Broken Omega No More

CHAPTER FOUR: It's About Time!

I move deftly around the large dining table, carrying a tray laden with food and drinks. I place a bowl of stew before Zaide, while my gaze flickers to Tara, who’s seated next to him. Her hand lingers just a moment too long on his arm.

My heart sinks despite my resolve to remain detached.

I try to focus, refilling glasses and making sure plates are never empty, but the way Zaide and Tara lean into each other, the giggles and shared smiles, gnaw at me.

As I turn to make my way to the next seat, Tara intentionally catches my foot with hers. I stumble, the tray tilting precariously. The plates and glasses slide from their places, the food and wine splatter across the pristine tablecloth.

I hit the floor hard, my knees and palms smarting from the impact. Laughter erupts around me, cruel and mocking. Tara’s chuckle is the loudest.

Zaide stares at me stoically. He doesn’t move to help, doesn’t offer a word of comfort or reprimand. He just simply watches.

My cheeks burn with humiliation as I scramble to gather the broken plates and glasses. I don’t see the Chief Omega approaches until her shadow looms over me.

“What a disgrace,” the Chief Omega’s voice is sharp, dripping with disdain. “You’re so clumsy.”

“Apologize!” Pierce, who’s sitting alongside the other high officials of the pack chimes in.

I push myself to my feet. My knees wobble, but I steady myself, a spark of defiance igniting within me. “No, I won’t apologize.”

A murmur of shock ripples.

The Chief Omega’s eyes narrow, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Excuse me?”

“I said no,” I repeat, louder this time. I turn my gaze to Tara, who’s watching with amusement. “It wasn’t my fault. Tara tripped me.”

Tara’s eyes widen in feigned innocence. “How dare you accuse me! I did no such thing!”

The high officials’ mocking grins are replaced by angry mutters and glares directed at me.

“I’m telling the truth. Tara did it on purpose. She—”

Before I can finish, Tara’s hand snatches up her wine glass and splashes its contents across my face. The cold liquid stings my eyes, dripping down my cheeks and soaking into my uniform.

“Kneel down and apologize,” she demands, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I shake my head, my voice steady. “I won’t.”

Tara poises to deliver a slap that I brace myself for. But it never comes. A strong hand catches her wrist mid-air, stopping her with a firm grip.

It’s a man I’ve not seen before. He wears a silver and black military uniform, not one of our pack but of a different one.

“That’s enough,” he says, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority.

“Who do you think you are?” Tara hisses, trying to pull her wrist free. “This is none of your business.”

“It became my business the moment you tried to strike her. Now, return to your seat and show some manners.”

For a tense moment, it seems Tara may defy him, but then she yanks her arm away and sits down.

The room falls silent, the high officials watching with surprise.

The man turns to me, his expression softening. “Are you alright?”

I nod.

He then offers me his arm, and I take it gratefully. Together, we walk toward the kitchen.

“Thank you for stepping in,” I say. “I’m Stacey.”

“I’m Colt Woods from the Shadow Howling Pack,” he replies. “Your new appointed Main Alpha invited my pack’s leaders here as guests, but they couldn’t come. So they ordered me on their behalf.”

The Shadow Howling pack is known far and wide, their influence and power rivaling even that of my own pack. Colt must be someone of significant importance if his leaders trusted him to come here, and if neither Tara nor Pierce, and even Zaide himself, dared to stop him from helping me.

Colt reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crisp white handkerchief, offering it to me. “Here. To clean up the wine.”

I take the handkerchief and dab it to my face and neck.

“Has this kind of treatment always been your norm?” Colt asks. “The way they acted tonight—it was unacceptable.”

The kindness in his eyes is disarming, but I can’t afford to let my guard down completely.

“You don’t have to answer me if you’re uncomfortable, but I can’t stand by and see someone mistreated,” he says. He turns and walks back to the dining area. But before disappearing, he adds, “If I were you, I'd leave. You don’t deserve any of these.”

If I were you, I’d leave. You don’t deserve any of these…

Colt’s advice keeps echoing in my head even hours after the incident, giving me more confidence.

He’s right! Enough is enough! I won’t sacrifice my freedom for the fear of the unknown anymore. It's time to leave, it’s time to truly live.

Midnight - the clock finally says.

With cautious steps, I creep out of the basement. The silence of the house amplifies every creak and groan of the old wood beneath my feet.

But, as I slip out the back door, a voice halts me from my tracks.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I whirl around to see Tara, her arms crossed and her eyebrow raised in suspicion. Panic surges through me.

“Please, let me go,” I beg.

Tara’s expression shifts from anger to intrigue. “What do you mean… let you go?”

“I’ll leave the pack and will never return.”

Tara’s expression softens. In a tone I've never heard from her before, she says, “Then, I’ll help you.”

What?!

I’m skeptical. Why would Tara want to help so suddenly?

But then I realize Tara’s motive. If I leave the pack, Tara will have Zaide all to herself, without the threat of my child complicating things.

Besides, I need her in this plan. She’s the daughter of the Chief Beta and now the fiancee of the Alpha, therefore, she can easily come in and go out of the pack’s territory at any hour without being questioned.

After a moment’s hesitation, I finally nod.

“Hide in the trunk of my car,” she suggests.

The small space is barely large enough to accommodate me. I have no idea where Tara is taking me, but as long as I can just get out of this place, it doesn't matter.

Finally, after what feels like half an hour of drive, the car stops. The trunk clicks open, and.Tara’s face appears above me.

“We’re outside the pack’s territory. You’re free to go.”

I climb out, blinking against the dim light of flickering lamp posts, surrounding the secluded and eerie bridge. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself against the cold.

All of a sudden,...

A sharp blow whacks my back, catching me off guard. I stumble forward, catching myself on the rusty railing of the bridge.

“What are you doing?!” I gasp, turning to face Tara.

Tara’s eyes burn with a fierce, unyielding hatred.

“Making sure you will never really come back!” she hisses, pushing me closer to the edge.

I try to fight back, but Tara’s determination and rage are overpowering. Her hands claw at me, and I’m losing ground. I struggle, kicking and grabbing at her arms, but her grip is like iron.

In a final, desperate push, Tara shoves me over the edge. And I scream my lungs out, my hands flailing as I fall, the icy wind rushing past me. I plunge into the cold, unforgiving river, the shock of the frigid water knocking the breath from my lungs.

I fight to stay afloat, my arms and legs thrashing against the powerful current.

I can’t die, I can’t let my baby die!

My vision blurs as I struggle, my lungs burning for air. The current drags me deeper, spinning me around, disorienting me. When the cold and exhaustion finally become too much, my movements slow down, my limbs become heavy as lead.

Darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision, and I feel myself slipping away. And then,... There’s nothing.

Is this death?