The Alphas Omegas

Painful memories

Angel

I swallow hard while staring at myself in the mirror. It has been fifteen months since I saw Brayden, and I have tried so hard to put behind me what happened. Then he turns up on my doorstep like a ghost in the night.

I don’t know what to feel or think. Brayden says he came to make things right, and perhaps he did. But he came here for Xavier; I am just an afterthought.

My life with my siblings was torturous. I have six older siblings and three younger, two sisters, and seven brothers, but only my youngest sister ever cared about me. Being the only Omega with six Alpha siblings and three Betas, it was worse than hell.

I remember many awful days with my siblings. But what I remember the most is how vile Brayden was to me every damn day. I was kid.napped when I was thirteen by a madman looking for my cousin’s mate. That man held me captive for over twenty-six hours before I was rescued. However, during those hours, I was subjected to abus.e no child should ever have to endure. I was never the same, and I stopped talking because I couldn’t cope. That didn’t stop Brayden’s bullying me. Finding my mate on my eighteenth birthday didn’t even stop him.

Cyro had just left me the morning after to run some errands. I was walking without looking where I was going, a massive smile on my face. Cyro was my eldest sister’s best friend, and I had loved him all my life. Finding out Cyro was my mate brought me happiness I never believed I could feel again.

However, I stupidly bumped into Brayden in the hallway. I wasn’t looking where I was going because I was daydreaming about Cyro.

‘Are you so fuc.king retarde.d that you can’t even look where you’re going?’

I remember swallowing hard without making eye contact. I learned long ago that unless Brayden demanded eye contact, don’t give it; it never ended well.

I didn’t understand why he hated me so much. I had never done anything wrong, nothing that would excuse my brother’s behavior towards me, at least.

‘Do you have any idea what your little victim act last night did to Mom?’

Brayden was referring to my suic.ide attempt the previous night. I was all sorts of messed up from past trauma and just wanted out. Then I realized Cyro was my mate and feared he would reject me. It was my birthday, and I didn’t want to go through rejection. I couldn’t take any more pain and humiliation. So I took myself to the bridge a mile away and threw myself off it. However, Cyro saved me. He told me never to let go, and he had always loved me. He needed me, and the Goddess above knew that I needed him.

In my state of confusion, I hadn’t realized what trying to take my own life would mean for my family. I knew my parents loved me as they loved my siblings. They never treated me as less than because of my Omega status. But I was in too much emotional turmoil to think about anyone but myself.

I bit the inside of my cheek and shook my head. But as I shook my head, I knew I was lying to myself. Mom is a strong woman, but ever since my kidna.p, she blamed herself for everything. Whenever I did something stupi.d, she broke a little more.

I gasped in shock as Brayden slammed me back against the wall. ‘Look at me, freak,’ I did look at him, he was an Alpha, and I had no choice but to obey. ‘You disgust me, and I am so sick of you hurting Mom with your selfish actions.’

My stomach turned over with fear. It was not right that I was so afraid of my brother, but he had never given me a reason not to be.

‘When Cyro rejects you, which he will, I’ll be there to watch you fall. No man could truly want a filthy Omega like you, not even Cyro Adams. Why couldn’t you have just killed yourself? Why the fuc.k do you have to pretend and cause Mom so much pain? You’re nothing but an attention-seeking bitc.h!’

His words cut me to the bone, and I couldn’t help the stuttering sob that escaped me.

“Brayden, what the hell?!” I didn’t avert my eyes from Brayden; it would have been suici.de to do so. Not even when Alessia grabbed his arm did I turn my eyes away. ‘Leave her alone!’

‘Let go of my arm, Alessia.’

Alessia let go of Brayden’s arm but didn’t stop scowling. Of all my siblings, Alessia was the only one who loved me without question.

‘Why are you being so horrible? Angel is our sister.’

‘Because Mom was too stupid to have an abortion.’

Alessia’s mouth dropped in shock, but I was used to Brayden saying those things.

How sad was that?

Alessia was fourteen, the baby of the family, and though she was a Beta, she was not afraid to stand up to our Alpha siblings.

‘You vile pig!’ She yelled so loudly it hurt my ears. ‘Why are you always picking on Angel? Why can’t you leave her alone?’ Tears pricked at my little sister’s eyes, hurting my heart.

