Leaving
Chapter five
"Liv, we need to have a family meeting," Charlie said from the other side of my locked door. I'd been holed up in my room for the past week, listening to them fawn over their new omega. Fucking her into the wee hours of the morning. Laughing together as they fed her fresh fruit while ignoring me.
"I'll be there in a minute." I dragged myself out of bed and dug through my clothes to find something decently clean. Dressed in leggings and a long pink shirt that covered my ass, I left the room.
Everyone but Charlotte was sitting in the living room, on the new white sofa and chairs. It felt like I was a visitor in someone else's home, but I obediently sat in the only remaining chair when Charlie pointed to it.
"Is this where you toss me out in the cold, now that you have what you want?" I asked bitterly.
Lorne frowned. "No, that's not what's happening here!"
"Oh, so I get to stay here and play nanny to your new kid? Look after your omega…" my words choked me, and I stopped talking and bit my tongue to keep from crying.
"Look, this is a bad situation for everyone involved," Charlie started.
I stared at him in shock. "How? How is this a bad situation for you? Or for Charlotte? You literally have everything you ever wanted!"
"Stop being ridiculous. We can feel you through the bond," he reminded me. "You're trying to hide from the pain but it's important you know that you matter to us. We want to be sure you are happy, too."
Pursing my lips, I waited for his revelation. Something incredible that they'd cooked up for me.
"We're not tossing you out, of course not. But there IS a place for omegas like you, where you can find a pack more suited to your needs."
"The Omega Reassignment Center?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's where I'm going?"
"We did try to find you somewhere privately, but none of the packs we spoke to were interested in an omega…" Melvin trailed off.
"An infertile omega," Charlie said what Melvin didn't want to say. "But it's fine. There are plenty of packs out there who don't want children and will be happy with you."
Happy with me. Happy to get little, leftover, broken me. I didn't move, staring into space as I contemplated my existence. I was pulled back to the present when the men stood up.
"We need to tend to Charlotte, so I think it's best if you go now," Charlie said. He walked over and leaned in to hug me, but I jerked away from him.
"We have to sign off on her, remember?" Melvin piped up.
"Shit. Yeah. Let me tell Char and we'll get this over with as soon as possible."
Now they had their perfect, pregnant omega, even getting rid of me was an annoyance.
"What about my stuff?" I looked to Lorne.
"Uh, they don't allow personal items, from what I understand."
"Oh." My mind raced, running over all the stuff I had in my room, including photos of my mom and dad before they died. "Can you… don't throw away my photos, please?"
"I'll store them," he assured me. "You can come back and pick them up when you have a pack."
As if anyone else would want me. As if I would be given a second chance. It was easy for them to pretend that once they'd washed their hands of me, I'd be in a good place and find a better home, like a dog being abandoned at the pound.
Charlie came trotting back downstairs and I looked up at Charlotte. She looked confused, peering down over the railing, but I turned away quickly and marched out the door.
It took us exactly forty-nine minutes to reach the Omega Reassignment Center. I watched the GPS count down the minutes, not speaking, even as the alphas tried to chatter about how nice it would be to have a pack that wanted me as I was.
"This time they'll know up front what your defects are," Charlie said confidently. "So no worries about this happening again or disappointing your mates."
I didn't want any more mates. I didn't want another pack. This was the worst I'd ever felt in my life, being abandoned after everything they'd put me through.
The beta at the desk in the center was a young man with sleazy eyes and greasy combed-back hair. "You have to sign off on her, so ORC has custody."
"Not a problem." Charlie gave me a smile like he was about to provide me with a great gift of some sort.
"Reason for the surrender?" The beta looked me up and down, undressing me with his eyes.
"She's infertile."
A lump formed in my throat. Everything about me was summed up in that one word.
I saw the beta wince. "Okay. That makes her pretty tough to place, so she'll be on the fast track plan to the heat dens."
"The heat dens?" My voice shook. "Forced heats?"
"No, no, nothing like that. You'll just service alphas during your heats, but also outside of them. Think of it like a job."
Lorne and Melvin exchanged looks. "So, she can't get another pack?"
The beta sighed. "If you had any idea how many omegas are dropped off at our centers across the country… well, it's impossible to place them all. Ones with big flaws like infertility, we don't even bother. The heat dens are always in need of more omega pussy."
I wanted to vomit. My worst nightmare was about to come true.
"Charlie, Melvin, Lorne, you can't do this to me!" I begged them. "Take me home with you. I'll cook and clean. I'll look after the baby."
"Enough," Charlie said firmly. He stepped forward and signed the paper, then handed the clipboard to Lorne.
Lorne looked at me and sighed. "Can you at least attempt to find her a home?"
"Oh, the heat dens are quite nice," the man assured him. "She'll have her own room, private shower, and nutritious food."
No. No. No.
"Lorne!" I dropped to my knees and clung to him. "Please, don't do this. I can't do it, I won't survive."
"Charlie," he started and Charlie's jaw pulsed with anger.
"Get up and shut up!" he barked so strongly that I was forced immediately to my feet, my jaw snapping shut.
Tears ran down my cheeks as Lorne and then Melvin signed the paper. It was done. I was no longer theirs.
"What happens with the bonds?" Lorne asked.
"Those never completely fade," the beta said. "But over time, you'll learn to keep them shut down, especially if you have a new bonded omega."
So I had to let alphas use my body day in and day out and still feel their joy through the bond? I decided right then and there that I would leave it wide open so they could feel every bit of pain I felt. It would serve them right.
Turning away from the alphas who had thrown me away, I faced the beta, lifting my chin. "What now?"
He gave me a bored look. "Now you'll be in our accelerated plan. No need for classes on cooking, cleaning, or child care."
Guess not. I was useless without a fertile womb, it seemed.
The beta led me out of the office. I felt the men lingering to watch me go before Charlie snapped at them that they needed to get back to Charlotte.
The beta took me to a dorm room where at least ten bunk beds lined the walls, each with a blanket neatly pulled up.
The beta handed me a stack that included sheets, a blanket, and two changes of clothing.
"This will be where you sleep while here.
Get into your new uniform and I'll take your clothes. "
When he didn't move, I raised an eyebrow. "Now? In front of you?"
"I've seen it all before," he said with a sneaky smile. "And you'll be naked for the rest of your life in the heat dens."
Fine. I could do this. I walked to the nearest bunk with no blanket on it and set my things down before stripping out of my clothes and throwing them at the beta, who narrowed his eyes at me. Then I pulled on the scratchy blue uniform that reminded me of a prison uniform.
"Happy?"
"Stay here, make your bed," he ordered. "You can go to the cafeteria for dinner. I'll have someone bring your schedule later."
He was gone and I was left alone in the room, my chest caving in. There had to be a way out of this place. I couldn't spend the rest of my life in the heat dens. That's when it hit me that I'd never heard of an old omega.