Alpha's Betrayal, Omega's Revenge

Lila

The burn in my throat was sharp yet oddly soothing, chasing away the storm of emotions threatening to pull me under. I set the glass down with a shaky sigh, trying to gather the scattered pieces of my resolve. No. I wasn't going to let my heartbreak win tonight.

"You need to get drunk, forget everything, and actually live for once," Sophia declared, pouring me another drink, her tone as unapologetic as her glossy red lipstick.

Elena smirked, leaning in closer, her voice dripping with mischief. "Or better yet, the fastest way to forget a man? Get under another one. Preferably one with abs carved by the gods and a tongue that knows its way around," she added, sliding the vodka bottle toward me with a wink.

I couldn't help the bitter laugh that bubbled up, though tears threatened to follow. My father's harsh words echoed in my mind-words that had crushed me more than I'd ever admit.

"You're just an omega, a low ranked she-wolf, Lila. And I was cursed with having a weakling so just be grateful that I'm not throwing you out of the pack and letting you live with dignity." He had said it to his five-year-old daughter who had just lost her mother.

The memory hit like a punch to the gut, but I shoved it down, swallowing my pain.

I should have been at the party, celebrating my union with Alpha Sheldon right now, smiling for pictures, and accepting congratulations. Instead, I'd run away to a club, drowning in alcohol and the company of my two best friends. All thanks to my fiancé and the fated mate he claimed to have rejected before getting involved with me. A liar through and through.

If no one else cared about my worth, then I'd carve my own path. I wasn't a weakling, I hadn't just shifted into my wolf form yet. They were unaware of my combatting skills.

"Stop overthinking and go for it, honey," Sophia urged, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts.

"Fuck it," I muttered under my breath, grabbing the vodka bottle and taking a long, defiant swig.

"Now that's my girl!" Elena whooped. "And while you're at it, find someone who actually knows what to do with his mouth," she teased, her grin downright wicked.

Fueled by the alcohol and their encouragement, I rose from my seat, claws flashing as I tore a slit into the front of my gown. My long hair cascaded down as I released it from its tight bun, earning cheers from my friends.

"I'm going to dance and get under someone who at least knows how to kiss," I declared, making a gagging face.

"Better knows how to eat you up and please a woman," Elena whispered in my ear, making me giggle. "You go girl, we will prepare a surprise for you." Her voice told me that it was something naughty, but I didn't resist this time.

Every pair of eyes in the bar seemed to land on me, their curiosity palpable. Good. Let them stare. Tonight, I wasn't the obedient daughter or the dutiful fiancée. Tonight, I was free.

The bass from the speakers pulsed through me as I moved to the center of the dance floor. I let the rhythm take over, swaying my hips and losing myself in the beat. For the first time in years, I felt alive.

But the sensation of being watched prickled at the back of my neck, sending a thrill down my spine. I turned, catching the piercing gaze of a man across the room. He was stunning, his teal-blue eyes smoldering as they locked onto me over the rim of his glass.

Before I could gather my thoughts, a stranger's hands gripped my waist, pulling me against him.

"Hey, gorgeous," he murmured, his breath hot against my ear as he moved with me. He was raking of alcohol, making me feel nauseous.

"Take your hands off me," I said, my voice low and warning. But instead of retreating, he tightened his grip, his hand sliding lower.

"You've got a lot of attitude for someone this sexy," he said with a smirk, his fingers trailing places they had no right to be.

Fury ignited in my chest. I was about to spin around and claw him to shreds when a scent hit me-a dark, woodsy aroma mixed with dark chocolate. My wolf stirred, alert and yearning. Maybe she would come forth tonight to protect me, and I would finally shift...

"Let her go."

The voice was low, commanding, and enough to make the air in the room shift. The man behind me stilled, his bravado evaporating as he took a step back.

I turned to face my rescuer, and my breath hitched. It was the same stranger, his presence powerful and magnetic. He stood close, his towering frame shielding me from the crowd. I looked at his chiseled jaw in awe, my fingers yearning to trace his jawline. His square face turned toward me, and I met the most gorgeous teal-blue eyes. My heart skipped a beat when he smirked down at me, and his cheeks flexed his dimples.

"Are you okay?" His voice was softer now, laced with concern.

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

"Good," he said, smirking as he leaned in just enough for only me to hear. "Such a gorgeous woman shouldn't be alone on the dance floor."

I flushed, my heart racing as his scent surrounded me.

"Who are you?" I asked in a breathless voice, failing to get hold of me.

"You have a bad habit of staring at strangers, then," he smirked.

Without waiting for a response, he scooped me into his arms effortlessly.

