From Rejected Omega to the Supreme White Wolf

I dumped chili on the Beta’s daughter in front of the whole cafeteria. Maybe it was reckless... but for once, I refused to bow. 🌶️⚡ Chapter 1 Chapter One: Bruises Before Breakfast SMACK!!! "That kitchen was supposed to be clean before I came home!" he roared. The floor pressed cold against my cheek while my stepfather hit me for the second time that week. My body had not even finished recovering from the last beating, the one I had gotten because I had slept too late to cook breakfast. His boot drove into my ribs. Something inside my left side cracked, sharp and bright enough to steal my breath. Great. Another trip to the pack hospital. That would make more than one in the last two months. "Get off your lazy ass," he snarled, "and have this kitchen spotless before I get back from training." He stalked toward the back door, then paused only long enough to look at my mother. The look told her to leave me there and not help. She obeyed. I pushed myself upright inch by inch, one hand clamped over my side. Every breath scraped through me. When I finally managed to stand, I shuffled to the sink and turned on the water. Dishes first. Pain later. I had overslept again because I had been up late finishing schoolwork. My name is Talia Rivers. I am seventeen, female, and an Omega in the Black Summit Pack. At least, that is what my mother and stepfather have kept telling me my whole life. My mother married him when I was two. I never knew my real father, and whenever I asked about him, she gave me the same thin answer: he had not cared about either one of us. I am six feet tall and weigh one hundred fifty-five pounds, which makes me the tallest Omega female in the pack. I have never felt like the others. I am faster than most of them, stronger too, and I have never been good at bowing my head for high-ranking pack members just because they expected it. Chestnut-auburn hair falls to the middle of my back, and my eyes are a pale green that people tend to stare at when they first meet me. At the sink, my mother watched me struggle and smiled like she had been waiting for it. "You should have finished your chores before bed," she said. "Now you have made Pierce angry again, and he has beaten your ass again this week. When are you going to learn?" Disgust sat plain on her face. I rinsed a plate harder than I needed to. "Maybe you should teach your daughter, Sabrina, to clean up after herself and her friends. I was awake half the night dealing with the living room they destroyed." Her mouth tightened. "You are never going to be anything except a low Omega," she said. "Do what you are told and keep your head down. Do you really believe your mate will accept you when you turn eighteen?" She let out a cruel little laugh. "He will take one look at you and reject you on sight. Then you will be trapped here for the rest of your life, alone, serving everyone." I kept washing dishes and let the water cover what I wanted to say. Breakfast had to be ready before Pierce returned from training, and arguing with my mother had never saved me from anything. I still did not know what I had ever done to her or to Pierce to deserve the way they treated me. Pierce was the pack Gamma, which meant the worst of it stayed hidden behind doors, especially inside our apartment in the packhouse. Everything changed after my siblings, Brennan and Sabrina, were born. They had Gamma blood, so the pack treated them like royalty. Brennan most of all, since he was supposed to become Gamma after Pierce retired in a few years. When the last dish was clean, I opened the fridge and took out bacon, eggs, and hash browns. Breakfast in that apartment was never small. I cooked a whole pack of bacon, a dozen eggs, an entire bag of hash browns, and half a loaf of bread for toast. Brennan came into the kitchen while the food was nearly done. One glance at my face was enough. His eyes caught on the new bruises, and sympathy softened his expression. "You made Dad mad again this morning?" he asked. "That is twice this week. You know how he gets about you doing every chore in this apartment, right, sis?" "I know." I sighed and reached for another pan. "I slept too long because I had been up late with homework. Sabrina and her friends trashed the living room last night, and I did not get to my room until eleven." "Next time she pulls that, or next time you are falling behind, tell me," Brennan said. "I will help." He stepped close and gave me a sideways hug. Pain flashed through my ribs, and I hissed before I could stop myself. His face changed. "He broke another rib, sis?" "Yeah." I forced the word out. "But I do not have time to go to the hospital before school and have it checked." I grimaced as I lifted the iron skillet from the stove and lowered it into the sink. Brennan and I had always been close, even with him being two and a half years younger than me. He had my back, and more than once, he had saved me from one of Pierce's beatings. Sabrina was different. To her, I was a servant she could torment whenever she and her spoiled friends were bored. She was the little princess of the apartment, and whatever Sabrina wanted, Mommy and Daddy found a way to give her. She was seven months younger than Brennan. "Breakfast is ready," I said. "I am going to wake Sabrina, then get ready for school." Brennan stole a piece of bacon as I headed out of the kitchen, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "Good luck with that, sis. You know she was up late last night." "Not my problem," I called back in a singsong voice. I walked down the hallway to Sabrina's room and knocked. Nothing. Of course. When I opened the door, it looked as if a storm had ripped through the place and left only her room standing. Clothes and shoes covered the floor. Magazines lay scattered everywhere. Soda cans had tipped over on the carpet, leaving sticky stains behind. Great. My whole afternoon would be swallowed by cleaning her room. "Sabrina," I said, poking her in the back with one finger. "Time to get up for school." She groaned and flung an arm around, trying to hit me without opening her eyes. "Go away. Leave me alone," she mumbled, dragging the comforter over her head. I crossed to the window and opened the curtains. Light spilled