AN HOUR LATER
ZAVIER
D-rank dorms were not what I expected. Actually, no, that was a lie they were exactly what I expected. Loud and messy, questionable smells and one door slightly hanging off its hinges like it had given up on life. I stood there for a second, staring at it.
"This is it?" I asked.
"Character building."Aiden hummed.
"This builds disease." I muttered.
I pushed the door open, and it creaked like it was personally offended by my existence. Inside, I saw chaos. One Beta was upside down on a chair, legs hooked over the back, eating something that looked deeply illegal. Another was trying to fix a broken sword with what appeared to be glue. The third was asleep while standing up and leaning against a wall.
"Right."I blinked.
The upside down one noticed me first. He slowly craned his head, still upside down, eyes narrowing.
"You new?" He asked.
"Unfortunately." I said.
"Nice. I am Riko."He grinned.
"Of course you are." I muttered.
The one with the sword looked up next.
"Don't mind him." He said, pointing at Riko. "He fell off a roof once. Never recovered."
"I can hear you!" Riko snapped.
"You are upside down!"He shouted.
"It's perspective!"Riko frowned.
I exhaled slowly.
"And you are?" I asked.
"Ben." He said simply. "I break things then fix them. Sometimes in that order, sometimes not."
"Encouraging." I said.
The third one, still standing, still asleep snored.
"Is he dead?"I stared confused.
"No." Ben said. "That's Leo."
"Leo sleeps anywhere." Riko added.
"Why is he standing?"I asked.
"He said lying down wastes time."Riko said.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and Aiden was laughing.
"Oh this is perfect." He said. "You have been placed with chaos incarnate."
"I hate everything." I whispered.
"No you don't."Aiden smirked.
"No, I don't." I sighed.
Leo suddenly woke up. No warning, no transition, one second asleep, next second staring directly at me.
"New guy." He said.
"Yes."I said.
"Omega."He added.
"Yes."I nodded.
"Cool."He nodded once.
Then, I immediately went back to sleep. Standing, I stared at him.
"Did he just-"I began.
"Yeah." Ben said.
"He does that." Riko added.
"Wait." Riko suddenly flipped upright in one smooth, alarming motion. "Did you say Omega?"
"Yes."I looked at him.
Riko blinked then Ben blinked and even Leo opened one eye.
"That's hilarious."Then Riko grinned.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because." Ben said, pointing at me. "You are either going to die or make this place way more interesting."
"Hopefully both." Riko added cheerfully.
I dropped my bag on the nearest empty bed. It creaked, of course it did
"This is my life now." I said.
"Yes. Embrace it."Aiden hummed.
Riko leaned forward, eyes sparkling with chaos.
"So, Omega." He said. "What can you do?"
"Fish, hunt, set traps. Outsmart people who underestimate me."I tilted my head slightly.
"Oh I like him."Riko slapped the table.
"Yeah, we are keeping this one."Ben nodded slowly.
"Good, we needed someone competent."Leo, half asleep, muttered.
"Glad to be useful."I smirked faintly.
"Alright, new guy, rules of the room."Riko grinned wider.
"There are rules?" I asked.
"Absolutely not." Ben said.
"Rule one." Riko continued, ignoring him. "If it explodes, it wasn't me."
"It was him." Ben said immediately.
"It was him." Riko shot back.
"Rule two." Ben added. "Don't touch Leo when he is asleep."
"Why?"I asked.
"Reflexes."Leo opened one eye then closed it again.
"Rule three." Riko said, leaning closer. "If someone challenges you-"
"I accept." I said.
"Oh, you are going to fit in perfectly."He grinned.
I leaned back slightly, looking around the disaster that was now apparently my home. Three chaotic Betas, a broken door, and a questionable smell, and for the first time in a long while, no one is ignoring me. It feels great.
"This is different."Aiden's voice softened.
"Yeah." I said quietly.
"Better?"He asked.
I looked at them, Riko arguing with Ben, Leo somehow asleep again and smirked.
"Way better."I smirked.
"I hate it here." I said, not moving the spoon off my face for a full three seconds, because accepting reality too quickly felt like a mistake.
In the morning, I saw Leo still sleeping and Ben and Riko getting ready go to the cafeteria.
"He's not even leaning anymore." I muttered.
"Improvement." Ben said.
"Next step is levitation." Riko added proudly.
"If he starts floating, I am leaving." I said.
