Chapter 2
In the blink of an eye, the comforting embrace of home evaporated, replaced by the icy pandemonium of a battlefield. Acrid smoke burned her nostrils, while a cacophonous orchestra of spells assailed her ears.
Prim staggered out of the fireplace, her senses reeling from the abrupt transition. The air was frigid, piercing through her gauzy summer tea gown. The sun hung low behind a curtain of smoke, casting elongated shadows across the battlefield stretched out before her. The din of shrieks and colliding spells assaulted her ears as cloaked men and goblins waged war against terrified villagers. Glancing downward, her dainty new slippers sank into a gruesome mixture of mud and gore.
Prim had never participated in combat, not even in the pretend duels her father insisted were part of societal customs. Her homeschooled education as a hedgewitch, punctuated with lessons in spellcraft by her Papa, had left her woefully unprepared for the chaos of battle.
A yellow-toothed disheveled wizard turned toward Prim, his black tailcoat flipped behind him as a cackling laugh bubbled from his lips.
Time slowed as he raised his wand.
With a sharp gasp, Prim deftly evaded the incoming danger, her feet betraying her as she stumbled and collapsed into the mire. The malevolent green light burst upon the floo, scorching the stone hearth and casting sinister sparks that crackled menacingly in her direction.
A curse! T-That was a curse he just fired at me!
Scrambling to her feet, her legs quaked like those of a newborn fawn as she sprinted toward the woods, narrowly avoiding explosions and flying debris. She tripped over the remnants of a castle and tumbled behind a stone wall for cover just as the edge of the forest appeared within reach.
With a heart gripped by panic, her eyes frantically scanned for a safe haven. A whimper threatened to spill from her lips, and Prim hastily smothered it with her mud-caked hands to stifle any mewling. Cursing the demands of her biology, she bit down on her tongue and continued her hunt. The last thing she needed was attention—any of those sinister dark wizards could be an Alpha, and as a lone unmated Omega, she'd be powerless before them.
Her gaze landed on a witch not much older than herself—brave and fierce, launching spells and disarming any who dared challenge her. The girl emanated an unmistakable Alpha presence, and Prim couldn't help but marvel at her indomitable spirit and determination in battle.
With horror Prim watched as a cloaked man materialized behind the girl, raising his wand with a sickening snarl.
Prim shouted, but her soft voice was lost in the chaos.
Compelled by an unknown force she sprinted at the cloaked man.
“Children should be seen and not-” Hissing, she slammed into him with the ferocity of a wildcat.
The impact jolted through her body as if she’d run into a tree. Gasping, she lay sprawled atop her victim, body trembling from the force. He groaned beneath her, reeking of stale magic and sour whisky. “W-what the bloody hell?”
She clutched her aching sides, desperate to run but her body refused to listen. Omega’s weren't designed to withstand such a collision and she felt it in her bones.
The Alpha witch spun around, her brown eyes wide and her mouth forming an "o" that would have been comical under different circumstances.
A breath passes while the three of them exchange stunned glances.
The Alpha witch shattered the silence, her rich Scottish brogue laden with mirth and admiration. "Aye, you're quite a fiery wee lassie!" she quipped, a grin tugging at her lips as she jerked Prim off the cloaked figure. With a flourish of her wand, she cast a Feather-Light Charm and effortlessly slung the smaller witch over her shoulder. A blend of pine, damp earth, and smoke enveloped Prim, leaving her to ponder whether it was the girl's Alpha essence or the remnants of strife that clung to her. "Let’s be off, then!"
“Where you lass's goin’?” Clenching the alpha girl's woven vest in terror, Prim refused to acknowledge the dark wizard but flinched at his words. “Don't be thinking your safe! I’ll be after you manky cunts like a niffler on gold!”
“Well, that’s no’ good.” The girl cackled between breaths as she ran, kicking up leaves and clumps of grass in her wake. Her brown ponytail fluttered behind her, bearing Prim like a sack of potatoes as they made their daring escape into the woods.
