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“I’m getting there,” I assure her with a faint smile. “Deltas and gammas share a similar percentage of the population. Don’t ask me for exact numbers, because I have no idea. I think it’s more than alphas and mages. Anyways, all of this makes omegas rare. When they perfume, it’s exciting, new, and celebrated.”
“It goes to their heads,” she chimes in, her voice filled with understanding. “I get it.”
I nod, appreciating her insight. It’s much more complicated than a simple division of roles. Some omegas can be truly awful, and that’s why I’ve dreaded that gala I managed to avoid the entire year. “My sister was one of those omegas. She had a mean streak a mile wide.” I sigh as I pick up another square in the perfect shade of cream and set it aside.
“Well, they aren’t very humble. Any of them.” Violet’s eyes narrow in thought as she flips through her magazine. After a moment of silent contemplation, she holds up a picture of a slinky black lace dress, its fabric hugging every curve with long slits on either side. “What do you think of this?”
“I think it would look amazing against your skin tone,” I tell her, my excitement mirroring hers, but it isn’t real, because just sitting here going through fabric reminds me of Thea all overagain. Needing to talk it out, I continue, “When Thea presented as an omega, she packed her bags before our parents could even talk her out of it.”
Vee looks up, sadness in her eyes. “She wasn’t normal when I spent time with her,” she admits, reminding me of the time they were both held captive. Violet probably knows Thea better than I do now. She doesn’t often discuss her time as a captive, and I’ll never push her to do so. “She always seemed a little fractured. Her eyes had a wild look.”
“I’m sorry if she was ever mean to you.” I apologize on my sister’s behalf because I know how cruel she can be.
Violet shrugs and goes back to cutting out her picture without saying anything.
We sit in silence for a while, sorting through fabrics, pictures, and even celebrity nests. We make little piles of everything that catches our eye. Minnow doesn’t move from my lap, peacefully asleep. The only time we get up is to refill our glasses. Well, Violet gets up because Minnow yowls in protest when I move.
“I grew up two miles from here.” Violet breaks the silence. “Foster homes, abuse, and starvation were my norm until I decided to take life by the balls and become a stripper. I loved dancing, but when I got out of the labs, I couldn’t go back.”
My heart aches for her, imagining the hardships she’s endured. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, struggling to comprehend the difficulties she faced. Compared to Violet, I lived a sheltered life.
“It’s different to have others look at me like I deserve to exist. It’s all so fascinating,” she says, glancing at me from beneath thick black lashes. “It’s so different. Before, I had to fight just to eat, and now? Now I get to go to galas and balls and wear pretty clothing, and I’m...” She pauses, setting the magazine aside. “I’m wanted.”
Swallowing any lingering annoyance I may have about being an omega, I reach out and gently touch her knee. Omegas may be touchy, but not when it comes to other omegas offering comfort.
“Listen, Friday after I get back from visiting Thea, let me take you shopping,” I say with a bright smile. I’m determined to help her embrace this new life.
Violet looks up at me with wide eyes and nods slowly. “You’d do that for me?” There’s so much hope in her voice, I feel guilty that I haven’t gone to any of her monthly galas yet.
I nod firmly. “Hell yeah, I will,” I reply, trying not to think too much about the fact that I’m suggesting something so omega-like in public. I release an uncomfortable laugh that Violet politely ignores.
We finish, and Violet stretches her arms and lets out a big yawn before standing up to head back to her apartment. “Thanks for tonight,” she says with a soft smile and gives me a quick side hug. It’s a brief embrace, but it leaves a warm feeling on my skin, reminding me of how great it is to have someone like Violet as a friend.
As I watch her go, a dull throb settles in my chest. Omegas are the rarest of the designations and, in my opinion, we get the short stick as well. Some days, it feels like I’m trying to walk through water while keeping my head above the surface. I often feel like I’m drowning in my own thoughts. Being an omega isn’t all glamor and glitz. There are days when I just want to curl up and hide from the world, when the weight of it all feels suffocating, but then, there are days like this, when I get to hang out with a friend who wants the whole omega experience. We can openly chat about our struggles and fears, making us feel less alone. Moments like these make it all worth it.
While gathering the fabric and paper scraps, I come across a picture of my sister stuffed inside my old scrapbook. She’s warm and smiling, a stark contrast to the cold, ruthless woman shebecame. I wonder if having someone to talk to, someone who understood her, could have changed her path.
It’s a sobering thought, one that gives me hope. Maybe I can be that person for Violet, helping her navigate all things omega and preventing her from heading down a dark path.
Deep in thought, I tuck the picture away as Minnow stirs and jumps off my lap. It’s time for bed, and one of my favorite activities awaits—dreaming. Although I know whose face will fill my dreams as soon as my eyes close.
CHAPTER 4
Seraphina
As I grow older,I find myself revisiting the cherished memories of my childhood. Back then, my brother, Alexander, and sister, Thea, were my closest companions. We inhabited the untamed wilderness of northeast Terra, where playmates were a rarity, but for me, my siblings provided all the company I ever needed. Regrettably, Thea couldn’t say the same.
Alexander and I are twins, our bond running deep. Thea, our elder sister by a few years, possessed a different spirit. Her penchant for mischief was legendary, constantly daring us into reckless escapades that left our parents wringing their hands in worry.
“Hey, Seraphina, see that tree over there? I dare you to climb it,” she once challenged me. Without a second thought, I ascended the tree. Disaster struck when I plummeted to the ground, fracturing my arm as I desperately tried to break my fall. Mama had to summon the healer, who expertly reset my arm, but the pain lingered, and the memory of the ground rushing up to meet me haunted my dreams.
“Lex, the swamp is teeming with creatures sporting razor-sharp teeth, and I lost my favorite bracelet. Can you retrieve itfor me?” Thea’s request sent Lex on a perilous journey into the swamp, where he faced the wrath of a vicious swamp lizard that bit him. It resulted in a week-long ordeal of treatment by the healer, battling a nasty infection.
My recollections of those days don’t paint Thea in the best light. We always had a hunch that she would perfume early, which she did. She possessed an innate desire to push boundaries, challenge limits, and test the patience of everyone around her. Despite the hard lessons Lex and I learned from her reckless antics, it did little to curb her daring spirit.
My love for Dorothea is complex and unique to the bond of siblings. It is a love that persisted despite her being a troublemaker. Love didn’t necessitate liking or condoning her actions, but it remained steadfast regardless of her choices. That didn’t mean I liked her.
Quite the opposite.
