Write beauty into the world.

There were no words to describe the feeling in Sam's chest. It was heavy like an anchor determined to make him drown. It sucked all oxygen from his lungs. His fingers clenched in an attempt to keep them from shaking, the muscles in his arms bulging in a warning.

Wren looked so much like she had when he'd slept beside her. Her lashes kissed the skin of her cheek. Her face was void of its usual worry lines. Sam could almost feel her warmth from when she'd curl into his side. He loved the way her head would shift and move until it wound up over his heart. He got chills when she wrapped her fingers into the tank top he'd wear under his jumpsuit. He could hear the small sighs she made in her sleep like the whispers of a dream.

But she wasn't asleep beside him. The lashes on her cheek didn't shift and move with her dream. Her face was lax, but it built a lump in Sam's throat. Her warmth had dimmed to nothing, leaving her cold to the touch. And, he didn't want to admit it, but he knew that if he placed his head over her heart he'd hear nothing more than the shattering of his own. Her fingers didn't move when he slipped his around them, gripping tight. No sighs came from her.

His lids slipped closed as he gripped her hand. Tears collected and weighed down his lashes, falling when his eyes opened. They made careless streaks down his cheeks, but he made no move to brush them away. He didn't acknowledge them. They weren't there. If he acknowledged them then this was real.

He wanted to fade back to dreamland where Wren hung off his arm with a loving embrace. Her looking up at him with adoration filling her bright eyes. Her hand placed snuggly in his. He could feel her kiss on his lips, her hand on his cheek, and her arms around him. Like a warm haze, he could feel her. Her smile brightened the room, her laugh rang in his ears. But the laugh dimmed and faded and left him in the silence of Doc's office.

"Sam?" Thea stood in the doorway, Mila, Nico, Dean, and the rest of the pack crowding behind her. They entered the room with cautious steps as if one wrong placement of their foot would set off a mine.

"How you doin'?" Bobby questioned softly, stepping up to place a gentle hand on the young alpha's shoulder.

"She knew." Was all he could manage before his throat closed in. Choked sobs wracked his chest as he stared down at her. Dean instantly hooked a firm hand around the back of Sam's neck and brought him in, holding him tightly. Sam's fingers fisted in the back of Dean's jumpsuit, trying desperately to ground himself to something.

"Knew what?" Mila pressed quietly.

Sam calmed himself enough to speak, but his words were shaky and soft. "She wouldn't let me mark her. Said we should wait until after Alistair backed off." He hiccupped slightly, rubbing harshly at his eyes. "She knew she wouldn't make it out."

"Even in her last martyr moments she somehow managed to make sure everyone would be ok." Nico scoffed softly, jaw popped out to keep his lip from shaking.

"That's Wren for you." The Doc smiled sadly, moving into the room. "She thought through it all long before she even came to me. That girl could have stopped wars if she'd been involved."

"Why? Why not let another alpha handle it?" Nico growled, shoving a shaking hand through his hair. "Why willingly bait Alistair knowing you won't make it back? Why not make a better plan?"

"Because Alistair wouldn't have bought it," Dean answered.

"If any of us would have come at him, he would have simply brushed it off." Sam agreed, moving back to Wren's side on the bed. He didn't want to think about the tinge of blood in the air or the gashes he knew the sheet over her was hiding. He wanted to see her asleep in the bed, unscathed. "He wanted her and she knew that, used it for his downfall."

"She was smart, but what if that doesn't change anything?" Thea sighed, watching her words sink into everyone like a knife of uncertainty. "What if no one believes it was really Wren who won this time?"

The Doc cleared his throat, calling everyone's attention to him. In his pale, bony fingers there was a thin, square case. His dim eyes locked on Sam's as he handed it over. Sam carefully opened it to reveal two disks carefully placed inside.

"The thing about the cage is so many people had broken out and escaped. Eventually, they had to place surveillance cameras to make sure they could see what was going on." He offered a grim smile, nodding to the window where there was a projector set up and aimed at one of the building walls.

"Then we make sure everyone knows her story." Dean nodded, turning to look at his brother with a fire building in his eyes.

There are some places that aren't as bad as they seem. They look scary, but they have the nicest people. People that grow to be family. People that offer a hand when you fall. People that would put themselves in between you and a threat. There are places that aren't as bad as they seem. Places you first dread to be bound to and slowly grow to call home. Places you find your place, your people.

            Watching Wren get carried away, her limp form seeming to melt in the arms around her, had put Sam into a nightmarish panic. He'd swiped savagely at anyone who dared stand between him and her. But his struggle was futile, by the time he'd gained freedom she was gone.

             He waited with a bouncing knee and shaky hands for any news on the situation in the pit, hoping beyond all else that he'd see Wren climb over the small hill between the courtyard and the watchtower. Mila and Tao told the story of Wren's last fight with every gruesome detail in an attempt to raise everyone's hope. But it could be seen in their eyes that they too held doubt.

             It wasn't until the middle of the second day that an inkling of suspicion rose in Sam. He replayed the last time he saw Wren, the way she'd so easily comforted him, reassuring him everything would be alright. Dean and Mila had noticed the shift in Sam and willingly followed him when he excused himself to see the Doc.

             "What can I do for you three?" The Doc smiled.

             "Any word on Wren?" Sam asked softly, easing himself onto the exam table.

             "I haven't heard anything yet, I'm sorry." The Doc sighed. He ran a tired hand over his face, flinching when he saw the way Sam bit his lip to hold his tears in. His heart picked up as Sam's face grew blank, however, and he couldn't decide if he preferred the tears or the cold and distant look on his face.

             "There's no way she'd have lasted this long anyway." Sam sighed causing Mila and Dean to snarl and growl at his attitude.

             "Have faith, Sam." The Doc encouraged.

             "We all saw what the medicine did to her. It has me wondering how she made it out to the courtyard on her own in the first place, she could barely make it two steps without help." Sam slowly turned his cold eyes to the Doc. "She would have needed to be really determined, huh, Doc."

             "What are you implying, Sam?" Dean muttered, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

             "I think this whole thing was planned."

             "That's absurd. Why would Wren..." Mila's head drew back as she too started seeing things from the same angle. "Oh my God."

             "Wren said something the night before that didn't sound right. I'd brushed it off at the time, but with everything that's happened it's starting to make sense." His nose flared with the unmistakable twinge of fear emitting from the Doc. "I had been telling her that I felt like our plan wasn't working. You know what she told me?" Sam waited for the Doc to answer, but the man looked as though he'd turned to stone. "She told me it wouldn't. It didn't make any sense because she'd told me everything was going according to plan. Why would she say that to me, Doc?"

             The Doc blinked rapidly at the sudden attention from the three. His hands gripped tightly at the back of the seat he stood behind, and a shaky breath blew from his lips. He could talk his way out of it, stand his ground and tell them he was as confused as them. But, Wren had been more than a patient and it was easy to see. She was a friend and he knew the concern one had for those close to them, he'd felt it during her first trip to the cage.

             The Doc sighed and eased himself into the chair. "Because Wren worked out a plan of her own." He informed in defeat. "She knew Alistair wasn't buying the original plan. And then, Mila and Thea got attacked. Then, Wren herself got attacked. She was fed up with feeling so helpless against them." His hands came up to press his palms into his eyes, pushing his tears back in. "The pain of not being able to protect them was worse than that in her knee. She came to me and told me to stop the injections. Told me they would only hinder her plans. The pain in her leg hit her full force, but she could block it out knowing your suffering would stop."

             "She stopped her medication so she'd have strength." Sam summed up. "So, she was purposely out there fighting in the courtyard with Alistair?"

             "She knew the guards would see the fight and take them down to the cage. She knew the fight would be secluded and she'd have a better chance at killing Alistair." The Doc nodded. "Without a king, the pawns all fall."

             "She's down there, fighting another alpha because of us?" Mila breathed shakily, trying to hold back the sob threatening to crawl up her throat.

             "No." Dean shook his head, offering her a comforting hand. "She down there fighting for you. She knew Alistair wouldn't stop until all of you were broken. She's fighting to free you."

             "And she has a good chance without the medication, you know that better than anyone." The Doc comforted. "She won't stop until he's no longer a threat to those she loves."

             It fell silent as they all tried to wrap their minds around Wren's sacrifice. They fought to accept that she was doing it for them, that she'd taken it upon herself again to eliminate the threat. They each just wanted her back beside them, dreading the moment they had to explain what she did to the others.

             They perked at the sound of footfalls growing closer, the tinge of fear hot in the air. They looked at the door, waiting for whoever was approaching. Kevin skidded to a stop, chest heaving with harsh pants as he hunched slightly. His wild eyes went straight to Sam's, the look in them enough to pull the alpha to his feet and move until he was inches from Kevin.

           Fighting had no code or rule in the cage. There were no fouls, no timeouts, no protection. It was hit or get hit. There was nothing you could do aside from hope your punch was harder than your opponents. And if you got knocked down, you better pray you can get to your feet fast enough. Confidence and cockiness were paved paths to your downfall, the moment you let your guard down and think you've won is the moment your throat gets ripped out from behind. Never assume your opponent is done unless their breathing stops.

             The concrete beneath Wren's body was cold and wet, the floor probably having been hosed down in a half attempt at cleaning the blood away. The air was damp and hard to pull into her lungs. And, when she finally was able to peel her eyes open, blinking back the fog in her vision, she could see the dim light's above sway slightly. Her fingers gripped the metal of the cage and carefully pulled herself up to lean against it. She was alone in the cage, Alistair's body wasn’t to be seen even in the shadowy corners.

             "I never thought I'd see you back down here."

             She didn't bother looking for the voice, she would never find it's source. The same voice that had taunted her the first time she found herself in these bars. The same voice that inevitably cheered when she won. Too distorted to tell if it was male or female. And, too cold to show actual emotion. She'd never know its face, though it took on the image of nightmares.

             "Well, I'm just full of surprises." Wren huffed.

