Taming My Alpha Bully

Chapter 1 Outsider

Briar

The harsh beeping of my ancient alarm clock jolted me awake at 5:30 AM, same as every day. I groaned, fumbling to silence it before the noise carried through the paper-thin walls of my tiny attic room. The last thing I needed was to wake Damian or his parents – that was a surefire way to start the day with a verbal lashing or worse.

I'm Briar Ranger, the Moonfire Pack's only Omega, and life... well, it sucks.

Swinging my legs over the side of my narrow bed, I winced at the familiar ache in my joints. Another lovely perk of being an Omega – constant health issues that make every movement a challenge. I caught a glimpse of myself in the cracked mirror propped against the wall: pale skin, dark circles under my green eyes, and wild auburn curls that refused to behave. Great, I looked as crappy as I felt.

The floorboards creaked under my feet as I made my way to the tiny bathroom at the end of the hall. I had exactly seven minutes to shower before the hot water ran out – a fact I'd learned the hard way over the years. As I scrubbed quickly, I ran through my mental checklist for the day:

1.Make breakfast for the Alpha family

2.Clean the main rooms of the pack house

3.Do three loads of laundry

4.Mow the front lawn

...

And that was just the start. Being an Omega meant I was at the bottom of the pack hierarchy, responsible for all the menial tasks no one else wanted to do. It was exhausting, thankless work, but I didn't have a choice. This was my life, my burden to bear.

As I dressed in my usual uniform of baggy jeans and an oversize sweater, the better to hide my body and avoid unwanted attention. I thought about how I ended up here.

My father was once Alpha Aldric's most loyal Beta. And my mother was one of the strongest warriors in the Moonfire pack. But ten years ago, they died defending our pack from the attack of the rogue king, leaving my brother Finn and me behind. We were only children at the time. So Alpha Aldric took us into his pack house.

It should have been a blessing, but fate has a twisted sense of humor.

For a while, things weren't so bad. Damian, Finn, and I were inseparable, always getting into mischief around the pack lands. But then my Omega status emerged, and everything changed. Almost the entire pack looked at me with pity or contempt, and I was suddenly relegated to the role of pack servant.

And Damian, from that day on, treated me like the dirt beneath his feet. The boy who had once been my best friend had become my worst nightmare.

As if summoned by my thoughts, a deep voice boomed from the hallway, making me flinch. "Briar! Get your ass down here!"

Damian. Of course.

"Coming!" I called back, trying to keep the venom out of my voice. Rule number one of dealing with Damian: never let him see how much he affects you.

My heart raced as I hurried down the stairs, knowing that every second of delay would only make things worse.

Damian stood at the bottom, all six feet two inches of pure, muscled arrogance. His black hair was tousled from sleep, and he wore nothing but a pair of low-hanging sweatpants. My traitorous eyes couldn't help but trace the defined lines of his abs, the V of his hips disappearing beneath the waistband. It should be illegal to look that good and be such an ass.

His steel-gray eyes narrowed as they raked over me, and I felt a confusing mix of fear and... something else I didn't want to name.

"You're late," he growled, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "I told you to have my clothes ready for the pack meeting."

I bit my lip, tasting blood. "I'm sorry, I overslept and-"

His hand shot out, gripping my arm hard enough to bruise. "I don't want your pathetic excuses, Omega. You have one job in this house, and you can't even do that right."

I hated how my body reacted to his touch – a mix of fear and unwanted arousal. Damian was a jerk, a bully, and yet... my traitorous heart skipped a beat every time he was near.

"It won't happen again," I whispered, lowering my eyes.

He leaned in close, his hot breath fanning across my cheek. "See that it doesn't. Or next time, I might have to teach you a lesson you won't forget."

Damian released me with a shove, and I stumbled back, catching myself on the banister. "Get my clothes ready right after breakfast! And try not to f**k it up this time."

I scurried past him, my skin tingling where he'd touched me. In the kitchen, Alpha Aldric and his mate, Nova, were already seated at the grand oak table that could easily seat twelve.