across the mess. Then I yanked the comforter off her. "It is not my fault you stayed up late with your friends," I told her. "Get up. It is time for school. Unless you want to explain to your father why you missed school for the second time this month." Another moan came from the bed, but she finally pushed herself upright. Her eyes found me, and a smirk curled across her face. "No," she said. "I will tell Daddy you never woke me up, and then you will get another ass beating like last time." She laughed as she walked toward the bathroom. Little bitch. The worst part was that Pierce would believe her. He always did. Then I would be the one getting hit again. I was so tired of the beatings. In a few weeks, I would turn eighteen and get my wolf. After that, I could get the hell out of this pack and find somewhere safe, somewhere I would be treated like I mattered. More than anything, I wanted to find my birth father. My mother refused to give me even the smallest useful detail, not his name, not the pack he belonged to, nothing. That was fine. Nana knew. She had been waiting until I turned eighteen to tell me about him. Nana and my mother had never been close, but Nana had spoiled me rotten every chance she got. With Sabrina awake and getting ready, I went to my room, which was really the pantry, and grabbed my bookbag and shoes. Then I returned to the kitchen, washed the breakfast pans, and loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Before I left, I said goodbye to my little brother, even though at fifteen he already towered over me. Chapter 2 Chapter Two: Bruises Before the Bell After I left the apartment, I took the stairs down. Our family’s rooms are on the third floor of the packhouse. Alpha Zachary and his family occupy the fifth, while the Beta’s family has the fourth. Guests stay on the second floor, and the whole first floor is shared space: the dining hall, kitchen, theater, game room, and the common room where pack members gather whenever they want. Ariana was already by the door when I reached the bottom. The packhouse is also where the Omegas live and work. Ariana is one of them. At five-five, she stands a little shorter than I do, with long black hair, wide brown eyes, and the kind of face that always shows exactly what she is feeling. “Come on,” she said, bouncing on her toes. “If we don’t leave right now, we’re going to be late.” Thankfully, school is close. The high school sits just down the street, only about ten minutes from the packhouse on foot. We had barely started walking before her attention snapped to my face. Her eyes narrowed at the fresh bruise I hadn’t had time to cover. “Pierce was being a d**k again this morning?” she asked, worry tightening her voice. I gave a dry little laugh. “When is he not being a d**k?” Usually, I could hide the marks before anyone saw them. This morning had not given me enough time. Ariana’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “When are you finally getting away from him?” “As soon as I turn eighteen and get my wolf,” I said. Then, because hope was the only thing keeping me upright some days, I added, “Hopefully. I’m going to California to live with Nana.” Black Summit Pack is a decent-sized pack, with about five hundred members. We are tucked into central Colorado along the Rockies, roughly an hour north of Denver. For our size, we are strong, mostly because Alpha Zachary insists that everyone train and stay ready in case rogues attack. Lately, rogue attacks have been happening more often. At least once a week, someone tests our borders. So far, we have been able to hold them off, and no one in the pack has been lost. Our territory includes the five-story packhouse, the training grounds, the training building, the warrior house, the school, and a shopping center with restaurants and stores. Pack homes spread out around it all. Some people work in those shops and restaurants; others commute into the city. By the time Ariana and I reached school, Ryder was waiting near the trees outside. He is Ariana’s cousin and one of the strongest up-and-coming warriors in Black Summit. At six-three, with a body that looked carved rather than built, shoulder-length blond hair, and dark blue eyes that could stop conversations, Ryder drew attention without even trying. He had turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago, but he still hadn’t found his mate. Everyone knew he hoped it would be me when my birthday came. Ryder had been crushing on me since first grade, and he had never exactly been subtle about it. “Morning, ladies,” he said, throwing an arm around each of us. “How are my favorite girls on this beautiful morning?” Ariana glanced at me, then let out a tired sigh. “It would be beautiful if Talia’s stepfather stopped treating her like a punching bag.” Ryder went still. A second later, his fingers caught my chin gently but firmly, turning my face toward the light. When he saw the bruise, a growl rumbled in his chest. Anger sharpened every line of his expression. “One day, that bastard is going to get exactly what he’s earned,” he said. “Thinking he can put his hands on an Omega is bad enough. On a female Omega? That’s sick.” His gaze searched mine. “Do Alpha Zachary and Luna Marissa know about this?” “No.” I pulled back, staring past his shoulder. “They don’t. It’s hard enough hiding it when he leaves marks where people can see them or when he breaks bones, especially when he keeps telling me to shut up about it. Healing takes forever without my wolf.” Ryder’s anger softened into something sadder. He wrapped me in a careful hug, like he was afraid I might crack if he squeezed too hard. “Soon,” he murmured. “You’ll be out of that apartment. You’ll get to live like a normal wolf for once.” The three of us headed inside, splitting off toward our lockers. Mine is down the hall from Caleb’s. As the future Alpha, he never stands alone for long. The school’s popular girls were already clustered around him like he was the center of gravity. My brother, Brennan, stood beside him too, since he is meant to become the next Gamma once he turns eighteen. I gave Brennan a small nod and opened my locker. Then Clementine’s voice sliced through the hallway. “Ew. Brennan, seriously, how do you handle sharing an apartment with a