             "Yes, as I've seen." The side of the cage opened and a figure was shoved in. His eyes immediately narrowed at the sight of Wren, and she struggled to push herself to her feet. "The omega who killed an alpha with her bare hands. Sounds terrifying, don't you think Alistair?"

             "Weakness on the alpha's part." He shrugged. "It won't end that way this time."

             "We'll see. Wren is known to... lose control. I'm excited to see who stands once blood flows." A chuckle echoed through the darkness of the cage. "May the savage win."

             It was like a shot rang out. The cage door slammed shut and the lights dimmed and flickered above, casting shadows over Alistair as he stepped closer. His grin was cut and cold, and it almost gleamed in the swaying lights. His feet fell like cannonballs getting closer to their target on the wet floor, booming and harsh. Wren just stood, rooted to her spot watching his movements closely. The way his hands clenched. The way he rolled his neck to pop the joints. The tick in his jaw.

             "The omegas here have been following a mad woman. A silver tongue with an attitude." Wren dodged his first punch, slipping under his arm and around his back. "They've gone along with your ideas for too long. They've sided with the losing team." He lunged again pulling Wren back against his chest in a similar position to when they were taken. His head shifted and his lips brushed against her ear, his words vibrating so close to her. "You've led them to the slaughter."

             Her move was anticipated, he would expect her head to snap back. So rather than play into his game, her foot crashed down atop his, her elbow punching air from his lungs. As he sputtered and growled, Wren broke free of his grasp and took hold of his head, his nose making a sick crunch when her knee snapped up. She stepped back with a wince at the ache settling in her leg and watched him as he panted on his back, spitting blood out of his mouth as a chuckle rose to a full laugh.

             He carefully pushed himself back to his feet, hunching slightly as he glared up at her. "You act like you're more than you are, yet you still fight like an omega. All cheap shots and low blows."

             Wren's lip twisted up in a lilting smile. "If I were to truly fight like an omega, I'd tear your throat from your neck with my teeth and watch as you choked on your blood. I'd rip your head from your body with my hands. If I were to truly fight like an omega, you'd be dead before you hit the ground."

              His hand swiped out, claws catching on her side. Her cry was muted with Alistair's laugh as it boomed through the cage, slightly nasally with the blood still seeping from his nose. Her hand flew down to grab at the burning area, feeling a sticky warmth that slowly spread around her side. Her moment of pain was enough for Alistair to lunge and take her to the ground.

             Pain radiated from various points in her body. It stemmed from her knee, crawled up her ribs, scratched at her head. Alistair's assaults were received with little chance at blocking them. Wren could feel the moment her ribs cracked under his foot, she could feel her skin split at his hand's touch. The rusty taste of blood lingered on her tongue as her head rolled to the side, eyes half-lidded and heavy.

             He straddled her chest, legs pinning her arms down as he pressed his claws tauntingly into her chest. His fingers squeezed, building pressure in Wren's head. Her legs kicked and her arms twisted in a desperate attempt to break free, but the already dark room was slowly getting darker.

             "No matter what precautions you took, medically, physically, this was always where you were bound to end up." Alistair's voice bounced around in her head as her breathing slowed. "You never would have won."

             Familiarity buzzed loudly in her ear as the words echoed. Her blinking had grown spaced and lazy, but with each move of her lids, Alistair's face shifted. His moving lips didn't match with the words she heard. His voice wasn't the same. The pressure on her chest faded as the voice grew louder.

             "No one said you'd win," Her fingers twitched as a name surfaced. "but that doesn't mean you stop fighting."

             Alistair didn't notice a change, his mind too clouded by premature victory as he looked out of the cage. Warmth crawled up his throat too fast for him to feel pain. The taste of blood missed as his mouth dropped open and closed in an attempt to pull in air. His knees clacked against the concrete as his eyes rolled back. When he fell to the ground his body quickly went still.

             Blood dripped down Wren's shaky hands. One hand coated in her own, the other dripping in the blood of another. The sticky feel of it was one she knew well, but her face remained stoic and impassive. Grief would come later, the weight of another life hanging over her shoulders. She slowly sunk down the side of the cage, glancing down at the wound on her side. Angry red gashes were visible through the rips in her jumpsuit, blood staining the orange fabric an ugly maroon. She felt arms wrap around her with a gentle touch. The familiar face coming into focus as they smiled down at her. Her eyes struggled to stay open, but that was a battle she couldn't win. They slipped closed with the intent of only a second, but they wouldn't open again no matter how much Wren fought to pull them back. A numbness started in her toes and fingertips, slowly crawling up her limbs and settling in her chest.

           The plan had to work, it was the only option left. Alistair hadn't thought for a minute that Wren could be simply under alpha rule. He knew Wren would need to be broken into submission. She'd gone too long without an alpha, too long thinking she was equal. Sam's plan wouldn't have ever worked. She was bound to act out and there would be no real repercussions to her actions without an alpha's mark on her neck.

             The cells were opened in the early hours of the morning before most of the inmates even woke. Wren was up and walking out into the hall as soon as the doors drew back. She cast one last glance at Mila peacefully sleeping in the bunk that hung above hers, before making her way down the out to the courtyard. Alistair wasn't known for taking his time eating, in fact, most days he wasn't seen in the cafeteria in the morning. She easily found him resting within his pack lines, one other alpha accompanying him. They both looked up as she stopped just before their territory lines.

             "Little far for an omega to be away from her pack." He stated, glancing at the door to the building. "But then again, you weren't really one for sticking too close to the pack, were you? How have you're visits to the Doc been going? You look a little more... spirited."

             "I haven't been going." She answered curtly, narrowing her eyes at his casual banter.

             "You haven't been going, yet at the same time each day you're missing from your pack." His eyes narrowed, lips tilting up in an almost condescending smirk.

             "Would you believe me if I said I was reading in the library?" She smirked.

             The look in her eye had Alistair standing toe to toe with her, each on opposing lines of the territory. She could feel his breath on her face like the flames of Hell licking her skin.  The fire that raged in his eyes was nothing compared to the inferno coiling in the pit of Wren's stomach.

             "You should really watch your tone, omega." He hissed.

             "You should watch your ego, you might knock someone out if you're not careful where you're wavin' it."

             The hand he wrapped around her bicep was firm and borderline painful.  It had her standing up on her toes to relieve some of the pain, and biting back the muscles fighting to tilt her lips up. He leaned in close. His eyes flickered up and over her shoulder for a second, before a cruel smile twisted his lips.

             "Just in time." He sighed in content. "They'll finally get the example they need."

             His arm whipped her around so her back pressed to his front, one arm firmly locking her hips down, the other wrapped around her upper chest. When her hair finally slipped out of her eyes she realized what he meant. All the inmates had finished their breakfast and were starting to file out into the courtyard. Her eyes widened as they caught Kevin, his confusion slowly fading into concern before dropping completely into panic. Without a second thought, he bolted back into the building.

             "The only person who will be made into an example is you," Wren growled deep in her chest, the vibrations causing his nails to sink into her jumpsuit and scratch at her skin. "You think omegas are the dirt under your feet, you'll soon realize the strength you undermine."

             "Look," His hand grabs hold of her chin and forces her head up. She doesn't need to look for what Alistair is pointing out, her gaze lands on him as soon as it lifts. Sam's body was rigid and vibrating as he took in the grasp Alistair had on Wren. His hands clenching and unclenching with an attempt at keeping himself in check. "He's going to watch you shatter."

             Wren's eyes stay locked on Sam's. The pain in his eyes wasn't one she'd seen before, it was broken like shattered glass that stuck into her heart. He took slow steps toward them, building up a confident stride only to be held back by Dean and Cas. His growls and cries to be let go fell on her ears like a distorted song. Mila held Thea tightly against her chest, her own body turned into Nico's for comfort as a knowing look filled her eyes. Tears built in Wren's as she watched them coat Thea's cheeks.

             A small reassuring smile lifted Wren's lips as a single tear crashed down her cheek like a white flag falling to the earth below her.

             Alistair wasn't expecting it when Wren's head snapped back, a pained exhale leaving his lips as he stumbled back. That moment of surprise was enough for Wren to land a few solid blows, tossing quick glances up at the watchtower. Alistair growled and slammed his body into hers, knocking the breath from her lungs as they landed in a heap on the ground. His hands fisted around her throat, closing in on her airway with no restraint. The smile on her lips never faded even as her vision began to.

             The sound wasn't easily heard. It wasn't heard at all unless you were listening for it. It was like the sound of air being severed. Quick and soft like the beating of a hummingbird's wings. But what it carried had the strength of a hurricane.

             Alistair's grip slowly loosened around her throat as he slumped to the side. As her vision blurred and faded out she caught sight of the black mask looking down on her as her body was lifted. Sam's pleading screams echoed in her head.

          Wren had succumbed to the comfort of Sam's arms for a night. She allowed them to wrap around her and block out the fear that came with sleep. The way they settled in the dips of her curves had ease filling the space that was once shrouded in pain. When the bars of the cell closed and the lights were snapped off, Sam was still wrapped around her. The guards were never seen unless a fight broke out, what inmates did during their time was monitored, but not usually interfered with. So there was no surprise when she woke up to find his arms still firmly latched on to her, his head tucked into the curve of her neck.

             She'd allowed herself a moment to drown in the feel of him. In the muscle that was hard where she was soft. In the comfort that filled her chest when he'd shifted closer and tightened his grip. Looking at him now as he played basketball with Dean, Benny, and Cas he didn't have that same gentle touch. It forced a melancholy smile on her lips. She knew, somehow, everything would be alright.

             She just needed to get rid of Alistair.

             His stare could be felt on her back at all times of the day. The only time it hadn't followed her was on her journey to the Doc's office. Now it never left her. She could feel it burning holes into her skin when she sat in the courtyard, when she ate, even on her way back to her cell. So she knew he was watching when stood up for Mila against another alpha.