I wished I could reach out and take her hand, but Brayden was liable to break my jaw if I moved. I didn’t heal as quickly as everyone else, and a broken jaw was painful as hell to me. It was not like he hadn’t done it before, then Aaron, our brother, made me lie about it upon pain of death.

Both Aaron and Brayden laughed at the sight of my face the day Brayden broke my jaw. My jaw was hanging, and I was crying in pain. I wanted my mommy, but Brayden mocked me and told me that Mommy wasn’t coming. I was eleven, Brayden was fourteen, and Aaron was thirteen, and they had done nothing but hurt me for years. Breaking my jaw, however, was a new thing.

Brayden had punched me so hard in the face, all because he didn’t like that I’d asked if I could play with him and Sienna. No one wanted me around, and Brayden dragged me off to punish me. Aaron followed and started laughing when he saw me slumping on the floor. He congratulated Brayden for what he’d done, and they even high-fived.

Aaron then crouched down and told me I better tell Mom and Dad I’d fallen down the stairs. I wouldn’t live to see the next day if they discovered the truth. He got to his feet and yelled for Mom and Dad, who came running. Mom fussed over me while she cried, and Dad shot Brayden and Aaron looks before releasing his vampire fangs, biting his wrist, and forcing drops of his blood into my mouth. I screamed as my jaw snapped back into place, Dad’s blood healing me instantly. Being half Vampire helped when it came to such things.

I have always tried to stay out of their way since that day. I didn’t manage so well until the kidna.p, after that, they gave me a reprieve for almost a year. After that, they returned to verbally bullying me and only occasionally physically hurting me.

‘You’ll understand when you’re older.’ Brayden replied to Alessia’s question. Alessia shook her head at Brayden while sniffing. I stupidly reached my hand towards her to comfort her, and Brayden snapped. That was all it ever took. ‘The fuc.k do you think you’re doing?!’ Even if I could answer him, he didn’t give me a chance. Brayden slammed his fist into my stomach, knocking the air out of me.

I gasped for air, fighting with my lungs as I willed them to fill. I couldn’t breathe, the pain was too much, and all I wanted was to crumble to the floor and curl up in a ball. But Brayden had other ideas.

He grabbed my throat, pinning me to the wall and squeezing hard. I couldn’t breathe and could feel the blood pressure in my eyes. Alessia was now sobbing, and Brayden was growling in my face. I thought I was really going to die that day.

‘You fuc.king dare to touch my sister?’

I wanted to scream that she was my sister too, but I couldn’t. I was nothing and nobody, and even my brother hated my existence.

‘Stop it, Brayden!’ My heart ached for Alessia, but Brayden didn’t seem to care.

I wondered if Alessia wasn’t here, would Brayden kill me?

It was not the first time I had thought about it, and it was not the first time I had wished for it.

I hated that Alessia was there to see what Brayden was doing. My baby sister was the only one of my siblings who had never hurt me. Alessia had always tried to be friendly, even when the others would drag her away from me as if I had a killer disease.

I closed my eyes as the hand on my neck got tighter. I could feel the blood pressure rising in my eyes, and the oxygen was being cut off to my brain.

I could hear voices all around me, but the blood was pumping too hard in my ears for me to make out what they were saying.

Brayden suddenly let go of me, and I crumpled to the floor. My hearing rushed back to me instantly, making my head throb as I gasped for air.

I looked at those around me and saw my parents, Uncle Luther and Auntie Jenna, Josh, and Cyro.

Mom leaned down beside me, tears in her eyes. ‘Baby girl,’ She stroked my face, and I cringed. I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t bear even my mother’s touch. She bit her lip to ward off the quiver, and I hated that she was upset because of me again.

Alessia ran to Dad as Cyro attacked Brayden. I was so scared of what would happen that I sucked in a shuddering breath. No one was doing anything to stop the two from fighting. Now my other brothers seemed to have come out of nowhere.

What if they all attacked Cyro?

Cyro was strong but wouldn’t stand a chance against five Alphas and two Betas.

‘Enough!’ Dad yelled, instantly stopping Cyro and Brayden mid-attack using his Alpha tone. ‘What the hell is going on?’

Brayden opened his mouth to speak, but Alessia beat him to it. ‘Cyro was just protecting Angel from Brayden.’

‘What do you mean?’

Alessia looked up at Dad. ‘Brayden was saying mean things and calling Angel names. Then he hit Angel and choked her. I thought he was going to kill her.’ She sobbed while burying her face in Dad’s chest.

