8. Mine

"I'm bored. When are they getting here?" Ellie whined while she knelt on the couch with her forehead touching the window.

"Stop that." Cy threw a pillow at her from across the room.

She had been in and out of here, doing who knew what, all day. Odie was the same. I couldn't tell if this was their norm or if we were causing a disturbance and they were avoiding us as much as possible.

The morning chat with Odie helped me feel a little better about the situation I was in, but I still needed information about the Primarchy and why Ellie didn't seem to have control of her abilities.

Ellie flopped onto the couch, bouncing off of the cushion before harrumphing and collapsing over into the pile of pillows and blankets next to her.

"What am I supposed to do? You guys don't have games, you won't let me go on a walk, and I can only mess around on my phone for so long." I grimaced at the high pitched tone of her voice.

"We do have games, and I never said you couldn"t go on a walk. One of us has to be with you. Go bother Odie, and have her take you trail running or something." Cy ran upstairs to what they mentioned was their offices and some storage.

I tried going up there earlier, but I was swiftly dragged off of the stairs. That only meant I would be sneaking a peek later tonight after they went to bed.

"Running sucks!" Ellie yelled so Cy wouldn't miss a single part of the riveting conversation they were having.

Lunch was a few hours ago, and we had leftover stew made from fresh game meat and all sorts of veggies. It was delicious as was everything else Odie got her hands on. The middle of the day came and went, and still there was no one in sight delivering Ellie's and my things. Although she was told they'd be here, I wasn't convinced. There wasn't a big need on her end, but I had nothing, and maybe they wanted to keep it that way.

Running is the worst, but I could go for a hike. Where is Odie anyway?

"Outside somewhere. Want to go hunt her down and annoy her?"

I thought you'd never ask.

Ellie and I jumped up and exited through the front door, knowing outside wasn't the freedom it felt like.

Odie wasn't on the porch or anywhere easily seen, so we walked around the house, enjoying the cool fall air.

"They need trackers so we can find them more easily," Ellie said as we came around the front again.

The back porch was clear, and she wasn't in the garage either. There was no sound that clued us in to where she was, and even though they'd never agree to it, Ellie was right.

If they aren't going to keep a better eye on us, let's go on a walk. That will annoy them plenty.

"Good idea, but we should probably avoid the road." She glanced back at the road that turned into their driveway. I certainly didn't want to be around here when whoever showed up, so I agreed.

Making our way back around, we walked straight into the forest that surrounded the cabin. The sun was blocked by the massive trees, and the ground was covered in nettles and small bits of grass here and there. It was peaceful and made me really want a nap.

"What did everyone do before TV and cell phones? I'm bored with both."

They talked, played games, went on walks, read, and found random things to amuse themselves.

"So exactly what I suggested we do, but Cy brushed me off. Great." She sounded sad as she kicked a rock into a tree.

Yes, it was more than that though. I made her stop because a lot of words were coming her way, and I wanted to make sure she got all of them. Initially, the average person was too busy, so their free time was limited. Then we got free time, and leisure activities were free or cheap, so people went to the movies, went on road trips, that sort of thing. Now, we don't have time, money, or activities like that available to us in the same way. It's simply a different time, and a lot of people don't understand that.

"Uh huh, I got the gist of that." She blankly stared at me for a second. "Each generation has their thing, and the generation before likes to judge that on repeat."

Yep, those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

We started walking again, keeping our path as straight as possible so we didn't get lost. Not that it mattered. Cy was probably hunting us down already, anxiously hoping we didn't step into a booby trap I didn't think was actually out here, not in the way they insinuated.

After a few minutes, we came up on a small pond, not big enough to hold fish or swim in. It was just a hole filled with water, plant life, and probably frog and mosquito eggs. We walked around it, carrying on until we saw a large rock and decided to climb it. I hadn't been out doing something like this since I was a kid, and even then, it was a rare occurrence when an aunt or uncle took me camping for a weekend with my cousins. I never felt like it was because they wanted to, but because my grandma needed a break from raising me after my parents died.

Ellie climbed up first, settling on the top and looking over the area. I stayed on the layer beneath and did the same. The forest was alive with the sounds of bugs and the wind whipping through the branches. There was no sound or light pollution here, so I imagined it would be a wonderful place to be at night.

We stood there, taking in the fresh air and keeping our thoughts to ourselves for a few minutes. It was so nice to just exist for a moment and not let the worries of the outside world weigh me down. I knew whatever was going to happen would happen, so it was foolish to worry about it, but it was there in the back of my mind, telling me that Odie was wrong.