             The man grabbed hold of Mila like she was a ragdoll, holding her firmly to his front. The darkness Wren saw in his eyes was enough motivation for her to slowly make her way over to him, ignoring Sam's instruction to stay back. Dean and Cas faced the alpha, both sporting harsh, grim lines on their faces.

             "Let her go, big guy." Dean sighed, tensing his jaw ever so slightly. The alpha simply chuckled in response and yanked Mila's arm to pull her closer.

             "I believe you were asked to put her down," Wren stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "I suggest you do so."

             "And what are you going to do about it, Omega." He spat in challenge. His voice lilting on the title as his lip drew back in a sneer.

             "Oh, don't look at me." Wren frowned, gesturing behind her. "You have five alphas in the pack she's from. You want to act like she's yours to touch, be my guest. If you're ok with a bunch of pissed off omegas and five possessive alphas chewing into you like a steak." She stepped forward, fighting to keep herself upright with the numbness settling in her leg. "You're in here for an accidental murder, right? Got a little too rowdy with your last omega and ripped her to shreds, then felt bad and tried to put her back together. Well, the alphas in our pack are in here for various accounts of murder. They'd plan out immaculate schemes on how they wanted to string up the next victim. Maybe once I'm done ripping into your chest, they'll sting you up in one of the cells as a Halloween decoration."

             The alpha wanted to call her bluff. He wanted to laugh in her face and tell her with honesty that he didn't believe what she was saying. But, the sincerity and the darkness that swam in her eyes had his grip on Mila loosening. She instantly pulled away from him and ran to stand beside Dean, just behind Wren. The alpha glanced around the courtyard, subtly shaking his head in Alistair's direction before backing away.

             "What the hell was that?" Sam hissed when she was back in the territory.

             "I was helping my friend." She shrugged, sinking down on the bench.

             "You need to let the alphas handle that. Alistair is out for you and he's only been warded off this long because he thinks you're under an alpha's rule. You can't talk back to the alphas like that." He ran a harsh hand through his hair, brushing it back from his eyes. "You need to be more careful."

             "Sam, breathe," Wren instructed softly, clasping his fingers in hers as their hands rested on the bench beside them. "Everything is going according to plan."

             "It doesn't feel like it."

             "It won't." She sighed, looking away from his fallen face. The disappointment he felt for himself tugged at her heart. She wished she could put the confidence back in him, made him understand his plan would have worked fine. "You just have to trust it will all work out fine."

             Sam hadn't left her side the rest of the day, deciding she needed surveillance to ensure she wouldn't act out again. He kept an eye on her as he played basketball, even sat with her and played poker when the game ended. During dinner, Dean and Sam sat on either side of her. And when it was time, Sam helped her back to the cell, getting her settled into her bunk before settling himself down on his knee beside the bed. He smiled softly as he pushed a lock of hair out of her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

             "You don't have to worry, Sam." Her lips twitched ever so slightly upward. "The plan will work and Alistair will leave us alone."

             "It hasn't been working, though. He's still sending people out to attack the omegas." He sighed, letting his gaze drop to where her hand gripped his. "I just worry about you."

             Not you guys. Not the omegas. I just worry about you. The words brought a flutter to her chest, but it wasn't butterflies. It was clouds rolling in and preparing to let loose winds strong enough to knock her heart from her chest.

             "I love you." His voice broke as he leaned his forehead against hers, eyes shut so he couldn't see the small smile gracing Wren's lips. "I wanna be-"

             "I know." She soothed, placing a hand on his cheek. "But, we can't. Not yet, not until Alistair backs off. If he continues after we're together it's a guarantee you'll be sent to the cage."

             Not a lie. Not the whole truth.

Not having the rights words to comfort him she simply squeezed his fingers and fought the tears that wanted to build. As Sam shifted and pressed a feather-light kiss to the crown of her head, her eyes clenched shut.

             "Goodbye, Sam" She smiled, though her eyes sagged down.

             "I'll see you tomorrow." He chuckled. "Get some rest."

             Once he was out of the cell and in the hall a tear teetered on the edge of falling. So close to crashing over, but unwilling to let go just yet. She quickly wiped it away before it could fall, letting her smile slowly sink from her face.

            Alistair had increased his efforts at scaring the omegas back into submission and Thea had the scratches to prove it. Another fight had broken out the day before, and the day before that Mila was taunted from the pack border. Wren wanted nothing more than to rip into each and every one of them, but the medicine was only making her worse and everyone could see it. The target on her back was only getting brighter as she grew paler. Alphas could see her struggling, but every time one of them figured they'd have their fun someone from the pack showed up. After Sam realized Wren was getting weaker he spoke with the other alphas in his pack, including Tao, and set it up so there was always an alpha looking out for her from afar. Wren, of course, had a few words to share on the subject when she'd figured it out, but there was nothing she could say to change their minds.

             Earlier that morning, Wren had gone to the Doc. She was his only real patient aside from the occasional fight victim, so the office was empty. His usual chipper face slowly faded into a frown through their meeting. He'd grown to be a close friend of Wren's, always there to soothe the pain she carried.

             "And, you're sure this is what you want?" He questioned softly, taking a hold of her hand and forcing her to meet his eyes.

             "It needs to stop."

             "Why is it always you who has to solve every problem?" He sighed.

             "Because I'm the one who started it. It was my fat mouth that bit off more than it could chew." She blew out a deep breath and carefully made her way to the door. "They don't understand the power an omega can have. They underestimate us with careless taunts and attacks. If I was up to my full strength-"

             "But, you're not, Wren." The Doc cut off, rubbing a hand over his face. "You're not strong enough to try and show them what they're dealing with. All the regular alphas know, but the newbies? They don't care."

             "They will."

              The Doc fell silent after that, watching her walk away with a pit forming in his stomach. Wren slowly made her way through the halls, her cell and a short nap in mind. The normal stillness of the building felt off, however. She paused, trying to identify the familiarity with the shift. It was too late, by the time she figured it out.

             Her back hit the concrete of the wall with a force that stole her breath. The harsh clack of her head bouncing off of it echoing in her ears as she gripped at the smooth surface to stay upright. She blinked harshly, trying to erase the black dotting her fuzzy vision. For a moment she couldn't remember the time or date. The image she saw blurred together with another she swore she'd never see again. It was the same monster in a different mask. An alpha she'd seen in Alistair's group stood before her, malice and lust swimming in his eyes and making them a few shades darker.

             His hands dug at her skin, pressing his body close to hers. No words passed his lips, just deep, vibrating growls that made Wren want to cover her ears. Her hands clawed at him, pushing at his shoulders and scratching at the skin available. Small cries left her lips as he got hold of her wrists and pinned them back. Recognition itched at the back of her mind and forced her breath to come quicker. She hadn't been able to get the alpha off her before, and she was weaker now. She knew her fighting was futile with the little strength she had, but that didn't stop her from sinking her teeth into the flesh of his neck, just below his ear.

             He grunted in pain, hitting and kicking anything he could, hoping to hurt her enough to get her to release him. Finally, he landed a stiff kick to her braced leg, the metal buckling under the force. Wren let out a cry that could have been heard from two towns over. Even the medicine still in her system wasn't able to numb the pain that easily brought her to her knees.

             It wasn't a matter of strength anymore as she listened to the heavy footfalls of an approaching person. It wasn't a matter of if she could. It was, would she? And, she already knew the answer to that question.

             Sam came around the corner, eyes a flurry of concern and anger as he looked around the dingy hallway. When he saw Wren resting back against the wall with her head tipped back and eyes closed, he rushed to her side and dropped down to look at her. There was blood drying on her chin and the faint paths of tears on her cheeks could be seen in the fluorescent lights. Her hand gripped tightly at her leg and her eyes were clenched. He glanced away and caught sight of who must have been the reason for Wren's discomfort. The alpha was limply sprawled on the floor, nose crooked and blood seeping from his nostril.

             "Can you walk?" Sam questioned as he turned his attention back to Wren. She bit her lip and allowed her head to lull side to side against the wall. "Should I take you to the Doc?"

             "I want," She paused to pull in a harsh breath through her clenched teeth. "Help me to my cell?"

             Sam carefully pulled Wren into his arms, ignoring her demands to be let down. She fit comfortably in his hold, with her head leaning heavily against his chest and her arm wrapped tightly around his neck. He slowly made his way to where he knew her cell to be, taking his time to enjoy the feel of her in his arms.

             When he finally stopped in her cell, he carefully laid her in the bunk she pointed to. His hands gently pulled the thin blanket up and over her legs, his eyes lingering on the odd shape of her knee. Wren noticed his gaze and shifted, hissing softly at the movement.

             "You really should let the Doc take a look at that." Sam insisted.

             "I've had enough of going to the Doc for every little pinch." She growled her fiery eyes, not unlike the intensity of staring at the sun.

             "This," He gestured to her leg, "This is not a little pinch, Wren."

             "I'm not going."

             "Then at least let me take a look at it." He compromised, "I've patched Dean and Cas up enough times, maybe I can help, at least a little."

             Wren's lips remained pressed together in a slight purse, her wary eyes searching his, for what he didn't know. They peered at him as though they had no restrictions like they could see even what he couldn't. The slight tilt of her head almost went unnoticed by Sam. The faint dip nearly impossible to see. When it finally registered that she was agreeing, Sam eased himself down to his knees. With Wren's assistance, he folded her pant leg up to her thigh, faltering when he caught sight of her knee.

             There was a thin brace strapped tightly to her leg. The metal within was bent and pushing her knee at an awkward angle. A thin stream of blood dripped on the metal from where it had pressed too far and broken skin. Using soft and careful movements, Sam set to work on unstrapping the brace. Wren's teeth clamped down on her bottom lip as he eased it down her leg, dropping it to the concrete floor beneath them with a clank.

             "Stop looking at it like that." She grunted, choosing to stare at the wall than at her mangled skin. Down the outer part of her knee, the skin was pale and raised. Four thick lines starting a couple inches above her knee and trailing to the middle of her shin. The skin was thicker in some areas before fading slightly and jagged. He could see where the skin had been severed by claw and where it had ripped from the struggle.