Leo snored, still standing. I decided not to question it, that was the first mistake people made in this place. The cafeteria was already alive, which meant loud, crowded, and filled with people who had opinions they didn't deserve to have this early in the morning, and the moment we walked in as a group, the shift was immediate and obvious in the worst possible way. Heads turned at us.
"Oh great." Someone said from a B-rank table. "The D-rank exhibit arrived."
"Careful." Another added. "They might start learning."
"Ah, the sweet smell of insecurity."Riko inhaled deeply like he was appreciating fine cuisine.
"That's not insecurity." I said.
"That's hostility." Ben corrected.
"Same flavor." Riko shrugged.
We kept walking, that was the important part. Just moving forward like we belonged there more than anyone else, because hesitation was what got you noticed, and I had spent years learning how to not be noticed. One of the Alphas leaned back in his chair as we passed.
"Didn't know omegas were allowed to roam freely here."He said.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm supervising him." Riko immediately turned.
"I don't need supervision." I said.
"You absolutely do." He said.
"For legal reasons."Ben nodded.
I ignored them because the moment we crossed into the main floor, I disappeared. It wasn't magic, it was practice. Years of walking into rooms where no one looked at me, speaking where no one listened, existing in spaces where I didn't matter enough to register, and eventually, you learn how to move inside that gap, inside that blind spot where people don't bother to focus. I slipped between two arguing C-ranks towards the food table.
"Did someone just-"One paused mid sentence.
"No." His friend said immediately. "Focus."
Got a tray and went to the food line. Picked up bread, meat and fruit. Everything done in one smooth, continuous motion without stopping long enough for anyone to question it.
Behind me I heard noise, Riko arguing, Ben correcting him, and someone laughing. I turned and walked back, sat down, and started eating.
"-and I am telling you if he throws another-"Riko kept arguing. He froze. "How."
Ben turned, looked at my tray, and looked at me. Looked back at the crowd.
"HOW." He asked.
"Movement efficiency."I took another bite.
"You weren't there." Riko said slowly.
"I was."I said.
"No, you weren't."He said.
"I was."I said.
"You teleported."Leo added.
"I walked."Ben said.
"You WALKED THROUGH THEM."Riko added.
"Yes."I said.
"They were looking right at the line!"Leo added.
"They were not looking at me."I sighed.
Riko leaned forward like he was examining a supernatural phenomenon.
"Teach me."He said.
"No."I said.
"Selfish."Leo frowned, who had just appeared here with an apple.
"Survival."Riko grinned.
"I respect it."Ben nodded slowly.
"Ghost technique." Leo muttered.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the cafeteria.
"Wait." One of the Alphas stood up, pointing directly at our table. "-how does HE have food."
And just like that every head turned again. But this time at me. I didn't look up, didn't stop eating and didn't acknowledge them.
"Our Omega is efficient."Riko leaned back with a grin.
"OMEGA?" Someone repeated loudly.
"An omega just walked through all of us?"He asked.
"That's not possible-"Riko said. "I was standing right there!"
"I didn't see him!" Leo said.
"Skill issue."Ben raised a finger.
"SKILL ISSUE!"Riko slammed the table.
"You're saying you just walked past everyone?"One of the Alphas stepped closer, glaring at me.
"Yes." I said.
"And no one noticed?" Ben asked.
"Yes."Alpha added.
"That's irritating."Another Alpha said.
"Thank you." I blinked.
"You're not even bragging."He said.
"There is nothing to brag about."I sighed.
"He just insulted all of you without trying." Riko whispered loudly.
"Efficiently."Ben added.
"Oh, I don't like him."The Alpha's jaw tightened.
"That makes two of us." I said calmly.
"I LOVE HIM."Riko slapped the table.
"Do it again."The same Alpha crossed his arms.
"No."I looked up at him.
"What?"He asked.
"I already have food."I sighed.
"Do it again."He said.
I considered it for exactly one second. Then stood up, walked straight past him, and reached over. Took the bread from his plate, walked back, sat down, and ate it. All done in less than a minute.
"He just robbed an Alpha."Riko whispered.
"In broad daylight."Ben whispered back.
"Efficient."Leo nodded slowly.
"What just happened." The Alpha stared at his empty plate like reality had personally betrayed him.
"You were not paying attention." I took another bite.
And guessing from speechless alphas I did a good job. It seems my past in the pack did pay off after all. Let's just hope today be a better day than yesterday.