Page 1 of New Year with the Cartel

Chapter 1

Gustall

I huddled deeper into my thin jacket, trying to ignore the biting wind that seemed to pierce right through to my bones. As expected, it wasn't something easy to do.

The snow crunched beneath my worn boots as I trudged through the alleyways, my breath misting in the frigid air. I couldn't help but think back to that fateful day, the day my parents had cast me out like some piece of garbage. I would never forget it.

They had never truly accepted me, not from the moment they first scented that I was an omega. A disappointment, they called me, shaking their heads in shame. I could still see the disgust etched on their faces as they kicked me out into the unforgiving streets of New Vale, nothing but a tattered backpack with a few meager belongings to my name. If I died, they wouldn't care. They didn't want to know what happened or was happening to me.

Hot tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back. Crying wouldn't change a damn thing. It was a lesson I'd learned all too well in the months since I'd been on my own.

Still, I couldn't help but think that there were so many lucky omegas, people who had good and loving parents. I was never that lucky. I would never even be lucky enough to have a relationship that made me feel whole.

I had to be strong, had to keep moving forward. But some days, like today, the weight of my loneliness and the sting of my parents' rejection felt like a physical ache in my chest. It didn't help that it was so cold, too. It was almost the new year, but I wasn't happy or in a celebratory mood.

I was a grown man, but out here, out in the cold and the dark, I felt like a lost little pup again. An omega without a pack, without even a scrap of family to call my own. I didn't know if I would ever truly be able to heal from the damage they had inflicted upon me. All I knew was that I had to survive, no matter the cost. Because no one else was going to save me. I was utterly, hopelessly alone.

Taking a few steps forward, I tried to push away the painful memories of my parents, focusing instead on the bitter cold that seemed to seep into my very bones. And just like so many other things in my life, it wasn't easy to do it. Nothing came easy to me anymore.

I wrapped my arms around myself, as if that could somehow ward off the chill that came not just from the winter night, but from the emptiness inside me. Yeah, I knew it wasn't going to make much difference.

I also knew I had to be realistic, had to face the truth of my situation. I was an omega, and a flawed one at that. Who would ever want me for a lasting relationship? The idea of a fated mate, a perfect alpha who was destined to be mine... it felt like a distant dream, something that could never be real for someone like me.

I had been alone for so long, these past months stretching out into an endless expanse of solitude. I couldn't even remember the last time I had had a real conversation withsomeone, something meaningful that went beyond just the barest of necessities. It was always just me, wandering the streets, trying to find a temporary refuge from the cold and the hunger. This country was perpetually cold. Snow wasn’t constant, but the wind always cut to the bone.

I had long given up on the idea of finding someone who would truly care for me, who would want to be with me in more than just the physical sense. I was a liability, a burden. No alpha would ever want to saddle themselves with an omega like me, one without a pack, without even the faintest hope of a future.

As I trudged through the snow, I reaffirmed my belief in my own inherent loneliness. I would never have a lasting relationship, not with anyone. Not even with the mythical figure of my fated alpha, if such a being even existed. I didn't think he did. Even if by some miracle he did, he wouldn't want me.

I had to accept that, had to come to terms with the fact that I was destined to be alone, forever and always.

It was a painful truth, but it was the truth nonetheless. And I had to face it head-on, had to steel myself against the ache in my chest that threatened to overwhelm me. I wouldn't let myself hope for something more, not again. I had learned my lesson, and I would not forget it.

Still walking while hoping something better would happen soon, lost in my morose thoughts, a sudden movement in my peripheral vision startled me. I turned to see a haggard stranger emerging from the shadows of a nearby alley, his eyes wild and desperate. He was younger than me, probably barely out of his teenage years, with a gaunt face and twitchy movements that spoke of a severe addiction. I didn't even want to know what he was addicted to.

"Hey, pretty omega,"he called out, his voice cracking."You look like you could use a little pick-me-up, yeah? I've got just the thing."

He held out a small baggie to me, the contents unknown but clearly illicit. I hesitated, a part of me tempted by the prospect of numbing the constant ache of loneliness and despair that consumed me. It had been so long since I'd felt anything but cold and exhaustion... I wanted to feel something different, even though it wasn't a good choice.

But even as the temptation tugged at me, I knew I couldn't give in. Not now, not ever. Because despite everything, a small part of me still held onto a fragile dream—the dream of one day having a family of my own. And for that, I needed to preserve my body, to keep it healthy and untainted by chemicals. Otherwise, if my children ended up having defects because of my choices, I would never forgive myself.

"No, thanks,"I said, trying to keep my voice steady."I'm not interested."

The stranger's face contorted in anger, his eyes narrowing to dangerous slits."What do you mean, you're not interested? You think you're too good for this, omega?"He took a step closer, his posture aggressive.

I took a step back, my heart beginning to race."I just don't want any, okay? I'm not trying to insult you."

But my words seemed to enrage him further. He lunged forward, grabbing my arm in a bruising grip."You ungrateful bitch! You think you can just walk away from me? I can see you're hurting. I'm offering you a way out, and you're turning your nose up at it?"

It wasn't anything like that. Why did he have to take it so personally? Reasoning with him was pointless—he was too far gone, lost in the drugs he kept consuming.

I tried to pull away, but his hold was too strong. I didn't work out or eat well, and I didn't have the strength to fight him off, even though he was an addict. Surprisingly, he was strong for someone in his condition.

Fear coursed through me as I realized I was in serious trouble. This stranger was volatile and unpredictable. I had to get away, had to run...

Seizing my chance as he momentarily loosened his grip to shake me, I wrenched my arm free and bolted. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, not daring to look back to see if he was chasing me. My heart pounded in my ears as I wove through the narrow alleyways, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

My thoughts were answered faster than I thought they would be. I could hear the stranger shouting obscenities, his footsteps pounding the pavement as he chased after me. I could feel the adrenaline surging through my veins, the fear of being caught, of being hurt, or worse...

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