No matter what I did, I leaned towards the fact that it’d be the wrong choice.
Maybe I deserved more punishment. Maybe I was such a failure at being an Omega, and no Alpha could possibly want me.
I was nothing.
I was to be of service. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just…. a quiet Omega who would try their best to be perfect.
Even then, perfection wasn’t going to be good enough.
Tears slipped down my cheeks before I even realized I was crying.
The Alpha appeared in the doorway, his silhouette filling the frame, his shadow stretching long across the floor toward me.
My hands rested lightly on my thighs; fingers curled just enough to hide the tremble I couldn’t stop. My head stayed bowed, and my eyes fixed on the floor.
I could hear the Alpha. I could feel his presence. It pressed against the edges of my awareness.
“Clothes.” The word came out low, like he meant to say more but couldn’t force the rest out. ?
I lifted my eyes just in time to see him set the neatly folded pile on the sink. “Get dressed, sweetheart.”
An order.
My body moved before my mind caught up. I pushed myself to my feet, legs wobbling badly, I thought they may give out again. The Alpha stayed in the doorway, watching.
I reached for the white underwear first, slipping them on with slow, careful movement. Then the brown slacks. Then the dark blue polo shirt. The one with faint specks of dried blood on the collar.
I didn’t ask how it got there. I didn’t want to remember.
Thinking about it, I wasn’t even sure if I’d been wearing clothes when I came into the room. The memory blurred at the edges, slipping away every time I tried to grab ahold of it.
So, I didn’t try it. I just dressed like I was told, hoping my legs would hold. Hoping I wouldn’t mess up. Hoping he wouldn’t see how badly my hands were shaking.
Now what?I thought, standing there, barefooted and small. I felt ten times smaller than ever before as the Alpha’s gaze wandered over me.
Was I good enough for him now? Or was he finished with me, ready to hand me off, ready to choose someone else?
There were other Omegas. Better ones. Prettier ones. Ones who didn’t hesitate or freeze or question their purpose. They knew their roles. They knew how to behave without needing reminders. They didn’t falter the way I did.
“Follow me.” The Alpha turned, his steps slow and measured, and I fell into place behind him without thinking.
He led me out of the room, past the client check in desk, and then…outside.
I paused for half a second, instinct screaming about the ruleOmega’s must wear shoes outdoors.Always. No expectations.
But if this Alpha wanted me barefoot, then that was what would happen.
The cement was warm, almost too warm, against the soles of my feet. It took me a few seconds to understand where we were going.
At first, I just followed the Alpha’s legs, two steps behind, eyes lowered, mind quieting itself the way it had been trained to. But as the path curved and the shadows shifted, something cold slid down my spine.
We were heading towards the main building. That was where the Alphas met with the owner of this place. Where were the decisions made? Where punishments were handed out if an Omega was more difficult than a handler wanted.
It's where Alpha Lockswell himself waited behind heavy doors and colder eyes.
My steps faulted for half a second, just enough for panic to spark in my chest. I forced myself back into rhythm, terrified he’d noticed, terrified he’d think I was disobeying.
Why were we going there? Did I do something wrong? Was he reporting to me?
