Chapter 1

KEIRA

"Hey, freak! I'm talking to you!"

I hurried even faster, my heart racing even though I hadn't done anything wrong. I just wanted to grab my books and leave but somehow I ran into my tormentors, and it didn't take long before they caught up to me at the end of the school hallway. My stomach twisted into a tight knot as I cowered, shaking with fear.

"Just leave me alone, Dean, please." I begged, not daring to look up. My voice shook a little. "I-I'm not bothering anyone."

"That so?" He chuckled, chillingly close to me now, surveying me like the prey I've always been. "Aw, the Omega's giving orders now? Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you."

I froze. My eyes shut tight. Not again. These bastards never missed the chance to make my life hell. Not wanting to go back home with a black eye, like last time, I looked up. Dean was standing there with his usual stupid, taunting grin, flanked by three other bullies- Lena, Ryker and Jay. All Betas and loyal little puppies to Dean. 

"Maybe we should remind her where she belongs," Dean suggested with a cruel smirk. The others nodded in approbation.

I gripped my books tighter, stepping back and cowering again. "Please, don't do this." I didn't want to cry. Not in front of them. Not again.

Lena quickly stepped forward and snatched the top notebook from my pile. The disgusted look on her face told she was going to wreck it, and I had to stop her or Beta Garrick would kill me for not finishing Alia's project which was due tomorrow.

"Please, give it back. I need it for my project." I pleaded, my eyes already filled with tears. 

But she was already flipping through it with her long, perfectly manicured fingers. Her nose wrinkled like my words were trash.

"Ugh," she made a sound full of disgust. "Why do you even bother studying when you'll never amount to anything. Look at this-" she held up a page full of my math notes "- pathetic scrawls. You think that thick, ugly head of yours is going to make your miserable Omega life any better? You think you're smart?"

"I've got every right to be here," I snapped as the tears rolled down my cheeks, reaching again. "Just like you."

Dean immediately stepped in and shoved me back. Really hard. 

My back slammed into the lockers. A sharp bolt of pain shot up my shoulder. 

"Aargh!" I cried out, hissing as the pain blossomed.

"You?" he laughed. "A broken-tooth Omega who can't even shift properly?" His voice changed, suddenly high and shaky. "Oh, please, let me join the Luna Trials! You're so shameless and stupid you can't grasp how utterly useless your existence is, God! Ugh."

The others burst into laughter. I bit my lip to stop the tears but it was impossible. I was already sobbing profusely.

The sound of their laughter was so sharp, and cruel. I hated it, I hated them. Because they reminded me of every time I'd been told I didn't belong here. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I didn't ask for this life. I didn't ask to be born Omega. I didn't ask to lose my parents. I didn't ask to be... me. 

Lena ripped a page out of my notebook, snapping me out of my reverie, and as if that wasn't enough she crumpled it before ripping the whole book in half.

“No!”

"Face it, Keira.” She thundered back. “You'll never be a Luna Trial Material. Might as well quit now because I'll gut you alive if we ever get to compete. But I doubt they'll even let you in. Nobody wants that hideous face sitting on the throne."

"You don't know anything about me," I whispered through a choked sob. 

I'd always prayed to the goddess, and hoped that one day all this bullying would cease, but I guess she hated Omegas too because It only kept getting worse.

"You're right," she sharply retorted with a malicious smirk, before ripping off another page. "Because maids don't matter."

Ryker lurched forward suddenly and ripped my bag off my shoulder before throwing it to the floor. My notebooks and project papers flew out, scattering all across the floor. I scrambled to pick them up, barely seeing anything through my misty tear-filled eyes, but someone stepped on my fingers. 

"Please... Stop!" I cried as I sharply withdrew my hand as the pain exploded, biting my lip so hard I tasted blood. 

"Next time we see here," Dean said, leaning down real close, "It'll be worse. Stay in your lane, Omega maid." Then he turned to his goons. "Let's get outta here. I have more important things to do than wasting my time on this wretched thing. And make sure to let the Alpha know we took care of her."

I didn't move for a long time after they were gone. My fingers and shoulder were still throbbing from pain, and my chest felt too tight to breathe. After a while, I finally mustered the strength to kneel and pick up what was left of my notes. Most were ruined. Torn. Stomped on. My favourite pen was snapped in half.

I looked up just in time to spot someone staring at me from the other end of the hallway. I recognised Alpha Kai immediately. His 6 '2 frame was leaning against the wall, his eyes flicking up for half a second but not at me. Through me. For a moment I thought he'd drop by and help, but he just turned and walked away, leaving me in my misery.

Why? Why did he act like he cared at times? And other times acted like I was nothing? Did he really ask Dean and his fellows to do this to me?

My heart squeezed so tight I had to hold my chest. I wanted to scream. But I just stood up slowly, brushed off my brown curls and stuffed the ruined notes and papers back into my bag, and walked away.

By the time I got home, it was almost dark. The outline of the towering estate in the approaching darkness loomed. Fancy stone walls, high glass windows, and a golden howling-wolf crest on the gate. Ever since I came to live with the Beta since the death of my parents at a tender age, it never felt like home.

I walked in through the back entrance to avoid running into Beta Garrick and getting an earful, but my rotten luck didn't let up.

"Three hours late." The underlying promises beneath those words had my heart pounding again.

I froze, cowering as he stood outside the door, arms crossed as he looked down at me like I was a stain on the marble floor.

"I'm sorry, Beta. I was held up." I said quickly. "Some students attacked me and-"

"Save it," he snapped. "You're here to serve, not play victim. I don't care what you have going on at school. Kill yourself if you like but make sure you're home on time."

I flinched.

"Alia's training depends on you. The Luna Trials are close and I won't have you behaving like this. Until the trials end, I don't want you coming home late. Do you understand me?!"

"Y-yes, Beta." I stuttered, bowing curtly while praying he wouldn't vent his spleen on me anymore than he already had.

My heart twisted painfully at his words. I didn't want to be Alia's shadow but years of being treated like dirt reaffirmed that maybe this was who I was born to be. Maybe I wasn't cut out to be seen, or be great.

Just then, footsteps echoed behind him. 

"Keira?" Alia called before she rushed over, her golden curls bouncing and eyes full of worry. She always looked so perfect. So... untouched by pain.

Getting to me, she linked her arm through mine and whispered. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

I nodded, swallowing the knot in my throat , not trusting myself to speak as we walked away from Beta Garrick's glare. 

Alia was the only one who ever showed me momentary bouts of kindness. The only person who sometimes made me feel like I mattered, even though she was full of cunning and manipulative.