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“Will you please tell me what has you so excited? This is excessive, even for you!” Piper was dying to know why I had been nearly vibrating with energy when she and one of her pack members, Dominic, came to retrieve me from the Omega House. I wanted to wait until we were seated to tell her the absolutely amazing news. We were outside seated at a patio table in a quaint cafe, with Dominic trying to mind his business a few tables down. He wanted to let us have our girl time, but would never be too far away. It was natural for alphas to want to protect their omega, and it was especially important for him because of the past he had with Piper. She was still new to this world, and didn’t have the same common sense as someone born here.
“Okay, okay, so I was waiting downstairs today, and I received some mail. You’ll never guess!” I was almost rocking back and forth with excitement as Piper looked at me like I was crazy.
“Spit it out!” It was actually a miracle I held it in this long.
“I got invited to the Darlington Ball!” Piper looked stunned for a moment, and I couldn’t blame her. The Darlington Ball was one of the most prestigious matching events in the nation. All the wealthiest, highest achieving, and famous omegas and alpha packs attended each year. It was a highly exclusive social event, and photos taken there would be splashed online and in magazines for weeks after. The pairings at the ball were legendary. Getting in front of those packs was every omega’s dream. It was nearly impossible for a regular person to attend - you had to be moneyed, have a famous family, or pull major strings to be invited.
“Bella, how? That’s a really famous ball, right?” Piper at least knew enough to realize what a big deal this was. “The Darlington Ball? How did you get a ticket to that?” Dominic piped up from a few tables over. Piper turned to him. “Girl time, babe!” she reminded him. He turned back to pretend to read his newspaper. She looked back at me, still in awe.
“Seriously, how did you get in?” She asked, her eyes wide.
“I submitted a raffle ticket. I submit one every year - most omegas do - but I didn’t think I’d ever have a chance to win. There are so few spots, it’s like winning the lottery!” I pulled the envelope from my purse, handing it over to her to read. She pored over the letter as I giggled.
“Wow, Bella - this is incredible! The itinerary itself is impressive. You know this food will be top-notch! They have a detailed menu for each event.” She read further, a small frown forming on her face. “Hey, this is in the Eastern Province, isn’t it? Isn’t that kind of dangerous?” The Eastern Province was the half of the nation that had different rules - primarily fewer omega rights. There were parts of it that were lawless, but money and status kept high ranking packs and omegas safe. Since the laws were looser, people went there for contraband or to get away with shadier activities. But a lot of money flowed through the region, and it was home to some of the wealthiest and most powerful packs.
“Yeah, there are less protections for omegas there. But I’d be an official guest of the Darlington Ball, so my travel and accommodation would all be safe and handled by a Darlington representative along with approval from the Western Province.” I had read the letter over and over while I waited at the Omega House. It stated I would only be there for the event, which would be hosted in a famous, beautiful castle, so it wasn’t like I’d be out touring the area. The letter specified I’d have a chaperone from the organization with me for the duration of the event, and the castle itself would be kept under tight security. After all, the most powerful families would be there. And if I made any connections, I might still have a chance to find a decent pack. Even being photographed there would set me leagues ahead of where I was.
Piper pulled up the website on her phone while I showed her pictures and read stories from past events. Her mouth dropped open in shock. “That’s the son of the president!” She commented on one of last year’s pairings. I nodded as she scrolled through.
“Yep, and several famous celebrities as well. Look how nice the dresses are! I’ll have to use all my allowance from next month to get something half as nice for the ball.” Piper looked up at me.
“Hey, why don’t you look through my closet? I have a lot of clothes I never wear, and you are welcome to any of the dresses.” I almost cried in relief at her suggestion. She and I had borrowed each other's clothes when we lived at the Omega House together. Now that she was bitten into her pack, they spoiled her rotten with anything she could possibly desire. In fact, they went a bit overboard, according to her. Where she was from, she wasn’t used to being spoiled or having anything, so her pack had not only bought her a brand new luxury car but also an entire closet of the best designer clothes for any and every occasion - which were great clothes that she barely ever wore.
“Oh gosh, Piper - that’s too much!” She shook her head and laughed.
“Have you ever seen me wear any of it? I wear something nice like twice a year. You know I do too many outdoor activities to be wearing fancy clothes all the time. Let’s stop by my place after this and you can look through and pick out something great for the ball!” The rest of the morning was spent gossiping about the potential attendees and what dresses I should wear to the ball. This was why I loved Piper. She didn’t know it, but without her friendship, I might have given up long ago.
Chapter 5
Bella
Everything was happening so quickly. When I received my formal invitation to the Darlington Ball, I had to register and tell the Omega House so that they could coordinate my travel with the organization. It seemed so far away, but as the weeks progressed, I felt I was running out of time to get ready. My nerves were already raw and my anxiety was high. I had packed, then unpacked, then picked out entirely new clothes to bring. Piper had given me one of her most stunning dresses - a silvery silk dress that hugged my frame perfectly. It was gorgeous, and it would make me look like I actually fit in with the rest of the omegas at the ball. Part of me wanted to reject the gift, with the memory of the last dress I had been gifted in my old town nagging at the edges of my mind and threatening to send me into a spiral. But this was different, I reminded myself. This was my friend giving me a dress, and I was going to a special event where I would meet lots of nice people and maybe even a pack that would really care for me.
