5. Mila

Chapter 5

Mila

D aisy, Daisy, Daisy.

That's who I am now.

Well, at least that's what I try to convince myself.

I am no longer Mila, the Beta Soldier, but a shy, docile Omega who does what she's told.

The hospital staff seemed none the wiser to my real identity, and once the last throes of my heat finally wore off, they were happy to discharge me.

Jeremy happily escorted me down to the waiting area where I would meet my new Omega representative from the academy.

I'm still not exactly free. Once I'm discharged, I will head to the Omega Academy where I will be expected to receive training before I'm sent off to the auctions.

If my secret had gotten out way earlier, then that would have been my life. Having Alphas bidding over my freedom as if I were a piece of meat.

I'm no better than cattle.

That must have been Oliver's life at one point. The only difference was that he already had Alphas by the time he finished his training, so he didn't have to go to any auction.

Omegas are stripped of their rights from the day they first perfume, and from that day onward, we lose all autonomy.

Don't we at least get a choice in how we want our lives to play out?

I don't even know how I am going to fit in at the Academy. I'm a soldier. Not a housewife. I have been trained in combat, but at least I have the basic skills down like cooking and cleaning.

After having to look after my father for most of my adult life, taking care of someone just became second nature.

Jeremy whistles in a seat beside me in the hospital waiting room.

He found me in the woods, but for some reason, he stuck around.

Maybe he's lonely.

I roll my eyes as his whistling echoes through the room, and I finally snap. "Will you stop?"

The Alpha stops, and now he glances at me, an amused expression on his face.

He's a handsome Alpha. Rugged, carefree, with a slight scruff on his cheeks.

His gray eyes flash. "Someone's excited about meeting their Omega representative."

Ugh. Sounds so formal.

"Yeah, well, I can kiss goodbye to my freedom now."

He sits up from his slouching. "Why?"

I meet his gray eye. "Don't all Omegas give up their freedoms when they go into the system?"

He chews the inside of his cheek. "Not exactly. How much do you really know about an Omega's way of life, Daisy ?"

I cringe at the name. I am so not a Daisy. I could have at least picked a less feminine name.

I sigh. "If I had to be honest, not much."

He smirks. "Well, please be assured that you do get a choice on what pack you get to go home with once all your training is over."

My training. Does that mean I have to go through another four years of academia?

Will it erase the last four years of my Beta training?

It all seems a terrible waste now, but when I think about my father, who got to die with dignity in the end with the best nurse that money could pay for, well, I change my mind.

Dad was the reason why I went through four years of vigorous training; he was the reason why I ever met and fell for the Hart Pack.

My chest caves, and I suck in a shaky breath.

If only I could find the Hart pack and warn them about Lily, but they probably have no idea where I am.

There is no way I can reach them without Lily finding out.

It's just me against the world here.

That's when I cast my eyes toward Jeremy again. He has gone back to whistling, and I wonder if I can trust him.

After all, he was the one who gave me the idea to use a fake name in the first place.

Can I trust Jeremy?

"What is it, Cupcake?"

Cupcake?

I chew my lip. This is it. If I spill my secret, then it's game over.

Lily will find me and do far worse than sending me to the academy to be primed and primped into a pretty housewife and broodmare.

I suck in a breath, peering around. The waiting room is empty.

"Jeremy… have… have you heard of… the Hart pack?"

He raises a brow. "They ring a bell, I suppose. I hear their Omega is very special…"

Oh, he doesn't even know the half of it.

Jeremy narrows his eyes. "Why do you ask about them?"

Shit. This is it.

My secret is out.

He smiles slowly, and I keep my gaze on the ground.

What does he find so funny?

"I thought you looked familiar…"

I squeeze my eyes, drowning in the sound of my own thumping heart.

"Don't worry. I won't tell…"

Finally, I meet his piercing gray eyes. "Good. Because if you do… I will kill you…"

We gaze long and hard at each other for some time until he barks a laugh, ruffling my head.

"I'll take that threat on board, Cupcake. It just so happens that I know Barret…"

My heart flutters. "How?"

"Cousin."

I sharpen my eyes to slits, studying him now. I guess I can see it.

They have the same mannerisms.

"I can let him know you're here, but he won't be able to take you, Daisy. I'm sorry. You still have to go through all the right channels."

I thought he would say something like that.

But little does he know, I don't want to return to the Hart Pack. I only want to warn them about Lily.

"I'll let them know you'll be heading for the academy, but that's all. It's up to him and the rest of the pack on how they'll proceed."

I shake my head. "No. Don't tell them where I am… I just want you to deliver a message."

Jeremy eyes me curiously.

I meet his gaze. "I mean it. I don't want to return to them. I just want to give them a message."

"What message?" he asks.

I look left and right. No one is around, so I proceed. "About Governor Lily. Oliver is in danger."

His expression is unreadable next as he gives me a once-over, then nods. "Fine. I will let them know about the governor."

"And you won't tell them that you found me here."

"Scouts honor."

Well, I guess there isn't much more I can say, and it's just as well.

A woman dressed like a government official in her crisp black business suit finally arrives, and I guess she is my new Omega representative.

Here's to my new life.