Page 1 of Broken Omega

BROOKE

My heart sinks when Lana hands me the black envelope with my name scrawled on the front in my father’s harsh lines. The gold ink, and the bow that seals the thick card by the corners, are pretty touches on an invitation I’d rather not have gotten.

“Birthday card?” Lana asks, her smile bright, as usual.

The pretty Beta receptionist steals my breath a little more every single time I lay eyes on her.

With big, hazel-brown eyes, flawlessly tanned skin, and a warmth that seems to radiate from within, seeing her always makes my day feel so much lighter. Even if she’s out of my reach as a true friend or lover, I appreciate her.

So, I won’t darken her day with my mood.

It’s not her fault my father summons me like this every year.

That honor rests entirely on my own pale, narrow shoulders.

I’m the only child of Doctor Warren Corvina.

I give her a smile. “Looks like it. Thanks.”

“No worries,” she tells me. “Are you doing anything special?”

“I’ll be visiting my father,” I respond, managing to keep my tone neutral.

My enthusiasm might be lacking but at least I’m not telling her I’d rather poke my eyes out with a rusty spoon than spend another night being chastised and preached at by my only living parent.

“Well, I hope you have a nice time,” she says, meaning it.

She’s so damn pure. If I could perfume for anyone, I’d want it to be her.

Too bad if it broke every rule in Goldcrest. If fate would just give me that one little win, I could find the strength to walk away from this damned academy and its stupid, archaic rules.

“Thanks,” I tell her. “Call me if you get bored later. It looks like a quiet one.”

“That would be why Geraldine has me on file archiving duty.” She rolls her eyes, but she’s still smiling. That’s the benefit of working a job that makes her happy. Even the dull parts look fun.

“Well, have fun poking around in those files all afternoon.”

She lets out a gasp, feigning shock. “As if I’d read private files on previous students!”

Oh, she’s so going to read those files.

She’s notquiteas innocent as she looks, which is just another reason to love her. We have so many fun conversations when there’s something even vaguely scandalous to gossip about. It breaks up the general, everyday boredom.

“Of course not.”

She leans forward and stage-whispers, “I’ll call you if I find anything juicy.”

That’s a promise I can get behind. “I’ll be waiting.”

We say good-bye, and I force myself to walk away.

The lightness she’s given me fades quickly. It doesn’t linger like it usually would, pushing me into sweet daydreams full of hopeful wishes coming true.

I don’t need to ask myself why. It’s the presence of the envelope. My annual summons.

Daddy Dearest wants to know why I’m still on the shelf.

At twenty-four-years-old, I’m the oldest Omega at the academy.

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