All eyes shot to me as I pulled myself up along the wall. Cyro rushed to me, taking my face and checking me for injury. His eyes were stormy, and I let go of a sob.

Cyro pulled me into his arms and kissed my head. ‘Shh, baby. I’m so sorry that I wasn’t here to protect you.’

I kissed his cheek to tell him I didn’t blame him for anything. Then I rested my head on his shoulder as he held me close. I was safe in Cyro’s arms; I knew that I was.

‘Angel, are you okay?’ I nodded at my father without looking at him. I didn’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes.

‘No, she’s not okay!’ Mom yelled while letting go of a sob.

‘What the fuc.k did you think you were doing?’ Dad gritted through his teeth. I didn’t hear Brayden answer, so he likely shrugged as though he didn’t care.

‘I can’t take this anymore,’ I heard my Mom sob again, breaking my heart further. ‘Why do you keep hurting your sister, Brayden?’

‘Because I fuckin’ hate the sight of it!’

IT, that’s all I had ever been to that man.

‘How could you be so cruel? You know, I am a terrible mother,’

‘What? Gianna, you are a wonderful mother.’

Mom shook her head at Jenna. ‘I’m not. From the moment Angel was born, the others have been cruel to her. It wasn’t just the verbal crap they spat at her but the physical abuse they forced her to cover up. What kind of mother am I that I didn’t stop those things from happening?’

‘Baby,’ Dad mumbled; softly while wrapping his arm around my mother’s shoulder.

‘For fuc.k sakes!’ Brayden yelled, and I cringed.

Everyone argued back and forth, and I clung to Cyro. ‘Go upstairs,’ He whispered in my ear. ‘Pack some of your things. It’s time I got you out of here.’

I looked up at him. ‘What do you mean?’

He smiled at the fact I just spoke to him again through our mind link. ‘You’re my mate, and I’m taking you home with me.’

‘You are not taking my daughter out of here!’ Dad yelled, making me jump. I should have known my father would hear Cyro’s words.

Cyro turned us both to face everyone. ‘She’s my mate, and I have every right to take her with me. Do you honestly think I’d leave Angel here after what your son just did? Look at the state of her neck and eyes! Bruised and bloodshot at the hands of her older brother. She’s not even safe in her own fuc.king home! So I’m taking her back to my pack.’

I could see that my father was an inch away from killing my mate. But Uncle Luther grabbed Dad’s arm. ‘Lorcan, if they’re mates, then it’s Cyro’s right to take Angel with him. I know it’s not what you want, but fuc.k me, he’s right; Angel isn’t safe here. Just how many times has this happened?’

Dad scrubbed his hands over his tired face. It was not his fault that his sons behaved that way toward me; he tried to stop it years ago. But Brayden and Aaron just got more intelligent as they got older.

‘Who says she’s even Dad’s? I mean, look at her. She looks like Mom, but I don’t see Dad in her. That and she’s a filthy Omega,’

‘I was an Omega before I married Luther!’ Auntie Jenna shouted in annoyance.

Suddenly, with the speed of a predator, Dad had Brayden pinned to the wall by his neck. ‘You wanna say that again?’ Brayden shook his head, eyes wide. ‘You ever make remarks like that about your mother again, and I’ll kill you, son or no son.

‘I am sick to the back teeth of you and the way you behave. All the bruises, the bumps, the accidents Angel has had; now I know they were because of you. Your Mom’s right; you’ve been mistreating my baby girl for years, haven’t you?’

Brayden said nothing, defiant to the end.

‘Cyro?’

‘Yeah?’

Dad didn’t look away from Brayden as he spoke. ‘Take Angel to her room and help her pack. She’ll be leaving with you shortly. Meet me in my office in ten minutes.’ Dad looked at me and smiled slightly. ‘Go with Cyro, princess. I have something to deal with before we say goodbye.’

I hesitated momentarily, knowing that Dad would finally punish Brayden for what he’d done to me over the years. I couldn’t help feeling a little guilty, but the sneer Brayden threw my way made up my mind. I was leaving with my mate right now.

The people of Midnight Moon accepted me without question. I was a good Luna, I am a good Luna, and I spent months there without returning home. I had nothing to go home for, and my parents and Alessia visited me often.