"Good morning, Briar," Alpha Aldric said warmly. He was the only one in this house who ever showed me any kindness, though it was always tinged with pity.

"Good morning, Alpha," I mumbled, keeping my eyes down as I made my way to the ancient coffee maker in the corner – my one luxury in this house.

Nova's lip curled in distaste. "For Moon's sake, girl, speak up. And do something with that hair. You look like you've been dragged through a hedge backward."

I bit back a retort. It's not like I had time for beauty routines when I was too busy doing every chore in this house – cooking, cleaning, laundry. You name it, it fell to me.

Damian snickered. "Leave her be, Mom. Some people are just naturally... plain."

His words stung more than they should. I busied myself making toast, trying to ignore the prickling sensation of his gaze on my back. The kitchen, with its gleaming appliances and granite countertops, felt more like a battlefield than a place of nourishment.

"Damian, dear," Nova cooed, "Don't forget about the party next week. All the eligible she-wolves will be there. Maybe you'll finally find your mate."

Damian was already 21 years old this year, but he had not found his mate. Nova had been concerned about it, but Damian didn't seem to be in any hurry.

"Maybe," Damian drawled, and then continued to focus on his cell phone.

I was not interested in their conversation, so I put the breakfast down and left.

Even though Damian hasn't found his mate yet, there are always girls around him. If you ask me, it's better if Damien never finds his mate. Asshole men like Damien should end up alone. It's really bad luck for whoever is his mate.

In the laundry room, I found Damian clothes – a crisp white shirt and dark jeans that I knew would hug his muscular frame perfectly. My fingers trembled as I ironed them, my mind wandering to dangerous places.

I smoothed my hands over Damian's shirt, inhaling his scent – pine and musk and something uniquely him. My body warmed, and I cursed myself for the millionth time. Damn. Why did he have to smell so good?

"Admiring the merchandise, Omega?"

I yelped, nearly burning myself on the iron as Damian's voice cut through my thoughts. He leaned against the doorframe, a smirk playing on his unfairly perfect lips.

"N-no, I was just finishing up," I stammered, hating how he could reduce me to a bumbling mess with just a look.

He stalked towards me, predatory grace in every step. I backed up until I hit the wall, my breath catching as he caged me in with his arms.

"You know," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, "if you wanted to get your hands on me so badly, all you had to do was ask."

My face flamed. "I don't- that's not-"

His laugh was cruel and beautiful. "Please. I see the way you look at me when you think I'm not watching. It's pathetic, really. As if an Omega like you could ever be worthy of an Alpha."

The words stung, but not as much as the truth behind them. I did want him, and I hated myself for it.

"I'm not interested in you," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damian's eyes flashed, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in their depths. But it was gone before I could be sure.

He leaned in closer, his lips brushing my ear. "Liar," he breathed, and I couldn't stop the shiver that ran through me. "I can smell your arousal, little Omega. Your body betrays you."

I closed my eyes, mortified and turned on in equal measure. "Please..." I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was begging him to stop or to continue.

Just when I thought he might kiss me – or kill me, I wasn't sure which – he pulled back abruptly. "Get yourself together," he snapped. "You disgust me."

The words were like a bucket of ice water. I watched him storm out, taking my freshly ironed clothes with him, leaving me trembling and confused.

As the door slammed behind him, I slid down the wall, wrapping my arms around my knees. What was wrong with me? Why did I let him affect me like this?

This was my life. Stuck in a pack that didn't want me, living under the same roof as a guy who hated me but made my body burn with a single look.

A single tear slid down my cheek, and I brushed it away angrily. No more. I couldn't keep living like this, pining after someone who saw me as less than dirt.

Next week was my eighteenth birthday. My first shift. Maybe, just maybe, things will be different after that. I clung to that hope, fragile as it was, because it was all I had.

Little did I know, "different" didn't even begin to cover what was coming.