Chapter 1

One

KEERA

Eleven Years Later

" C ongratulations on your twins," I exclaimed, handing one of the babies to Tiana, a new omega mother at Howl's Honor Hospital . The nurse settled the second baby over the young mother's chest. The joy on her face and all of her alphas' faces were palpable as they gazed upon the squirming bundles.

As the nurses cleaned up the afterbirth, I washed my hands and pulled out my clipboard. My heart ached as I gazed at the alphas' love and admiration for their omega who had given birth.

I wish I had an alpha pack who cared about me.

But I knew it would never happen with a father like mine. I was doomed to be alone.

Sighing, I blew a piece of my hair away from my face that escaped my hairnet as I jotted down the babies' time of birth, weight, and necessary information to register them. Every baby was registered, especially if an omega was born. Omegas were discernable with the wolf claw mark on their right shoulder, and they were rare.

As I wrote, the words on the paper blurred. My strength was sapped, and I knew I was getting tired from all the overtime I put in to avoid going home and facing my dad.

"We got it, Dr. Keera," said Jade, taking my clipboard. She was a fellow omega and one of the nurses under my charge. "You go and get some rest. You look like you're about to faint after this nightlong birth."

"Thanks, Jade," I said, grateful as I let her take the clipboard. "I think I'll grab a snack."

She nodded as she filled in the rest of the information, her eyebrows furrowed. I looked back one last time, seeing the new family huddled around the babies. I always thought I'd get used to it, but it hurt.

Every fucking time.

There was probably something wrong with me. No average person would be upset seeing a happy family like that.

As I walked down the sterile white halls, I passed by several curtained rooms with omega females screaming or cursing while giving birth. Three females in labor were on this floor, and two overworked doctors were rushing about. They needed to hire more doctors.

I was about ready to pass out. I needed food now before going home because who knew when I would get food next. I removed my bloody scrubs, throwing them into a large bucket. Walking into the break room, I groaned upon seeing Tim, my beta coworker who was obsessed with me, digging inside the fridge. I sat far away on the long table, placing my head in my hands to try and relax.

"Keera!" he said when he was finished rummaging around.

I took a few deep breaths with my head still down. Then I steeled myself as I looked up.

"Hey, Tim," I said, putting on a fake smile.

He still seemed to think we were besties even after I told him I didn't want anything else to do with him after we kissed once. And that kiss was totally out of nowhere. We were in the storage room, and I wasn't thinking straight after the holiday Christmas party at work. Ever since that day, I kept trying to avoid him, but he always got that glint in his eye, thinking we had something.

"Tough shift, huh?" Tim asked, his eyes bloodshot as he drank his iced coffee.

"Yep, for sure," I said, exhausted. He rolled a water bottle down the table, and I snatched it, downing it. "Thanks."

"Kind of stupid that we have to work away while the other doctors are upstairs in that fancy meeting of theirs."

"What fancy meeting?" I asked, setting down my water and straightening in my chair.

"The directors of this hospital and the doctors are having a meeting with the donors," he said. "You know. Like the big wigs who donate a shit ton of money to the hospital."

"Why didn't they tell me?"

I didn't have to ask. I already knew they were biased against omegas like myself in the work field. I worked my ass off, but it wasn't enough for them, apparently.

"I have no idea," he said blithely, plopping into a chair beside me, trying to flex his spindly arms.

"You said the meeting was upstairs?"

"Yeah, but don't go if you're not invited," he warned.

"I don't give a shit," I said, my heart pounding.

I walked out of the break room and up the stairs. It wasn't fair that I wasn't invited to the meeting, and it felt like one of those instances where I'd have to stand up to myself.

I've been with this hospital for a year, and they still didn't have the decency to include me in anything. The bias against omegas wasn't something that I could get over. I never even thought I could be a doctor, but after Mom died, I was determined. When the omega scholarships were offered as a chance to progress omegas on Howl's Edge, I jumped at the chance. My father was against it initially, but I convinced him we'd have money if I did. It was the worst mistake I ever made because that ended up with my father taking every penny of all my paychecks.

I stood outside the door to the meeting room and pressed my ear to it. Should I just go inside? Suddenly, the door opened, and I fell headfirst, crashing into someone's hard chest. He held me by my arms to stop me from falling on my face completely.

Face heated, I quickly stood up, straightening my black blazer.

The stranger I crashed into had long white hair mixed with silver, carefully trimmed at his shoulders. He had the oddest purple eyes I've ever seen—almost electric. His face was weathered, but he looked energetic and young, wearing a plum suit with a shiny purple tie. I immediately got a whiff of his strong peppermint smell, signifying his alpha-hood.