However, I got brave one day and decided to go home for a visit. I had just found out I was pregnant and couldn’t wait to share the news with my parents. Cyro was busy with pack business, and I thought I’d be okay alone. But I wasn’t okay, nor was anyone else for a long time.

As I walked towards the packhouse, I saw Brayden and Aaron standing against a wall to the side of the building. I had hoped to enter the house without them noticing me, but luck was not on my side that day.

‘What the f**k are you doing back here?’ Brayden demanded.

‘We thought we’d seen the last of you.’ Aaron added.

I didn’t say anything. I may have begun speaking to mate, but I still wasn’t ready to talk to anyone else. I wasn’t sure I would ever be at that point, especially regarding these two.

‘She’s still a dumb bitc.h. That mark on her neck,’ Brayden pointed to my mate mark. ‘Hasn’t taught her shi.t!’ He stepped toward me, and for the first time, I didn’t flinch, nor did I avert my eyes.

Having been marked by Cyro, who became an Alpha after taking over Midnight Moon, I became an Alpha. I was no different than these fuc.kers any longer.

‘I asked you a question, retard. Why the fuc.k are you here?’ I gritted my back teeth as anger swelled through me. ‘Are you seriously growling at me?’

I didn’t know that I was, but I could see that Athena, my wolf, was making her presence known from the look on both Brayden’s and Aaron’s faces. It served them, right!

I saw Brayden’s fist coming toward me, and I dodged it. He growled angrily, but before he could grab me, I slammed my hands against his temples, releasing my power. It was time this fuc.ker knew what pain was.

Brayden screamed as I opened my mind, allowing him to see and feel every ounce of pain inflicted upon me my whole life. All the verbal, mental, and physical torture this man put me through, everything anyone ever put me through, I forced upon him.

I didn’t know I could do such a thing, show someone everything. I had never gone so far back before, but I was doing it and wouldn’t stop. I wouldn’t until Brayden took everything I had to give.

The wind surrounded us, and light emanated from my chest. Brayden fell to his knees, screaming in agony, but I didn’t let go. Blood poured from his nose, and his screams were no longer audible.

I felt Aaron’s hand on my arm, and instantly, I let go of Brayden and slammed my hands against Aaron’s head. He could feel this too; he could also take some of this Goddess-forsaking pain from me!

Screams came from Aaron, but I didn’t let go. I didn’t let go when I felt the blood pouring from my nose or trickling from my eyes. I could feel blood pushing its way up my throat, but I forced it back.

Someone called to me, but the sound was coming from afar, or it felt that way. They were telling me that they loved me, and they wanted me to let go. But I couldn’t let go; I didn’t know how. I was so lost in grief that I felt like I’d killed my brothers.

They may have hurt me all my life, but I didn’t want them dead.

What the hell would I do when all of this was over?

My wolf was begging me to let go, to stop this madness. But I couldn’t answer her because I was frozen and slowly bleeding from every orifice.

Suddenly, a voice I was not used to filled my head. ‘Angelica, you can let go now. I know you don’t want to kill your brother; you still have time to save him.’

‘I can’t!’ The words didn’t slip my mouth, and I said them only to the voice talking to me. Still, I didn’t know how I was doing that!

‘You can, Angelica. Take a deep breath; control your power because it does not control you.’

I choked on the blood in my throat while closing my mind and cutting off the power to Aaron’s brain. He slumped to the floor, and somewhere inside of me, I prayed that he made it.

My arms shot out, my head fell back, and I screamed to the heavens. So much pain inside I couldn’t keep up with it!

It was too much, and my body slammed to the ground as everything went black. Five days I spent in a coma after that day, Brayden not much better. Only Aaron came out unscathed, so he used his power to show the whole family everything I forced into his head.

My siblings apologized for everything they had ever put me through, and we became friends. I forgave them, and though we’re not incredibly close, I know they’re there for me if I need them and vice versa. However, Brayden ran away, and today is the first time I’ve seen him in fifteen months.

My mind is conflicted. I want to forgive him as I did our siblings, but something is holding me back.

What’s wrong with me?

Why can’t I let go of the past?

I know I can’t continue hiding in my room until Brayden leaves. I have to say goodbye to Xavier, which means facing Brayden.

Goddess, help me because I need it.

AN: I know this chapter is really long, but I couldn't find a good point at which to break it down. Let me know what you think in the comment. Does anyone hate Alpha Brayden yet?