Chapter 1
CASEY
10 Years Later
I run.
My lungs burn with each desperate breath, smoke from the crashed bus behind me still clinging to my clothes, my hair, and my skin. The mountainside drops away sharply to my right, loose rocks skittering down with each pounding step. Behind me, Danica’s scream to run pierces the storm!
I dodge between trees, drenched to the bone from the rain, grateful for advice from my brother, Kai. Always be ready to run, Case, he’d say. Sometimes, that’s all you’ve got. He was right—running is what Omegas do best, what we have to do best.
The crunch of heavy boots on gravel gets closer. I risk a glance back, and my heart stops. A Nexus government enforcer in his bottle-green uniform with the gold word Nexus printed on his sleeve is gaining on me.
My foot catches on a root, and I go down hard, pain shooting through my knee. Before I can scramble up, a hand fists into my back, sending me back down. I cry out as I’m shoved face- first into the ground, pine needles and wet dirt pressing into my cheek.
"Going somewhere?" His weight pins me down, one knee digging into my spine. I can barely breathe. His scent is all wrong, chemical and sharp, as if they try to mask their natural smell. "Did you really think you could run from us?"
I struggle, but he just laughs, twisting my arm behind my back until tears spring to my eyes. "Get off me!"
"You don’t get to give orders," he snarls. "You don’t get to make choices. That’s not what you were made for. Obeying Alphas–"
"Fuck you," I spit, tasting blood where my lip split against the ground.
The media and Nexus make it out that Omegas are to be treated as celebrities, as someone special, but in truth, many see us only as objects. We’re seen as women made to be rutted by Alphas, at their mercy… and the rumors I’ve heard about the Nexus guards treating Omegas harshly are clearly true.
They say we’re loved, but behind the scenes, many despise us.
"You don’t deserve to escape." He wrenches my arm higher, and I scream. "You belong to Alphas. That’s your only purpose. You’re nothing without us. No one."
The words hit harder than his hands because they’re the same ones I’ve heard whispered my whole life—in school hallways, in Nexus propaganda, in the pitying looks Betas give us on the street—but like hell am I accepting it.
I buck up hard, using every ounce of strength to twist sideways despite the knee in my back. The sudden movement catches him off guard, and his weight loosens just enough. I wrench free, rolling away fast. My palms slam into the dirt as I push myself up, leaves and pine needles cutting into my hands.
He lunges for me, but I’m already pivoting, driving my knee up between his legs. He howls, doubling over, but before I can get my balance, his hand cracks across my face.
Stars explode behind my eyes. I taste copper and salt.
His hand snatches my jawline, squeezing as he groans from pain, his face twisted in agony.
"Just like your kind fights dirty. But that’s why you need us—to teach you your place?—"
The rest of his words cut off in a grunt as something—someone—slams into him sideways at full speed. The weight disappears from me, and I gasp, stumbling backward to find a strange man in black driving his fist into the enforcer’s face. Each punch is sharp, controlled.
It’s raining harder now, running down my face, soaking me.
The enforcer goes limp and falls over, not moving. Shit!
The man in a balaclava whips in my direction, and even through the mask, I feel the intensity of his gaze as it sweeps over me.
"Are you okay?"
His voice is softer than I expected, wrapping around me. For a moment, I just stare at him—at the broad shoulders outlined in the daylight, at the way he positions himself between me and the enforcer. Who the hell is he?
Then my brain kicks back in. Strange Alpha is still strange Alpha, even if he did just save me. I ignore the way the world tilts and retreats quickly.
"Wait—" He reaches for me, except I’m running away fast.
Branches whip against my face as I slam through the underbrush, the mountain trail disappearing beneath my feet.
I glance back, and the masked man is gone… fuck!
This is my chance to escape the Nexus enforcers, the strange Alphas, and to avoid being forced into the Nexus facility to wait for my heat to come, to be matched with random Alphas.
In hindsight, my friends and I shouldn’t have separated. Rule number one of being an Omega… never be alone because we are sought after by all Alphas. As if I needed Nexus’ endless government regulations to tell me that. The bus collided so fast—metal grinding against metal, glass shattering, then chaos as Nexus guards came after us amid the thickening smoke—and we got separated as we ran for our lives.
Kayla’s yelling something from somewhere to my left, but I can’t see her through the dense trees in that direction. Can’t see anyone. My combat boots slip on slippery leaves, and I catch myself against a tree trunk, the bark rough under my palms.