"We should have a picnic out here tomorrow," Ellie whispered into the breeze with her eyes closed. "Make sandwiches, bring some juice, down an entire thing of strawberries and sugar, then nap right here on this rock."

That sounded like exactly what we needed. I grabbed her hand, bringing her attention to me. When her eyes were focused on me, I let go.

I'd love that. I may need something stronger than juice though.

"My dad always had a collection of alcohol, but I don't actually know if Cy and Odie drink." Ellie frowned, realizing she didn't know her sister as well as she thought.

It was an odd feeling, thinking you know someone really well, then all of a sudden, they aren't who you thought they were.

Invite them. I'll ask for alcohol and get that answer for you.

"Deal." Ellie held out her hand, and we shook on it with a laugh.

Can I ask you something?

"That sounds ominous."

I shrugged. You're an Omega, right? Why didn't you use your abilities? Does the Human world have incorrect information?

"Oh, you noticed that?" Ellie sat down, making us about eye level from where I was on the smaller rock. "My father's pride and joy, heir to his position, can't control her abilities no matter how hard she tries. It's stupid." She pulled her legs up to her chest and crossed her arms on top of her knees. "I've never understood why Odie doesn't take his position. She was always better at these things than me. I know she's an Alpha, but why does that matter? She could kick ass and do the job perfectly."

Do you need the abilities to do the job?

"Not really. If I was going into a combat team like Cy and Odie, yeah, then it'd matter. I'd need to be able to control my team and anyone we came up against if needed, but my dad doesn't handle those things. Any Alpha he commands is already willing to follow every order without issue. It's just that they want me to be the perfect little Omega, and I'm not. I don't want to be either."

I thought maybe that had to do with Odie leaving and creating a space for Ellie here, but I wasn't going to bring that up with Ellie. If it came up later, then fine, but I wasn't bursting any bubble that Odie needed to burst herself.

I'm just a stupid Human with no powers, a curse that makes me mute, and a horrible string of luck in my wake. You're doing better than you think.

"Curse?" Ellie gasped as rustling came from our left in the direction of the cabin.

"Yes, Mine, what curse?" Odie said as her and Cy walked toward us with matching scowls. Fucking Alphas and their grumpy attitudes. How the others in the hierarchy dealt with them, I had no idea.

Rolling my eyes, I explained. Bloodline curse from centuries or more ago. My entire bloodline is mute. That's all.

"A Witch did this?" Odie asked.

I guess. No one was confident about the origin anymore. The story went that our ancestor pissed someone off, then they cursed them with a relic. The end.

"Has anyone tried to break it?" I looked at Cy like she was a dumbass, and she backtracked. "I take that as a yes and nothing worked."

I clapped my hands together, applauding her swift deduction.

"Cy, you're so smart," Ellie teased from her perch.

"Yeah, yeah, you're both hilarious. Now, what did I say about going off on your own?"

"That I had to have one of you with me, and I counted Mine as one of you because Odie was nowhere to be found." Cy glanced at Odie after Ellie stopped talking, but Odie seemed to ignore it.

"You know exactly what Cy meant. It's not safe out here."

Oh yeah, we are in so much danger. Is a tree going to fall on us?

"No, but you might fall into a hole I dug and break a leg." Cy gave us a smug look with a pleased smile on her lips.

What does it say in the policy rule things about that? Would I get off easier with a broken leg thanks to the wardens that were chosen?

"Maybe. I'd rather not test it though. Let's go back. I promise to take you on a hike tomorrow after lunch."

"We are having a picnic right here for lunch tomorrow."

"We are?" Odie asked.

"Yes." Ellie hopped down and started walking past her sister. "And Mine wants booze." She kept going, taking the same path we used to get here.

"That's Cy's department." Odie followed after Ellie, her black hair glimmering red in the sunlight.

Cy huffed and wound her curly, blonde hair up into a high ponytail as I jumped down.

Drinking buddy? I smiled and waggled my eyebrows.

"Let's see if you can keep up. You're kind of scrawny." I guffawed in faux insult. "I'm an Alpha and a whole foot taller than you. You're scrawny." She shrugged and backed away with a smirk on her lips.

And you're a bean pole. I can take you down, no problem.

Cy doubled over in laughter, clutching her stomach. "I am a bean pole, but there's no way you're winning anything."

Maybe not a drinking contest, but I could kick your ass at some games.

"You're on. Game night it is. You're going down, little Human."

Bite me, Cy Bunyan.