The Omega They Discarded Became Their Nightmare

Cold rain pelted my face, dragging me awake against the slick forest floor.

Pain tore through my ribs the moment I moved. My palms were raw, covered in deep scratches, and my clothes hung off me in shredded, mud-soaked rags.

"What happened?" I whispered, my voice cracked and hoarse. "Where was I?"

Nothing answered except the roar of thunder. My mind was a complete blank. The past days—or weeks—were gone, wiped clean like chalk under running water. Only one instinct remained, burning through the fog in my skull: *Go home.*

I hauled myself up by gripping a tree trunk, dragging my feet through the mud. Every step sent sharp needles through my ankles, but I pushed through the trees until the wrought-iron gates of my family’s estate finally rose through the storm.

"Hey! Back off!" a sharp voice barked from the guardhouse.

Tom, the head security guard, stepped out with an umbrella, shining a bright flashlight right into my eyes.

"Tom, it's me," I gasped, holding onto the iron bars for support. "Open the gate. Please."

Tom lowered the flashlight slightly, his jaw tightening. "Valerie?"

"Yes! I'm hurt, Tom. Let me in."

"You can't come in here," he said, not reaching for the controls.

"What do you mean I can't come in?" My voice cracked with disbelief. "This is my home!"

"Not anymore, it isn't," he muttered, looking anywhere but my face. "Orders from your father. The property is off-limits to you."

"Are you insane? My father lives here! I live here!"

"Turn around, Valerie," Tom snapped, his voice turning cold. "Leave before I call the patrol to haul you off the road."

"Tom, look at me! I'm bleeding!"

"Go away!"

The small window slammed shut, cutting off the warmth of his booth.

Shivering violently, I stumbled away from the front driveway and crept around the high brick perimeter toward the rear fence. The ivy along the back wall gave me enough purchase to drag myself over the ledge. I landed hard in the mud of the rose garden, crying out as pain flared in my bruised knee.

Ahead, the living room lights glowed through the massive French glass doors.

Music drifted out, muffled by the downpour. Inside, crystal chandeliers illuminated a three-tiered birthday cake covered in spun sugar. My father held a flute of champagne, laughing heartily, while my mother adjusted a diamond bracelet on the wrist of the girl sitting between them.

Serena.

My younger sister smiled like a queen holding court. Serena was everything our parents ever wanted—a fierce, talented Beta who excelled in pack training and carried our family's reputation without a single misstep.

Unlike me. The girl who never shifted. The defective Omega who brought silence to every pack gathering.

I gripped the cold brass handle of the patio door and pushed it open.

"Mom? Dad?"

The laughter stopped instantly.

A crystal glass slipped from someone's hand, shattering against the marble tiles. The dozen pack guests turned their heads at the noise, their eyes widening in shock. Mud dripped from my hem onto the pristine carpet, leaving dark puddles behind me.

"Valerie?" my mother hissed, dropping her glass. Her expression curdled into disgust. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Mom, I—" My knees shook beneath me. "Someone attacked me. I woke up in the woods. I don't remember how I got there—"

"Are you out of your mind?" my father boomed, stepping forward. He didn't look at my bleeding arms

or my pale face. His glare was fixated entirely on the dirty water pooling across the floor. "Look at what you've tracked into this house!"

"Dad, I was missing!" I took another trembling step toward him, holding out my hands. "Don't you see this? I almost died!"

"Lower your voice," he snapped, his tone sharp enough to draw blood. "You dare barge in here and ruin your sister's celebration?"

"Her celebration?" The words tasted like ash. "I haven't been home in weeks! Did anyone even look for me?"

"Why would we waste resources looking for garbage?" my mother spat, rounding the dining table. "You smell like a sewer dog. Look at yourself! You disgust me."

"Mom—"

"Shut your mouth!" my father barked, cutting me off. He turned toward the gathered guests, his chest puffing out with pride as he raised a hand toward Serena. "I apologize for this disturbance, everyone. This girl no longer belongs under our roof. We don't need a useless Omega like you in this family."

"No longer belongs?" I stared at him, my breath catching in my throat. "What did I do wrong? Tell me!"

"You exist," my father answered plainly. "That is your failure. We gave you eighteen years to awaken a wolf, and you gave us nothing but shame. While Serena brought honor to our line, you dragged our name through the dirt. We already declared you dead to the council three days ago."

"You... what?"

"You heard your father," my mother said coldly. "Serena is the only daughter we recognize. She is the only child we are proud of."

Serena rose slowly from the velvet armchair. She tilted her head, watching me with cool satisfaction.

That was when my eyes dropped to what she was wearing.

It was my favorite emerald silk dress—the one tailored specifically for my eighteenth birthday, the one I kept tucked carefully in tissue paper inside my closet.

"Take that off," I whispered, the numbness giving way to a sudden surge of heat.

Serena smoothed the silk across her hips. "Why? It looks much better on me anyway. Don't you think, Valerie?"

"Take it off!" I lunged forward, reaching out to grasp the fabric. "That's mine! Everything you have was mine!"

Before my fingers could touch the sleeve, a hard palm slammed into my shoulder.

"Get your filthy hands off her!" my mother shrieked, shoving me with all her weight.

My weak ankles gave out. I stumbled backward, crashing through the open French doors and tumbling down the stone steps into the rain. The sharp edge of the bottom step scraped my elbow, sending a hot streak of pain up my arm.

"Don't come back," my father warned from the doorway, his silhouette dark against the warm chandelier light. "If I see you on our territory by morning, I'll have the pack enforcers hunt you down as a rogue."

"Dad! Please!" I begged, staring up from the muddy stones. "Where am I supposed to go?"

"Die in a ditch for all we care," my mother said.

The heavy glass doors slammed shut, followed by the definitive click of the deadbolt. Inside, someone drew the heavy velvet curtains, cutting off every trace of light.

I curled into myself on the cold flagstones, shaking uncontrollably as the rain beat down on my bruised back. My own family had erased me. They had thrown me out like rotten meat.

A high-beam flash of light cut through the storm, slicing across my face.

The heavy growl of an engine vibrated against the wet gravel of the driveway.

I lifted my head, squinting through the glare. Through the sheets of falling water, I saw the sleek silhouette of a black sedan rolling smoothly to a stop right outside the estate gates.

The front grille. The custom silver rims.

It was Kael's car.

A sudden, desperate warmth flared inside my chest.

Kael. My boyfriend. The only person who had ever looked past my wolfless status and promised he would stay by my side no matter what the pack thought.

My parents had abandoned me. My sister had taken my clothes and my life. But none of that mattered right now.

Kael had come for me.

The headlights clicked off, and the driver's door swung open into the rain.