Page 4 of Rescue Me

“For who?” I demand, my hands trembling as I hold up the contract. “This isn’t a job. This is servitude. Five years of being at their beck and call? That’s what you’ve signed me up for?”

“You’ll be cared for,” my mother defends, her brows suddenly furrowed as if I’m the problem in this situation. “You’ll have everything you need. And you’ll be doing something you love—helping care for an Omega.”

The words hit me like a slap. “Helping care for an Omega,” I repeat, my voice dripping with venom. “So, I’m a glorified servant. That’s what you’ve sold me off to be. Because caring foranOmega and caring formyOmega are two wildly different things.”

“You’ll watch your tone,” my father growls as he pushes to his feet, his presence towering over me. Even as a Beta, he’s pretty large. His hand comes down hard against my cheek, the crack echoing through the kitchen. My head snaps to the side, my skin stinging but it’s nothing compared to the betrayal burning in my chest.

“You’ll do this,” he states, his voice low and dangerous. “Because it’s your duty. Be good, behave, and we’ll all have a better life.”

We. Not me. Never me.

My hands tremble as I flip through the contract, the words blurring until something catches my eye—a breakdown of payments. My salary. A six-figure amount that makes my stomach twist. But it’s not the total that hits me. It’s the distribution.

A portion of the payments, every month for the next five years, is set to go directly into an account I recognize. My parents’ account.

My chest tightens, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps. “You’re stealing from me,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. “Not only are you selling me off, you’re taking my money.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” my mother snaps, her expression sour. “We’ve done so much for you, Reid. This is the least you can do to repay us.”

I look between them, my vision blurring with unshed tears. They’ve made their choice. And I have none.

The water starts to cool, pulling me back to the present. I turn off the faucet and step out, wrapping a threadbare towel around my waist. My skin feels raw, scrubbed clean of anything remotely human. It’s what they want—a Beta with no scent, no personality, no fight.

I pull on a fresh shirt and pants, the fabric irritating my shoulder but I ignore it. There’s no point in lingering. If Hailey decides I’ve taken too long, she’ll find a reason to punish me and I’ve already earned enough bruises for one day.

As I leave the bathroom, my gaze catches on the cracked mirror. For a brief moment, I let myself look. The face staring back at me is unfamiliar—eyes hollow, shoulders slumped, a shadow of the person I used to be.

I turn away before the reflection can swallow me whole.

Especially because I already know what my reflection would truly show me and I don’t want to see it.

The dark, curling mark etched into the skin of my left shoulder.

The pack bond, branded on me during my “welcome” ceremony three months ago. The swirling design is intricate, almost beautiful but to me, it’s a leash, a permanent reminder that I don’t belong to myself anymore.

I run my fingers over the raised lines, the skin still faintly tender even after all this time. The bond doesn’t glow with the connection of a true packmate—there’s no warmth, no sense of belonging. It’s a symbol, nothing more, a flag that tells everyone who sees it that I belong to Jackson and Lyle Wilhelm.

Owned.

No amount of soap or scrubbing will erase it, though I’ve tried. The memory of the ceremony is etched just as deeply into my mind as the mark is on my skin. Hailey had sat perched on a velvet chair, a glass of champagne in one hand, watching with a cruel smile as the Alphas pressed their brand to my bare shoulder. It had burned into my skin like acid, leaving me dizzy and nauseous, but I’d stayed silent. Just like I always do.

I sit on the edge of the bed, letting the cool air from the vent dry my hair. This is the only place I can breathe, the only place in the mansion where Hailey’s scent doesn’t linger. It’s a brief respite, one I cling to, knowing it’ll vanish the moment I step back into the hallway.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand and my stomach twists when I see the name on the screen.Mom.I don’t want to answer, but ignoring her only makes things worse. She will occasionally call one of the Wilhelm Alphas to check on me and then they take it out on me when they find out I haven’t been keeping up with her. It’s an endless cycle of defeat where I always lose.

I swipe to accept the call and bring the phone to my ear, steeling my nerves for whatever reason she’s chosen to berate me with.

“Reid,” her voice is clipped as if she’s speaking to a subordinate rather than her son. “How’s everything going? The money came through this morning.”

“It’s fine,” I say automatically, but the lie is thin, barely holding together. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.” There’s no concern in her voice. “You’re not causing problems, are you? You know how important this is for all of us.”

“Mom, it’s—” I stop myself, gripping the phone tighter. I don’t know how to tell her. How do I explain what it’s like to live as Hailey’s punching bag, to be constantly belittled and used? Mom wouldn’t care. She never does.

“It’s hard,” I finally say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “I don’t think I can keep doing this.”

Her scoff is sharp, cutting through the line like a slap. “Reid, don’t be dramatic. You’re a Beta. This is what you’re meant for. Hailey is an Omega; she deserves to be pampered. You need to do your job and stop complaining.” And there's the hypocrisy. Mom's a Beta; so is Dad and neither of them ever served anyone.

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