tomorrow.
I frowned at the screen. We often had to go to one of the mailrooms to pick up parcels, or the Keepers would drop them off early during their rounds. Early being like five in the morning so I was never awake for that. Parcels just appeared in the common room for me occasionally and I didn’t complain.
It was only midday though, and I didn’t recall any recent online purchases so I was rather curious. The only thing it could possibly be was another package of gummy bears, Archer may have sent some before cutting off contact.
Well, even if Archer didn’t want to talk with me, I may as well get my gummy bears. Grabbing the first hoodie I could find and some flip flops I decided I could use a short walk. Waiting until morning to satiate my curiosity felt impossible.
Fawn had already left for a pack meeting, looking impeccable in skin tight blue jeans and a blouse tied at the collar in a bow. It baffled me how she managed to pull herself together so fast.
Walking outside, I shivered and pulled my hoodie tighter around myself. It was uncharacteristically cool for an early fall day. For some reason this parcel was in one of the lesser used mailrooms about a twenty minute walk away. I had never actually been there, but I knew where it was, there was no point pestering a Keeper or a guard.
The Haven was almost like a university campus, consisting of several buildings and gardens surrounded by one perimeter wall. Everything within the fences and walls of the Haven was a safe space where we could roam freely with zero worries.
The southeast mailroom was in a corner of the compound not often frequented by the omegas, it was mainly the Keepers and other employees of the Haven. Due to there being less omega footfall here the paint was slightly faded and the grounds weren’t as pristine as the rest of the compound, but it was still secure. The large brick and barbed wire walls protected us from outsiders.
There were cameras everywhere, their blinking red lights a comfort, knowing I was being watched over. Pressing the buzzer to the small mailroom, I waited a moment.
“Hello?” A disembodied voice came through the speaker.
“Hi, this is Omega Lavender, I got a notification that one of my parcels was sent here?” There was no answer, I waited a moment, looking around the small building. It was far more cramped and low quality than the typical omega areas which had state of the art everything. The computers were at least a few years old and the grass outside could have used a trim. I was about to turn around and walk back to my dorm when the door opened, revealing a confused-looking guard. He was young, probably only twenty, his features were soft, almost childlike and his red hair was cut close to his scalp in a no-nonsense style.
“Uh, Hello, Miss… Omega. We didn’t send you a notification for mail, all omega mail gets sent to the central receiving office,” he stammered. He didn’t seem like he was too used to talking with the omegas, maybe he was more of a behind the scenes employee?
“How odd, I thought they all got sent there too, but look —” I lifted my phone to show the guard my screen. He read it, his expression only growing more confused. I shrugged with a smile, not wanting to stress him out any further. “It must be a mistake, no worries. I’ll head back and check the central mailroom tomorrow, to see if my item is there. Thank you, though!” I doubted this was part of his regular job. I chalked it up to a simple communication error. My parcel would find its way to me eventually, if there even was a parcel in the first place.
The guard straightened his uniform shirt. “Uh, do you want an escort ma’am? It’s getting dark. I don’t think you’re meant to be wandering around without an escort.” The guard looked around, nervously shifting from foot to foot. The action made my arm hair stand up. Something didn’t quite feel right.You’ve been watching too many true crime documentaries, you dingbat!Why was he so nervous? Was he that new to the job? He smelled like onion, hardly an appealing scent. While yes, we did often have escorts I didn’t want to be walked back home by a baby beta guard who smelled like a vegetable. He was sweet enough, but I didn’t want his scent on my clothing. Most guards wore scent dampening products so it wasn’t so obvious and in our faces.
“Thank you, I’m okay though. I know the way back well, I’ve been here many years. You can’t leave your post,” I assured him.
“Very well… ask a guard to radio me once you’re back, so I can be sure you returned safely.”
I nodded. It could be stifling, not being trusted to walk twenty minutes alone, but I knew it was out of concern for our wellbeing. “We have Donovan as the guard on our floor, I’ll get him to radio you once I'm back.”
I watched the guard consider and then accept my answer. I didn’t mention that when I waved goodbye to Donovan I simply said I was going to collect mail, so he would have assumed I was going to the normal room. With a final smile and a wave, I turned to leave.
I had only taken two steps when I heard a thud behind me, I spun to see the guard crumpled into a heap on the floor where he’d been standing mere moments before.
“Oh! Are you okay?” I asked as I ran over to the guard, kneeling beside him.Of course he isn’t okay, he just hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.He was deathly pale, eyes closed. Was he sick? Brushing the hair out of the guard’s face I noticed just how clammy his skin had become. With one hand I grabbed my phone from my pocket to call for help. My free hand reached out and felt for a pulse, relieved to feel it, slow and weak.
We had brilliant medical facilities at the Haven, so if I could get the other guard’s attention he would be in good hands.
His radio! It was on his hip. Leaning down I fumbled around for the radio, yanking it from his belt. I had been so distracted and singularly focused on the guard, I hadn’t heard someone moving behind me.
A hand covered my mouth, stopping me from calling out as I thrashed in my assailant’s arms. A harsh, chemical smell assaulted my senses, making me gag even with my mouth covered. A sharp sensation stabbed at my neck. Flailing against the unknown man behind me was no use, they were clearly bigger than me and already my head was spinning. Through the thick scent I could barely smell faint hints of leather, like someone had tried to use scent dampener. It only took a few seconds for my arms to slump by my sides, eyes closing, slipping into darkness despite my desperate attempts to stay awake.
ChapterFive