gross Omega?” she asked him loudly. Clementine is the Beta’s daughter, and she never wastes a chance to remind people of it. “I can’t believe your dad still lets her stay with your family. She should learn where she belongs and line up with the rest of the disgusting Omegas.” Brennan turned on her with a look of pure revulsion. A growl slipped from him before he spoke. “Careful, Clementine,” he warned. “That’s my sister you’re talking about, and she’s a better person than you’ll ever be. Being an Omega doesn’t make her nasty.” My chest warmed despite everything. I love when my brother defends me. He does it every time, just like Ariana, Ryder, and Mrs. Sharon, the head Omega. Clementine tossed her hair, unimpressed. “Once I’m Luna, the Omegas are going to the old warehouse near the edge of the pack. Then they won’t pollute the packhouse just by existing.” Caleb looked over at her and scoffed. “Who said you’re going to be my Luna? My mate becomes my Luna. No one else.” Clementine and I have the same birthday, so she still has no way of knowing whether Caleb is actually her mate. For now, she is only his slutty girlfriend, the one who wears dresses so short they barely count as clothing and pushes her cleavage so high I swear her t**s are one deep breath away from escaping. “Oh, Caleb,” she purred, sliding her arms around his waist. Her fake eyelashes fluttered up at him. “I’m pretty sure we’re mates.” “We’ll find out,” he said, not exactly sounding thrilled. The bell rang before anyone could say more, and I headed for first period. History. In that class, we study werewolf history and the laws that govern our kind. I actually love it. The differences between each law fascinate me, from blackmail to stealing another wolf’s mate to murder. Unfortunately, Caleb and his crowd are in that class too. That means Clementine uses every chance she gets to make my life miserable. At school, she is one of my worst bullies, right up there with my sister and her little pack of followers. I chose my usual seat near the window, where I could look out at the mountains when class became too much. Caleb, Clementine, and the others took over the back rows. On her way past me, Clementine clipped my desk hard enough to send my books tumbling to the floor. “Oops!” she sang. “My bad.” She paused, then smirked. “Not.” Laughter broke out around the room. She moved a couple of desks behind me and slid closer to Caleb, while he only rolled his eyes. “That is enough,” Mr. Palmer said from the front. He teaches history and has very little patience for drama. “Open your books to page ninety-eight.” A wave of groans rolled through the class, but everyone obeyed. I bent to collect my books and tried to pretend my face wasn’t burning. A few minutes later, Clementine leaned forward until her breath brushed my ear. “You really think you’re Miss Hot Shit, don’t you, Talia?” she whispered. “You’re nothing. A worthless Omega. You’ll be alone your whole life, because Omegas don’t deserve mates. You’re only useful as servants and for making more little Omegas to serve the rest of us.” I kept my eyes on the page even though the words blurred. I will never understand where she gets that kind of thinking. Her parents, Beta Raymond and his mate, Melanie, are kind people. Maybe Clementine is spoiled because she is the youngest and the only girl in a family of five. Her oldest brother, Rowan, will become the next Beta and is away at Beta training right now. Her other two brothers are Delta warriors, some of the best fighters in the pack. Somehow, Clementine still turned into Clementine. The rest of the morning moved quickly. That helped. None of my other morning classes had Clementine in them, so by the time lunch arrived, I could breathe again. I went to the cafeteria to find Ariana and Ryder. After grabbing chili and fries, I carried my tray over to the table where my two best friends were already waiting. For a little while, things felt normal. We laughed. We joked. Ryder made some ridiculous comment that had Ariana nearly choking on her drink, and I almost forgot about the bruise on my face and the threat of going home later. Then heat splashed over my head. It ran down my hair, across my cheek, and soaked into my shirt. For one stunned second, I couldn’t move. The cafeteria went quiet in that awful way that happens right before people decide whether to laugh. I turned. Clementine stood behind me with an empty bowl dangling from her hand. A smug smile stretched across her face. “Oops,” she said. “I must have tripped.” She laughed, bright and mean. “But Omegas should be used to being filthy all the time.” Something inside me snapped. I faced forward, picked up my own bowl of chili, rose from my seat, and dumped the whole thing over her head. The cafeteria gasped as one body. Then some of the Omegas started laughing. A few pulled out their phones and took pictures while chili dripped down Clementine’s furious face. “Fuck you, cunt,” I said, my voice shaking but loud enough to carry. “At least I make chili look better than you do.” Clementine trembled with rage. Then she screamed. “FUCKING BITCH! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU’RE NOBODY! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOUR STEPFATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS!” My stomach dropped. Oh, shit. I was going to pay for that when I got home this afternoon. Chapter 3 Chapter Three: No Way Out I glanced from Ariana to Ryder and gave them both a grim little nod. “Well, it’s been good knowing you. Once Pierce hears what I did to the Beta’s daughter, he is absolutely going to murder me when I get home.” Color drained from Ariana’s face. “Oh, Goddess. You really think he’ll take it that far?” “Without blinking.” Clementine was still shrieking when Mrs. Fletcher, the principal, caught sight of the mess and stormed over. “You two. My office. Now!” she snapped. Perfect. As if I wasn’t already dead enough. We were marched to the office and dropped into the chairs outside Mrs. Foster’s door. Through the wall, Miss Cole’s voice carried as she called our parents. Clementine sat across from me, cheeks red, eyes locked on mine like she was trying to burn holes through my skull. Then her mouth curled. “Maybe your stepdad will actually finish it this