Page 42 of The Omega Switch: Part 2

For months, I had thought the only thing I wanted was for Ivy to forgive us someday. But now there was something I wanted even more. I wanted to see what kind of force Ivy became when she stepped fully into her power.

Chapter 20

Ivy

I sat in my office, my mind trying to keep up as I tried to process everything that happened in the past few days. I’d only barely recovered before my family decided to come after me and shut down my source of income. To add insult to injury, they had claimed patents on all of my work, trying to legally steal the products I had spent years creating.

On top of it all, I’d just been starting to feel like opening up again emotionally with Elias. I recognized that I couldn’t do everything alone. I mean, I could - at a cost. But I had friends who wanted to help, and that was new to me. It didn’t mean I needed a pack, but I could absolutely see how beneficial it was to have one supporting me, especially since Hunter had offered to back my legal fight financially.

Hunter was still the most difficult of the three for me to understand. Elias had shown me his gentleness, and Ronan had proven he could support me without taking control, but Hunter carried the memory of that Alpha bark between us every time we were in the same room. Some part of me still tensed when his attention settled on me, remembering how easily his authority had once stripped away my last shred of dignity.

But another part of me had noticed the way he took charge when he needed to. He had offered me attorneys and a plan, yet he had never once told me what I had to do. He encouraged me not to give up, without ever pressuring me. He laid out the options in front of me and promised to stand behind whatever decision I made. There was something very attractive about that kind of power, when it was controlled and turned toward protecting me instead of silencing me. I didn’t trust him completely, but for the first time, I could imagine what it might feel like to have someone like him beside me.

I sighed, trying to move past my confusion about the pack. Then I opened my laptop and did the one thing I never thought I would - checking on Arabella’s social media. Since leaving home, I had blocked every member of my family, every Nestwell account, and anything else that connected me to my old life. I hadn't wanted to see what they were doing. But now, I had to know what was going on. According to Hunter, Nestwell wasn’t producing any new products. Curiosity got the best of me, and I unblocked Arabella’s account.

My body froze when I saw a more recent one. Her smiling face appeared immediately, and I had a gut reaction to seeing her. Still, I watched, urging myself to find out what my family was up to. She looked exactly the same. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, her makeup done, and she was surrounded by several Nestwell products that I had created.

I scrolled backward through months of posts. There was a noticeable gap right after I disappeared, nearly three weeks where she'd barely uploaded anything. Then the videos returned, though they were different than before. There were fewer product launches and more generic lifestyle content, like her morning routines, self-care tips, and videos about embracing omega femininity. There were barely any posts about Nestwell, although the few that she made were about older products, nothing new.

I scrolled through the comments, curious if her followers noticed that she wasn’t going out with Pack Vale. Sure enough, there were plenty of questions.

"What happened to Pack Vale?"

"I thought you were being courted."

"Did something happen between you and your pack? You were perfect together!"

Arabella ignored every question. Of course she wouldn’t want to address it - it would completely shatter her image if the real truth came out. I continued scrolling until one of her newest videos caught my eye.

The thumbnail made me break out in a cold sweat. She wasn't smiling - she wore an expression of disappointment, her hands folded neatly in her lap. I clicked on it.

"I wasn't planning on talking about this," she began with a sad sigh. "I really don't like bringing negativity onto this page." Already, I could see her performance, just like always. I tried not to roll my eyes as I watched. "But lately, I've been getting so many messages about another business selling products that look identical to the ones we offer at Nestwell Aesthetics.” She paused, lowering her gaze for just a moment before looking back into the camera.

"As many of you know, Nestwell has always believed in innovation. Our team has spent years developing products to make omegas feel safe, comfortable, and confident." I felt my heart rate pick up, my anger rising as I listened to her bullshit. "Our legal department has unfortunately discovered that another company appears to have copied several of our formulas."

She never named my store, but she didn't have to. This was clearly about me.

"I won't be naming anyone," she continued softly. "Our attorneys are handling everything, and I trust the legal process." She smiled sadly. "I just hope you'll continue supporting businesses that create original work instead of rewarding companies that imitate others." I stared at the screen, gripping my phone as I resisted the urge to throw it against the ground. The comments were numerous.

"We'll never support copycats."

"Stay strong, Arabella."

"People have no shame."

My vision blurred. It was happening again - the same lies, the same manipulation. I threw my phone onto the desk and shoved my chair backward so hard it slammed into the wall.

"No!"

The word came out as little more than a breath. My chest tightened until it hurt to breathe. I started walking out the back door of the boutique without thinking, barely paying attention to what I was doing as I crossed into the small courtyard behind the building.

A scream tore out of me before I realized I was making it. It echoed off the brick walls, carrying years of helplessness with it. Not five seconds later, I heard the thunderous footsteps of someone large running my way. Ronan was in front of me before I could even process it.

"Ivy!" He yelled out, and I was so surprised that my anger momentarily paused. He crossed the distance in seconds, his eyes sweeping across the alley before finally settling on me. Immediately, I felt relief that he was here, even if he was witnessing me have a breakdown.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice dangerous as he looked around for any threat. I could only shake my head.

"I can't,” My voice cracked. "I can't keep doing this." He looked me up and down, taking in my labored breathing and the look on my face.