Page 1 of Redeeming His Omega Mate

Chapter 1

Tala

The sound of glass shattering brought the entire bar to a standstill. I froze, barely a few centimeters away from the shards as they scattered across the floor. Ruby, my co-worker, stood beside me, her face pale as a sheet. Her hands trembled at her sides, and when our eyes met, I saw it—the raw fear and the tears welling up. Everyone knew what this meant for her. This wasn’t just a mistake. This was a final strike.

If Mr. Titan found out Ruby had dropped the glass, she’d lose her job. As if summoned by the noise, Mr. Titan stormed out of his office, his shoes striking the floor like warning shots.

“You have got to be kidding me!” His voice sliced through the tense silence, sharp and cold. His piercing gaze snapped to us. “Who did this?”

Ruby’s tears spilled over, her lips trembling as she turned to speak, ready to take the blame. But I couldn’t let her.

“It was me, Mr. Titan,” I said quickly, my voice quiet and apologetic. I stepped forward slightly, shielding Ruby from his wrath. “My hands were wet, and the glass slipped. I’m very sorry, sir. I’ll—”

“You’ll what? Apologize? Clean it up?” he snapped, taking a stepcloser, his looming frame casting a shadow over me. “Do you have any idea how much that glass costs? How many more are you going to break before you learn how to be careful?”

I bit my tongue, swallowing a retort. Technically, this was the first glass I’d ever broken, but saying so would only make it worse. Instead, I nodded. “It won’t happen again.”

“It better not.” He jabbed a finger in my direction. “And rest assured, I’m taking this from your paycheck. You’re lucky I’m even letting someone like you work here. You are good for nothing.”

My stomach tightened at his words, but I kept my face neutral. This is just how it is, I reminded myself.

Mr. Titan’s gaze snapped to Ruby, who hastily wiped at her wet cheeks. “And why are you crying?” he barked.

“I—I…” Ruby stammered, unable to find her words.

“The glass cut her a little,” I said, stepping in again before she could fumble further.

“That’s why you’re crying?” he scoffed, his expression twisting into disgust. “Pull yourself together and get back to work. Both of you!” He pointed toward the floor. “And clean this up. Now!”

With that, he turned and stormed off, muttering something under his breath about “useless Omegas.” The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by the quiet shuffle of feet as the bar’s staff resumed their work.

“Thank you,” Ruby whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You didn’t have to do that. You just saved my job.”

I shrugged one shoulder, brushing it off. “Don’t worry about it. Just be careful next time, okay? You know how impatient he is.”

She nodded vigorously, still dabbing at her cheeks.

“You should go to the bathroom and get yourself together. I’ll handle things here.”

Ruby muttered a quick “thank you” before running off into the staff bathroom.

I crouched down, grabbing the broom from under the counter. As I swept up the shattered pieces, a sharp sting shot through my hand. I glanced down to see a shard of glass lodged in my palm. Biting back a wince, I plucked it out, watching a bead of blood rise to the surface.

This was the life of an Omega—thankless, undervalued, and predetermined. It sucked, but I’d come to accept it. Nineteen years of this existence, made worse by losing my parents and brother at a young age, had hardened me to it. I wasn’t asking for recognition or sympathy. I’d learned long ago that those things didn’t come easily to someone like me. So, I simply lived to survive. I swallowed the ache in my chest and continued my shift because no matter how heavy the weight, I refused to let it break me. As I worked, I counted down the time to the end of my shift.

There was supposed to be a bonfire in the slums where I lived tonight. And I had promised Gina, my friend, that I would go with her as a third wheel to keep things from getting awkward with Rowan—the boy she was convinced was her fated mate. To me, her description of a fated mate sounded ridiculous. As an omega, I wasn’t even qualified to dream of such things.

As I wiped down the empty wooden table, ready to end my evening shift, Mr. Titan approached me with his signature frown etched deep into his face. “You think you’re leaving already,” he said, his tone sharp and disdainful.

I glanced at the patrons who had just walked into the bar before meeting his gaze. “My shift is over in a few minutes, sir. And I’ve made plans for the night.”

“Well, cancel them,” he snapped. “Nothing is more important than satisfying my customers.”

Without waiting for a response, he whirled around and walked away.

Sighing, I returned to the counter to get my notepad and gather the new patron’s orders. I did the routine of scribbling down requests, setting up the drinks on the counter, and ferrying them to the tables. Each step felt heavier, knowing my night wasn’t ending anytime soon.

“Refill. Now,” one of the patrons barked, cutting through the noisy chatter in the bar. Grabbing the jug of beer, I hurried over to his table, refilling his cup for what must have been the fifth time.

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