Looking back, there’s no one following me. My gaze lifts toward the road, where orange flames still lick the sky. The Nexus transport bus lies on the side of the mountain road, smoke billowing into the stormy day, turning everything gray and wet.
I pause behind a huge tree, trying to catch my breath, fear knotting in my chest. Crouched low, I try to slow my inhales.
How did my friends and I go from sneaking out to a club weeks ago to this? One minute, we were being busted at the club and hauled off to a Nexus rehabilitation facility—their fancy term for Omega prison—and the next, a massive car rammed into the Nexus bus. Now, I don’t know if running was the best decision.
I hug my knees. This can’t be happening.
A branch snaps behind me. Close. Too close.
Get up. Get up. Get up.
The memory hits without warning—being ten years old, crouched in our bedroom cupboard, listening to men arguing with my parents. The same fear. The same helplessness. No. Not now. I shove the thought away, forcing my legs to move.
Heavy footsteps thunder somewhere behind me. I glance back at the masked man rushing to the right and away from me, not looking my way. He hasn’t seen me…
Thank God, yet my blood turns to ice that he’s still searching for me. Why is he after us… me?
He’s massive, dressed in black clothes that do nothing to hide the powerful build underneath. He moves like a tank and screams Alpha. Because, of course, he is. Every one of us Omegas learns to recognize that dangerous confidence, that entitled stride that says they own the world and everything in it.
Including us.
I’m on the move again quickly.
I think about what they taught us in the Nexus-approved schools they forced us to attend. Alphas are the leaders, the protectors, the ones who hold all the power. Betas make up most of the population, living their blissfully normal lives, watching the rest of us like we’re some kind of freak show. And then there’s us—the Omegas. Kept like precious dolls, locked away, waiting for our first heat to determine our worth.
My fingers find my hair, twisting the end nervously as I duck back behind a massive tree. The rough bark digs into my back as I try to muffle my gasping breaths. I scan for options, my heart hammering against my ribs. Who the fuck is this guy?
A twig snaps nearby.
I bolt forward, but I’ve only taken three steps when another masked figure appears in front of me. Like the first, he’s dressed head to toe in black, his broad shoulders and height making me feel suddenly small. I spin, but the first guy is there, blocking my retreat. Trapped between two Alphas, my instincts scream danger even as a deeper fire stirs—a sensation I absolutely refuse to acknowledge.
"Not really into the whole chase-the-helpless-Omega thing," I say, proud that my voice barely shakes. I straighten my spine, channeling every ounce of attitude my brother taught me. "So, you can fuck right off now."
The Alpha behind me laughs, and the sound slides down my spine like warm honey. "Who said anything about helpless? The way you run, sweetheart, that was anything but helpless."
Before I can process how that voice affects me, he grabs me, one arm wrapping around my throat as he pulls me against his chest, my back flush against him. I gasp for air, yet he holds me firm enough to not escape, not to choke me. His scent flares over me—wild blackberries mingled with pine woods, all wrapped up in pure Alpha male. My body betrays me, shuddering against him.
He chuckles, noticing, and I stiffen, hating him for that.
This is what they don’t tell you in those Omega preparation classes—how your body can want something even while your mind screams no, how an Alpha’s scent can make your knees weak even when you’re fighting to get away. They just drill the rules into us—don’t go outdoors unescorted, don’t interact with unapproved Alphas, don’t exist without permission.
"If you’re enjoying the chase that much, little Omega, I could let you run a little longer." His breath is hot against my ear. "See what happens when I catch you again."
I slam my heel into his foot and twist free, only to collide with the second Alpha, who quickly wraps an arm across my shoulders, dragging me against his side. His scent is just as intoxicating—dark chocolate and sea salt, with a hint of cedar wood and something that reminds me of old books. It’s exactly the kind of scent that makes Omegas like me lose their minds, and I dislike how much I want to just stand here and breathe it in.
Through the tight black fabric of his shirt, I feel the solid wall of muscle beneath. Both of them are built like the elite athletes they show off at those stupid Nexus propaganda events. The ones where they parade unmated Alphas around like prize stallions, reminding us Omegas what we’re missing by trying to stay independent.
"Let me guess," I spit, trying to ignore his hand on my waist. "You’re the ones who crashed into our bus? Real civilized. What, couldn’t figure out how to use a dating app like normal creeps?"
The first Alpha tilts his head, studying me. He’s taller than his friend, maybe 6’4", with shoulders that could easily carry a small car.
