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“They’re always quick to put me on the front page, whether good or bad, but I suppose that’s the name of the game, is it not? What really matters is that you, my investors, the important people in North Harbor, are supporting me. We are the ones leading this town and our state. Putting me in office is the smart way to go. Do you truly think that Carlisle will give you any of the benefits I can? He can’t possibly understand the struggle of the elite.”
This was a room full of first-world problems.
“Speaking of the competition, what do you think of Brandon Carlisle? He seems to be a community favorite.” Several quiet gasps echoed at the asker’s audacity. I, however, was glad they’d asked. I needed to know everything I could from every angle.
Carlisle was a name I was familiar with. He was an activist who spoke out for people. He was inclusive and actually seemed to care. This wasn’t just a game to him, or at least it appeared like he genuinely cared about his platform and the change he could potentially bring.
There were candidates running, but they weren’t quite on the opposite sides of the spectrum like these two were.
Carlisle was the type of person that I would have wholeheartedly supported in my past life. He wasn’t going to let omegas take even more hits like Burke had planned.
A pang of annoyance and guilt hit me. I hated this feeling that I was betraying myself. For a brief moment, I wondered if I should just turn myself in, tell the authorities what happened that night and see if that would be enough to save me, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The alpha who’d hurt me deserved what he got, and I’d come too far to turn back now.
I busied myself with cutting a small piece of steak and sipping my champagne while they talked about how delusional Carlisle was. I listened, never quite leaning into the conversation. I didn’t want to seem like I was watching too eagerly, waiting for the right words to drop.
However, I should have known better. Burke was not a stupid man. He wasn’t going to spill his secrets to these people. Based on his sideways glances and hidden annoyance, he didn’t trust them at all. This dinner was simply a transaction.
“We’re in this together. This isn’t just about me. It’s about our community, and we are the leaders here. The tax breaks that I’m offering to the state would benefit most, if not all, of you.”
“You’re getting a lot of outrage for the extra help you’re giving alpha-led businesses,” the beta woman I’d met earlier stated.
Burke sat back in his chair and spread his hands imperiously. “They can stay mad. The laws, the heat breaks, it’s all backed up by research. It’s scientifically proven that alphas were born to be leaders. Everyone is taking it wrong, acting as if I’m saying omegas are worthless, but that’s far from the truth. Everyone in our society has a purpose, but that doesn’t mean everyone deserves to be in the position that we are.”
As I looked around, I realized that many of the other omegas and betas in the room seemed submissive. Either their eyes were cast downward, or they appeared meek. Only one woman had been bold enough to question him.
My blood was boiling at the fact that he thought we were useless as leaders because we needed two damn weeks a year for our heats. It wasn’t just the omegas! Alphas, at least the ones who were worthy of their titles, took off to join their omegas. Hell, betas too.
And heat aside, brute strength and the lack of heat did not exactly give them the morals and compassion to be a good leader.
“Imagine having an omega leading a business like ours,” someone scoffed. “Oh no, a big board meeting is coming up. Too bad our omega leader went into heat! Somebody else has to step in and do their job for them. For anentireweek.”
At that moment, I felt even worse for the omegas in their lives. I couldn’t imagine going through a heat alone because their alpha was simply too busy running a business to give a fuck about them.
“The only good omega is a pregnant one,” someone else said, followed by another round of mocking laughter.
I couldn’t help but glance at his wife. She let her hands drift down to her belly. I shouldn’t have been surprised to find out she was pregnant, though they hadn’t announced anything. A secret baby was big news, and a new father was a great angle politically.
After this conversation, I only wanted to leave, but I couldn’t. I had to sit through dessert and cocktails while pretending that I agreed with their outdated views. How was it possible that in this day and age people still saw omegas as nothing but breeders?
It was disgusting.
The group continued to inflate their own egos and fluff each other. More than a few handshakes went around, with business deals casually made with the clink of a glass. These men knew what they were doing. This was just another opportunity for them to use each other as stepping stones in a fight for who would come out on top.
Henry Burke watched it all, standing at the head of the room, looking proud as if he’d orchestrated this all himself, and in a way, he had. He’d built an environment in which these types of men could thrive.
And here I was, helping them get ahead.
I’d never hated myself more.
ChapterFive
Bailey
“Come, Bailey, we have a little field trip awaiting us,” Burke called out. Eyes shifted to me, and I quickly packed up, knowing better than to question him when he was set on something.
The dinner party a few days ago had made the senator notice me even more, to the point that he greeted me before anyone else when he walked into the office. My coworkers clearly noticed, which didn’t work in my favor. Or at least it wouldn’t if I cared about being Miss Congeniality.
“Do I need anything specific for it, sir?” I asked as he walked closer, shrugging on his navy blue blazer and buttoning it.