             "Does it hurt now?" He asked, praying that removing the device had helped ease some of her pain.

             "It always hurts." Her words deflated him, and he nodded softly turning to look at the ground. He cleared his throat and turned his back to her. He needed to think about their next move. But, he had only made it to the door when something slithered around his heart and held tight. It prevented him from taking another step, holding him within the cell. He turned ever so slightly, looking back at her over his shoulder to find her gaze cast downward. It was silent for a moment, the quietness echoing off the hard walls and bouncing back at them. Her whisper shattered the silence and had him fully turning to her, a small smile playing on his lips.

             It took Sam time to work up the courage to talk to Wren after what he'd heard. It wasn't that it made him look at her differently, he just didn't seem to have the right words for her. She was strong, yes, but that wasn't a good enough term for her. She was brave, yes, but that was far too basic. Nothing seemed to sound right. That didn't matter anyway, the next he saw her she had gotten worse. She had been pale before, but the pallid color of her skin had gone starch white. The veins in her arms were more prominent than before, sticking out in contrast to her skin. There was a thin sheen of sweat coating her skin, and her eyes were heavy and half-lidded.

             Sam slid into the seat opposite her, ducking his head to get a better look at her. Her eyes slowly met his and he had to take a breath. He hadn't seen so much defeat in someone in a very long time. She quickly looked back down, ducking her head to look at her hands. They were so shaky. Even laying on the top of the table, Sam could see the slight tremor in them. But, what his eyes were drawn to most was the raging red of her inner elbow. There were bright red dots that stemmed into deeper crimson and violet lines that spread down the underside of her arm. Catching his gaze she tucked the arm under the table in hopes of blocking his view.

             Sam fought to keep the fire pooling in his stomach from erupting. Why was no one telling him what was going on? Why were they keeping this from him? He had a right to know what was happening to his pack members. But, Wren wasn't really his pack member. They hadn't officially been brought into the pack, this was all just pretend to get Alistair off their back. This was fake. It just didn't feel like it.

             When lunch was over, Sam hung to the back of the group. He watched with a careful eye as Nico and Thea helped Wren from the bench, as they subtly supported her until she found her balance, how they continued to walk close to her with their arms itching to hold her up. Wren walked at a snail's pace, her hand coming up to rest on the wall every couple of minutes. She was careful about when she did it, carefully surveying the area to ensure no one was watching. She hadn't even thought of the fact that Sam was behind her with a front row seat to her stumbling.

             "Wren, can I talk to you for a moment?" He finally asked as they entered the courtyard. He glanced at Nico and Thea before continuing. "Alone?"

             The pack territory was empty as they slowly made their way over. Wren struggled to make her pace faster to cover the suspicion she felt rising in him, but she didn't get very far before her leg buckled. Sam's arms were fast, pulling her to him without a moment of hesitation. They both let out shaky breaths as he carefully lowered her onto the bench of the table, Sam crouching down in front of her to look her in the eye.

             "What's going on with you, Wren?" He questioned softly, low enough to ensure no one else could hear him.

             "I don't know -"

             "Don't pull that shit with me." A growl vibrated low in his chest causing her eyes to dip in a small flinch. "You don't have to lie to me, Wren. I can clearly see something's wrong, I'm not stupid."

             "Why is it such a big deal?" She shot back.

             "I don't know, because maybe as an alpha I'd like to know what's going on in my pack." He sassed, suppressing another low growl from blooming in his chest.

             "Last I checked, this was an arrangement. You're not my alpha, Sam. You don't control me and you don't need to check up on me."

             "What if I wanted to?" She stilled at the idea, sitting back slightly. He eyes flitted over his posture, he'd sunk to one knee with one arm propped up on his other. His head ducked for a moment, taking in deep and calming breathes trying to tell himself he needed the air and not the soft tinge of her scent. "What if I wanted to check up on you? To know that you're ok?"

             "Why?" Her single word caused him to look up and meet her gaze. It was so soft, so gentle that he had to check that she'd actually spoken.

             "Why is it so hard for you to believe an alpha can care? Whether you want to believe it or not, you are part of my pack at the moment, and you're wellbeing matters to me." He sighed, reaching out to carefully lift her arm. Carefully he traced the bright lines of her veins with his thumb. "What is this, Wren? What's going on?"

             She sighed softly, letting her head drop. "My leg never fully healed." She muttered, running her free hand over her leg. "I have nerve damage in the majority of my leg and it causes a lot of discomfort. Sometimes my whole leg will go numb and I'm unable to actually use it. The Doc has been giving me medicine that helps with the pain, but my body isn't as strong as the medicine needs it to be. It alleviates the pain for a little while, but it makes me very tired and... and it makes me weak."

             "That's why Nico and Thea have been helping you get up and sit down."

             "My balance is all off. If I'm not careful I risk falling over and making it worse." She nodded. Looking down to her inner elbow she grimaced at the firey skin. "I'm just so tired. I'm tired of needing this medicine. I'm tired of acting like I'm tougher than I am just to make up for my stupid leg. I'm tired of feeling so weak because of the pain." The tears that built in her eyes pulled at Sam's heart. "I just want it to go away. I want the pain to go away, Sam."

             Sam carefully glanced around the courtyard, watching each pack go about their business and tend to themselves. Pushing himself to his full height, he extended a steady hand to Wren. She looked at it for a moment before letting her gaze slide up to his, confusion settling deep in her eyes.

           Sam had given Wren distance despite every screaming nerve in his body. With the way she nearly ran from him after his confrontation with Tao, he'd gathered she needed space to breathe. She'd left not long after the whole thing with Mila and Nico tailing after her. Sam had noted the pale color her face had progressively gotten.

             The next day she didn't show up for breakfast. Or lunch. He'd asked Nico about it, but he'd just shrugged it off and said Wren hadn't been feeling the best. Something sparked under Sam's skin. There was something nobody was telling him. Mila had avoided answering the question when he'd asked her, and Thea was too busy with Benny to even try talking to. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew if he wanted answers he'd have to find them outside of the pack.

             Tao had been playing a game that looked like solitaire when Sam walked up. He silently slid into the seat across from the large alpha and leaned forward on his arms. Tao finally glanced up and quirked a brow at him.

             "You and Wren are pretty close." It wasn't a question, really. It wasn't hard to see the relationship between the two. And though it made a certain green-eyed monster swirl in the pit of his stomach, he knew Wren was able to have friends outside of the pack.

             Tao grunted in agreement, turning back to his cards.

             "So, you know quite a bit about her." Sam continued.

             "I should hope so, only known the girl for near five years." Tao chuckled, finally placing his attention fully on Sam. "What's this all about?"

             "Something's going on with Wren and no one's telling me anything. Nico, Thea, Mila, they all know something, but they brush me off when I ask."

             "You ever think, maybe, Uno don't want you to know?" Tao furrowed his brows, watching as Sam's face fell.

             "I just... I want to be there for her. I want to know her." He sighed, looking down at his hands. His jaw ticked as he stretched it and a soft breath blew from his lips. "Please."

             Tao sighed and glanced around the courtyard, weighing the request. Finally, he turned his attention back to Sam.

             "Wren is a... special girl. She's funny, smart, loving and loyal to a fault. She'd die for her friends, almost did." Tao paused, blinking hard and long before starting again. "I'm sure you've heard of Matt. He was like family to her, took her under his wing when she first arrived. She was this tiny little omega with a bum leg. Two alphas from her previous pack didn't like the thought of her leaving, she'd wanted to travel the world, so they chained her up in the basement. When that couldn't hold her, they figured she wouldn't get so far as the front door if they ripped into her leg."

             Sam's lip curled as a small growl bubbled in his throat. Tao offered him a moment to compose himself before taking a deep breath to start again.

             "Her leg had almost finished healing up, Matt, Mila, Thea, and Nico helped her keep it clean and keep off of it. Half the time you'd see Matt or Nico carry her around like she was a little ankle biter. Then alphas started getting the wrong idea. One got ahold of Wren on the way out of dinner. And, in order to keep her still and show her who was alpha, he jammed a couple fingers in the healing wound. She cried out, of course, she cried out." He scoffed, pressing his palms harshly into his eyes. He let out a harsh breath. "Nico had heard her and him and Matt found the bastard struggling to pull Wren's jumpsuit down. Matt nearly killed the guy on the spot. But the masks came out and dragged all 'em down to the cage. Matt, the alpha, Wren. All of 'em. She watched the alpha go into rut and rip Matt to pieces. She watched him get butchered and she knew it was because of her."

             "She couldn't control an alpha who couldn't think with the head on his shoulders." Sam insisted, biting back the lump in his throat.

             "No, but she didn't see it that way. Her biology had tempted him, and his temptation led to Matt losing his temper. It all came back to her in her mind. And she still can't forgive herself for it, so she makes up for it by protecting the other omegas."

             "What happened to the other alpha? Wasn't Wren still in there with him?" Sam furrowed his brows.

             "Wren was a mess, seein' that and bein' faced with an alpha three times her size. But, she was pissed. He'd done the one thing you never want to do to her. He'd attacked her family. Something in her just turned animal. She lost all sense. She... she was feral. And she tore into him like the alphas had her; like he had Matt. When she came out, all the alphas looked at her differently. Not with a sneer or belittlement. They looked at her in awe. They saw her as equal." Tao smiled. His eyes were glossed over with a thin sheet of tears. Sam couldn't help the tear that escaped his eye, it rolled down his cheek without care of strength or image. His heartbeat for Wren, and all he wanted was to take hold of her and take the pain away.

"Alright, this might feel a little awkward under the jumpsuit at first, but it's the newest edition we could get. It's supposed to the slimmer model and offers more flexibility." Doc said as he held up the metal contraption. "It shouldn't pinch anymore."

             "And you said no one should be able to see it?" She questioned, glancing up from what he held in his hands.

             "No one will even notice a difference unless you pull up your pant leg. It'll be completely invisible."