***
Prim's stomach rolled with discomfort as she was jostled over the girls shoulder, the relentless motion undoubtedly leaving a bruise. Prim refused to complain and soon, found herself deposited unceremoniously on her backside at the foot of a towering oak tree.
"Anne Sallow, at your service," declared the tall brunette with a mock curtsy. Her round, freckled face split into a wide grin, revealing impeccably straight, pearly white teeth. She approached Prim with the self-assured swagger that most of her designation possessed.
In a swift motion, Anne seized Prim's hand in a hearty shake. Her formidable grip contradicted her lean appearance.
"Primrose Cromwell," she replied, her smile mirroring Anne's. "Please, call me Prim. I appreciate your help in getting me out of there." Neither girl voiced how Anne's actions were not precisely voluntary but rather an innate, biological compulsion.
Mirth danced in Anne's brown eyes, and her rich Scottish brogue enveloped Prim like a warm embrace. "No' a bother, lassie. I couldnae leave you to the mercy of dark wizards and goblins." This much was true. An unmated Alpha's instincts would naturally compel them to prioritize the safety of an endangered Omega. Prim had frequently clashed with her father over what constituted 'danger,' but she had gradually come to understand that an Alpha's instincts were not easily swayed—or controlled. "And I must thank you! You tackled that cloaked arsehole like a wee berserker! I wouldnae have guessed you were an Omega if no' for scenting you."
Prim's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she looked down at her trembling hands. Her Papa would be fit to fight right now had he been in Anne’s shoes. "I don’t know what came over me."
Anne nudged her playfully. "You were brilliant! If I hadnae seen you lay out Rookwood himself I'd be a bit narked to be stuck with an Omega- no offense. The lads will no’ believe this!”
Her gaze met Anne's intense stare, the fringe framing her face only adding to the effect. Prim offered her a shy smile, "I wouldn’t believe you either, to tell the truth..."
“Oh, Merlin’s filthy tadger!” Anne lifted her face, making a show of sniffing the air. “You smell like a bakery! Fresh chelsea buns! I ken Omega smell braw, but I’ve never met one in person. Quite a treat you are.”
Her ruined summer dress clung to the bark as she leaned back against the tree, her eyes widened and wary. Prim suddenly regretted neglecting the complicated underthings that would deem her dress ‘proper.’
“Och!” Anne stepped back, straightening in panic, “Dinnae misunderstand, your scent is lovely and makes me wanna protect you. It’s braw, but it’s no'…Eh…Appetizing? Doesnae heat my blood, you ken? You're safe with me, Prim.”
With a sigh Prim’s shoulders sag, “Sorry, I’d been warned about-”
“No need to apologize, you’ve a right to be cautious.” Leaning down once more, Anne reached out and ruffled her tangled tresses. “I’d offer to scent you- only for your protection mind you- but I doubt you gardian would appreciate you reeking of a strange Alpha.”
“I appreciate the offer though, Anne“
Anne cocked her head, her curious eyes studying Prim. "I can no’ help but wonder how a wee foreign Omega like you ended up alone in the thick of it." Her voice held a lilt that was equal parts musical and intriguing. "Near naked no less. You must be cold, but are you hurt, Prim?"
“No, I- I made a stupid decision…Several stupid decisions, actually.” Prim's breath caught at the sound of Anne's voice, the lilting quality and the hint of concern it held made her feel both comforted and unnerved. She swallowed, her throat dry, and recounted her mistaken arrival in Fieldcroft, her words coming out in a rush. As she spoke, Anne listened intently, her expression shifting from curious to empathetic. “My Papa is gonna be devastated to find me gone when he floo’s home.”
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Anne said, placing a gentle hand on Prim's shoulder. "But I'm grateful that you ended up here. I’d be dead or worse without you, and I’d be a right arse to no’ help you after what you did." She paused for a moment, her gaze contemplative. "You ken, I've been thinkin'. You're moving here, so that means you'll be transferring to Hogwarts, aye?"
Prim's eyes widened. "Hogwarts?"
