Alpha Assignment (GL) Chapter 1 (Early Access) (Patreon)

The doorstep of Quinn’s small suburban home never received visitors. The only people to stand on it since she had claimed the keys to the residence were herself and the postman. She stared down at the cluster of people gathered in front of her door now, hoping to radiate enough ‘fuck off’ energy that they would scurry away.

Quinn had no interest in the world of werewolves anymore. She was not a part of their little community. And yet, she didn’t need to be a member of the fanclub to tell that two of the three strangers were representatives of the highest werewolf power. She knew an Assembly uniform when she saw one, down to the super special sparkly pin badge they probably spent all night polishing.

The third, an omega. Trembling from head to toe and clutching a children’s wheelie suitcase to her body. Its length wasn’t that much less than hers. A young woman, not a child, but Quinn didn't judge people based on their luggage choices. A ratty, burnt orange corduroy jacket hung to her knees. The sleeves had been rolled back on themselves so many times they appeared stiff.

“We have something most important to discuss with you,” crooned the man closest to her. His jumpy eyes were gesturing into the house. Quinn glared at him, silently weighing up the consequences for slamming the door in their faces. She sighed. It wasn’t just the uniform she knew, but the Assembly’s power, too. Regardless of her feelings or affiliations, it wasn’t wise to cross them unless absolutely necessary.

Quinn didn’t need her neighbours seeing this exchange, but stepping back to allow the trio into her home, her safe haven, almost physically hurt.

“What do you want?” She growled as soon as the front door was closed.

The two Assembly men stood in the centre of her living room, snooping around with soft sniffs and lingering leers at her belongings. A pair of nosey vultures. At their side, the omega was a stiff plank of plywood in the wind. Her muscles were locked, but it meant the trembles wracked her whole body like she were being shaken. Quinn fought the urge to roll her up like a burrito in a throw blanket and clutch her until the shakes stopped, it seemed like the only logical way to help. Instead, she forced herself to look away.

“Do you have somewhere the omega can wait while we talk?” asked the slightly taller man. He somehow appeared both scrubbed within an inch of his life and greasy at the same time.

Quinn gave him a scalding look. She didn’t intend to give them enough time out of her day to have a full conversation, she wanted them away from her property as soon as possible.

The omega didn’t react in any way to being discussed as though she were a pet. She was still clutching her brightly-coloured suitcase like a life preserver. It was only for her sake that Quinn hadn't started cursing and shouting the moment the front door was shut. She may not adhere to wolf hierarchies anymore, but there still seemed to be something sacred about omegas. An innocence that should be preserved.

“The kitchen is through there,” Quinn grunted.

The smaller man, who had a fatherly air of quiet concern to him, patted the omega on the back gently before walking her into the kitchen. Her movements were jerky, and her suitcase never lowered. When he returned he shut the door behind him.

“We are sorry to disturb you, Alpha Quinn,” the concerned-looking man said quietly as he returned to them.

The tall greasy one didn’t appear even slightly sorry.

“My name is Isaac, this is my colleague Graham, and I’m sure you can already tell where we are calling from.”

“The Assembly,” Quinn said dully. She didn’t offer them a seat on her sofa. Instead, she took a step closer and folded her arms over her chest.

Isaac nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

Graham beamed with pride. His chest puffing a little more. "We are representatives of the order of-"

“Get to the point,” Quinn snapped. “What do you want from me?”

The men looked at each other for a beat. It confirmed what Quinn had been expecting: she was not going to like whatever mission they were on.

“You have been assigned that omega,” Graham answered. His eyes were alight with a callous glee.

Quinn blanched. “Assigned?”

“You understand that all packs can only house one alpha, one omega and two betas?”

“I didn’t lose my memory when I left my pack,” Quinn sneered. A ridiculous diamond-shaped order of power. Alphas at the top point, their betas just below, and the omegas at the very bottom of the pile. No matter how hard you worked or what good you did in your life, you were permanently constrained to your place in the pack.

“Well," Graham drew out the word cruelly. "All the packs in the county already have an omega.”

“You’re going to separate her from her family?”

“She doesn’t have any.” In the silence after his words, Quinn felt the addition of just like you. Of course, the Assembly knew her full history - they wrote the file on it. Then they placed her in the pack she left. "But if she did, it wouldn't matter, the packs are full for their omega quotient."

Barbaric. Quinn wanted to spit the word at them. Instead she shook her head in disbelief. It didn't matter who your real family was, it only mattered that you fit their structure.

“I’m not affiliated with any pack and I don’t have room to take in a foster puppy," she said.

Greasy Graham was grinning again. “Everyone needs to do their part at times like this.”

“I don’t owe the Assembly anything.”

“This is not about favours… or punishments.”

Quinn raised a brow and felt her biceps bunch against the cross of her arms. “You’re threatening me?”

Isaac had become withdrawn, letting the shinier member of their duo continue to dribble out bullshit from fish-like lips. “That was not a threat. I would take it as a reminder of the Assembly’s… reach.”

Quinn felt her eyes and nostrils flare before she could restrain herself. “I’m pretty sure the Assembly has no jurisdiction over this area. In fact, I’m certain they don’t because that’s why I moved here.” Her voice had become a low growl. Quiet but violent, still taking into account the small wolf shivering in her kitchen just one door away.

“All wolves fall under Assembly jurisdiction, regardless of location.” The words were as slimy as the speaker. "All packs are sworn to the assembly, and anything else is classified as a gang of criminals. Which would you call yourself, Alpha Quinn?"

“This is not a pack. It’s just me.”

“How lucky for you, then, that an alpha is all you need to start a pack.”

“This. Isn’t. A. Pack. House,” Quinn snarled.

“A. House. Is. A. House,” Greasy Graham replied. “And that’s all it needs.”

“The omega needs a home,” Isaac cut in. His eyes were desperate, they cut straight through Quinn's chest. The bond between wolves opening despite her resistance. Forcing her to share his pain, a pain he had also taken on from someone else. She hoped it wasn't the little one in her kitchen.

Quinn sighed, and on the out breath she was able to forcibly break the connection between them. It was weak and brittle anyway, that of a stranger. “How long?”

Isaac blinked. “Excuse me?”

“How long does she need to stay?”

Graham laughed haughtily. “There is nowhere else for her to move on to, Alpha. This is a permanent arrangement.”

Quinn gritted her teeth against a groan. “I’m. Not. Building. A. Pack.”

The slimy representative mimicked her tone again. “You. Tell. Her. That.”

Simultaneously, the trio looked to the closed kitchen door.

“What’s her name again?”

The men answered over the top of each other.

“Just call her Omega.”

“Remi, Alpha.”

Quinn nodded to herself. A hard lump was beginning to press between her rib cage before she had taken a single step away from them. She walked to the kitchen and pushed the door open, the Assembly’s dumb and dumbest hot on her heels.