Chapter 10

“Are you serious?” Angie and Pyka shouted at the same time. 

I knew telling them would cause this kind of reaction. Pyka already didn’t like Jenny, said she was stuck up, now he really hated her. 

It became official after last night. Jenny wouldn’t even look at me during dinner. That was fine, I couldn’t look at her either. 

The night had been silent. Not even Marilyn had anything to say. Mother was happy she got at least one of her pups paired off. I could already see the cogs turning. She glanced at Lana and Marilyn all night, likely thinking about holding Mating Meetings for them now instead of waiting until I was paired off.

She had given up on me…

I cried that night. All night. Locked up in my room. When I had gotten to school, I saw Henry waiting out front. I assumed he was waiting for me, to try to talk to me about last night. I had avoided him, though it was unnecessary. He wasn’t waiting for me. He’d forgotten about me entirely.

Jenny squealed when he picked her up and spun her around. They walked into school after that, hand in hand. 

Anger. Jealousy. All of it flooded within me at the sight. Until finally one stood out and overpowered the rest.

Defeat.

Did I really expect anything less? I knew better than to get my hopes up. After everything I had already been through, it was clear that this was meant to be my fate. I did something wrong. I was wrong. 

And I’d end up just like Mama. 

The pitying looks my friends kept sending me throughout the day only served to make me feel worse. I shouldn’t have told them. But I guess that would have been pointless, they would have seen the pair together and had questions. It’s not like Henry and Jenny were hiding it. 

And why should they?

This wasn’t a horrible event for them. It was exciting and brought about all the new possibilities with their intertwined futures. They had found their betrothed. It was something to celebrate. 

My feelings didn’t have any room there. Or anywhere. 

My frustrations only increased when something new happened with Drew Lyall. Something about two older Alphas confessing to him. Apparently he hadn’t shown any interest. 

And that continued for a few weeks. 

Drew Lyall this…

Drew Lyall that…

I was getting really tired of hearing that Omega’s name. It wasn’t his fault he was desirable, and I didn’t blame him for that. It was the blatant disregard he had for the options in mates. So many good Alphas had tried to bond with him when he was only eleven and yet, he didn’t just turn them down, he didn’t even acknowledge them. No submission. Nothing. 

What made him so different? And why couldn’t I be the same?

“It’s not his fault,” I whispered, trying to remind myself that jealousy wouldn’t help me. 

“What’s not who’s fault?” Galen asked, obviously hearing my little chat with myself. I offered him a weak smile.

“Nothing,” I answered, then tried my best to pay attention. I knew it wouldn’t really work on him, which was proven from the way his frown lingered, but he didn’t press. Galen was definitely a lot more perceptive of the group. Sherry too, but I rarely hung out with him. 

Maintaining friendships were difficult now that the new litter had been born and Mama had completely shut down. None of the girls helped me with taking care of them, too concerned with their new freedoms now that they weren’t sick all the time. I didn’t want to take that from them, so I didn’t push.

I should have. 

After school, I walked with my sisters back to the house. It was the first time in a while that we had gone together, though they walked a distance behind me, not wanting anyone to see us walking together. Especially since I no longer had an Alpha prospect. Even worse that they’d been stolen from me. It didn’t help my reputation in the slightest.

When we reached the front door, the screaming could be heard from beyond the wood.

Mother was home.

I glanced at the others before looking at Jenny for the first time in weeks. “You guys head to Henry’s. See if his parents will let you spend the night.”

They didn’t ask why. They didn’t question if I was coming with them. They didn’t wonder what a small Omega like me could possibly do in this situation. They didn’t worry for my safety. They didn’t care.

Instead, they squealed excitedly and headed down the street in a rush. I watched them go with lead in my stomach. I was scared, but I felt better that they were safe.

“More useless fucking Omegas!” I heard Mother screaming. Some of the words were muffled but the message was clear enough. I tried to go straight for the kitchen to get food started and hopefully calm Mother down, but I couldn’t escape the path of war. 

Mother was on a rampage. 

