Chapter 1: Permission
She stood near the table in the hall. Hands rubbing against each other… slow… then faster.
Preparing… Practicing… Rehearsing…
Permissions were something that she wasn't often given. Not when she was the only person that mattered to him.
Being an alpha's omega did pose restrictions on her. Restrictions that were authoritative, or rather possessive.
Restrictions that cost great expense. That made her suppress her freedom... Feelings…
But being this Alpha's Omega? More than difficult… More than that…
He isn't just an Alpha of a pack… He is the Alpha of the whole community…
And she was the only omega of it.
"Can I stay for study hours?" No, this doesn't feel right. She said to herself, picking what's best in a way that would make him utter a yes.
Something brief, short, but expressive.
"I have study hours tomorrow…" No, this feels worse. It tells too much.
She loosened her hands then prepared again, tired of the imaginary rehearsals she's been going through…
It's been 3 hours and she hasn't moved from her position. Was it all worth a permission?
Yes! This was actually her first time asking…
Asking something like this…
Since the school function, she was constantly being teased by her classmates, especially her best friend.
"Hey, look at our prisoner! Seems like someone forgot to put her behind the bars!"
"Oh yeah, the poor prisoner who isn't even allowed to attend a school function…!"
"What crime did you even commit for your house arrest, huh?
"Do you guys know, the only place she's been to is school…!"
Those words stung her. But she couldn't defend herself. To her it seemed true. Yes she wasn't allowed to go anywhere but school. Yes she wasn't allowed to attend any school function.
All because she was his. And he had a way of ensuring that those who looked too long at her, never looked at anything again. He didn't leave them with that ability…
He didn't just protect her; he claimed her existence as something that needed guarding, watching, controlling.
He held her like a flame in a storm—shielding her from the world, even if it meant burning anyone who came too close.
She once nicked her finger on a fruit knife. It was a shallow cut—barely worth notice.
After that, no fruit ever reached her whole again. It came washed, peeled, sliced, placed carefully beside a waiting fork. That was the last time she ever touched a knife…
But to her it never felt the same. It always appeared like a bird with powerful wings trapped in a cage. Yes she was well fed, well cared, well provided… But her longing for one thing out came all of it…
Her desire to taste freedom.
So she had been preparing for 3 hours…
3 hours for a single permission.
"I want to stay…" She began rehearsing again.
Suddenly the door opened. A man walked in. Black suit white shirt, crisp and controlled.
She gasped. Not out of fear. She was just, not prepared.
His eyes landed on her immediately, and stayed, studying. Eyes locked on her. Sharp blue eyes that softened for nothing but her.
"You've been standing here for a while." He said, his voice low but sure, folding his hands as he stood by the door.
She straightened her hands slightly. "Yeah, I was just…" she stopped, unsure and hesitant. She still felt she wasn't ready…
He looked at her briefly. "Something wrong?" He tried again, gentler this time.
"No, nothing!" She shook her head quickly. Too quickly.
Another brief scan. "Nothing?" He repeated, tilting his head, almost pressing on her… in a little suffocating way.
"Yes…" she replied, unsure. In a way that was too obvious for him to ignore.
He nodded, straightening himself as he turned slightly, about to leave.
"Actually…" She began, not sure if to say it. Not sure if her preparation was enough. Not sure how he might react. "Can I stay for study hours tomorrow?"
This wasn't exactly what she finalized to say. But in his presence it accidentally came out.
He fully turned towards her, expression blank… demanding information.
"There are extra study hours tomorrow…" she began slowly, explaining.
"Till when?" He cut in.
"Eight."
"No." The reply was instant. It didn't feel like he thought about it. Or even heard it properly.
For a moment she went quite. She didn't rehearse this part, though she expected him to say no. This was common when she wanted something. That single word would mute her so bad that the flame of desire would extinguish.
"Can I please stay…?" She pressed, head still low.
"No." He repeated. The reply was not harsh, but it wasn't soft either. It held authority and left no space for argument.
She quickly bent her head further, as if not looking at him would equal his absence. She would've given up as always… But she wanted him to agree. Wanted his permission. At least for once…
"But I wanted to…!" She tried again.
"Didn't you hear me say no?" He snapped mid sentence. "Breakfast is ready downstairs. It can't be left to get cold."
She tried again, in a soft and lowest voice possible, "Can't I, have my own choice… Just this once?"
That made him pause, just for a while. His gaze fully lifted to her again. Her eyes were desperate and he felt it. She'd often give up at his first no, but her desperation caught his attention.
"For the study hours?" He raised a brow, confirming.
"Yes… just the story hours…! I'll be back at 8…"
"Fine."
She lifted her head. "Really?" Her sad brown eyes lit up in excitement.
This was something that happens once in a blue moon. Did he just say fine? Did he really agree?
"Yes. Tomorrow you're coming at 8. But if you take even a minute longer, I'll blow up your entire school. Remember that."
A flicker of joy filled her expression. "I won't be late... Thank you…!"
She walked past him, her shoulders finally loosened. She pretended to ignore the threat because a yes from him was heavier than that.
He stood watching her for a second longer than required, rethinking if he had made the right decision. He then shook his head and left.
She headed straight to her room, without glancing back. She knew he was watching her, one wrong move could cost her the stay. She slowly closed the door and finally relaxed. For a moment she stared at the phone, thinking whether to call or not… Her face reflected on the black screen.
Shaking her head, she finally dialed. Her face lit up with her screen light and the name 'Kira' on it.
"Hello Elena. What's up?"
"He agreed…" That's all she said. No greetings, no asking how she was, just what she actually wanted to say…
"Wow…did he actually say yes?"
"Yes he did…"
"Don't get too excited…! Your brother might notice his prisoner is missing…!" She laughed, a low mocking one.
Elena lowered her gaze, her grip tightening around the phone. Those words stung her, like they always do. She didn't reply, like she always does.
"Be ready for tomorrow… I'll inform Dasha… Goodnight. I know you won't sleep due to the excitement that he allowed you, but sleep well…!"
The call ended but she didn't move. The phone stayed in her hand longer than necessary. A small breath slipped she didn't realise she was holding.
Elena had hung the phone. But she still felt her words replaying. Kira was her best friend. And what she said and the way it sounded did feel true…
She often heard those phrases… sentences with words like prison, jail, cage, trapped bird… especially from Kira. But getting used to it was hard for her! It hurt every time she heard it, even after knowing they'd be repeated again.
In some way or other, it did sound true.
The lights went off. The room fell quiet. Too quiet. As though the silence and darkness too were mocking her.
She turned to her side, pulling the blanket closer. Closed her eyes.
Eight.
Her eyes opened again. She shifted, staring at the ceiling now. The number stayed. Clear. Unmoving. She was finally doing something other than school…
He said yes.
She pressed her lips together. Turned to the other side. It still didn't feel real. Like he might change it in the morning. Like he might forget he agreed. Her fingers tightened slightly over the edge of the blanket.
"There are extra study hours…" The words replayed. Softer this time.
But they didn't sound the same anymore. She exhaled slowly.
Still, she heard it replay in her mind, for a second longer.
She then Then turned back. Pulled the blanket up to her chin.
Sleep didn't come immediately. It lingered somewhere just out of reach— like the permission she had finally gotten.