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Prologue
AllIwantforChristmas is an escape.
Away from Solstice Bay. Away from the ugly games my father played to try and keep hold of power. Away from his blood money.
Away from it all.
And Sanctuary Summit is about as far as you can get.
I use my father's blood money to hire a pilot to fly me out of the Solstice Bay airport, leaving the ruins behind and crossing the beautiful, dense forests of what used to be the United States. I watch through the window with a glass of champagne in my hand as snow dusts the landscape...then as the flat plains turn into foothills, then mountains.
And here I am.
The Rockies.
The pilot lets me out on the landing pad, and a staff of betas come out to get my bags. The wind whips my dark hair around my face, and I brush it out of my eyes to look up at the resort with its twinkling lights, snow-capped rooftops, icicles hanging from the gables.
My holiday retreat: Sanctuary Summit. An omegas-only resort where we can ride out our holiday heat in comfort and pleasure. This is where I'll forget about my old life in Solstice Bay and start over, ringing in the New Year with people like me.
Broken dolls with nowhere else to go.
Chapter one
Emma
Icamehereexpectingat least a retreat, but I'm starting to think I'll actually enjoy myself.
"Just in time to beat the blizzard," the hostess says as she checks me in. "You're going to love it here--promise."
I stand at the front desk with a single giant suitcase, my fur coat draped over my shoulders, a red scarf cozy around my neck. Omegas walk around in various winter clothes, some in coats as they come in from the slopes, others in luxurious sweaters and scarves. A few of them are accompanied by betas, but I don't see a single alpha here.
"Where are all the alphas?" I ask. "I thought you had a few on staff."
The omega behind the desk, a redhead about my age, nods. "We do--fewbeing the operative word," she says. "They have their own dorms off-site, and they're confined to the Heat Spa when they're here in the resort. Some work out on the slopes as ski instructors as well. The only alpha you'll probably see during your stay outside of those spots is the groundskeeper, Callum, but he's been thoroughly vetted."
I nod along with her as if I'm remotely used to this, when I've spent my whole life surrounded by alphas who were allowed to do whatever they wanted to omegas. "Oh," I say, nodding. "Okay. Great. That's good to hear."
"ID?"
She takes my ID and looks it over, then her brows rise in understanding. "Ah--you're from Solstice Bay?"
I nod, her eyes flickering up to mine.
"That...makes a lot of sense," she murmurs. "I don't mean it in a bad way, it's just--things are different here. You're going to be very pleased with your stay."
I feel a little stupid, and I can feel my cheeks flushing bright red. "Um...is there anything specific I should know?"
"Yes, actually," she says. "Let me give you a tour."
She passes off control of the desk to her co-worker and has me leave my suitcase in the lobby, then she comes out to join me.
"I'm Isla, by the way," she says. "I'm one of the Summit's desk managers, and you can find us at any time in the lobby. We run a twenty-four/seven operation here at the Summit."
"Thanks, I will," I say. "Do you do this for everyone or...?"
She shakes her head. "I'm actually from Solstice Bay," she says with a tight smile. "So I get it. It can be a bit of an adjustment getting used to the way things are here."
"And how's that?"