             She nodded and pulled her pant leg up and over her leg to settle around her upper thigh. With careful movements, she unstrapped the brace around her knee and let it slide to the tile floor. The Doc stepped forward and helped slide the new model in place, his fingers working in deft motions to make sure it fits properly.

             "The only downside with the new model is that you might need a second pair of hands to get it on correctly." He informed, taking hold of her hands and helping her stand. "How does it feel?"

             "Light." She muttered, looking down at her leg as she walked around the room. "But the pain's still there."

             "It's going to be. I can up your medication intake and see if that helps any." He offered with a soft smile.

             "I hate taking these medications." She sighed, easing herself back on to the examination bed. "I just feel so tired all the time."

             "I know," He agreed.

             Taking her arm into his hand, he allowed her to squeeze him with the pain that pinched her arm with the injection. Her eyes screwed up as a burn built and coursed through her veins. It took a few moments to see the change, but when her eyes opened it was easy to see the wave of exhaustion that overtook her. The Doc let her go after the medication set in, warning her to take it easy the rest of the day. She brushed him off with a comforting smile and left in search of her friends.

             The courtyard, usually full of packs in their own territories minding their own business, was strung out in a potent tension when she stepped out. Cautious glances were cast to the side, low murmurs making the air hum. Following the gazes of the crowd, she found two alphas facing off. The scent of blood tinged the air when the wind picked up, and she could just faintly hear their growling. The mop of hair was what made her freeze mid-stride. Her destination of the pack border slowly shifting until she was nearing the back of the man.

             Sam had blood coming from his nose staining his teeth crimson as he snarled at the opposing alpha. Dean and the rest of the pack were crowded around the border of the territory, watching with narrowed eyes, every move being carefully digested. When she looked back to the alphas a stiff breath fell from her lungs. The opposing alpha was Tao, his eye already bruising and blood slowly seeping through a wound on his shoulder. Out of the two he looked to be the most hurt.

             Tao caught sight of Wren over Sam's shoulder, his gaze drawing Sam's attention. They both just looked at her for a moment, taking in her wide eyes and the small frown playing on her parted lips. Tao moved to step towards her, not entirely thinking about his situation. Sam's growl ripped through the air like thunder, causing Tao to pause and Wren to flinch. His shoulders practically vibrated with the force of it.

             Wren's body slowly gravitated toward his, her presence invading his senses and drawing his attention back to her. She could see the red cloud that had settled over his vision, blocking rational thought and drawing instinct out. She could see the tension climbing his arm to settle in his shoulders as his knuckles turned white. It jumped and loosened ever so subtly under her touch as her fingers brushed the back of his hand. Her eyes bounced back and forth between his, trying desperately to find the logic he'd held. But any progress she had made was thrown to the wind when Tao snarled and lunged.

             Sam had tried to push Wren back, to push her from the danger that seemed to be slowly making its way forward. But she'd easily evaded his hand and stepped closer. With her back to his chest, her hand wrapped tightly around his wrist. Her gaze remained unwavering even as Tao growled, his breath spreading over her face in puffs. In his eyes, she could see the pain, the anger, the uncertainty that her reaction evoked. Tao had been one of the first alphas she befriended aside from Matt. The one she'd turned and ran to when things got too scary and Nico couldn't console her. He'd been the one to stand between her and the uncertain emotions of the other Alphas. And he'd been the first one to congratulate her on her victory. He'd been a rock that held her steady when she feared she'd drift away.

             And that had been threatened.

             Sam's presence in her life had threatened to override Tao's involvement. An alpha had stepped too close to an unofficial familial cord between the two. The first reasonable and understandable reaction was to stake a claim, but Wren had unknowingly declined that claim. She'd made her decision. Her choice wasn't him if it wasn't indicated by the small growl she emitted.

             It was rare for an omega to stake a claim on an alpha, even more so in a prison where alphas were known to take them as trophies. But, the realization of her actions dawned on her as Tao smiled softly at her, his growling fading as he looked down for a moment. When he met her eyes again they were tugged down, but they were happy. He glanced at Sam dipping his head in a small nod and stepped back. Only when he left did the strain in his muscles ease.

             Wren had spent the last couple days bound to the Doc's office. The stress she'd put her body through was catching up with her and it wasn't slowing down. When she'd finally been cleared to leave, Mila updated her on all the confrontations that the pack had gone through. Alistair hadn't stepped out, but he'd made their mistake known. He was watching closer than ever now.

             Her jaw clenched as another alpha called out to them as they made their way to the pack's newly formed border. Their vulgar comment drawing growls from the alphas and omegas alike. The man merely laughed and sauntered away with pride puffing out his chest.

             Wren rolled her shoulders back and narrowed her eyes. "I'm gonna-"

             "Gonna what?" Dean scoffed, easing to the ground opposite her. "It seems to me you're all talk. I'm sorry sweetheart, but I'm beginning to think you wouldn't hurt a fly."

             "You don't know me." She shook her head.

             "No, cause you still haven't let us in."

             She looked up at him, mouth open to snap out a response but she slowly let it slide shut. There was no malice in his words, no jabs, or teasing. His words were soft and easy as if he was trying not to scare her into snapping. Her gaze slid over to Sam. He'd kept his distance after their spat, despite everything in him telling him to follow her like a puppy. But, now, he watched her carefully hoping to catch everything that she offered.

             A sigh pulled from her lips as she looked down. "What do you want to know?"

             "How about you start with your crime." He suggested with a shrug. "What put you in here?"

             Mila, Thea, and Nico leaned forward, looking at one another for guidance. Mila carefully slipped her hand into Wren's offering her strength to hold herself together. They each let out a small breath they had been holding as she started to speak.

             "I, uh," She shifted slightly, curling one leg under her. "I killed two alphas."

             The group had fallen silent, their mouths opening and closing with a lack of words. Benny was the first to break it with a full belly laugh bubbling out. His head tipped back and he clutched at his stomach as he leaned forward to offer her a pat on the back. She felt herself biting back a smile as the rest of the pack joined in.

             "Wasn't expectin' that, Darlin'" He stated as his laughter slowly faded. "Little thing like you doesn't look like she's capable of much damage, let alone murder."

             "Like I always say, Uno's always got an ace up her sleeve." Nico chuckled, clapping Wren on the back. Her small smile prompted her friends to ease into smiles of their own, allowing the moment to pass without so much tension in their shoulders.

             "Your nickname," Cas spoke up, looking at Wren with furrowed brows. "How did you get it?"

             "That's a really long and boring story that I don't tell well." She brushed off, rubbing a hand over her stretched leg.

             "If we ain't bein' too pushy, we'd still like to hear it." Bobby smiled. "Get to know ya' a bit."

             "Long story cut short, I... I came here with a busted leg. Tao had seen me limping and he thought it was funny to call me Uno. I guess it just stuck...” She sighed as she rubbed gently at the leg.

             "What happened to it?" Sam pressed.

             "Two alphas don't go down without a fight." Her smirk was small as if she couldn't force it to get bigger. Sam's head tilted as he watched her shrug it off, her eyes falling down to glare softly at the leg she'd been fiddling with. When her eyes lifted and she caught him staring, he swore he could hear her heart stop.

             "You gimped around the whole facility with this frown on your face. You looked like some angry troll." Mila laughed, throwing her head back a little.

             "A least I didn't get caught for chopping off an alphas manhood and mailing it to the woman he was cheating with."

             Mila's laugh stopped and her face fell into a comical deadpan. Sam's eyes widened slightly at the laugh that bellowed from Wren. It wasn't the small scoff she'd emit with a stupid joke or the chuckle she'd given him a couple times. It was an actual laugh, a shoulder shaking, face splitting, stomach aching laugh.

             "That was cruel." Thea snickered.

             "Don't get me started on you, Ms. I-killed-someone-for-the-last-gucci-purse."

             "Low blow." She chuckled back, blushing softly.

             Despite the laughs and the smiles, Sam bristled and felt his lip twitch the beginnings of a snarl. Across the courtyard, Alistair sat with a small group of alphas. His lips quirked into a smirk as he caught Sam's stare. Though Sam couldn't hear what Alistair was saying, the glint he saw in his eye was enough to have his hands clenching.

          The tension had festered and spread in Wren. Her shoulders were cinched and her jaw was tight. Her smiles faded and her laughter died as she continued to look over her shoulder. Nico, Thea, and Mila had kept their eye on her, sticking close by and acting as crutches when the pain crippled her. The stress wasn't helping her pain, and she found herself leaning on her friends more and more.

             Wren couldn't help but chuckle at Thea's lovestruck gaze as she watched Benny play a game of basketball with Cas, Dean, and Sam. She'd been babbling on and on about how different he was from the other alphas in the prison. She nearly gushed talking about how he walked her everywhere.

             "I think this is the real thing. I think he could be mine." She smiled. Her friends all shared her happiness. Thea had Benny, Kevin and Nico had grown close, and Thea had an on and off fling with Toa. Everyone had their peace. "Maybe you'll find yours soon, Uno."

             "I don't think so." She brushed off with a chuckle.

             "Don't write it off so soon." Nico shrugged, leaning forward.

             "You never know who you might get attached to."

             "What is with you guys and me finding a mate?" She exclaimed quietly. "You guys know I'm not suited for an alpha. You've always understood. What changed?"

             None of them could look directly into her eyes. Each one turning their attention to the ground, their nails, or the table. She waited patiently for someone to finally speak up.

             "You need an alpha, Uno." Nico finally looked up. Wren's eyes had narrowed into slits as his sentence unfolded and he felt his slip closed to block the pained fury on her face out.

             "Says who?"

             "The Doc," Mila responded stiffly. "You're collapsing. You're dizzy. Your meds aren't working, Wren. They're burning through your body like it's an old pair of running sneakers. You are just getting worse."

             "What does this have to do with an alpha?" Wren snapped, lips twisted in an attempt to keep her voice low. The boys hadn't stopped playing their game, but their moves became sloppier, their shots not going in anymore.