Once she came storming down the stairs, she caught sight of me. Her pale green eyes frantic as she glanced all around, no doubt looking for the others.

“Where are your sisters?” she demanded. 

I gulped, fear making my skin heat and sweat trickle down my neck. Tilting my neck in submission, I kept my eyes lowered and braced myself for the inevitable contact.

“I told them to stay at Henry’s for the night.”

The veins in Mother’s neck bulged as she stared at me in disbelief. And no amount of preparation could soften the blow as I went flying into the counter. New bruises painting the old. 

“So what? You think you’re the Alpha now? Huh pup? You’re the Alpha?” Mother sneered, but another blow didn’t follow.

I curled on my back, bearing my stomach as tears streamed down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Alpha. I’m sorry,” I whimpered. 

The rage dimmed in her eyes, just for a moment. Then she turned on her heel, “I’m going to get your sisters. That food better be done by the time I get back.”

It was an impossible task. Henry lived only a few houses down, there was no way I’d finish in time. But I’d deal with the punishment when the time came. I just wanted her to go. To leave. 

When the weight of the Alpha pheromones dissipated and I could breathe again, I wiped the tears from my face and staggered to my feet. Trying not to cry into the food, I prepared the meal as fast as I could. Waiting with fear as the water took too long to boil, knowing that I would not escape Mother’s anger. 

Angry at Mama because this wasn’t supposed to be me.

Did I want it to be Mama?

No. I’d take her place. I’d take all of their places if it meant that they could go unharmed. I didn’t want them to feel the pain I did. 

Thump.

Breaking out of my hysteria, I looked at the ceiling. 

Thump. 

With a frown and boiling water forgotten, I hurried up the steps to Mama. She shouldn’t be moving so much after birth. Mother wouldn’t let her stay in her den long enough after birth. They should have had a week minimum, but Mother had them back within three days, saying she couldn’t miss work or Alpha duties.

What little of Mama had returned shattered after that. She was even worse than before which meant I needed to pay special attention to her and the pups.

Keening cries of my siblings could just barely be heard through the walls. Not bothering to knock as I normally would have, I rushed to open the door. 

Mama was standing, hovering over the bed with a pillow in her hands. But the way she held it was strange.

Her lips were moving but I couldn’t hear what she said. 

“Mama…what are you?” 

It took a few moments of staring to understand what was happening. I could hear the muffled cries, but they came from under the pillow as Mama shoved it down on the bed. Her face scrunched in determination as tears trickled down her cheeks. 

My body was moving before I knew it. I screamed, pushing her hands away, trying to reach my wailing siblings as the pillow crushed them. 

I don’t know what words came out of my mouth, or if they were coherent in the first place. What did you say in a situation like this? How could you stop this horror?

What could a thirteen year old possibly do?

Powerless.

I was powerless.

It was as if all the grief, all the anger, all the pent up frustration had sang in Mama’s limbs. Her strength was unmatched and I could do nothing but scream and scratch and thrash, trying and failing to save my Omega siblings who had finally stopped crying. Finally stopped moving.

But through all of it, when I was close enough to hear them, those words played in my head over and over again.

I can’t let it happen to them.

To them? What about us? What about the ones that have already tasted the pain of an Omega’s fate?

Mama had forsaken us too.

Forsaken me.

“Laia!” 

Mama was yanked back, the pillow falling from her hands. I couldn’t see, couldn’t push past the weight of pheromones that had knocked me down and held a boot to my throat. Immobile I could only watch. 

Watch as Mother wrestled with Mama. Watch as Mother realized her pheromones did nothing to calm Mama. Watch as Mother fought against the wild beast of an Omega, failing to inject her directly with an Alpha’s bite. Watch as they both fell.

Watch as Mama’s head hit the corner of the dresser.

Watch as Mama stopped moving and blood pooled underneath her head.

Watch as Mother hands began to shake and for the first time in my entire life, tears flooded her eyes. Watch as Mother began shaking Mama, then cradling her to her chest while she cried.

Watch.

Watch.

Watch.

And do nothing.

Because I was an Omega and we were powerless.