She’s trying to marry me off? Are you fucking kidding me?!
I’m gripping the phone tightly as my hands shake in rage, reading her next set of text messages.
MOM: “This pack needs an Omega to secure their various businesses, and they’ve shown proof of their assets. It would only make sense to marry them because of their immense wealth. You won’t have to struggle and be homeless in that place you stay that you think will help you become someone in this world. This is such a brilliant opportunity!
“I’m already starting to plan the wedding. The dress I’ll have to wear to ensure everyone attending knows I’m the mother of the bride will be miraculous. Stunning and twinkling with Swarovski diamonds. I’ve tried to reach your Dad and his pack but to no avail. Regardless, the government only needs one parent’s permission for all of this to go through, so it’s fine.”
She’s joking.
I’m not sure I’m breathing by the time I get to that line.
The thoughts in my brain are racing away while tingles run through me, making me fear I’ll have a panic attack any minutefrom now. I don’t want to believe this is happening, and yet I’ve experienced this plenty of times in my life.
Thinking life is finally going up and giving me a sense of tranquility, only for my Mother to come in and ruin it all. For her to steal the control I worked effortlessly to master in my young life.
No matter how many times I built those blocks, fighting through the doubt and uncertainties, when the tower of hope finally reaches the brink of success, there she is.
Ready to make all those blocks tumble down.
I’m seeing black spots before I realize it, and I can’t stop the spiraling sensation that’s rushing through me. The drowning feeling that fights to claw me into the dark abyss, hoping I can stay in its black waters and never resurface again.
“Astraea.”
Arms wrap around me not a second later, a firm frame of stability pressing against my back to keep my knees from buckling entirely. The support is what my body needs because a second later, I wouldn’t be able to hold my own weight.
Everything feels so heavy. How am I going to carry this all?
The band may collapse. If they collapse, that means I’m no longer useful. I’ll have another pack who wants a contractual marriage waiting for me back home with my mother’s approval, while my Dad and his pack will know nothing about it. My best friend is abroad and can’t get me out of this. Velvet and Knox are busy saving the Haven.
I have nobody.
I’m alone.
No one can stop this.
“Jesus, Astraea, breathe.”
I don’t recognize the voice anymore, or maybe I’m so lost in this sinking feeling that I don’t want to be recognized. Heck, I’d disappear if it meant I don’t need to face what’s waiting for me.
Who do I tell?
How do I get out of this?
Why am I always in these helpless situations?
All the hard work I do in the shadows. All the money in the banks I’ve kept hidden in hopes of a cushion of security when the time is right.
What good are they without power?
Without public connections?
Knox, Malcolm, and whoever this third Alpha was managed to stop the Haven from being shut down because they have power, connections, and money. Those aspects are all publicly known, and no one can fight against them because they’re Alphas.
Powerful, filthy rich Alphas who can stand their ground when anyone dares threaten their security blanket.
But what about me?
How can I replicate such power?