The Alpha's Fated Swap

Elara Being a single mom working 14 straight hours a day was hard enough , but it was even worse when I witnessed my ex-husband and his mistress french kiss in front of me. The woman ironically was one of the nurses who helped deliver my baby. I did everything I could to stay away from them. But the shove came before I could brace myself, sending me sprawling into a bucket of water. My uniform was soaked through already by the time Olivia strutted past me without so much as a glance back. On days like today, when the hospital was already busy enough as it was due to an Alpha coming to visit, having to deal with Olivia’s bullying was the last thing I wanted. I just wanted to do my job and get paid, but she always had a knack of getting in the way of that. As if on cue, Olivia stopped and turned, smirking down at where I was kneeling on the marble floor. “Well, well. Look who’s all wet again. I almost didn’t recognize you there, Elara.” I rolled my eyes and pushed myself to my feet, dusting off my apron. “You recognized me perfectly well.” Olivia simply huffed and checked her nails. In the same motion, she flipped her hair back, oh-so-casually flaunting a rather shiny diamond ring. The wedding ring that once belonged to me. “Have you heard from Mason recently?” she cooed. The mention of my ex-husband’s name made my shoulders stiffen. I had divorced him two years ago, and still it seemed I couldn’t get away from him no matter how hard I tried. Before I could answer, Olivia continued, “Just thought you might want to know that I’ve been getting real cozy with him since your pregnancy days. In fact, things are getting so serious that he just gave me this.” She touched the ring with a perfectly-manicured finger and smirked, her eyes gleaming. “Funny,” I said, grabbing the overturned bucket. “Last I recall, he was deeply in debt. But I guess a ring like that could be a good way to distract you from the fact that he can't even afford to buy you a new ring.” Olivia’s eyes flashed, but her smirk grew. “Actually, he’s been doing a lot better since he dumped your sorry ass. He’s paid off all his debts, made some good connections. He’s no longer being dragged down by you. Plus, I’m a high-society lady by now.” I couldn’t hide my snort. “Right. Good luck with that,” I replied bitterly, turning on my heel to leave. Mason was once my world, my security, my true love. He was the father of my child. But apparently, I wasn’t nearly as important to him, and neither was our baby, Zoe. He cheated on me with Olivia not long after the birth, while I was still recovering. Because I guess having to wait six weeks to have s*x with your wife, who literally just pushed a baby out of her body, is too long for guys like Mason. He said all kinds of awful things about me too, claiming that I had gained too much pregnancy weight, that I was lazy, that the hormones made me insane. That was two years ago, though. After walking away without a dime to my name and a mountain of debt thanks to Mason, I scraped by every day to support my baby all on my own. I was surviving without him—without anyone, really. I don't need to hear anything about my cruel cheater of an ex. And besides, I had work to do today. The hospital needed to be sparkling, because an Alpha was coming. Not just any Alpha. Alpha Alaric Donovan, the most powerful magnate in the entire werewolf world. He was also named as the “world’s hottest single dad” on the cover of Werewolf Weekly for the past six years straight, but that was beside the point. Interestingly, though, Alpha Alaric’s child had been switched at birth with someone else's child in this very hospital. Allegedly.  That was why he was coming today: he was searching for the person that supposedly took his biological child, and even offering a hefty reward for whoever found that person. But that was hardly my business. l picked up my mop and tried to get away from Olivia. “You know, that cleaning uniform suits a lowly Omega like you.” Olivia, however, didn’t appear to be quite finished with me. To top it off, she smacked the ink bottle from the reception desk onto the floor. “Oops.” As if it were an accident. I stopped, gritting my teeth. My hand itched to whirl around and whack her over that pretty head of hers with my mop, but I controlled myself. Maybe two years ago, I would have had the balls to do something like that. I used to be the type to not take any s**t from anyone, to stand up for myself no matter the consequences. But things change. Having a baby, raising that baby all by yourself while battling crippling debt and rising costs of living, and working low-paying, insecure jobs will do that to a person. Losing my job was the last thing I needed right now, and it would only satisfy Olivia even more to see that happen. “I know what you’re trying to do,” I said instead, slowly turning to face her once more. “You’re just trying to egg me on. You’ve already made several false complaints about me to the cleaning company, and now this. But I’m not going to let you make me get fired.” Olivia pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest. It seemed I had struck a nerve. She had been trying to get me fired since my first day here. And even before that, when I worked as a waitress or a barista, she would follow me and try to ruin things for me. Apparently, sleeping with my husband and the father of my child wasn’t enough for her. She needed to see me truly suffer, for whatever reason She scoffed. “I’m just pointing out the obvious,” she said coolly, gesturing to my cleaning uniform. “as if the nice dresses Mason always bought for you ever suited your frumpy self.” I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I knew that I was no great beauty around these parts due to my curly, “unruly” brown hair, gray eyes, curvy “mom” body, and that pesky patch of vitiligo on my neck. But at least I was real. I didn’t feel the need to inject my face with fillers and fry my hair with bleach like Olivia.  “Like your pumped up lips and brittle hair are anything to be desired,” I laughed before I could stop myself. I turned to leave again, waving at her over my shoulder. “You and Mason really are a perfect match; trash loves trash.” The slap came immediately. Olivia, eyes flashing dangerously, moved with a speed I didn’t even know she possessed, her hand swinging toward me. I hardly even had time to stumble backwards, raising my arm to shield myself. Before her hand could connect with my face, a deep, commanding voice boomed down the corridor. “Leave her alone.” Olivia’s face paled as she saw whoever was standing behind me. She quickly lowered her hand, a look of terror flickering through her eyes. I turned, stunned, and met a pair of deep brown eyes staring at me from beneath a stern, dark brow and neatly-swept dark hair. It's Alpha Alaric. And he had just saved me from Olivia’s cruelty.