Chapter
One
Aries
“No, no, no,” I breathed out in horror, slamming a hand over my mouth like that could keep this moment from being real.
I was an omega. I’d perfumed strong enough that my room was flooded, and if it leaked out, my mom was going to freak out.
“What the fuck is that smell?!” my mother screeched as she wrenched open my door, her anger giving her enough strength to send splinters of wood raining down on the worn floor of our trailer.
“Mom,” I breathed out. “Please.” I wasn’t even sure what I was begging for. Mercy, maybe? Though I knew I’d find none here. As many times as she’s been investigated she’s turned me into a liar. I knew this would be another instance I was on my own if I couldn’t get out of the house.
Would she kill me this time?
Her hit came before I could dodge, sending me slamming into the wall. My shoulder radiated with pain on impact and I groaned, but forced myself to move back, to get out of her range.
She reeked of booze and cigarettes, the two masking any lingering sour scent of hers that remained.
I’d never seen any omega loathe their designation quite like my mother. She never said what happened and I had no dad or dads around to claim me.
This was my life and had been for too long. Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday and I was planning on leaving the moment I could. I’d saved my money from my part-time job at the diner. Fuck graduation, I couldn’t do this anymore.
Mom let out a feral screech before jumping at me, her fists flying, nails digging at my flesh. All I could do was scream for help as she slashed and hit me until she ran out of steam.
The moment she slumped back, eyes wild and chest heaving, I moved.
Somehow I dodged her grip and ran out of the room and out of the trailer, screaming at the top of my lungs.
“Nikolai! Help!” The taste of copper coated my tongue, warm blood trickling from the corner of my busted lip. I could barely see through the swelling in my eyes but none of it mattered.
I had to get away.
My entire body hurt, but adrenaline kept me going, pushing me toward the trailer next door, where I knew the one person in my life who wouldn’t hurt me was waiting.
I could smell my scent blooming around me still, but right now it was hard to make out. It was almost rotten thanks to the pain and the panic clawing at me.
My battered legs gave out halfway there, sending me crawling in the mud, the tears falling harder now that I could barely make them stop.
I had to be at work in an hour. I wasn’t sure what excuse I could come up with this time. At least my boss, Tony, always looked out for me. He’d let me hide in the back if nothing else.
“Tell that pathetic girl to shut up out there.”
Nikolai’s mom burst out before the front door slammed open and shut.
Nikolai’s eyes widened when he saw me. “Aries, what happened?” he demanded, his voice hard, almost pained.
We crashed into each other, his arms bracketing around me, making sure I didn’t get hurt as he pulled me closer. His fingers gently ran along my bruised face.
He started to speak, but his breath caught as my scent hit him.
“You’re an omega,” he said quietly. He knew what this meant for me.
For years, I prayed that I was a beta, but fate had no mercy for me.
It never did.
Even though I feared Mom’s reaction and I’d paid the price, I couldn’t find it in me to hate my designation just because she did. I’d seen plenty of sweet packs in my time at the diner. I’d seen families that genuinely cared about each other.