My body immediately responded, and a whiff of my orange scent escaped the scent blocker cream I had slathered on this morning.

"Why hello there," he said, extending out his hand.

"Hi," I said, dumbstruck. He must be one of the millionaire alpha donors. He clearly looked the part. "Nice hair."

"My barber has the magic touch," he said. His voice held authority and a touch of sarcasm. He looked like he didn't take himself too seriously. "May I have your magic touch?"

He looked down, and I followed his gaze.

I gasped. He had an obvious erection. This guy was not shy. A definite alpha hole.

"No! What the fu -," I started to say.

"What is going on?" said a sharp female voice interrupting us.

"Ugh," I muttered, I despised talking to her. But this alpha was even worse. Lucia was the director of Howl's Honor Hospital and an alpha female. She flipped her long blond hair back, her nose in the air. My few interactions with her were short and to the point.

She wasn't exactly warm and friendly.

"I heard there was a meeting going on?" I asked innocently.

"You can get back to work. The meeting's almost over," said Lucia.

Bitch.

"Why can't I join the meeting too?" I challenged.

"Yes, why not?" asked the stranger with the weird silver hair, butting in. I wanted to smack him but held myself back.

Lucia looked perturbed when he asked the question, scrambling for an answer. Since he was a millionaire donor, of course . I wanted to roll my eyes.

"We're short-staffed at the moment and they need her," she said. "May I escort you back to the meeting, Mr. Lustfur?"

"You have like every doctor in there," I said, gesturing towards the door. "I don't understand why I wasn't told, at least."

"You're an omega. Why do you care about this stuff?" she stated, her face twisted in disgust. She said it like it should make sense to me.

And to just be grateful that I was even working here.

"Whoa," said Mr. Lustfur. He looked taken aback.

"I'm interested," I said stubbornly. "I would like to join the meeting."

"You're done," said Lucia, pissed. I embarrassed her in front of someone important. "Give me your badge."

My stomach immediately sank. My dad came to mind.

He was going to kill me. Fuck my life.

"Fine," I huffed, removing my lanyard from around my neck and flinging my badge at Lucia. She looked shocked. My heart was pounding hard from adrenaline. "You can stuff it."

As I turned to walk out, I saw Jade standing there with her mouth open, shocked at what just happened.

I waited outside of the hospital building for my ride. My dad ensured he would pick me up and drop me off at work. It was rare for omegas to drive or to walk around freely without their guardian or alpha pack.

"Are you going to find another job?" asked Jade, standing outside with me. The mood was glum, and I dreaded my father's wrath when I would tell him I lost my job. Jade, along with everyone else, thought my life was perfect, but it was far from perfect.

"I'm going to have to find another job," I said. "I can't sit around at home all day."

"Do you want to go to the Omega Ball tomorrow with me? Now that you're fired and all," she said.

"Not a good idea," I said. But, honestly, I didn't want to tell her that my father was the reason I didn't go anywhere or do anything without his express permission. He had instilled that alpha order in me ever since I was little to obey. And it was hard to fight against or rebel.

"Why? It'll be fun, and it will take your mind off stuff."

"I've never been to the Omega Ball. Isn't it dangerous? All the alphas showing up to court omegas?"

"Every year, there's strict security. Nothing is going to happen," Jade said.

The ball was only for omegas to meet alpha packs. I wanted to meet an alpha pack to escape my hellish life.

"How about I meet you here tomorrow at eight am?"

Maybe my dad could drop me off thinking I was going to work. I couldn't be in the house tomorrow, because I didn't want him to know about my job loss yet.

"Why that early? You're not even working tomorrow," laughed Jade.

"I can't tell my dad that I lost my job," I said. Her eyes widened. Jade and I were good work friends, but I wasn't sure how much to trust her. "So I have to pretend I'm working."

"I get it," she said softly, looking down. It looked like she regretted giving me a hard time earlier. "I'll bring you back here around your usual time that you get off from work."

"Okay, that works then," I smiled. Inside, I felt a little giddy at doing this. I was going to the Omega Ball . My stomach was knotted in nervousness and excitement. My dad pulled up in his beat-up small green car, and all the butterflies in my belly disappeared.

"Bye, Keera," waved Jade.

"See ya," I said as I walked towards the car.

I swung open the passenger-side door and sat inside to the scowl of my father. He had a short stature and a permanent resting bitch face ever since Mom died.

"Close the door, hurry up," he snapped. "So slow!"

I shut the door, and he pinched my thigh when I finally did. Ass.