Chapter 18 #2
I lay my cheek down on his chest again, so I don’t have to watch his reactions to my sad childhood.
“My mom presented early, a rare omega in a shitty beta family that didn’t have much, so she went with the very first pack that wanted her.
They were older, offered her the perfect life of luxury she had always dreamed of, and she jumped at the opportunity, despite the warning signs.
They were rich, of course, put her in the best clothes and took her to the nicest places, but she never seemed to do anything right.
She wasn’t prim and proper, a little too wild.
They wanted to change everything about her, but she loved them anyway.
They didn’t see an omega as something precious, it was something that they deserved. ”
“Bastards,” Alric says under his breath, and I hum in agreement.
“There was lots of money and gifts, but eventually, she got tired of pretending to be someone she wasn’t for a pack that wouldn’t bond her.
They begged her to stay, promised to stop being so hard on her and they did, just enough for her next heat to come around.
Despite being on birth control, she got pregnant during that heat.
One of them was a doctor. She told me years later that she thinks one of the alphas swapped her medication for some sort of fertility shot to force her to stay. ”
“Did your mom ever report that?”
“No, but I wish she had. Would have saved us a lot of pain. They promised her a bondmark after I was born, a future where she would be a real part of their pack. All lies. Never treasured like she should have been; they strung her along for years. She grew more and more desperate for them to love her. They clearly never wanted to be dads, they only wanted an omega for their pack, for the status symbol, for the heats. They never treated me like a daughter. I was just another price to pay to have access to an omega. They were so strict, constantly telling me how an omega should act, talk, think. Even though I hadn’t presented, they were going to raise me like one.
They wanted to ensure I was going to be a proper omega unlike my mom, if the time came.
I was desperate for their approval when I was younger, but never got it.
They expected me to be perfect all the time and one day join a pack they found worthy, making it clear omegas were created for alphas.
That was my only value in this life. They had convinced my mom of that, too, so she was no help in the matter.
When I realized neither my mom nor I would ever be good enough for their love or affection, I hated them, and I rebelled at every possible stage. ”
“I bet you did,” he says, still drawing soothing circles on my back, coaxing out the rest of the story from me. “I hope you gave them hell.”
“The months leading up to my mom’s heat, they were so kind and wonderful but afterwards, they made her feel like more of a needy annoyance.
Every heat came and went, they still didn’t bond with her, which was all she wanted, even after everything.
It was painfully clear they were waiting for a better omega, someone from their world, someone they could control better. ”
“That must have been incredibly painful for her.”
“It was. One day, my mom wanted to prove she was willing to walk away if they didn’t bond with her in her next heat.
When I was twelve, she packed up enough stuff to make it look convincing, broke up with them, and we left.
Since she didn’t actually want to leave, we were easy to find.
Charles and Keith were nicer than the other ones, but not by much.
They came to the hotel we were at and made grand promises about her upcoming heat and her place as a packmate, she believed them, and we went home.
Brett, my biological dad, and William took her leaving as a personal slight against them.
They had given her everything, how dare she not be a good omega who allowed them to treat her any way they wanted. ”
Alric is holding his breath, so I try to say the worst part quickly.
“They called it the ultimate disrespect, that we needed to be punished. When we returned to the pack house, everything my mother and I had left was destroyed with a baseball bat and a kitchen knife. My favorite stuffed animals, toys, clothing, all the luxury gifts that they gave her. My doll collection melted in the fireplace. My mom, of course, forgave them. She used it as a lesson to never disobey alphas, that leaving was never an option for a good omega, and I became more of a nuisance than ever before.”
My sweet, protective alpha shakes with rage beneath me. I want to console him, tell him it’s alright, but that’s a lie and we both know it. He got stuck with a scent match too broken for love, who learned at a young age that it can be poison as much as a gift.
He should be angry.
I would be if I were an alpha.
I finish with, “That bondmark never came. They found a scent match one month later when they went on vacation to LA without us for my mom’s birthday trip.
They asked us to leave because the new omega did not want a reminder that her pack had a life before her.
Their scent match was bonded and pregnant at her first heat, and we were soon forgotten.
My mom was miserable, but I finally felt free.
Even though I was young, my relief was so palpable.
We lived in a nice place after that, all alone.
Their money kept flowing for a while, but it became less and less each year, and my dads never came around again.
I didn’t see them again till I asked for the funds for college. ”
“How did she die?”
“Never recovered from the heartache of being tossed aside. Drank herself into an early grave.”
“Shit.” Alric holds me too tightly, as if he’s trying to shove my broken parts back together through sheer desperation.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Madeline. You deserved to be raised with love and kindness.
They were fucking pathetic for treating you like that and that’s their own failing, not yours.
I hope that pack is miserable. Do they live in our city? ”
“Yeah, they own Carnell Banking and Investments. I heard the company wasn’t doing too great a while ago, a string of bad investments, but I don’t bother to keep up anything related to them. I hope they all end up broke.”
I kiss his chest over and over again, moving up towards his lips. His face softens when I meet his mouth with mine. Our kiss is slow, each touch an apology for our past pain, wishing each other never had to go through a moment of darkness, but I’m thankful for his light now.
He makes no move to leave. Rule number four, I try to remind myself. No sleepovers.
All this emotion has worn me out, though, so I slide off him and curl into a ball, dragging his arm over me to let him know I want to be the little spoon, ignoring my rule. He happily obliges, tucking me into him, one last soft kiss on my head before I fall asleep.
Maybe just one night won’t hurt.
Some time later, my phone’s social media app notifies me of a new message. Dragging my mind from sleep, I grab my phone and open it up, hoping it’s Harper.
I have a new request from an account that followed me today.
I click the profile to find an absolutely stunning omega with my city in her bio.
The words “Sugar baby” and “19” are surrounded by cute emojis.
Her photos are mostly portraits, glossy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, and as a photographer, I can see it’s been edited to an almost unrealistic look, but the alphas in the comments love it.
She clearly does modeling, and with that almost otherworldly beauty, I would, too.
The account is new, but that’s not unheard of in this field.
New accounts are made all the time, especially if the sugar baby is looking for new alphas.
Harper is really the only other omega I spend much time with, but I’m interested in what she has to say.
OmegaaahAbby:
Hey girl!! My name is Abby, I’m so sorry to bother you but I had a quick question about someone you might know. I’m starting to see a new alpha, Marc Jensen? He mentioned he dated the owner of this account and I wanted to see if you would recommend him as a donor or client?
ShutterLife00:
No, absolutely not. There are so many better alphas out there. Run away.
OmegaaahAbby:
Omg thank you!
OmegaaahAbby:
Darn it! They are always so nice in the beginning. It’s so hard to know who is genuine. I only just started this sugar baby thing. Lots to learn.
I know exactly how she feels. I had no one when I first became one, I had to learn the hard way at every single turn, and I want to spare her that.
ShutterLife00
I’m in Santorini right now but when I return we can grab dinner or drinks. I’m Madeline and I will be happy to answer any of your questions and give you all my advice and rules that keep me safe and paid. Block him!
OmegaaahAbby:
Really? That would be amazing! I have so many questions!
ShutterLife00:
Absolutely, anytime. Be safe out there. <3
The screen goes dark when I click it off and snuggle closer to Alric.
I might need a new friend after this.