The ball was coming up soon, and I had mere days left to prepare. I could barely eat, and I double and triple checked that I packed extra suppressants and scent blockers. The event would have alphas galore, and the organizers mandated that all attendees take suppressants to avoid any issues. There would be extra doctors on call as well as backup alpha surrogates in case any omegas went into heat, but that seemed unlikely given the measures they took to assure everyone’s comfort and safety. Anyway, mine was still a week away, so I wasn’t too worried. I’d suppress it until I came back. I had reluctantly signed myself up for an alpha surrogate pack in Haven for when the time came. But maybe, if all went well, I’d be courting a pack in two weeks’ time and I wouldn’t have to repeat the same cycle again. A girl could dream.
I snuck downstairs to grab a snack. I really needed a distraction from all the nerves that were building around this event. The kitchen usually closed after dinner, but they kept the snack cupboard open for anyone who got hungry. I was about to turn the corner when I heard two omegas chatting quietly in one of the small booths in the dining hall.
“I just think it’s a waste.” One of them said while munching on something. “I mean, of all the omegas in the country, why her? I can see a pack picking a pretty omega with no funds, but one that’s been passed around for years? Absolutely not.” I froze, a sickening feeling forming in my stomach.
“I know, right? Plus, they will smell the desperation on her. And what is she going to wear? She’ll look ridiculous next to all those omegas dripping in jewelry while she’s in some polyester dress.” The two omegas snickered, and I backed up quietly, making my way up the stairs and trying to keep my panic down. I tried to force myself to think positively, to say that they were just projecting jealousy, that I was worthy. But I couldn’t stop their words from playing on repeat in my head. They were right. It was what everyone thought. I had been passed around from pack to pack for years, no one wanting to keep me permanently. At this point I was a walking disaster, and of course I would stick out at the ball. I hadn't even thought about jewelry. That was how much I didn’t belong. Even the other people in the Omega House could see how little I deserved to be in that world of desired, sought after omegas. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry as I made my way to my room. I couldn't get lost in those words. I couldn’t let my memories boil up and take over again. But it was no use. The thoughts crept up, playing back like a sick nightmare that haunted me in my waking hours. I gave in and let it play, feeling the same emotions over again as if they were happening in real time as the memories took over.
Chapter 6
Bella
Three years earlier
The Deloney pack changed my life. Just by being around them, I had been introduced to so many new things I never thought I would experience. Currently, I was out at my first upscale dinner in the big city nearby, where they were showering me with compliments and soft, praising touches while telling me how beautiful I was.
“So pretty. The most gorgeous omega in town.” Lance murmured as he ran his hand down my arm. I keened at the praise, leaning into him while Chad reached over the table to feed me another bite of the tiramisu they had ordered for me. I tried it for the first time and was amazed at how delicious it was.
“Yes, she is. Pretty and perfect.” Dallas murmured while looking down at me. I was sandwiched in between him and Lance, with Chad and Brandon across from us at the table in the fancy restaurant. I saw now how addictive it was to be around alphas as an omega. I had no real idea about how much it would affect me. It was incredibly unlikely that anyone outside of the upper class enclave of Goldpine would present as an omega, so none of us betas had the extensive education that we should have received to understand the details of the alpha and omega dynamic. I never thought it would be necessary to know the intricacies of the biological impulses between our designations. But right now I felt high, floating from the adoration of the sexy, masculine pack that surrounded me.
“Tell me Bella, when is your next heat?” Dallas asked as he pushed my cocktail glass closer to me. I reached for it, taking a sip of the forbidden espresso martini. I was only eighteen, and alcohol was prohibited to omegas until their twentieth birthday. But with the Deloney pack, I could do things no one else would dream of. People turned a blind eye to any indiscretions of theirs, and if any complaint was made, the authorities were promptly paid off.
I stalled as I let the fiery sweet liquid settle in my stomach. “Um, I’m not quite sure. I have only presented in the past five months, so I haven't had one yet.” I saw the pack quickly exchange glances before staring at me with glowing interest.
“So you haven’t had your first heat yet? It should be coming up soon.” I lowered my gaze to the table. I knew about heats, but not the nitty gritty. My beta parents didn’t know much about it, and the social worker who came to visit told me in very stale, technical terms what I would need to do to get through one. As far as my parents were concerned, they wanted to prevent it until I was in a proper omega school and could be courted. But we didn’t have enough money, and using toys or finding an alpha surrogate pack were the only other options. I wasn’t looking forward to it and had been taking suppressants to stave it off for a few more months until it was absolutely necessary. The doctors said I needed to go off suppressants before the year was up and have my first heat to stay healthy, and after that it would occur every three months or so.
