Chapter 3 A Dreadful Existence

Amber

For as long as I could remember, my life had been a series of struggles and disappointments. Being an Omega wasn't just a curse-it was a brand, a mark that said I was worthless from the moment I was born.

My mother died giving birth to me, and my father made sure I never forgot it. To him, I was the reason she was gone, the reason his life fell apart. He didn't call me his daughter; he called me a murderer, a killer who had stolen the woman he loved. My earliest memories were filled with his cold, unforgiving eyes and the sharp bite of his words.

It wasn't enough for him to hate me-my brothers followed his lead, treating me as though I didn't exist or, worse, as though I was something to be ashamed of. They were Alpha warriors, strong and respected in the Pack, everything I wasn't. To them, I was weak, a constant reminder of our family's disgrace.

For years, I tried to earn their love. I thought if I worked hard enough, stayed out of their way, or did everything perfectly, they might see me differently. But no matter what I did, it was never enough.

When I was fourteen, the day I got my wolf should've been the turning point. The day I presented should've given me a chance to prove myself, to show my family and the Pack that I wasn't as useless as they thought. But instead, it was the day everything fell apart for good.

I'll never forget the moment Irma, my wolf, emerged, and I presented as an Omega. The look on my father's face was one of pure disgust, his lips curling into a sneer as he spat the words that would define the rest of my life.

"You're no daughter of mine," he said, his voice cold and final. "Get out of my house. I never want to see you again."

There was no argument, no hesitation. He grabbed a garbage bag, tossed my clothes inside, and shoved it into my arms. I stood there, frozen, as he slammed the door behind me. I'd been disowned, thrown out like trash because I wasn't good enough-because I'd been born an Omega.

I ended up at the Pack shelter, a crumbling, overcrowded building meant for Omegas who had nowhere else to go. But calling it a shelter was a joke. The roof leaked when it rained, the walls were covered in mildew, and the floors were hard and cold. There weren't enough beds, so I slept on the floor with nothing but a thin blanket to keep me warm.

Even among the other Omegas, I was an outcast. My red hair and freckles made me stand out, and the others latched onto it immediately.

"Ugly," they'd call me. "Freckle-face. You don't belong here."

They pushed me around, stole what little food I managed to get, and made it clear that I wasn't welcome. I learned to survive on scraps, keeping my head down and staying out of their way. But even then, they found ways to make my life miserable.

I cried myself to sleep more nights than I could count, curling into a ball to block out the cold and the hunger. But as much as it hurt, I refused to let it break me.

Education became my escape. School was the only place where I could pretend, even for a little while, that I was more than just an Omega. I threw myself into my studies, burying myself in textbooks and assignments.

While other Omegas grumbled about being forced to attend school, I was grateful for every second of it. I dreamed of becoming a doctor, of leaving the Pack behind and building a life where I wasn't defined by the rank I'd been born into.

I imagined myself saving lives, making a difference, and proving to everyone that I was more than the useless, weak girl they saw.

But dreams didn't come easy for someone like me. Every day was a battle-to push past the hunger gnawing at my stomach, to ignore the exhaustion weighing down my limbs, to block out the taunts and whispers that followed me everywhere I went.

And then there was Reed.

Reed was my one bright spot, the only person who ever made me feel like I wasn't completely alone. He was bold, sassy, and unapologetically himself, with a sharp tongue and a quick wit that kept everyone on their toes.

He didn't care that I was an Omega. He didn't care that the rest of the Pack hated me. From the moment we met, he treated me like I was someone worth knowing.

He stood up for me when no one else would, his biting remarks shutting down anyone who tried to push me around.

"Got something to say?" he'd snap at my bullies, his coffee-brown eyes blazing. "Go ahead. I dare you. Let's see how brave you are when someone fights back."

He dragged me to parties like Brittany's, insisting that I deserved to have fun, even when I didn't believe him.

"You need to live a little," he'd say, grabbing my hand and pulling me along with that mischievous grin of his. "Who cares what anyone thinks? You're Amber freaking Queen, and they're all jealous because they know they can't touch you."

"You're ridiculous," I'd mutter, trying to hide my smile.

"And you love me for it," he'd shoot back, his laugh bright and infectious.

He was my best friend, my only friend, the only person who made me feel like I mattered.

And now, I'd betrayed him in the worst way imaginable.

I pressed my hands to my face, the tears spilling over as the weight of everything crashed down on me. How was I supposed to look him in the eye after what had happened? How was I supposed to pretend that nothing had changed?

How long could I keep this secret before Reed found out the truth?

And more importantly, what would happen now that Rayne-his Rayne-was bound to me as my mate?