"Wait-what are you doing?" I gasped, glancing around to see Sophia and Elena grinning and blowing kisses from across the room.

'You're welcome, babe,' Sophia mind-linked with a giggle.

'Enjoy your night with Mr. Sexy,' Elena added.

I didn't protest. Instead, I let my fingers trace the hard line of his jaw, marveling at how warm his skin felt. He carried me into a private room, the door clicking shut behind us.

"Strip," I demanded boldly, surprising even myself as he threw me on the bed. I was determined to do the exact opposite of what I was told to do. My father told me to be submissive, but I won't for tonight. He told me to be a good girl and not to go to the night clubs, but here I was with a call boy.

"That should have been my word." His lips quirked into a cocky grin.

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. "Do I look like I repeat myself?"

He chuckled, his amusement evident, before ripping off his shirt in one fluid motion. My breath caught at the sight of his sculpted torso, every muscle defined and gleaming under the dim light.

"Happy?" he asked, his voice rich with amusement. "You have driven me crazy, darling. I want those hips," he paused and grabbed my thigh from the slit, pulling me closer and adding, "grinding against mine."

His touch tingled the sparks in my body, awakening those non-existent butterflies in my stomach I never had in my six months of relationship.

I didn't reply, my gaze fixed on him as he leaned closer, his hand cupping my face. Sparks ignited where his skin met mine, sending shivers down my spine.

"Tell me I'm your first, baby," he said, pinning me under him possessively in a swift move. Sheldon had never gone beyond making out with me but I was glad now that he didn't.

My heart was galloping in my chest. I nodded, my heart pounding as his lips claimed mine in a searing kiss, leaving no room for hesitation. His lips moved swiftly, savoring my lips before tugging at the corner of my mouth, seeking an entrance inside.

His hands tore away the remnants of my gown, discarding it with a careless flick. His half-lidded eyes locked on mine as he whispered, "It will hurt a little, so hold me tight, baby. I promise to be gentle."

Why was my wolf going crazy? It was the first time she had reacted to someone because she was mostly nonchalant about the surroundings and others.

Lila

This morning felt... different. There was a smile tugging at my lips, one I couldn't suppress. My body ached in the best way, a soreness that reminded me of last night-a night unlike any I'd ever known.

Something had shifted in me. There was power coursing through my veins, raw and untamed, as if I were no longer bound to the labels they'd placed on me. Submissive omega? My father's obedient little girl? Not anymore. Last night, I'd taken charge. I wasn't the one bowing down; I was the one worshipped.

The way he touched me, revered me... Oh, Goddess. Heat pooled in my core just at the memory. If only I'd had more cash on me-he deserved far more than the hundred dollars I'd left him.

"Lila, come here!"

My father's furious voice ripped through my pleasant reverie, snapping me back to reality. The smile on my face faltered, fading as I realized I was already in the hall, my feet carrying me toward the stairs.

I froze, my breath catching as his gaze locked onto mine, brimming with anger. Instinctively, my head dipped in submission, all the confidence I'd felt moments ago evaporating. My legs moved of their own accord, carrying me toward him.

"I won't ask where you were last night," he began, his voice sharp and laced with authority. "Since I don't care about your little rebellious adventure. But what I do care about is the shame you've brought upon this family."

Shame?

He continued, his tone biting. "Alpha Sheldon was furious when you didn't show up at the party. He ended the engagement in front of everyone. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? You will go to him, apologize, and beg him to marry you."

The words hit me like a slap. Apologize? Beg? To that lying, cheating asshole?

Fury boiled under my skin, hotter and more intense than I'd ever felt before.

"You've got to be kidding me, Dad," I snapped, venom dripping from my words. "I'm not apologizing to that bastard, let alone begging him to marry me. He cheated on me, and you're more concerned about your reputation than my dignity. Did it ever occur to you to ask how I'm feeling?"

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. They weren't the words of the meek daughter he'd raised-they were defiant, bold, and unapologetic.

My father pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. His anger, oddly, didn't flare. Instead, he seemed tired, almost resigned, as he rose from his chair.

"Lila, I know how you're feeling but this is for your own good," he said softly, as if his calm tone could somehow justify the unbearable demand he was making.

I crossed my arms, my nails digging into my skin. "For my own good? Or yours? What's the real reason you're so desperate to marry me off to Alpha Sheldon?"

For a moment, his stoic mask cracked. A flicker of guilt flashed across his face, but it was gone before I could grasp it.

"It's the business," he admitted finally, his tone hollow. "It's failing. Without Alpha Sheldon's financial backing, I'll lose my company."

