Chapter 001

“Where is your allowance, Hailey?!”

Uh-oh.

When my step mother’s loud knock woke me up a few minutes ago, I knew that this was the reason behind it. I had been expecting her outburst for two days now - I was surprised that she waited this long before making demands.  

“Payment was due two days ago. You had better have a good reason why you are yet to turn it in.” She fumed, and crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing.

If looks could kill, I would have dropped dead from her deadly glare the minute I opened the door.

But thank the goddess for small mercies.

“I am sorry,” I started, then swallowed hard to keep my voice steady, “I am getting my salary today. I was going to -”

“You are always full of excuses, Hailey!” she marched into the room, “You are so selfish, do you know that? For ten years, since your useless father died and left you in my car, I have fed you, given you a roof, clothed you and gave you a taste of a better life that an Omega could never dream of. All I ask in return is a small allowance to show your support for the family. Is that too much to ask for?”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Genna loved to throw how much she had done for me in my face.

How she had given me a taste of heaven, the chance to live with the Betas and not as a slave. But the truth was that living as an Omega was way better than the hellhole I have been subjected to in her hands.

I bit back whatever retort I had, trying as hard as possible to keep my expressions neutral, “I am sorry and no you aren't asking for too much. I will pay you tonight.”

“Good. You have until tonight to turn it in. I do not care about your stupid excuses.” she said and turned to leave.

My sigh of relief was cut short when she turned around again, and looked at me with a calculative gaze.

“You know,” She started, “If you were smart enough, You and Hayden would be married now. Then you wouldl not have to suffer anymore.”

I sighed, “I cannot make him marry him against his will, Step mother.”

She tilted her head and looked at me as if I had said something ridiculous, “Whatever do you mean? He is your mate and would have been a ticket to a better life for our family but of course you always have to be so dull and stupid.”

With that she turned and left. 

Closing the door, I leaned against it and sighed, taking a handful of blonde hair and twirled it in my hands. It was due for a wash.  

From the minute my step mother found out that I was mated to Hayden, she had never failed to remind me of ‘what I was supposed to do.’

Hayden was the Alpha’s son and technically the next Alpha to the pack. Which was why she kept calling him her ticket to a better life.

I was not with Hayden because of his position in the pack. I loved him and he felt the same for me too.

Besides, we have only been mated for six months. It was too soon to start discussing marriage.

The most important thing was that we knew we loved each other - other things would come in later.

With a shake of my head, I walked into my bathroom, showered and got ready for work.

I stood before the mirror, ignoring my tired blue eyes and offered a quick prayer to the goddess, or the stars or moon or even the universe in general - anyone who cared to listen.

I prayed that my boss would have mercy and pay my salary today so I won't have to go through my stepmother's nagging for just one minute.

The chilly wind whipped against my jacket as I walked into the diner.

The familiar smell of coffee was so comforting but that comfort quickly dissipated when I looked in the corner and saw who was sitting there.

Oh dear goddess, not again.

Sitting by the far end of the diner was Nina, Hayden’s sister. My nemesis with her little gang of friends - or as I liked to call them, minions.

I tried to walk past them, pretending that I did not see them while also hoping that she would not notice me, but I was out of luck today. 

“Well well,”Nina called, “look who finally decided to show up.”

I should ignore her and just keep walking but experiences have taught me that that would just make her angrier and I knew better than making Nina angrier than she already was.

So I stopped and faced her, “What do you want Nina?”

She raised her brows, “Ouuu, look at all that attitude - which would have been cute if it was not coming from dirt.”

I took a sharp breath and pretended that her words did not hurt. Nina loved tormenting me and she made sure never to miss an opportunity. 

“Can I help you, Nina?” I asked again, calmly this time.

“Yes you can. You can help me by crawling into a cave and dying.”

Her minions cackled like the idiots they were. 

I started to apologise but the words stuck in my throat. Instead I squared my shoulders and met her gaze, “I have a lot of things to do, Nina. I do not have the time or the energy for one of your games -or whatever you like to call your stupid bullying.”

A moment of stunned silence followed my words before Nina and her friends burst into laughter, “ 

Looks like someone grew a pair of guts overnight.” 

Before I could react, Nina picked up her cup of coffee and with a casual flick of her wrist, dumped it over my head. The hot liquid soaked down my hair and dripped down my face while I just stood there gasping.

The diner fell silent, all eyes on us and my skin burned from the coffee and humiliation, but I forced myself to stand tall, blinking back tears.

Nina leaned in close, her voice a low hiss “Don't forget your place, Omega.”