“How have you no’ heard of Hogwarts?” Anne eyed her, completely unbothered by the lingering blasts sounding off in the background. Exactly how common was fighting off dark wizards in these parts? “Why, there are only a handful of wizarding schools in the world, Ilvermorny would've mentioned where you’d be transferring to?”
“I’m homeschooled,” Prim whispered, pulling her knees up to wrap her arms around them. “I don’t think I’ll be attending school. My Ma just passed, and my dad…They were a mated pair.”
Anne’s brows drew together, nose scrunching- no doubt at the stench of burnt cinnamon rolls wafting off of Prim. Mated pairs followed each other quickly into death.
Papa would die around her seventeenth birthday- marking her a legal adult by society's standards. Yet another reason for her to stay home, Prim wanted to be with her Papa for the time he had left.
“I’m terribly sorry for your loss, Prim.” Her brown eyes watered, flitting toward the ground as she gnawed on her lip. “Sebastian and I lost our own parents a few years bygone. I wish I could tell you such pain fades over time, but no. You grow used to the loss.”
Nodding, Prim managed a watery smile. Guilt sunk in her gut as she felt grateful for Anne having shared a similar experience.
“I’m sorry for your loss too, Anne.”
She nodded, flashing a wan smile and waving a dismissive hand. “Well, enough of this dreigh mood! Anyway, if you do end up at Hogwarts you need to convince the Sorting Hat to place you with me and my brother in Slytherin House."
“Thank’s Anne, I’ll do that.” Prim was both surprised and touched by Anne's suggestion, and she couldn't help but feel a small thrill of excitement at the idea of attending Hogwarts- though her circumstances made it impossible.
“I‘ve no’ heard a blast for a while, I think it’s safe to head back.” Straightening, she canted her head to and fro, listening and scenting for danger with her heightened Alpha senses. “We’re good to go. Do you wanna head home or would you rather clean up at home- er, my home?” She asked, offering a hand.
“I’d like to floo home please.” Her voice sounded small as she took Anne’s hand and allowed the taller girl to pull her to a stand.
“Will do,” Her dark ponytail fluttered behind her as she pursed her lips in thought, “I'll no' just send you on your way, Prim. I must see you see you safe. No' that I dinnae trust you to protect yourself, it’s the-”
“The Alpha instinct.” She just managed to hold back an eye roll but the weary sigh escaped. “I’ve got an Alpha for a father, trust me, I know all about the protective instinct.”
“Och, your poor Da.” Her brows drew together as a cringe twisted her features, “I cannae imagine having an Omega for a daughter, no offense, he must fret every hour of the day over you, such a soft wee lassie you are.”
“Soft?” Prim glared, narrowly avoiding tripping over a protruding root. The sky could have been on fire for the vibrant hues the falling sun cast over the smoking wreckage of the hamlet. “I don’t know if you recall but I tackled that big ol’ fella not two feet in front of your face a couple of hours ago.”
“I dinnae ken I'll forget it any time soon.” Her laugh rang out, feeling distinctly out of place on the battleground. “I should be feeling some sort of shame for being rescued by an Omega, but I’m no’.”
“Well, I’m certainly feeling proud, so you're welcome to feel shame if you like.” Prim snickered.
“Cheeky bugger.”
“Don’t know what that means, but sure.”
A man rested face down in the mud before her, a dark wizard. Anne gently guided her around. “Do no’ mind him, he earned his fate.” Tearing her green eyes from his black-clad back was difficult but Prim managed.
“Is there any way we could skip telling my Papa about this? I don’t wanna ask you to lie, but- well...Nevermind, I should just tell him the truth. I should apologize for-”
“Prim, you wee darlin’, I’m a Slytherin.” Friendly slaps thwack against Prim’s back as Anne bursts out laughing, “Lying comes with the territory.”
“What do you-”
“Let me handle the talking with your Da, trust me.” She winked at Prim, which only served to make her look mischievous. Not at all a comfort. “I’ve had Alpha parents and I’ve got an Alpha brother and best friend. If I ken anything, it's how to handle my own designation.”
“O-okay, if you don’t mind.”
“Och, I can already tell you’d be a Puff.”
“What?”
“Dinnae say nothin’.”