time,” she said softly, sweetness dripping off every word. “Maybe he’ll kill you properly. You’re a useless Omega, and you don’t even deserve air.” That was exactly the fear chewing through my stomach. Nice knowing you, Black Summit Pack. About thirty minutes crawled by before my mother, Pierce, Beta Raymond, and Raymond’s mate, Melanie, came through the school office doors. My mother and Pierce aimed matching glares at me. Raymond and Melanie rushed straight to Clementine, who had already switched on the fake tears. I stayed where I was and rolled my eyes. “Clementine, sweetheart, what happened?” Melanie hurried to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Clementine leaned hard into the performance. Her voice shook. Her face crumpled. According to her, I had been bullying her because I was jealous and had a crush on the future Alpha, Caleb. A laugh punched out of me before I could stop it. “That is seriously unlikely, Clementine. Try telling the truth for once. And remember, I have witnesses. One of them is my brother.” Her expression froze into that wide-eyed, caught-in-headlights look. Pierce didn’t care. He seized my arm, his fingers digging in so hard I already knew the bruises would bloom before we made it home. “Control yourself,” he snarled. “You know better than to mouth off to wolves above you, no matter how old they are. You will apologize, and I will handle you once we are home.” “I didn’t do anything wrong,” I shouted right back at him. “She came at me first, so I ended it. She’s a spoiled little bitch who needs somebody to shove her back into her place and teach her some humility.” My mother turned toward Raymond and Melanie with a mortified little smile. “I’m so sorry, Beta Raymond. Melanie. I have no idea what has gotten into my daughter. Clearly, we need to keep these Omegas in line better. More pack work would remind them where they belong.” My mouth fell open. Across from me, Clementine smirked like she had just been handed a crown. Mrs. Fletcher stepped out of her office and ushered the adults inside to discuss punishments. The door closed behind them. For an entire hour, I sat there with my arm throbbing and my anger getting hotter by the minute. When they finally came out, Raymond and Melanie helped Clementine to her feet as if she had survived some terrible tragedy. They walked her out without a glance at me. Pierce grabbed my arm again and dragged me into the office. My shoulder wrenched so sharply I thought he might rip it loose. “Sit your worthless ass down. Now,” he ordered. I dropped into the chair, glared up at him, and flipped him off. Mrs. Fletcher exhaled like I had personally exhausted her will to live. “Talia, because you dumped chili on Clementine and assaulted the Beta’s daughter, your punishment will be one week of out-of-school suspension, followed by one week of in-school suspension, and then one month of detention.” For a second, I could only stare at her. My jaw might as well have hit the floor. “And Clementine?” I asked. “What does she get for starting the whole thing?” “She will receive a warning this time.” Rage shot through me so fast I was on my feet before I thought about moving. “That is complete bullshit. I was sitting there with my friends, minding my own business. That bitch started it, she gets to walk away, and I’m the only one being punished? That is so fucked up!” “SIT DOWN AND WATCH YOUR MOUTH, TALIA!” Pierce roared, yanking me back into the chair. I twisted toward him. “Go fuck yourself, Pierce.” My mother looked at Mrs. Fletcher as if I were a mess she was embarrassed to be seen with. “I believe we should leave and deal with this disrespectful Omega ourselves, Mrs. Fletcher.” She stood. Pierce already had my arm again, and he hauled me out of the office, down the hall, and through the parking lot. At the car, he shoved me into the back seat and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the frame. He and my mother climbed in front. Pierce turned in his seat, his eyes sharp and ugly. “Looks like you’ve earned the severe punishment this time, you little bitch,” he growled. I folded my arms over my chest and glared right back. “As if you’ve ever understood fair. I cannot wait to get the hell away from this place.” His eyes flicked to me in the rearview mirror. Then he drove. Not toward home. Toward the building where the pack kept the prison cells, the place where captured rogues were locked away after patrols and warriors dragged them in. I knew that building too well. Alpha Zachary had a torture room there, a place used to squeeze information out of rogues. Pierce had taken me there several times when he decided I was out of control and needed extra discipline. My back carried the proof. Too many scars to count, most of them from silver-laced whips dipped in wolfsbane. By the time we pulled up, I was already looking for a chance to bolt. Pierce knew me too well for that. Before I could reach for the door, he had mind-linked a couple of warriors and had them waiting beside the car to drag me out. He had learned from the previous beatings. I had run before, straight into the woods, and hidden for days. Ariana had been the one sneaking food and water to me so I could survive. Five miles from the packhouse, we had a hidden cave where Ariana, Ryder, and I had spent time when we were kids. Only the three of us knew about it. This time, Pierce had planned ahead. He had backup ready because he knew I would try to run. “Take her to her cell down the hall,” he said. Her cell. My cell. That place had turned into my second home whenever Pierce got the itch to give me one of his severe beatings. I kept extra clothes there now, along with a blanket and a couple of books. Ariana was only allowed to bring my homework once a day. Mrs. Sharon brought two meals, usually bread and water, but she always found a way to sneak in something extra so I would not be too weak to stand, or to fight back if I got the chance. The warriors nodded and clamped their hands around my arms. Inside, the prison stank of piss, shit, and old blood. Under it all sat the worst smell. Death. A lot of rogues had died in that building because they had been stupid enough to attack us. The farther we went down the corridor, the heavier the air felt. New rogues shouted