Page 5 of Capturing Their Omega

Behind that smile, I know that Mom pities me. Most of the folks in Silverwood do, actually, and it's quite infuriating. I'm even worse than a Beta because I'm shiftless. At least Betas still have their wolves. They just can’t smell pheromones.

I step out into the compound and look over at the Kaye mansion, standing tall and magnificent, unlike the tiny outhouse I just came out of. Mother and I live in the small annex building on the Kaye family property. She reminds me to be grateful to the Kayes for letting us live there since we can’t afford rent elsewhere. She couldn’t afford the money she’d have to use for her commute if she lived somewhere else.

I catch a whiff of a familiar scent. Leila, the only daughter of this noble family, is stepping into the chauffeured Benz in the driveway.

She's the perfect example of an ideal Omega, strong and powerful. Plus, she is very healthy. I feel like she's the one Mom was describing a moment ago, not me. Leila and I are like day and night; she's everything that I wish to be, and I am most definitely everything that she wishes not to be.

Leila has it all: money, fame, beauty, power, and respect. Me? What do I have? Nothing but a Mom who basically uses most of her paycheck to buy medicine to support my miserable existence.

I let out a sigh, deciding to brush off the thoughts that cloud my mind. I'm already sick as it is. I can't keep adding to my illness by focusing on these negative thoughts.

As I step out of the compound, my heart calms down for a moment, and I smile reflexively at the sight of the handsomeman in a plaid shirt leaning against his black bike. His hazel eyes shimmer in the sunlight light as he stares at me.

“You sure took your time,” Eric says to me with a charming grin.

“Blame that on my Mom,” I reply as I approach his bike, unable to stop smiling.

Eric is the younger of the Jackson brothers. He comes around to take me to school almost every morning. In my condition, I can't even walk twenty minutes without nearly dying from body aches. I'm grateful that Eric's been saving my ass.

“Was your Mom the reason you were late yesterday as well?” he teases, brushing his fingers through his brown hair. “Or the day before that?”

“Oh, come on. That one's on you,” I defend myself, halting before him.

“On me?” He pushes his head back a little, wonder in his eyes. “How did this becomemyfault?”

“Do you wanna keep talking, or do you wanna take me to school?” I stare at him, trying to control the feeling threatening to burst out of me.

Mom had a point. I do feel something for both brothers. This tingling in my chest… it has to be a feeling of friendship… right?

Eric shakes his head and helps to strap my helmet on while we both quietly enjoy the closeness between us. He's looking at me and smiling, and I love that he adores me. Like Mom said, neither he nor his brother sees me the way I see myself and I consider myself lucky for this much at least.

He smirks and gets on the bike, starting it and revving the engine, his helmet safely fitted on his head.

I climb on the back, wrapping my hands around his waist, inhaling his natural scent.

“You ready?” He revs the engine again.

“Aye, captain,” I reply, and he rides off, zooming us away from the house.

ChapterTwo

Ares

“Don’t you think you’re upselling us a bit too much?”

I'm quietly drumming my fingers on the fine wooden conference table as I listen to the pale vampire weave his words expertly with a disdain that comes from living several hundred years longer than everyone else in the room.

I shift my gaze across the representatives of the wealthy and powerful wolf shifter families that are in this meeting with me.

“And I think you are understating the importance of our product.”

My best friend, Henry Ferguson, seated by my side, is the only one able to speak, his confidence overwhelming the banter of the vampires who seem to be in disagreement with almost everything and everyone.

Those cold bloodsuckers are the wealthiest of all the races. Why wouldn't they be? They are immortal—although they can be killed. They just won’t die if left alone. No one lives that long without acquiring unspeakable amounts of wealth through the ages.

They have managed to slip their way into the governments of the world, sinking their fangs into every significant system that has the power to control the masses. They've whispered into the ears of extremely powerful rulers for centuries and are responsible for a lot of the grand catastrophes in history.

They're everywhere; at the base of any organization, but also at the top. These ageless, cold-blooded beings run things underground, in the shadows, while holding most of the money in the world.

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