"We couldn’t pass up the chance."
"Chance for what?" I struggle against the second Alpha’s grip, very aware of how his thumb is brushing against the strip of exposed skin over my collarbone because his hands are huge. "And what’s with the masks? Halloween’s not for months. Though I guess if I looked like a bridge troll, I’d hide my face, too."
"You’ve got quite a mouth on you," the second Alpha at my back says in that deep tone that holds my attention. Each word vibrates through his chest, where I’m pressed against him. He’s broader, built like a heavyweight boxer. In any other situation, I’d probably appreciate the view. A lot.
My Omega hindbrain preens at having both Alphas’ attention, and I want to smack it. This is exactly why Nexus claims we need protection—our own biology betraying us at the worst possible moments. Not that I’ve experienced the worst of it yet. At twenty, I’m still waiting for my first heat, that magical time when my body will decide I’m ready to be claimed by whatever Alpha pack Nexus deems suitable.
A branch snaps in the distance, and I jerk my head toward the sound. "Kayla? Jess? Danica?" There’s no answer. My friends are out there somewhere, possibly hurt, possibly caught, and here I am, gawking at the enemy.
"Your friends can look after themselves. They aren’t of our concern," the first Alpha states, stepping closer. I catch a glimpse of ice-blue eyes through his mask.
"They’re my concern," I state and send a kick at the second Alpha’s shin behind me, but he instantly shifts his grip, spins me to face him, and lifts me off my feet until I’m draped over his shoulder.
Dread consumes me, and I wiggle to slide off.
"Put me down!"
"Feisty little thing, aren’t you?" The amusement in his voice makes me want to scream. Or bite him. Maybe both.
"You really want Nexus on your heels? You know it’s illegal to steal an Omega?" I snap as he adjusts his hold, my shirt riding up. I yank it down, face burning. Growing up with an overprotective brother taught me how to handle pushy Alphas, but nothing prepared me for these two and their overwhelming presence.
The first Alpha moves closer, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I try to jerk away, but there’s nowhere to go.
"You remind me of a kitten that thinks it’s a tiger."
"Yeah? This kitten has claws." I swipe at his hand, but he catches my wrist easily.
"Shhh," the second Alpha insists. "Or do you want Nexus to find you, Omega? Take you to that facility where they treat you like lab rats?"
I freeze. The facility. The real reason we ran from the Nexus bus when we crashed. Everyone knows what happens in those places—they study us, control us, trying to understand why there are so few Omegas compared to Betas and Alphas. Why our heat can only be satisfied by an Alpha’s knot. Why we’re so valuable in a world where population growth is declining.
A month ago, a girl from school disappeared into one of those facilities. They said she was being helped through her first heat, but no one’s heard from her since, not even her family.
A cool breeze whips through the trees, carrying the scent of smoke from the crash site. Sirens wail in the distance. More Nexus guards coming, no doubt.
"Who the hell are you?"
I’m between the two Alphas, still balanced on the shoulder of one. Their combined scents make my head spin until I can barely think straight.
Well, screw that.
I start to kick my legs and thrash to be put down. He grunts but doesn’t loosen his hold. Instead, the Alpha in front of me pulls out a syringe, light glinting off the needle.
"And here I thought you were going to behave."
"No!" I thrash against them, memories of my parents’ voices echoing in my head.
But the needle still finds my arm, a sharp sting followed by spreading warmth. The Alpha catches my face between his hands, forcing me to look at him.
"Easy, little one. Just relax."
"Fuck... you..." The words come out slurred. The forest starts to spin, trees dancing like they’re caught in a hurricane. Somewhere in the distance, I hear Kayla calling my name. Or maybe I’m imagining it.
We’re moving. The ground sways beneath me like the deck of a ship in a storm. My limbs feel heavy, useless.
"Sleep," one of them murmurs, a large hand stroking down my back. "You’re with us now. Safe."
Safe? That’s what they told us at the Omega schools, too. That all these rules were for our safety. That Nexus was protecting us. That Alphas would keep us safe.
Look how well that turned out for me and my friends today.
The darkness creeps in from the edges of my vision like spilled ink. My last coherent thought is that my brother is going to go ballistic with worry when he finds me missing. Then again, maybe ending up dead in a ditch would be better than what Nexus had planned for us. At least I’d get to see my parents again...
"Sweet dreams, little Omega," he rumbles.
The darkness takes me completely.