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Vivian took that opportunity to pluck the check from my father’s fingers, which was a risky move for a beta, but someone had given this one a power trip, and it was making her feel invincible. From the way she’d walked with more confidence than she should, her two-faced tone, and her boldness, you could tell she was savoring every bit of power her position gave her.
“There are terms,” she warned. My parents looked at her greedily, ready to do whatever it took to gain this advantage. The shittiest part of this all, though there were in fact many shitty parts, was that we didn’t need the mayor’s money. My father was successful. Sure, the company could do better because growth was always something to aim for, but at this expense? “She has to leave town and never return. You must cut off all contact—no calls, texts, or visits. She’s exiled from the city and has twenty-four hours to leave it. And if you refuse and decide to stand by her… Well, your names will suffer as well. It’s her or your reputation and business.”
The world stopped around me, their silence so loud it was deafening as I watched my entire future crumble. Their eyes looked at me with resignation, and that, more than anything, told me their answer. With a final glare that shared every bit of my pain, I turned and walked out before they could utter the words that just might break me.
“This is insane!” Liam thundered as he stormed in. “You can’t be fucking serious! You’re going to let this bitch come in here and disrespect your flesh and blood like that? You know Briar. She wouldn’t do this, and even if she had played a willing part in this situation, she’s your daughter! Who are you to decide her worth? You didn’t even listen to what she had to say!”
“Watch your tone, or you’ll follow her” was the only warning I heard before I closed the door to my room behind me. My alpha brother could fight his own battles. Right now, I had none left in me.
My eyes scanned the room I’d lived in my entire life. Moving out before you had a pack was dangerous for an omega, so I’d lived under my parents’ thumbs for longer than I’d wanted to, and Liam had stayed because of me. He had always been my protector, but even he couldn’t save me now. Liam didn’t have resources outside of the city, and for that matter, neither did I.
My bed creaked under me as I sat down on it, fighting back tears even though a cold, numb feeling was creeping in to turn off my emotions. I was at the point that my mind couldn’t take another second of this emotional onslaught.
As soon as I was enveloped in a comfortable cloak of numbness, I finally began to move, grabbing two suitcases and laying them on my bed. Flipping them open, I started to fill them with the things I found important—a book I’d read so many times the cover was worn, pictures of me and my brother, my jewelry, anything with some sort of significance that wasn’t ruined by the moment I’d just had with my parents. Next, I threw in the necessities like clothes, my meager stash of money, and makeup.
Now that I was prepared just in case they decided to be cruel and kick me out early, I tried to figure out what I’d do. Other than the money I had in my account, which wasn’t much, I had no resources. The thought of giving myself to a pity pack assigned by the state had my skin crawling. I’d rather raise this baby alone. If I could manage that.
I’d been to college and spent far too many years working with the wealthy, political, and influential people of the world. If it came down to it, I could land myself a job and talk my way through any doubts they’d have. Between my marketing and graphic design degrees, they could hide me away in the PR department and out of the general population. If I were established somewhere, I could save up for daycare and an apartment, hide my single motherhood for as long as I could. Whatever it takes.
Opening the browser, I typed in ‘homeless omegas,’ coming across a shelter in Grove City. The pictures didn’t show the outside or any faces, just an address and a few standard pictures. It was my best and only option, and the fact that the site explicitly said it wasn’t involved with omega centers was enough for me. If I went to an omega center, they’d be ready to sell off my baby to the highest bidder or force me into a life I didn’t want. Hell fucking no.
My heart broke as I scrolled through the survivors’ stories. Victims of abuse, discarded by packs, omegas left with no other options, they went on and on. Apparently, I’d fit right in, and damn if that didn’t break me a little more.
My hand fell into my lap, my phone tumbling to the floor as I stared at nothing. Now that I had a plan, I didn’t know how to proceed. Did I leave tonight? In the morning? Take a bus?
A soft knock on my door sounded, but I didn’t look up. My brother sighed as he walked in, giving away who was interrupting my trance. I knew he’d come; I just hadn’t known how long the screaming would go on beforehand.
“Briar,” he breathed, voice full of pain. He wasn’t the same type of alpha as my father was. Liam actually cared about people, not the power he possessed through his designation. He was genuine and kind and strong. He was my rock. And now I was being forced to leave him behind.
“I’ll be okay,” I said, though my voice sounded off. He huffed out a laugh and sat next to me, pulling me into a hug. Tears came out as I shook in his arms, my brother the only thing holding me together while I broke down. When the sobs subsided, he gave me one last hug and pulled away.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’ll figure it out. Fuck them,” he said firmly.
“I’ve got a place I can go,” I said. “There’s a shelter in Grove City. It’s a place to stay until I find work.”
“Briar, you can’t have the baby in a shelter,” he said. “I’m coming with you.”
“You can’t,” I reminded him. “You’ve got a life here, Liam. If you leave, you won’t finish the program, and it could impact your future jobs.” He was taking classes at the university, and if he left now, he’d have no way to finish his studies or pay for it. His dreams were being wholly funded by our parents, and there was no confusion about my dad being willing to sacrifice our futures. That much was obvious.
“Then I have an alternative.” He sighed, pulling out his phone and pressing a button. A deep voice answered after a ring. “Hey, sorry to interrupt your night. Do you happen to be in Mason Hills?”
“Who is it?” I hissed, but he stood up and stepped away, a clear sign for me to wait him out.
“Look, my sister just got kicked out. I need you to take her in,” he hissed into the phone. “Some asshole knocked her up, and now they’re making sure she has nothing to survive on. She has to be out of the city by tomorrow.”
“I don’t need to be handed off! I have a plan,” I argued, swallowing down the bile that was quickly rising. He was trying to help, but the last thing I needed was a pity pack taking me on out of obligation. That was no life, and it would be downright painful when they found an omega of their own. Because I had no delusions that I’d ever be considered as such.
Either his voice fell quiet, or my pulse was thundering in my ears too loudly for me to hear his conversation. I didn’t realize I was hyperventilating until he was back in front of me, hands on the sides of my face, forcing me to look into the hazel eyes I knew so well.
“My friend is going to take you with him to Grove City. He’s in town for the night, and you can trust Ellis. He’s not like Dad or the guy that did this.”
My hands instinctively went to my stomach, and I nodded. If nothing else, this gave me a ride. I could always give him the address for the shelter when we got close to Grove City. Surely I could convince him to drop me off there.
“I’m going to grab you some money. Stay here,” Liam ordered before running out of my room. I took the opportunity to pull off my work clothes and put on a pair of yoga pants and an oversized sweater, tugging my dark brown hair into a messy bun. The pack swooping in wasn’t my pack, so I wasn’t here to impress. In fact, there was already no chance of that. My green eyes were dull and hollow, bags already forming underneath them from all the day’s tears. My shoulders were slumped, and I couldn’t find it in me to care. The most I did was swipe a bit of gloss over my lips and wipe off the mascara trails that lined my cheeks. I wasn’t entirely confident that the streaks wouldn’t be back at the slightest comment. My walls were down, and the numb was wearing off.
No sooner had I finished changing than Liam was sweeping back into the room, handing me a backpack and informing me that my ride was here. He grabbed my suitcases while I clung to the backpack like a life preserver.
My parents were nowhere in sight, though their arguing voices echoed from behind the firmly closed door of my father’s office. It was best for me to leave this way. They didn’t deserve to push their guilt onto me. I fucking hoped they choked on it, forced to live with the reminder they’d sold me out like a fucking possession.
When I stepped into the night air and spotted the dark SUV waiting for me, I knew that there was no going back.
This was my future now, and I had to do what I could to survive.
