THE OMEGA'S REDEMPTION

I tried to listen.

Loud pop music. The bass thumped through the air, reverberating against the trees, so out of the place in the quiet woods, I stopped, my breath catching in my throat.

It was a strange sound here, in this forsaken place. But It didn't matter, my heart was pounding and I was desperate for anything that could distract me from the pain.

I followed the sound, stumbling through the trees until I reached a clearing. My eyes widened when I saw the rundown bar in front of me, a neon sign flashing lazily above the door.

The music pulsed from inside and the voices of people laughing and shouting filled the air. It was a human bar, somewhere so far from the pack, far from the world that had just rejected me.

But it didn't matter. I needed to escape.

Without thinking, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The air inside was heavy with the smell of alcohol and smoke, a haze that made the room feel like a dream — a place where I could forget about everything, even if it was for a few hours.

I walked toward the bar, my legs shaky from running and the weight of everything that had happened. The bartender, a tall woman with red hair,r glanced at me, her eyes flickering with curiosity but not judgment.

"Rough night?" She asked, her voice kind but I could see the humor in her eyes. I nodded slowly. I couldn't explain, I didn't want to."Something strong?"

"Yes," I whispered, the word barely leaving my lips. She poured a drink, sliding it towards me with a knowing smile.

I grabbed it and downed it in one go, the burning liquid searing my throat and stomach. For a moment, the heat was a relief, cutting through the numbness that had settled over me.

I took another drink. And another. The world around me began to blur, the edges softening as the alcohol took effect.

I wasn't Emerald, the omega, the weakling. I want the one who had been rejected. I was just...a girl trying to survive, trying to forget about her pain.

For a fleeting moment, I could breathe without the weight of rejection crushing me. The noise around me grew louder but it didn't matter. The music, the chatter— it was a blur, a background to my escape.

I took another drink and another until my head spun and my body felt loose like it was floating. Suddenly, a voice cut through the fog of my mind.

"Is this you?"

I blinked, my vision swimming as I turned to face the source of the voice. A man, tall and imposing, stood just behind me, his eyes dark and piercing, framed by a mop of messy black hair.

There was something about him, something in his gaze —that made me freeze.

"Who ...who are you?"I slurred, trying to focus on him, but my vision was hazy, my thoughts slow

He smirked, stepping closer, his presence commanding the space around us, "You look like you could use some company"

I frowned, my head spinning," No," I muttered, shaking my head but my body didn't listen. Something about him... something about the way he looked at me drew me in.

The alcohol, the loneliness, everything inside me told me to push him away but I couldn't.

"Just a drink. For now," He said, his voice low, almost coaxing as he took a seat beside me.

His eyes never left mine, intense and calculating but there was something magnetic about him.

The bartender stared at us but didn't interfere, I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore.

We talked —at least, I think we did. My thoughts were muddled, my words slurring but his presence was enough to silence the noise inside me. For once, I didn't feel invisible, I wasn't a joke. I was ….seen

His hand brushed against mine, and I flinched, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear.

" Don't worry" He murmured, his voice like velvet," You're not invisible. Not here"

I felt the heat of his touch, his words wrapping around me like a dangerous lullaby. I didn't resist when he stood and motioned for me to follow him. I didn't think twice when he led me to the back of the bar, away from the crowd, away from the eyes that would judge me.

The night turned into a memory; I didn't remember much, just flashes of skins, whisper promises, and the desire to forget. It was reckless and for the first time in a long while, I felt something.

I woke up the next morning, and my vision was blurry: my head, the memories, and the bed I was in. The sheets were tangled around me, and for a second, I couldn't remember where I was.

I touched my head, an ache rising there, a reminder of last night. The room was dim, light from outside stealing its way into the door. The stranger was gone, and in his place was a shallow emptiness.

I blinked, trying to clear the fog but nothing made sense. What had I done? The thought hit me like a cold wave but it was too late. The damage was already done.

I forced myself to stand, my legs wobbly as I grabbed my clothes, dressed quickly, and stumbled out of the room. The bar was quiet now, the chaos of last night forgotten. I didn't remember his name, I didn't even remember his face, just the feeling of his presence, his touch.

I went back to my normal life or tried to. The weight of last night felt like a distant memory, but it lingered in the back of my mind, gnawing at me, unsettling me.

Weeks passed, and then one day. It hit.

Nausea. Dizziness. A missed period.

I stared at the test in my trembling hands, my heart racing as I stared at the two lines that confirmed it.