The Curse of Bliss

Prologue

"Approval has come through," a crackly voice says over the headpiece. "Initiate Project Radish".

The woman is shaking, despite how hard she is trying to stop herself. The man to the right of her, the Alpha whom she never bothered to learn the name of, turns to look at her. "You heard them. Get a move on."

"I-I can't." The woman tries to move away, but the man is too big and too fast, catching her before she even had a chance. "This isn't right."

Not a single flash of emotion crosses his face. He just pries open her right hand and thrusts the gun into her hands. "Do it, or we'll be giving the second dose to your son."

Her trembling becomes more viscous, every instinct inside her making her want to turn and make sure that her son is okay, but she forces her fingers closed around the gun.

She shouldn't be here. She doesn't belong here. She's a lead scientist Islinger Pharmaceuticals. She's supposed to be a healer, not a killer. When she had gotten the job, everyone, including her, had been surprised. She was an Omega, one of two in her doctorate program for Biochemical Engineering. It was something she loved, but something she never thought she would be able to get a job in. It was a field of dominance, one ruled by Alphas, but now she sees that they hired her for a reason, one that makes her wish she had never taken them up on their offer in the first place.

When she and her team had finally figured out the cure for the terrifying virus the firm had cooked up, she had felt relieved. But now, she is anything but. The cure was locked up inside the laboratory with only a few people having access, and she wasn't one of them.

She checks the gun, the nozzle filled already. Once the guard decides that she is ready, he pushes open the door to the black van and crowds her out. She almost trips as she steps out, barely catching herself on the side of the vehicle.

"You have two minutes." With that, the guard slides the door of the van shut.

The wind is bitter cold, enough where it feels like it is biting at her skin. She shivers, pulling her coat tighter around her.

The alley is deserted, except for two people sleeping under a raggedy tarp that has seen better days. It is tied to a dumpster and weighed down by cans of food. The two people huddled together were chosen on purpose. No known family, been living on the streets for a while.

And most importantly: addicts.

The most popular drug nowadays is Evdai. When she started her work, she had full intentions to try and find a way to block receptors in the brain that some people have an abundance for, making them more likely to become addicts than others. Evdai just became popular when she started her work, and now it is responsible for 72% of addictions in the country. There is nothing to be done about it, and it is costing a hell of a lot of money.

Suffice to say: People aren't happy. The ones who are losing money decided to take action.

And here she is, being the one to administer the virus.

Her footsteps are quiet against the wet cement. Fallen newspapers damp from the recent rain further cushion any sounds she may make.

Once she is close enough to the makeshift tent, she crouches down. The closest person to her is so young, almost a child. The scent reaches her, and her hand seizes against the gun. A young omega, thin, dirty, and addicted. Those things classify her as being unworthy.

She knows she doesn't have much time left, but she still has to use her other hand to force her right one into place. There is a bare bit of skin poking out from the threadbare blanket. A foot and a bit of ankle.

Holding her breath, she gently presses the gun to the skin and then tightens her finger around the trigger. The prick of the needle is quick, and the girl doesn't even wake up.

She stands again, hand still trembling as she walks away to the van. But the tires screech and it is pulling away.

"Wait!" she calls, running after it. But the van doesn't slow, and it is gone too soon.

She lets the gun fall from her hands onto the ground when she hears a sound behind her. Turning, she sees that the young omega from before is starting to twitch, an odd keening sound coming from her. The person beside her looks like they are stirring as well.

There isn't much time. She looks away and runs, not caring what direction she is going in, knowing that she just needs to get away.

Oh God, what have I done?