             "Your body isn't strong enough to process the drugs. The Doc thinks it might be beneficial to form that kind of bond, that it might make you stronger." She tried to reason with Wren, but every word she said seemed to only fuel the fire in Wren and she quickly pushed away from the table. "Wren, please sit down. You need to calm yourself."

             "What's going on?" Sam asked as he jogged over, looking between the two women in concern.

             "Wren-"

             "Nothing. This is pack business." Wren muttered, glaring at Mila.

             "We're part of the same pack now, Wren."

             "You are not my pack." She hissed, venom dripping from each word. "You are a silver-tongued alpha, and nothing more." Her hands hit hard into the center of his chest as he attempted to step closer. Alphas from around the courtyard glanced their way, Alistair included, a growing smirk playing on his lips.

             "Wren, stop." Sam tried again, to reign in the omega. But, her retaliation only grew. Sam's head snapped to the side, a sting building in his cheek. With slow movements, he brought a hand up to hold the warmed skin.

             "Don't ever think you can tell me what to do." Her voice had gone eerily low. "You are not my alpha."

             "Wren," Even Mila's calls didn't stop her as she turned and stalked away.

             She'd made it halfway to her cell when her shoulder crashed with the wall. A small hiss left her lips as she slid down to the floor. With her eyes screwed up, she couldn't stop the tears from sliding down her face. She twisted her hands in her hair, pulling at the strands in hopes of alleviating the pressure building. She wanted to brush off Mila's concerns, say they were just side effects, but she'd seen them too. The way she could barely walk on her own some days. The spots in her vision on a sunny day. The pain that only seemed to grow. She wanted to say she didn't notice, and that she was fine, but that lie was one she'd never be able to breathe truth into.

             Her shoulder was brushed as a body slid down beside her. She didn't look up to see who it was, already knowing. In their presence, she let the soft cries she'd been pushing down finally escape. And as they echoed softly in the air, they pulled her into their arms and held her shaking form.

             "I'm scared." She whimpered into them, clutching tightly at the fabric of their jumpsuit.

             "I know. We all are." His voice calmed her shaking as his hands drifted over her back. "But, we're not leaving you. We've always had your back, that's not gonna change now. We just want what's best for you."

             "And you think giving my freedom over to an alpha is what's best for me?" She questioned, pulling back to look into Nico's eyes. Tears that matched her own pooled in his eyes as he wiped at her cheeks.

             "Being claimed isn't like being chained, Wren." He smiled sadly. "History doesn't always repeat itself. I think it's time for the old Wren to see the light of day again."

             She scoffed out a chuckled and looked away. "Which one?"

             "The one that accepted someone into her heart that clearly wanted to be there. The one that could see the good in someone." He sighed. "Sam wants to help you, Wren. He wants to be there for you, but you keep pushing him farther and farther away. Just because you're strong doesn't mean you can't love or be loved."

             To say Wren wasn't happy the pack had gone behind her back to make the decision to accept Sam and Dean's offer wasn't enough. At first, she didn't really comprehend what Mila had told her, her mind too fuzzy with exhaustion and medication. She'd just furrowed her brows and nodded along as if she could really hear the words she was listening to. When the medication wore off and her mind was awake she was less accepting of the news. But, the more Mila assured her that it was a joint decision and it was what they wanted she eased into the idea.

             "You never know, you could end up enjoying having an alpha." Mila forced the chuckle out of her mouth as she and Wren worked their way through the cafeteria line for breakfast.

             "Oh, yea." Wren scoffed, leading the way back to their table. "I'm going to fall madly in love with being bossed around and kept on a leash."

             "You never know." Mila shrugged, casting a brief glance at Wren. "You could find your mate."

             "In here?" She looked up from her tray, one eyebrow raised. "If I even have a mate, I'm not gonna find him in here. Fate doesn't like me that much." The conversation fell flat with her statement, both of them turning their attention to the food in front of them.

             As the morning progressed and they met up with the rest of the pack, Wren was introduced to the rest of the alpha pack. She wasn't as quick to warm up to them as her friends had been, shying away from their friendly touches and keeping her mouth shut when prompted her to talk. Realizing they'd need to take things slower with her, the alphas backed off a little to ease her into it.

             "So, what's the next step in your plan?" She asked, turning to Sam and Dean as the rest mingled among themselves.

             "Next step is to wait for Alistair to see us as a pack." Sam shrugged. "The idea is that he'll see us all together and he'll back off now that you have alphas with you."

             "And if it doesn't work?"

             "We're, uh, we're still working through that." He smiled sheepishly. Wren offered him a soft chuckle and turned her gaze down to the table, picking at the top.

             "Can I ask a question?" Dean turned his body to fully face her. "How did you get so good at poker? I've had to have played a dozen games with you by now and you've never lost."

             Her lips turned up as she continued to pick at the table. Not lifting her gaze she said, "When I first came here I had no idea how to even read a deck of cards correctly. Didn't know the suits or the difference between a king and a queen, nothing. But, I'd grown attached to this deck that I'd found in the library. I never put it down, got pretty good at shuffling it.” She smirked pulling the deck from her pocket and shuffling cards around. “One day, a guy slid into the seat across from me and offered to teach me how to play. He played the same game with me every day just after lunch."

             "Who was he?" Sam asked quietly, the look in her eye was a looked he had seen many times in his brother's eyes, and even his own when he looked in the mirror.

             "His name was Matt, he was an alpha. The first alpha in here I'd befriended."

             "Where is he?"

             Dean didn't realize he was asking a question that had the power to break the strong omega he was looking at. He didn't know that the whole topic was normally off limits. But, as he and Sam watched her nostrils flare ever so slightly they knew it was probably not the best question to ask.

             "He's not here anymore." She stretched her jaw to the side with a deep breath, turning her gaze to the boys. Her and slowly reaching down to rub at her leg, she let out an untimely chuckle.

             "You are not what I expected." She smiled. "I know there are good alphas out there, I know there are alphas that care and do right by omegas even if they aren't theirs. It's just so weird to actually know them. I'd always thought you were fairy tales."

             Though the boys laughed alongside her, there was a pang of remorse in their chest as they thought about it. Sam's hands itched to take ahold of hers, to rub his fingers over her knuckles and tell her she would never have to think that again. He wanted to hold her and listen to her vent the way he knew she needed to. He wanted to experience her think of herself as human and tell her that it was ok to see herself that way.

             It had kept her up all night, thinking about the pros and cons of the offer Sam and Dean had made her. She'd sat up in her bunk, knee pulled to her chest letting the other lay flat, looking at the cold off-white tiles. The rest of her pack could see the way she was struggling. Either she jeopardized the pack's safety, or she took away their freedom. She'd been so busy trying to fix a problem she thought she'd caused, she missed that the pack had already made up their mind.

             "Sam, Dean," Mila called, catching sight of the two alphas walking back from lunch. "If we do this, we get our own choices, right?"

             "You'll be treated just as you are now, just with extra precaution. We won't take away your free will if that's what you're afraid of." Dean smiled warmly. "We'll be acting like a single pack. They won't know it's two working together."

             "Then we agree." Nico and Thea nodded their agreement and Sam and Dean smiled, thankful they'd chosen to take the offer. But it easily caught their attention that Wren was missing from the equation.

             "She's scared of making the wrong decision." Nico supplied. "She can't make a mistake if she didn't choose, so we did it for her."

             "Where is she now?" Sam questioned, looking around them to see if she was just straggling behind.

             "She's with the Doc right now," Thea grunted softly with the harsh jab of Mila's elbow. Mila gave her a look that mothers give their children when they say too much, and it had Thea shutting her mouth.

             "She ok?"

             "Yea," Mila smiled. "Just a checkup."

             Sam knew a lie, knew how to spot them and when to use them. It became second nature to look for them. And, the way Mila's eyes shifted as she said that put all the warning bells off in Sam's mind. His eyes slid over to Nico who offered him a very small shake of his head. Sam almost thought he'd imagined it at first.

             "Well," He cleared his throat, forcing a smile. "She'll just have to catch up with us then."

             The boys led them over to where their own pack was lingering, they hadn't yet set up a spot to call their own, instead, they just aimlessly wandered around hoping to find the right spot. The other alphas smiled at them as they approached, not a sneer or snarl, but a warm smile. They looked around cautiously as they eased in with their small crowd. Sam and Dean went around introducing everyone to the group. The burly looking elder man was Bobby, he'd apparently known the boys long before they all got locked up. Then there was Benny, he was a friend Dean had made in the prison they transferred from. Cas who the boys had met before Benny but in the same place, and Kevin the omega they'd taken in.

             "Five alphas and an omega," Nico let out a low whistle. "Sounds like the start to a bad joke."

             "We ain't so bad, you'll see." Benny chuckled, wrapping his arm around the smaller male. There was a moment of uncertainty in the omega's eyes, where he struggled not to pull away. Benny seemed to notice the discomfort and casually slid his arm back down, a large smile on his face to ease Nico.

             The tension between the two packs slowly diminished as they sat and talked. Sharing what they thought would help make the plan easier. A fuzzy warmth settled over them as they told their stories and shared mistakes. If you had asked any of the omegas if they saw themselves sitting willingly with a pack of alphas and just talking, letting the alphas get to know them, they probably would have scoffed. But being in that moment, they couldn't remember what it felt like to be separate. Mila sat shoulder to shoulder with Benny, Thea sprawled out over her using her legs as a pillow. Nico was resting back on his elbows to their side with Bobby reclining on the bench just behind him. Cas, Sam, and Dean completed the circle with lax shoulders and their legs spread out before them. Small smiles pulled at everyone's lips as another joke was shared.

             Dean looked around the circle and cocked his head to the side. "Wren's been gone for quite a while." His brows furrowed as he looked at Mila's paling face. "You said it was just a check-up, right?"

             "Yeah," She cleared her throat, pushing herself up to her feet. "I'll go see what's taking so long. I'm sure she and the Doc just got to talking."