from behind bars as we passed. “Come here, sweetheart!” one of them called. “I bet we could have some fun while we’re waiting.” I turned my head and growled at him. Pierce moved first. He stepped to the cell door, shoved a cattle prod through the bars, and shocked him. The rogue howled and jerked backward. “She is not here to entertain you,” Pierce snarled. “Sit down and shut the hell up, rogue, or I’ll drag you out and whip you again.” The warriors kept me pinned between them as we reached my cell. I jerked my arms free and shot them both a look. “I don’t need help getting into my own cell.” Kellan, one of the warriors, watched me like I might bite. “We just want to be sure you cooperate and actually go in this time.” Last time, I had sprinted down the hall and tried to make it to the exit. The problem was the door needed a code, and that code changed every shift. Only the wolves working that shift knew it. “I’ll go in,” I said, my voice sharp with disgust. “Not because I want to. Because you’ve made sure I don’t have a choice, haven’t you?” I stepped through the open door and dropped my bag onto the bed. Pierce slammed the cell shut behind me. Metal rang through the hall. “Get comfortable,” he growled. “I’ll be back after I take your mother home. You know what to do.” I rolled my eyes, snapped my spine straight, and saluted him. “Yes, sir,” I said, every syllable dripping sarcasm. He bared his teeth in another growl, checked the lock, and stalked away. I lowered myself onto the narrow bed and waited for whatever punishment he had decided I deserved this time. Chapter 4 Chapter Four: The Room Above An hour crawled by inside the cell. I stayed on the narrow bunk with my schoolwork spread across my knees, forcing myself through assignments instead of staring at the door. Being locked away for days at a time was not new, and I refused to let Pierce ruin my grades too. Straight A's were one of the few things I still controlled. Ariana always collected notes from my teachers, so even when I disappeared down here, I could keep up. At last, the heavy door at the end of the cell block groaned open. Footsteps followed, slow and deliberate. "Well," I muttered, setting my pencil aside, "curtain's up." Pierce appeared outside my cell, but he had brought company. Beta Raymond stood beside him. Perfect. This was going to be delightful. I tipped my head and looked between them. "Are we doing an audience today, Pierce? That's new. I thought you preferred these little moments private." The lock clicked. Pierce yanked the door open hard enough that it struck the wall. "When will you learn to show respect to your superiors, Talia?" His voice dropped into a growl. "How many times do I have to tell you to use my title in front of others? You keep disrespecting me." His lip curled. "Beta Raymond is here to help carry out your punishment, since you also disrespected his daughter." I let out a humorless scoff. "His daughter dumped chili on me while I was sitting with my friends and minding my business. The little bitch started it." Both of their faces hardened at once. "First," Beta Raymond snapped, "you will address her as Beta Clementine. Second, that is not the account she gave. She says you have tormented her since school started, and that you threw chili on her before she did anything to you." A laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it. "That's rich. Maybe ask Brennan and Caleb. They were standing right there." Pierce's palm cracked across my face. Pain flashed hot through my cheek. Before I could steady myself, he clamped a hand around my arm and hauled me out of the cell. "Lying little bitch," he shouted. "They said the opposite. Both of them told us you cause trouble at school. Now take off your shirt." For a second, I only stared at him. Brennan would not have lied about me. He would have defended me. He always did. Still, I pulled my shirt over my head, because I knew what came next. Beta Raymond sucked in a sharp breath when my back came into view. Old lash marks crossed over older ones, silver-burn scars and raised lines mapping years of punishment. "Pierce," he said, his voice rough with shock, "how often have you done this to her? Look at her back. It's disfigured." Pierce only sneered. He lifted his favorite whip from its place nearby, a bullwhip tipped with silver blades. It had been soaking in wolfsbane, as usual. Gloves covered his hands so neither the poison nor the silver could touch him or his wolf. "More times than I bothered counting," Pierce said. The whip landed before I had braced myself. Fire tore across my back. "She needs to remember her place," he continued, striking me again. "She has shown nothing but disrespect to me and to my family." The blows kept coming. Pierce wanted submission. He wanted me sobbing, begging, folding beneath the pack's hierarchy until I understood where he thought I belonged. I would not give him that. I knew I was more than what they called me. I was not like the other Omegas in this pack, and in two days I would be eighteen. My wolf would come. For an hour, Pierce whipped me. By the time Beta Raymond finally told him to stop, my back felt shredded open, slick and raw. Blood loss had made my knees weak, and every breath dragged through me like broken glass. Pierce had wanted screams. Each time the whip struck, I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. He had been sure enough pain would make me bow. It would not. Not in his lifetime. They unchained me and dragged me back into the cell. I hit the floor hard. The door slammed, the lock turned, and their footsteps faded. At least I had hidden medical supplies in here. The next two weeks passed slowly. Ariana brought my homework. Mrs. Sharon slipped me food. Ryder worked shifts downstairs and treated my back after each new whipping. Pierce came for me several more times, each session meant to break me and force a submission he never received. I denied him every time. When the day finally arrived for me to leave, it was two days before my birthday, and I almost felt light-headed with relief. Ariana and Ryder waited outside the cell area as I stepped out. Ariana rushed forward and wrapped me in a careful hug. "Are you okay?" she asked, worry tightening every word. I nodded because talking