I stared at him, disgust and disbelief warring in my chest. "And that's supposed to make this okay?" I snapped. "You're selling me off to save your sinking company?"

"Lila-" His palm exploded against my cheek and my heart stopped for a second.

"Sweetheart," a saccharine voice interrupted.

I turned, spotting Bella, my stepmother, gliding into the room with her trademark syrupy smile. She placed a manicured hand on my father's arm as if to soothe him, though her gaze was fixed on me with condescension.

"Your father has done everything for you," she purred. "He's given you the best of everything. Treated you like a princess your whole life. And now, when he needs you most, this is how you repay him?"

The room plunged into silence, her words hanging in the air like a cruel joke. Treated like a princess? The corners of my lips twisted into a smile-sharp, humorless, and laced with venom.

I took a deliberate step forward, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor, each sound echoing like a challenge. "Treated like a princess?" I gestured to myself, letting out a bitter laugh. "Are you sure you're talking about the right daughter, Bella?"

Her carefully painted mask of superiority faltered, her brown eyes widening in shock. For the first time, I had dared to speak back, and it was gratifying to watch her composure crumble. She wasn't prepared for this version of me, but she'd better learn quickly-the Lila who begged for scraps of her father's love was long gone.

"You ungrateful brat," Bella hissed, snapping her gaze to my father. Her tone dripped with mock pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't raise her well."

"No, you raised me enough well to be your pawn," I shot back, my voice cold and unforgiving. "A tool to seal your precious deal. That's why you kept me here all these years, isn't it? So you could use me when the time came? Let's not pretend this marriage was about me-it's always been about the company."

"Lila, that's enough," my father growled, his Alpha aura flaring.

But for the first time, his power didn't cow me. I stood my ground, defiance blazing in my eyes.

I dipped into a mocking bow. "My apologies, Alpha. Here's a suggestion-if saving the company is so important, why not sell me to another Alpha who is at least loyal to me?"

His face had gone pale, his fists trembling with barely restrained rage.

"Guards!" he thundered. "Restrain her. If she escapes, I'll skin you alive!"

The door burst open, and two towering guards strode in, their heavy boots thudding against the floor.

"No! You can't do this to me!" I screamed, thrashing as their hands gripped my arms like iron shackles.

My father's gaze bore into mine, cold and unrelenting. "I gave you everything. I arranged the best union for you despite you being a weakling, an omega." His voice was filled with venom, his expression a mask of disgust. "You should be grateful Alpha Sheldon even considered you. Have you ever heard of an Alpha taking an omega as his mate?"

Pain sliced through me, but I forced my voice to remain steady. "Mom was an omega, too, and you loved her." My throat tightened, and tears threatened to spill.

He turned his face away, his reply devoid of emotion. "It was different. You wouldn't understand. All you need to know is this-you're going to apologize to Alpha Sheldon and beg him to marry you. Be prepared to see him with his fated mate, because an Alpha needs powerful heirs bound by the mate bond."

My heart shattered all over again. Sheldon had betrayed me, but it was my father's defense of him that gutted me most. All for money. All because I was an omega.

"Why?" My voice broke, trembling with desperation. "I'm your first daughter. Why do you treat me like this?"

But he didn't answer. He never did.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, hot and relentless, as the fight drained from me. Bella stepped forward, her hand brushing against my arm as if in sympathy, but her whisper was poison.

"Don't forget your place, Lila," she murmured, her voice sickly sweet. "An omega's purpose is to bring the benefits to the family. Defying your father will only hurt you in the end."

Her words coiled around me like a serpent, and I knew better than to trust the facade of compassion.

The guards dragged me toward my room, their grip bruising, but I didn't resist. What was the point? They were stronger, and I had no fight left in me.

The door slammed shut behind me, and I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before I fell.

A slow, mocking drawl broke the tense silence.

"Hello, future wife."

I looked up, my stomach sinking as I took in Sheldon lounging on my bed like he owned it. His lips curled into a lazy smile, arrogance radiating off him in waves.

Lila

"What are you doing here?" I hissed, my voice sharp with fury, though I could feel the tremble beneath it.

Sheldon pushed himself up from my bed with a lazy, predatory smirk. "Came to see my little omega humbled, finally realizing she can't escape me or this engagement."

"I already have," I shot back, my tone biting as I folded my arms across my chest. "You forfeited any claim the moment you cheated on me."

My words were steel, but inside, my heart thudded unevenly. I couldn't afford to let him see the cracks-the pain he'd caused me would only fuel his sick power play.

Sheldon chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. His eyes raked over me with a disgusting sense of ownership.

