I hope so. I wish I was one of them.
It’s also our fault that betas can’t have children, of course. How, I don’t know. But that’s what society thinks. We’re not to be trusted. Our only use is to pop babies out as quickly as possible until our bodies give in. It’s our punishment for taking the option away from everyone else.
Now, all omegas belong to the Omega Compound, and the Omega Creed sets out the rules that we all must follow.
We’re not permitted to do anything that mightinfluencean alpha – not even looking them in the eye or standing at the same level as them. Certain foods and materials can trigger our scent markers, so we eat from a prescribed list of food and only drink water along with taking daily scent-blockers. And you can forget any kind of omega rights, like driving, holding down a job, or living alone – all omegas must be given over to the compound as soon as we start to perfume for our training to begin.
I’ve been in training for seven years. I’m still not the perfect omega they want me to be.
If they ever decide that I meet their impossible standards, there are two options. The compound could sign me over to an alpha pack, where I’ll be bitten in and bred in the hope of bearing omega children, at the mercy of whoever owns me. Only packs who demonstrate complete obedience to the government are eligible for bitemarks, and if they’re anything like my instructors suggest, I’ll be better off dead.
I’ve never wanted a bitemark or a pack. I’ll never condemn a future child of mine to this life. But if I’m not matched with a pack, then I’ll be sent to the heat nests, where I’ll be drugged and available for hire by anyone who can afford it. Any children I bear will be placed into a government surrogacy program for betas.
Either way, I’m fucked.
My mind has wandered as I wait for Ava, and I finally spot her caramel curls as she moves into the room, a dejected slump to her shoulders. I can see from one glance that she’s upset, since she’s normally a bouncing ball of sunshine – which is unusual in our life, to say the least.
Catching her eye, I quietly motion for her to come and sit with me. Worry forms a pit in my stomach as I wonder what the doctors have said to her. Ava’s turning twenty-one soon and has always been impeccably behaved, so she’ll probably be given to an alpha pack. She puts on a brave face, but I’ve heard her crying at night in the cell across from me. She’s absolutely petrified.
Ava’s tray lands on the table with a slight crash, making the omegas around us jump and look over with frowns. It’s drawn the guard’s attention too, and I curse internally as Jason makes his way over to us.
Jason is acreep. I mean, all the guards here are awful. Seriously, I’ve never seen one even crack a smile. But Jason is particularly deviant. Nothing makes him happier than doling out a punishment.
And if I’m involved? Even better.
Ava bites her lip, her hazel eyes filling with guilt as she sinks down into her seat next to me.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers to me, panic in her voice.
I don’t get the chance to respond before Jason kicks my stool out from underneath me. My elbow makes a loud crack as it hits the ground, and I swallow back a whimper. No way will I give this asshole the satisfaction of hearing my pain. He’s had more than enough of it in the past.
I glance over at the other two guards on duty, but they have their gazes fixed firmly on the opposite wall. No help will come from them. They won’t risk their jobs for Jason. His father is on the board of governors for the OC, and it pretty much gives him a free pass to do whatever the hell he wants.
Normally, I let him get on with it. The quicker he gets his kicks, the quicker I can get away from him and lick my wounds.
But then Ava reaches down, grabbing my hand and trying to pull me up. Jason is faster than me. Before I can do anything, he cracks the back of his hand across her face. Ava crashes back off her stool with a cry of pain as Jason pulls back his leg to kick her in the ribs.
That’s it.
I’m so done. Me? I can cope with anything this asshole throws at me.
But I won’t let him turn that on Ava.
I’ve never understood the meaning of the words ‘seeing red’, but I get it now. There’s a real red mist descending over my eyes. I’ve hit my limit.
I’m going to give this fucker absolute hell.
With a snarl of rage, I throw myself at Jason’s leg and knock him off balance. We hit the floor in a tangle of limbs. I’mgrowling, ripping at his hair and scratching his face with my short nails. I know it’s futile – the guy is a strong beta and I’m a weak-ass omega.
There’s no way I’m going to win this fight, but I’ll leave my mark on him if it’s the last thing I do. Years of pain and frustration explode from my skin, years of living my life as a fucking omega in this world.
Ava gasps my name as she crawls towards me with her hand outstretched, to try and stop me or help me, I’m not sure which. The guards are paying attention now, racing forward from the walls to try and pull me off. Jason stops them with a growl. Analphagrowl.
I freeze, the tone of his voice making me shrink back. What the actual fuck?
Jason is analpha. Not a beta after all. My head spins at the realization. Everyone knows that alphas aren’t allowed to be guards and near the omegas on a regular basis. Even our alpha instructors are on rotation to stop them from getting too close.
Shock holds me for a split second – and a second is all Jason needs to grab my hair and pull me down. His hands tangle in my waist-length hair, holding on at the roots as he drags me underneath him, pinning me to the floor with his bulk. Tears of pure frustration roll down my cheeks as I hiss at him. Incoherent anger flows out of my mouth as I curse him and every single damn speck of this compound.