took more effort than I wanted to admit. Ryder slid an arm around my shoulders, keeping clear of my back. "Food first. Then a shower." "That sounds perfect," I said. I was starving, even with Mrs. Sharon sneaking extra snacks to me during the day. We went to the kitchen, where Mrs. Sharon stood with a couple of Omegas I trusted. The moment she saw me, she hurried over and hugged me gently. Tears shone in her eyes. "Thank the Goddess that's finished," she said. "I have been terrified you would not make it through this time." I hugged her back as much as my body allowed. "Thank you, Mrs. Sharon." She sat me at the island and made breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, and freshly cut fruit. None of us said much while we ate. When we finished, we loaded the dishwasher. Then Brennan walked in. The instant he spotted me, his expression cracked. He crossed the kitchen fast and hugged me, careful not to press against my back. "Thank goodness you're all right," he said, pain heavy in his voice. "I knew Dad would be worse this time. But I can tell you still didn't give him what he wanted. You never do. You're too strong to be an Omega." Tears burned my eyes as I looked up at him. "Then why did you betray me?" He drew back as if I had hit him. "What?" "Pierce said you and Caleb backed Clementine." Brennan shook his head hard. "No. I told Dad and Beta Raymond that Clementine started it. I said you did nothing to provoke her. You only reacted after she dumped chili on you." "He's telling the truth, Talia." Caleb stepped into the kitchen before I could answer. "My father is furious with Pierce," he said. "He's considering demoting him because of what he has done to you. Beta Raymond even told my father about the old injuries on your back." Cold dread replaced the relief in my chest. If Pierce lost rank because of me, he would punish me again. Badly. I was not sure my body could survive another round like that. My birthday was only two days away. A full moon. The night my wolf would arrive, and the night I should be able to shift for the first time. Brennan handed me a small bag. Clothes. Shower things. "I brought your stuff down," he said, softer now. "That way you don't have to go upstairs and deal with Mom and Dad. Use the Omega showers, then we'll spend the rest of the day in the theater." "What about my chores?" I asked. Mrs. Fletcher answered before he could. "Forget them. Ariana, Kelsey, and Selena will handle them. Marissa said you need the day to rest and recover. She also said you are to move onto the Alpha floor until you turn eighteen and we see what your wolf is." For a moment, I could not speak. The Alpha floor. Away from the Gamma floor. Away from Pierce and my mother's cruelty. Relief burst through me so quickly I almost laughed. I hugged everyone I could reach, excitement giving me a rush of energy, then hurried toward the showers. I wanted the dried blood gone. I wanted the smell of the cells off my skin. Inside the stall, I locked the door, turned on the water, and peeled out of my clothes. Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash went onto the little shelf. Then I stepped beneath the spray. Hot water struck my back, and I hissed through my teeth. Red streamed down the drain at first. I bent forward and let the water run over the wounds until the color thinned and cleared. Then I leaned back, soaking my hair. The shampoo foamed gray from two weeks of dirt and stale cell air. I washed twice before it felt clean. Conditioner came next, then body wash, slow and careful around the torn places. When I rinsed, I felt almost human again. After shutting off the water, I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out. I dried off, dressed quickly, and brushed my hair. Brushing my teeth felt embarrassingly wonderful. I tossed the dirty clothes into the hamper and headed toward the theater. I had not gone far before Sabrina crossed my path. "There you are, slave," she said, smirking. "About time you came back to the packhouse. My room is disgusting, and you need to clean it before Daddy sees." "No," Luna Marissa said from behind us. Sabrina and I both turned as the Luna approached. Marissa's gaze settled on Sabrina, cool and sharp. "That is not happening. You are old enough to clean your own room. Talia is no longer your family's slave. Frankly, it is shameful that any of you treated a family member that way. You and your parents should be ashamed." Sabrina's mouth dropped open, as if being told to pick up after herself violated nature. "I'm a Gamma," she protested. "I don't do filthy work like that. Talia is just an Omega, and she is our slave." "No," Marissa said again, and this time power threaded through the word. "She is not. There is something in her that is not Omega. If we had known sooner what you were all doing, she would have been removed from the Gamma floor long ago and placed somewhere none of you could touch her." The Luna's aura rolled out. Sabrina buckled under it, baring her neck as submission took hold. Luna Marissa had a rare gift; she could sense the aura of another werewolf and see what they truly were. "Be very careful, Sabrina," Marissa warned. "Alpha Zachary and I will not tolerate this treatment of pack members. We are family. We should meet one another with respect and care, not tear each other down over rank." Then she turned to me and slipped her arm through mine. "Come along, Talia. I'll show you your room, and then you can spend time with your brother and friends. Tomorrow, you, Celia, and I are going shopping for your birthday." Celia was Marissa and Alpha Zachary's daughter, a year younger than me. Shopping felt strange even to imagine. I owned a few T-shirts, a hoodie, and some leggings. My mother bought those only so the pack would believe she was a loving parent. Sabrina, meanwhile, had a closet stuffed with clothes she bought every week using Pierce's credit card. Marissa led me up to the fifth floor, where the Alpha family lived. We walked all the way to the end of the hall before she opened a bedroom door. I stopped just inside. The room was beautiful. A king-size bed stood in the center with a huge pale blue rug beneath it. A dresser sat across from the bed. In one corner, a flat-screen TV faced a dark blue loveseat