“What the hell do you think you are doing, Nina?”

The voice almost made me collapse with relief and I turned to see Hayden waking up to us with anger in his eyes.

“Hayden,” I gasped leaning into him as he wrapped me in his arms.

His body was tense with what I assumed was anger.

“Hayden, what are you doing here?” Nina was obviously shocked to see her brother.

“You haven't answered my question. How dare you treat my mate in such manner?”

His voice was low and so dangerous I almost expected Nina to apologise.

But she didn't.

Instead she scoffed and narrowed her eyes at us, “You know I am sick and tired of this whole charade, Hayden. I have no idea when it is supposed to end.”

Charade?

Nina has always been against my relationship with her brother because she cannot believe that a low life can me, would just have free ticker to be involved with the alpha’s son. Or so she loves to say.

“Watch your tongue!”

“No!” She retorted, “No I will not watch my tongue. This has gone on for so long and it is driving me crazy - it is making me so insane. So you either tell this bitch the truth or I do.”

What truth is she talking about?

I felt Hayden’s body grow more tense, “Nina...don't.”

What was happening?

I leaned away from Hayden’s hold and turned to look at him. The look on his face was not anger anymore. It was fear, pleading.

What on earth was happening?

“I guess I have to do that then,” Nina continued, turning to me with a smirk, “Hailey - I know for the past few months you must have been feeling on top of the world and so in love and special because of this little thing going on between my brother and you. I'd love to be the one to burst your little bubble. It’s all fake.”

I blinked, confused. She was not making sense in any way. My heart pounded loud in my ears as I waited for her to get to the point.

“Oh sweetie, I can see the questions in your eyes. Hayden here made a bet with us and a few of his other friends.”

My heart dropped to my stomach because I could already imagine where this was going. 

I stood frozen, devoid of emotion as Nina continued.

“The bet was on you. We all gambled to see how long it would take for Hayden to get between your legs and prove that you are nothing but a whore.”

The breath left my lungs in a rush and I could have sworn I got splashed in the face by cold water. Ugly shivers ran down my spine, as I turned to Hayden.

There was no emotion on his face. No denial, no apologies. He looked cold - blank.

Oh my God.

I staggered back, feel;ing like I had been punched in the guts.

Oh my God.

“Hayden?” I managed when I could finally utter a word, “Please tell me what she is saying is not true.”

But he did not deny it. 

I didn't get the response I was hoping to hear. 

He gave his sister a glare - which did nothing to change her victorious smirk - then turned to me, his expression still blank and cold.

“I am sorry, Hailey.”

My knees quivered and it took everything in me to still hold myself up.

Sorry? For what?

“Oh why are you apologising, Hayden? You know you are not sorry in any way. Just last night, you came to brag that you’d finally got to her because she agreed to let you into her bed on your sixth month anniversary?”

I could not believe my ears, as Nina’s words sank in.

My eyes were filled with tears - tears I was trying so hard to fight back. 

I turned to Hayden again, pleading with him with my eyes to just deny the claim. He loves me. I know that he loves me, I felt it, in his words, his actions and his touches. .

But the tiny shred of hope I had shattered when I saw Hayden’s expression suddenly shift to a very familiar one. A look I had seen on his sister’s face countless times already.

It was like watching a man get possessed by an unfamiliar spirit. 

This, I realised , was Hayden dropping his mask and showing me his true face.

“Welp, the cat is out of the bag, Hailey.” He said with zero remorse, his eyes glinting with mockery, “I didn't plan for you to find out this way but now that you have, I guess there is no need to keep up the act anymore.”

I could hear Nina and her friends snickering, I could hear people in the diner muttering amongst themselves but all the words and sounds drowned away as I locked my tears filled eyes onto Hayden's own.

“Why?” I gasped, placing my hand on my stomach. It churned and rolled and I could feel the room starting to spin “Why would you do that to me? You-you loved me, you said so.”

Hayden laughed, the sound like another slap on my face, “Love? You are more delusional than I thought if you believed I would ever love a low life like you. Don't you see, Hailey? 

You are nothing but a low life omega. We are not equals and not even in your next life could you be a suitable match for me.”

Each word felt like a stab in my chest. Repeatedly. 

“Now that we have that out of the way…” He said and grabbed my arm painfully, his eyes boring into mine, “I do not want to have any sort of ties with a stain like you. I have acted long enough. That is why I must do this now.”

I held my breath waiting for his next words, mentally preparing myself for them.

Nothing, however, would have prepared me for the pain his words brought when he eventually uttered them.

“I, Hayden Shadows, reject you - Omega Hailey as my mate.”