"You're so naive," he sneered, stepping closer. His Alpha aura pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. "You think you can break the engagement? You think you have that kind of power?"

I stayed silent, my fists clenching at my sides as he loomed over me.

"Didn't your father teach you anything?" His voice dripped with venom. "Like how to apologize when you've made a mistake?"

The words stung, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Suddenly, his hand snaked around my waist, and before I could push him away, he shoved me onto the bed. His weight pinned me, his hot breath grazing my ear as he hissed, "What did you think? That you could disrespect me, humiliate me, and get away with it? You're just an omega."

My stomach twisted with disgust, but I wouldn't let it consume me. "Get off me!" I snarled, my voice raw as I thrashed beneath him.

"Did you forget your place? I was doing you a favor by agreeing to marry you," he snapped, his hand striking my cheek with a sharp slap.

Pain bloomed across my face, but I bit down on the inside of my cheek, refusing to cry out.

"I thought omegas were taught to be submissive," he sneered. "Obedient. But you, you dared to rebel." His eyes darkened as they fell to my neck, landing on the faint mark left behind from last night. A low, guttural growl rumbled through his chest.

"You think you can disgrace me?" he seethed, his fury uncontained. "I own you, Lila. I bought you from your father. How dare you let someone else-"

Before he could finish, he forced his lips onto mine, the vile act sending bile rising in my throat.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, and instinct took over. I brought my knee up with all my strength, driving it into his groin.

Sheldon let out a strangled groan, his grip loosening as he staggered back, clutching himself.

"You little bitch," he spat, his face twisting in a mix of rage and pain.

I didn't waste a second. Grabbing the nearest object-a heavy vase from the nightstand-I swung it with all my might, the impact cracking against the back of his head.

The sound was sickening, but I didn't hesitate. Blood trickled down his scalp as his body crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Panting, I crouched beside him, my hands trembling as I checked for a pulse. Relief washed over me when I felt the faint, steady rhythm beneath my fingertips.

Thank Goddess he wasn't dead.

But the relief was fleeting. Cold, stark reality set in as I stared at his body. Sheldon wasn't going to let this slide when he woke up. And my father? He wouldn't take a stand for me, he had made it clear earlier.

I was utterly alone.

I searched frantically for my phone, only to find out that it was dead and I didn't have enough time to put it on charge. My options dwindled to nothing, and desperation clawed at my chest.

Elena's words echoed in my mind, her voice from last night clear as if she were standing beside me. "Live life on your own terms, Lila."

She was right. I had to run away from this hellhole.

One Month Later

The dizzy spell hit me again as I swayed on my feet, rocking little John to sleep in my arms. Exhaustion clung to me like a second skin, so I eased down onto the couch, patting his back gently. His eyelids fluttered closed, his soft breathing finally evening out.

His parents would be home soon. Then, I could clock out and head to the club, where I worked nights as a waitress. Babysitting during the day and hustling through chaotic club shifts at night-it wasn't easy, but it kept food on my plate and a roof over my head.

Sheldon and my father had launched a massive search for me. Their influence stretched farther than I could've imagined, forcing me to stay in the shadows, always looking over my shoulder.

I liked kids but taking care of them wasn't as easy as I'd assumed. John was sweet, but the constant juggling between work and sleep was grinding me down. Most nights, I barely managed a few hours of rest. Weekends were the only time I could exhale, but even then, it never felt like enough.

The front door creaked open, and Emily stepped in, her cold expression slicing through the dim light of the living room. She strode toward me, taking John from my arms with the same detached air she always carried.

"We're home," she said curtly. "And you don't need to come from tomorrow."

Her words hit like a slap. "What? Why?"

Emily didn't even blink, her tone clipped and final. "Do you think I owe you an explanation?"

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I just nodded stiffly, grabbed my worn-out bag, and left.

The cool night air stung my cheeks as I stepped outside. My shift at the club wasn't for a few hours, and without the babysitting gig, I had extra time. A part of me wanted to collapse into bed and sleep for days, but I didn't have that luxury.

With no money for a cab, I started the twenty-minute walk back to the tiny dorm room I'd managed to rent. The streets were quiet, lit by dim streetlights casting long, eerie shadows.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling my attention. I fished it out, and my heart skipped a beat at the name flashing on the screen.

Sophia.

It had been so long since I'd heard from her. My fingers trembled as I opened the message, excitement and relief flooding me all at once. For a moment, it felt like I could breathe again. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her until now.

I was so lost in the euphoria that I didn't hear the sound of tires screeching behind me until it was too late.

The impact came like a freight train, the world spinning wildly before everything faded into black.