There’s no war. No omega. No glory.
Lucas runs to his side. Though Vash does not look at his old comrade, he can see the faint gleam of his eyes as tears build.
Lucas breathes in the cold air and remains relatively calm. “Is this really the end?”
Anger causes Vash’s head to throb.
“You want me to tell you the truth?” Vash asks, jaw twisting through quick contemplation.
Killian steps to his other side. “Why don’t you just say what’s on your mind?”
An alpha’s pack is only worth half as much as their omega. In this world, a true omega is rarer than any diamond or piece of gold, or any of that other bullshit. That is why finding a mate is so important. They found their omega, expelled their seed repeatedly, until her body created life.
Her pregnancy was a miracle. She was just a simple clone. Cassian created her body from spliced DNA. She was born as a synthetic, but she proved to be so much more than that.
Everyone had a theory about her, but the alphas knew her like no other.
Biologically, the alphas fulfilled their purpose. They procreated. Except, Rae’s disappearance disrupted their plans to start a family.
There are no known omegas left. The clones were all killed and subsequently burned.
It’s just them and the wind.
Vash sifts through a dead soldier’s pocket, only to find an unwrapped chocolate bar. “Hm.”
Frowning, he chomps on the treat before heading through the exit. “There is silence now, but soon, new packs will overrun the world, willing to do anything for power. They will be more brutal than any of the alphas during our reign,” he says, sighing. “I can’t say for certain if we’ve reached the end or if it’s merely the beginning. All I know is I’m not dying out here. If you disagree with my assessment, you are welcome to make headway on your own, but I shouldn’t have to remind you that our children are on the other side of that hill over there. They need to grow up prepared.”
The world isn’t an easy place.
The three alphas turn their heads and eye the horizon. It’s eerily quiet. Vash can barely make out the edge of the water, and he sure as hell can smell the rot of dead fish wafting through the air.
In his heart, he knows he has to let go of her image. If they want to survive, they need to forget how she made them feel. It’s much easier to be crude and resentful toward the wrong people than to admit how much the situation hurts. So he keeps walking.
Killian hugs his assault rifle and nods. With a resentful tone, he says, “You heard him, Lucas. He’s giving up on her.”
Killian always had a way with words.
Vash tosses a rope over the edge of the subway platform. As he tightens it to his liking, he lowers himself down. “Didn’t say that.”
Standing over the rope, Killian stares menacingly. Vash knows what he’s thinking. Killian must hate him for his stubborness.
When his feet hit the ground, the others follow. Despite the anger they each seem to cling onto, they do not separate. They walk for hours through the New Republic’s fallen cities. Markets are now piles of wood and metal. Wild dogs fight for minuscule scraps of dead birds and molding bread. Occasionally, they walk underneath the shadow and flicker of candlelight.
When they reach the edge of the city, they have enough ammo to last them more than a few days. They reach the steps down to the Dagon shoreline. An ocean of trash and dead fish rolls against the harbor.
“It’s a miracle. We’re lucky this place is still intact,” Vash says, jogging toward the small platform near the water.
Vash stops as soon as he sees the front nose of a large vessel. Painted on the side is the symbol of the ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail. The sight surprises him, though it shouldn’t. They were once the largest slavers on the planet.
Staring at the rusted beauty, he breathes a heavy sigh of relief. Ruby didn’t ditch them with the children. For once, she held up her end of the bargain.
He grabs the ladder to pull himself on board. Ruby becomes visible as soon as his heels hit the deck. Standing near the other end of the ship, she appears solemn, distant, and more mysterious than ever. A harsh breeze blows through her red hair, and Vash can’t help but momentarily confuse her for Rae.
“Where are you taking us?” Killian asks Vash.
“My father’s birthplace is also the province of his death. As you know, he was the first leader of the Ouroboros, back when the wars originally started. Without Rae, I have no stake in this world. If I can find his tomb, maybe I can gain some clarity,” he says.
The alpha brutes quietly eye different directions. Now Vash’s plans are out in the open. He is going his own way with no regard to their feelings. Their pack is disbanding.