and a matching chair. Wood paneling covered the lower half of the walls, while the upper half was painted sky blue. Two doors flanked the dresser. One led to a closet so large I knew I could never fill it. The other opened into a bathroom with double marble sinks, a walk-in shower, and a jacuzzi tub big enough for three people to sit in comfortably. I wandered through the space, stunned. This was supposed to be mine until I left? Luna Marissa laughed softly at my expression. "Well?" she asked. "What do you think?" I turned back to her, overwhelmed. "Luna, this is too much. I would have been fine with the Omegas." Her smile warmed. "Sweetheart, I already know you are more than an Omega. Your aura is stronger than that. Stronger than an Alpha's, even. Something about you is extraordinary, and in two days, on your birthday, when you shift for the first time, we may finally understand it." She paused near the door. "In the meantime, I am going to speak to your mother and use my Luna command to make her confess who your father is. But for now, enjoy your day. Oh, and Alpha Sterling from Misty Mesa Pack will arrive the day after your birthday. He is coming to discuss the rogue problem with us. With luck, perhaps we can end it for good." Chapter 5 Chapter Five: Dresses Before Dawn Luna Marissa had barely finished showing me the bedroom before I found my way back downstairs. My brother and Caleb were already settled in the theater room with drinks, snacks, and the remote waiting for me. Apparently, choosing the movie had become my job. I did know movies. Whenever my mother and Pierce had not had chores lined up for me, I had watched them with Ariana and Ryder. So I picked a romantic comedy. Both boys complained like I had personally wounded them. Ignoring the groans, I tucked myself into one of the big chairs with a blanket, popcorn, and a soda. A minute later, Celia came in, dropped into the seat beside me, and stole popcorn like she had bought it herself. “What did you make them watch?” she asked, amused. “Talia trapped us in a chick flick,” Caleb said, all dramatic suffering. Celia tossed a kernel at him. “Still better than the horror movies and explosion-fests you two force on me every time.” Then she stuck her tongue out at her brother. For all their whining, the guys were laughing hard before long. Caleb tried to pretend he was above it, but he failed. Brennan did not even bother pretending. Celia leaned closer, practically buzzing. “Are you excited about tomorrow? Mom and I decided we’re getting you cute outfits. When you finally meet your mate, you are going to look amazing.” I lifted one shoulder, uncomfortable with how much she wanted to give me. “I really don’t need a lot. Maybe a few shirts, since Pierce tore so many of mine. Nothing expensive.” Her grin turned wicked. “Please. By the time we’re finished, the whole pack will be jealous of your closet. Almost as jealous as they are of mine.” She laughed at herself. The rest of the afternoon slipped past in noise and comfort. More people drifted in, including Ariana and Ryder, and the room filled with laughter, movie quotes, and the smell of homemade pizza. Mrs. Sharon and the Omegas had made several of them, and for once, everything felt easy. Then Clementine arrived and poisoned the air on contact. She stood in the doorway like she owned the place, chin raised, eyes sharp with disgust. “Why is she here with those useless friends of hers?” she shrieked, pointing straight at me. “After what she did to me, she shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near this room.” A collective eye roll moved through the room. Even Brennan and Caleb looked exhausted by her. “Enough with the performance, Clementine,” Caleb said, his irritation plain. “Everyone knows you started it at school. You humiliated her in front of everybody. I’m done with your crap, and I’m done with you. I don’t want someone like you. We’re over.” Her mouth fell open. For a second, she looked too stunned to speak. Then the anger rushed back. “You can’t be serious. We’re supposed to be a strong pack. The only way to become stronger is to get rid of the Omegas, or at least put them where they belong—as servants.” Brennan’s expression hardened. “No. Omegas are not servants. They are pack. They help hold this place together, and they help keep us strong.” Caleb nodded beside him, his jaw tight. He pointed toward the hall. “Leave. You’re ruining everyone’s night, and none of us need that in here.” Clementine spun away, but not before screaming over her shoulder, “This is not over, bitch!” The door had barely cleared behind her before Celia, Ariana, and I burst out laughing. Celia lifted her hand in a cheerful little wave at Clementine’s retreating back. “Bye-bye, witch.” By the time we finally went upstairs, it was close to midnight. Celia, Ariana, and I climbed the steps linked arm in arm, laughing softly so we would not wake the entire house. We are having a small sleepover in my room, the kind of thing I had always wished for when I was younger and imagining what friends were supposed to feel like. Celia glanced at my door, then at hers across the hall, and squealed. “I still can’t believe you’re right across from me!” “I still can’t believe your parents gave me that room,” I said, and excitement made my voice lighter than usual. We stayed awake for another hour even though we were all tired. Celia had brought magazines, so we sprawled across the bed and flipped through pages, planning the shopping trip like it was a mission. Morning came too fast. At seven, the mattress bounced under Celia’s weight as she jumped on the bed. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!” she shouted. “It’s shopping day!” I dragged a pillow over my head. “It is too early for that much happiness.” “Nope. Get dressed and come downstairs. We’re eating breakfast in the dining room before we leave.” She was already halfway to the door when she said it. After she left, Ariana pushed the blanket away from her face and blinked at me. “Is she always like this?” I only shrugged. I was too sleepy to defend Celia or accuse her. In the bathroom, I brushed my teeth, washed up, and twisted my hair into a messy bun. Then I dug through the dresser until I found a decent T-shirt and leggings, pulled them on, and finished with sneakers. The dining room smelled like breakfast and fresh coffee. I filled a plate with fruit, sausage, and scrambled eggs from the buffet, then carried it to the head table. “Alpha. Luna. Good morning,” I said, dipping my head to them both. Alpha smiled at me. “Good morning, Talia. Did you sleep well?” “Like a log,” I said, setting my plate beside Brennan. “Until a shrieking lunatic woke me up.” I glanced at Celia and laughed. Everyone chuckled. Celia answered by throwing a strawberry at me. Breakfast was easy and loud. We talked through the shopping options, and I learned that the pack center had plenty of good stores with beautiful clothes. Because of that, we would not have needed to drive the full hour to the mall. Luna chose the mall anyway. I was thrilled because I had never been to one before. At the same time, the thought of that many strangers made my stomach twist. At nine, we headed outside to the two SUVs waiting in front of the house. Four warriors came with us as security, there to protect Luna and Celia. Once we reached the mall, Celia and Luna took over completely. They pulled me from one high-end shop to the next, treating my closet like a problem they had personally sworn to solve. They were happy, genuinely happy, choosing clothes for me. Everything they picked was current without being ridiculous, pretty without being impossible to wear. Luna paid attention to what would work for everyday life, while Celia kept adding things she claimed I absolutely needed. In one store, Luna found a dark green satin dress that made me stop walking. It hung off the shoulders and had a sweetheart neckline, elegant without being loud. Best of all, the back rose high enough to hide the scars on my back. By the time they were finished, exhaustion had settled into my bones. The warriors carried bags for us, several each, and I felt guilty every time I looked at the growing pile. Somehow, I ended up with a dozen T-shirts, leggings, jeans, workout clothes, a few summer dresses, a couple of cocktail dresses, and the green gown. Celia added shoes, accessories, and makeup until I was sure my room would not have enough space. When we climbed back into the SUV, I leaned forward between the seats. “Thank you, Luna. Thank you, Celia. This is way too much. I’ll pay you back when I have money.” Luna looked back at me with a soft smile. “Don’t worry about that, Talia. Watching you enjoy it is the only repayment we want.” Tears blurred my eyes before I could stop them. I reached over the seat and hugged her. “Thank you, Luna.” Since I had been little, no one besides my Nana had done anything that kind for me. Late afternoon had already settled in by the time we returned home, and all of us were starving. Thankfully, Mrs. Sharon had left sandwiches and snacks ready in the fridge. I ate quickly, then hauled my bags upstairs. Putting everything away took hours. Shirts, dresses, jeans, makeup, shoes—each item had to find a place, and every time I touched something new, that strange grateful ache returned. When I finally finished, I brushed my teeth and changed into the nightie I had gotten that day. I crawled into bed, and sleep caught me the instant my head touched the pillow. My eighteenth birthday was tomorrow, and I fell asleep excited for it. Chapter 6 Chapter Six: The First Shift “Wake up. It’s time.” The voice snapped through the dark so sharply that my eyes flew open. I pushed upright in bed, heart thudding, and searched the shadowed corners of my room. The clock read five in the morning. Outside the window, the world was still black. “Who said that?” I whispered, already nervous. A laugh brushed through my mind. “Me, silly.” Oh, my Goddess. My wolf. Today is my eighteenth birthday. “Are you really my wolf?” Excitement rushed through me so fast I could barely hold still. “What’s your name?” “Yes, I am. My name is Whitefrost,” she answered, warm and certain inside my head. “I have been waiting a very long time to come forward. I know everything you have endured, Talia. The pain and heartbreak will not rule you anymore.” “Whitefrost,” I breathed, smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. “I’m so happy you’re here. I can’t wait for tonight, when I finally shift into you.” “We are not ordinary,” she said, her tone turning secretive. “You will understand after the shift. Everything you have been told until now is a lie. You are not the Omega your mother and Pierce claimed you were. You are far more than that. After tonight, they will bow to you.” I wanted to believe every word. I climbed out of bed, pulled on workout clothes, and headed for the training grounds. Late May air waited outside, cool but already carrying the promise of warmth. Yesterday, Alpha had told me I could begin training now that I was no longer on the Gamma floor. I did not need my mother’s permission, and I did not need Pierce’s either. Delta Hayley was waiting to help me catch up with the wolves my age. “Good morning, Delta.” I lowered my head respectfully. Her smile softened her face. “Morning, Talia. Ready to build some strength and learn to fight with the rest of us?” “Yes.” The answer came out bright and quick. “I have been waiting for this for so long.” “Then we start properly.” She stretched one leg out. “Warm up first. Since it’s your first day, we’ll keep the run to five miles.” Five miles did not sound small to me, but I nodded and copied her movements. For about twenty minutes, we stretched. Then we ran. At the beginning, fear kept nipping at me. I expected my lungs to burn. I expected my legs to fail. Instead, I stayed beside Hayley as we circled the training grounds lap after lap before returning to the fighting circle. Hayley stared at me like she was trying to solve a puzzle. “That was impressive. Especially for someone who has never trained.” “That is because you have me now,” Whitefrost said, proud enough that I could feel it. “Wait until we shift tonight. They will all be surprised.” “How surprised?” I asked her silently. “You will see.” Hayley moved on to the basics. She showed me how to guard my body, how to read an opening, how to throw a punch without hurting my own hand. I was hitting the pads when Ryder came over. “How’s training treating you, Talia?” he as... read.tapread.com