             Even as she said the words she felt them fall flat. With a last glance over her shoulder at the group, she sped into the building. The Doc's office wasn't that far from her and Wren's cell, Doc's orders. So she knew the way by heart, following the twists and turns to get there with little to no effort made.

             She knocked softly on the doorframe, prompting the Doc to peek around and look at her. He silently waved her in with a smile. He could clearly see the concern that tugged her face down. With a hand on her back, he led her to one of the small separate rooms of the infirmary. The starch white sheets made Wren look paler than she should have, her body curled in a ball as she clutched the light blanket to her in her sleep.

             "This was supposed to help her. Why is this happening?" She asked softly, praying she didn't wake her friend.

             "It could be a number of things." The Doc sighed, looking at Wren's small form. "She may have a strong will, but her body just isn't strong enough to process the drugs. And, without an alpha, she's even more at risk."

             "You know telling her that is just going to make her fight it more."

             "That's why I didn't." He looked at Mila, a frown tugging at his lips. "Mila, you know better than anyone what goes on in her mind. You know about her pain, you were the one who encouraged her to see me. She listens to you."

             "Not about this. This..." She paused and shook her head looking down. "This scar is too deep."

             "I don't know if you're being literal or figurative, but either way she'll only get worse if something doesn't change." He turned back to look at Wren. "I'm the last person who wants to admit an omega needs an alpha, but in Wren's case, it might actually be life or death. She's free to go, but she'll need lots of rest tonight. And, try your hardest to keep her off of it, it's just growing more painful for her."

             "Thank you, Doc."

             As the Doc exited the small room, Mila turned to look at Wren wiping at the tears that had spilled onto her cheeks. With a deep breath to pull herself together, she lightly shook Wren's shoulders. Wren's eyelids twitched and fluttered before slowly pulling back, her tired eyes drifting up to Mila's. A weak smile pulled at her cracked lips as she stared up at her friend.

             "Hey," Her voice cracked as she fought to get the simple word out, making Mila's lip tremble softly.

             "Hey, Uno." She greeted softly, "Why don't we get you back to the cell, ok? You can go back to sleep in your own bed."

             "His name is Alistair? What the hell kind of name is that?" Wren questioned, gently dabbing away the blood collected around Nico's eyebrow.

             "It's like his parents knew he'd grow up to be a psycho." He muttered, flinching when Wren pressed too hard.

             "You know by doing that you signed your death certificate, right?" Mila growled, pacing around beside their table. "Why didn't you just put your fist through his face? It would have shown all of those jackasses not to mess with us."

             "Violence doesn't solve violence, Mila. You know that. And if I had fought back I'd have ended up in the cage with them." Wren sighed.

             "You know Alistair is going to survive the pit. And the one thing on his agenda is-"

             "Is to put Wren back on the bottom where he thinks she belongs." Dean filled in, stopping just before his feet hit the border. "He's gonna be pissed he was made a fool of and he'll be out for revenge. He'll make Wren his bitch."

             "Thank you, jackass." Wren snapped, turning away from Nico to glare at the alpha. "Your words of encouragement are greatly appreciated."

             "What he means is, you're going to need allies." Sam rephrased.

             "I have allies. But, thanks for the offensive concern."

             "Do your allies know Alistair? Do they know what he's capable of, what he's done in the past?" Dean questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "My guess is they don't. We've known the guy for a while now. Watched him beat his way to the top of the food chain. We know his workings. And you're going to need that information."

             "I'm sure we can manage just fine on our -"

             "Wren." Mila looked at her friend, a soft tilt to her head. With a small shake, she gave her a sad smile. "You don't plan on fighting, you know nothing about this guy aside from his bad temper. I think we're gonna need help."

             "They might be our only way out of this." Thea agreed. She placed a hand on Wren's shoulder, looking up at Sam and Dean and softly waving them in. She felt Wren bristle at the feel of having them in their area, but Wren bit her tongue and glared at the ground.

             "First things first, Wren is going to have to learn to be an Oscar-winning actress for this to work." Dean sat on the opposite side of the table, Sam sliding in next to him. Thea and Mila stood behind Wren and Nico, watching the alphas with a glint in their eyes.

             "Wren is one of the best liars in this place. One of the reasons we're left alone; no one can tell when she's fibbing or telling the truth. They learned not to chance it." Nico chuckled, easing the growing tension between the alphas and Wren.

             "Secondly, she's going to have to play the part of an omega."

             "Oh."

             "Shit."

             "Excuse me?"

             Each member of the pack had their own reaction to the statement. Equal looks of shock and anger rising on each face. Mila's hand squeezed the fabric at the back of Wren's jumpsuit, Thea shifted her hand on Wren's shoulder, and Nico wrapped is fingers in Wren's. They each could feel the vibration under her skin.

             "Look, I know how that sounds." Sam eased, leaning forward on his arms. "But Alistair is a traditional alpha, and he wants to see omegas below alphas. If he thinks Wren has been claimed or is being influenced by an alpha, he'll back off a little."

             "But, that won't stop him. If he wants to make an example out of me, he'll force a claim on me even if I already had an alpha. It wouldn't stop him." Wren bit, fighting to keep her jaw from ticking.

             "Look at this whole alpha thing as added protection. Our pack is perfect. Multiple alphas formed together. He wouldn't dare make a move, not unless you were alone." Sam explained. "No offense, but this is safer than just going on your own and hoping he'll make another mistake. You've played your hand, now he knows your cards."

             "Something to know about, Uno, is she always has an ace up her sleeve. Don't dock her ideas because you think you know her." Nico snapped, tightening his hold on her.

             "True, we don't know everything about her. But we do know that an omega against an alpha never ends well. And, even with all of you against him, he'll find a way to win. This is a safe play that pulls you from the flames." Dean responded, meeting Wren's glare head on. He could see her jaw working, the look in her eyes growing hotter as the seconds ticked by. He knew her decline was on the tip of her tongue, could see in her eyes she wanted to shove his offer down his throat, but he knew this was the only way to buy her time to think of a better plan.

             "Why are you offering to help? What do you want?"

             "Why do you think we want something? Sometimes people genuinely want to help." Dean tilted his head.

             "Not in my experience."

             "Well, maybe you've been around the wrong alphas. There are still those out there that care about their omegas, that want to protect them like they're supposed to." Sam offered softly. He and Dean stood from the table with equally sad and encouraging expressions. "Think about it, don't make a decision out of anger or bias. Think about what's best for the people in your pack. It's not just you that he'll go after. He won't stop until all of you are broken."

         Though they hadn't confronted her again, Sam and Dean kept a careful eye on Wren. They'd never been spoken to by an omega the way she had, and they didn't know whether to pat her on the back or demand submission. Most likely the former. It wasn't easy for an omega to go against biology to stand their ground, that's why most of the time they were taken advantage of. But, Wren was different from the others they'd met. She didn't hesitate with her words, she didn't grow quiet in the presence of an alpha, she didn't waver. If she had no smell and the air around her didn't radiate omega, and they were judging by personality and behavior alone they would have thought her to at least be beta.

             Wren had kept her distance as well, never taking a single step toward Kevin's pack. Shortly after her conversation with Sam and Dean, she'd found out that their pack was mostly alphas with a few betas here and there. They had only one omega, however. With that thought, she'd brushed off all future confrontation and kept to herself.

             But it was hard to keep to yourself when you were the fly caught in the spider's web.

             Not even a full day after the conversation there was a stir among the newbies. Something shifted in them. It started with a few calls to the omegas every now and then, vulgar fantasies spilling from their lips. It progressed nearly overnight to trying to get a hold on them, reaching out in hopes of catching enough jumpsuit fabric to pull them closer. They weren't expecting it when the omegas finally reared back and flashed their teeth. And, it wasn't taken very well. Nico had been tackled, taken to the ground without so much as a strain. He'd fought and he'd bit, but the alpha over him had superior strength. Thea and Mila had instantly moved to attack the alpha on top of their friend, but they themselves were pushed into their own battles.

             Sam and Dean had noticed the crowd as soon as they stepped into the courtyard. Alphas and betas alike had gathered around, climbing on the fence and standing on tables to get a better view. They pushed their way through the lively bodies and nearly froze at the scene. The omega pack had been brutally and savagely taken over by the alphas. The brothers' fists clenched at the barbaric actions, and they could feel their blood boil at the fear they saw.             

             "Enough!"

             It wasn't them that spoke. In fact, the voice didn't even sound male. But it could clearly be heard over the shouts and cheers from the surrounding crowd. As the noise died down and the crowd looked to the source a laughter erupted. Standing just inside the circle that had formed was Wren. The look on her face should have been warning enough. Where it would have been reasonable to be afraid, eyes wide with a silent plea not to kill her, or to be angry, lip curled into a snarl and teeth bared, Wren was silent. Her face was lax and almost calm. Her arms lay limp at her sides. But the newbies hadn't been trained in Wren 101, they didn't know the tell signs of her anger like her pack did. They were subtle, but they held the power of life and death. First, her jaw would roll ever so slightly, releasing the tension, then her fingers would twitch in an effort not to curl into fists, and finally, her eyes would lock on with the 'target'. Normally this was the person who had overstepped but seeing as there was a crowd of alphas overstepping, she settled for the one that had started it all.

             "Someone get ahold of her." The man barked, turning back to Nico, his hands reaching down to him.

             "You so much as shift a hair on his head and you'll drop like dead weight." She warned, stepping out of the closing arms of the alpha behind him. "And that is a promise."

             "No one's buying that shit about the masked men, bitch." He snarled. "They haven't shown up so far and there have been many fights. Your stories don't scare us."

             "There have been fights between alphas." She corrected, stepping so she was toe to toe with the imposing man. "But, fights with omegas stopped years ago. So this one is the top priority to the people up there." She pointed to the watchtower as she slowly backed herself out of the small crowd, eyes lit with a fire only few could see. Sam and Dean followed her from a distance, close enough to jump in, but far enough away to remain inconspicuous. The alpha took her steps back as victories and matched them with confident strides forward. Once they were slightly away from the crowd, she stopped.

             "You're causing a lot of problems." He snarled, curling his hand around her upper arm. Sam moved to step between the two of them, but he faltered at the confidence in her eyes. She knew she was playing on chance, but if she knew the people she thought she did his contact with her would be enough. His fingers had just barely clasped fully around her arm when she heard it, her knowing eyes locking on Nico's. It was just a subtle shift in the air, the kind of noise that would be made if you moved something really fast, a soft wind sound you needed to really listen for to experience.

             His eyes which had been filled with confidence were locked on her face as she slowly rolled her eyes up to meet his. Ever so slightly, his eyes shifted up to stare at the ground behind her, blinking rapidly. Wren carefully stepped back and out of reach as his body buckled and tumbled to the ground, hitting the grass with a heavy thump. A hush settled over the crowd as the alphas who'd joined the assault began to drop.

             Men with black armored suits filed out of the watchtower, black reflective visors hiding their identity from the prying eyes of the newbies. Sam stepped up behind Wren, wrapping a careful hand around her wrist and pulling her back so she was sandwiched between Dean and himself.

             "What the hell was that?" Dean hissed as the masked men carried the sedated alphas away.

          After the small altercation with the alpha, Wren's pack kept a close eye on her. She wasn't one for violence, so it was a worry that she'd get herself into something she couldn't talk herself out of. Luckily they hadn't had much to worry about, she'd been able to keep her distance from most of them. Her attention had been directed more to the omega that had been brought in with the alphas. He'd been her main priority for the majority of the week. Wren had offered him a place in the pack after a lengthy discussion with everyone, but he'd politely turned her down claiming her already had a pack. She'd left him alone with the parting statement that the offer would be open if he changed his mind.

             "Hey, Uno!" Toa called to Wren as she made her way across the courtyard to the border. All the newbies glanced up at the sudden noise, interested in the interaction between the alpha and the omega. She nodded for him to continue. "You up for a game? Your turn to pick the poison."

             With a small laugh, she glanced to the side catching sight of Kevin surrounded by a handful of alphas. The look on his face didn't suggest danger, but rather comfort. Despite the lack of terror on his face, she felt an uneasy pit build in her chest at the sight. Noticing the alpha's eyes on her she turned back to Tao and smiled.

             "You're on." She called back, making her way over to him.

             "How are you feeling about the new arrivals?" He questioned casually, serving out cards in preparation for a game of poker.

             "How is everyone else feeling about the new arrivals?" She countered, subtly scanning the crowd that was spread out, their attention on her and Tao.

             "Antsy." He provided. "You know how unpredictable newbies can be. Especially alphas. Everyone's waiting for shit to hit the fan." He leaned back, holding his cards up to his chest to look at them.

             "Fair enough. You think they'll get the idea and settle down?" She asked, looking down at her cards.

             "Not in the slightest. They ain't like us," His eyes slid over the card to meet hers. "they think they're on top."

             "They'll learn." She sighed, shifting her cards around. "One way or another, they'll learn." A smirk pulled at her lips as she laid her cards down, face up. Tao's face fell at the sight of them and carelessly dropped his own on the table, a bitter chuckle spilling from him.

             "I swear, you got an ace stashed up your sleeve." He grumbled, shuffling the cards in the deck. He glanced over her shoulder as he did so, his eyes returning quickly after in a double take. His shoulders straightened out as he sat a little taller. Wren didn't need to look over her shoulder to know what stood behind her, she could smell it.

             "Do you mind if we play a game with her?" The voice was gruff as if most of its time was spent yelling. The baritone of it making the gravel stand out more. Tao's eyes flittered down from theirs to meet hers.

             "I'm afraid that's up to her." He sighed.

             Wren turned to look over her shoulder and nearly had to break her neck to take in the faces of the men behind her. The two were standing side by side making it easy to see the resemblance of each other, though, one had longer hair. Despite the initial gruff aura to them, their faces held a kindness foreign to most alphas. As Tao slid from the bench and pressed a friendly hand to Wren's shoulder when he passed, the two alphas took his place.

             "What's your poison?" She questioned, shuffling the cards.

             "Pool usually." The same man stated making her look up. It was the blonde who'd spoken to her, and he flashed a charming smile to which she answered by serving the cards. He cleared his throat and glanced at the taller man beside him before trying again. "Um, I'm Dean. And, this is my brother Sam."

             "We're playing poker if you don't mind." She replied, looking down at her cards.

             "Poker, that's a, that's a pretty risky game." Dean chuckled, quickly getting silenced by not only the look Wren sent him over her cards but by his brother's foot stomping on his.

             "We wanted to thank you." Sam jumped, glancing at his brother out of the corner of his eye.

             "For what?" She prodded, shifting her cards around.

             "For sticking up for Kevin." Sam traded a couple of his cards in. "Most omegas would have just sat back and kept themselves out of the heat."

             "Yeah, if you hadn't jumped in there would have been more... issues." Dean jumped in, trading in one of his own cards. His fingers twitched around his hand of cards as he shifted them. Wren looked back down at her cards.

             "I'm not most omegas." She spread her cards out face up.

             Dean's face dropped as he looked from her cards to his own. He dejectedly tossed his cards into the pile and leaned on his folded arms. Sam looked at Wren with a small smirk, but he suppressed it as she glanced at him.

             "Why's it such a big deal to you that I helped out a fellow omega?" She pushed, narrowing her eyes at the pair.

             "Well, because Kevin's our pack omega. He's a good friend of ours and you came through for him." Dean explained, nodding at her in thanks. "We owe you."

             "I didn't help Kevin so you'd owe me." She bit out, carefully pushing herself away from the table. "I did it because you weren't there to do it and he'd have been dead."

          The smell of cigarette smoke surrounded the small round table, drifting up and curling from the smoking sticks jutting out from Wren and Tao's lips. They each shuffled their cards in their hands, brows pulled down as they kept their true emotions locked up. Wren's eyes rolled up to meet Tao's and he smirked at her, his cigarette hanging dangerously from his lip.

             "What do ya' say?" He grunted, eyes alight with mirth.

             "I say," She paused, thumbing over one card, "you got any spades?"

             "Better luck next time," He chuckled.

             The intense game of go-fish had quickly taken a turn for the worst. Poker, flapjack, war, any other card game Wren could dominate in. The one time she allowed her opponent to choose the game and they'd picked the child's play she couldn't beat. Her lips twisted to the side as she waited for him to call his last cards.

             "Any Jacks?" The smile on his face showed his victory before he'd even seen her shift her fingers. Her eyes rolled to the side as she threw the card at him.

             "You win this time, but next time I pick the poison." She chuckled, standing from the table leaving behind the stack she'd lost.

             "You got it, Uno." He grinned back, counting out his winnings. She shook her head with a small smile turning her lips. She could faintly make out the outlines of Mila, Thea, and Nico back at the corner waiting for her. She could hear their chuckles echoing slightly to her. But before she even made it halfway to their border, she was forced to stop at the weight that slammed into her side.

             Pain stemmed from her leg as she landed on the ground with the air knocked from her. Her fingers curled in the grass as she blinked away the blurry vision the fall had caused. Slowly and carefully she looked up at what had knocked her over and wasn't too surprised at the alpha that stood over her. What did seem fairly odd was the fact that his attention wasn't down on her, it was slightly over her shoulder on a young man. Judging by his position on the ground just over her and the width of his eyes, she judged he'd been the one to knock into her and to fall in the process. He scrambled away as the alpha stepped over Wren and continued towards him. His movement sent a surge of air towards her and her eyes nearly lit with the fire that built.

             "Wren," Mila called. "Come on, get out of there."

             Wren shook her head and wobbly pushed herself to her feet. She bit her lip as she surged forward and grabbed the arm of the alpha that had stepped over her. He turned on her with a glare set in his dark eyes making them appear almost black.

             "I adamantly suggest you lay off of him." She advised carefully.

             "And I adamantly suggest you step off before I make you." He snapped back, turning to continue his journey to the man on the ground.

             "You see that window over there?" She gestured subtly to the window of the watchtower. "Inside there are masked men that shoot down sedatives at those who start fights in the courtyard. The men they hit are sent to the basement of the prison, into this cage where they're forced to fight to the death. I'm warning you now, you so much as lay a hand on him and you're totaled."

             "You could be lying." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't liars."

             "Neither do I." She agreed, steadily looking into his dark eyes. "You can either believe I'm not, or take your chance with fate and hope I am. Only one way, you'll ever know for sure. And, I'm positive you don't want to go that route."

             The man paused for a moment, glancing from Wren to the window. The thought of being sent to a cage must not have sat well with him, because he cast the man on the ground a cursory look and turned fully to Wren.

             "He ain't worth my breath anyway." He scoffed, shoving past her with a harsh push to her shoulder.

             She watched him go with a tight jaw, her attention quickly turned to the man pushing himself back up. Silently she extended her hand to him, encouraging him to take it with a brief smile. Taking the hand offered, he pulled himself up and brushed off the grass that clung to his backside.

             "Thank you." He muttered, "And, I'm sorry for knocking you over."

             "Don't worry about it. Omegas gotta stick together, right?" The smile she offered him was one of assurance. The appreciation in his eyes only made it grow.

             "I'm Kevin." He greeted, finally looking up to meet her eyes.

             "Wren."

             "Was that stuff you said, about the cage and the fighting, true?"

             "At one point it was. But, one fight a couple years ago had the alphas come to an understanding. The fighting dwindled and the sedatives stopped being administered. The cage kind of died with the fighting." She shrugged.

             "So you lied. To an alpha." He fought to suppress his smile of awe.

             "I merely bent the truth." She turned to walk away, nodding subtly to her pack that she was alright.

             "You're in the omega pack, right?" He called, causing her to turn to him with a nod. "The alphas I came with, they don't like stuff like that. Some don't mind, others will do everything in their power to put an omega where they think they belong."

             "Is that a threat?" Wren questioned, hands balling into fists so tight her fingers felt as though they vibrated.