Omega (Alpha & Omega #1)

{Chapter Sixty Five}

I looked out to the familiar line of trees in the distance. Only months before, I met Keon and Cayson, and they took me back to their home in Canada. I hated them back then, ready to tell them that I wanted to leave right when that first month was over.

But so much had changed. My personality molded to become what I never thought it'd be. I didn't hate alphas anymore. I didn't hate omegas. I just hated the prejudice doled out. And the ones who doled out that prejudice are the ones I hated.

I never understood why omegas treated me with such disgust. None of them ever bothered to explain it. But I'd noticed the only ones who ever treated me like I was a monster, were the ones who I'd helped. And those who spoke to the ones I helped.

"Phoenix Rose." Simon's voice made me shudder.

I used to love the tenor of his voice. I used to love his touches and the way he smiled. Now?

I turned to look back at him.

Now the smile he gave me just gave me the creeps.

"Still assisting omegas in heat?" He walked towards me with the slow calculation of a lion stalking his prey.

For an omega, his presence was astounding. That's what I fell in love with all those years ago. The fact that he didn't take bullshit, and acted like an alpha himself. I sometimes found myself wondering if he was an alpha, until he suddenly smelled like roses when he came to me one night.

"No," I said. "I haven't done that since I left."

He tilted his head, but continued forward. "You know, ever since you left, every single one of us has been locked in a room to deal with our heat ourselves. To suffer."

I almost flinched at the venom in his words, but caught myself and watched him near. "And that's my problem, how?"

He continued walking until he was right in front of me, the tips of his shoes mere centimeters away from mine. I felt his body heat and smelled his cologne mixed with his omega scent. He always tried to hide it. Always.

"Oh," he nodded, "I almost forgot. You have people to take care of that for you now. Do they all take turns? All five of them?"

I narrowed my eyes. If he riled me up, he'd see them start to glow. And he'd know. I didn't want him to know.

So I breathed before I answered.

"No," I said.

"You've always had it so easy." He sighed, looking past me to the setting sun. "Even when you found out you were an omega, you didn't have to do shit because your father and mother didn't force you to. I bet you're relaxing leisurely now too, huh?"

"Don't pretend you know what I've been through." The words were meant to come out sharp and hateful, but ended up timid and scared. Like I used to be.

He looked back down at me. Cool and silent. Waiting.

"Is that why you all hate me?" I laughed, finally getting my voice back. "Because I 'had it easy'?"

He snorted. "If only that were it."

Being treated like trash wasn't new to me. Being treated like trash by him and the others wasn't new to me. But the pain that sliced through me every time he spoke a word still hurt. It shouldn't, I know. But every word he spoke ripped that wound open more and more. I thought it had healed. But I guess not.

I turned my face away, afraid that my emotions would appear on my face. After some time, I realized his hurting me made him happy. He took enjoyment out of my pain, no matter how small or large.

"It didn't matter," he finally said. "Didn't matter what you were, you were treated better than us."

I remained silent.

"Sure," he laughed, "you got hit around a few times. But you stayed in that room and fucked anyone who came to you for help. That was all."

I turned on him then, suddenly so angry I couldn't see straight. "I what? Fucked anyone? I never fucked anyone but you!"

He raised an eyebrow. "That's not what I've been told."

He hated me all those years because he thought that I fucked anyone who needed release? Even if I did, who was the one who told them what I could do?

I bore my teeth at him. "You've been told wrong, you fucking piece of shit. I only lended a hand. And the only reason why I even did that was because of you. You were the one who told everyone what I did. What we did."

His eyes widened slightly.

I was supposed to keep my emotions under control. Supposed to make sure no one else found out what I was, for some godforsaken reason. But the look of horror on his face told me that I fucked that up royally. And in all honesty, I couldn't bring myself to care.

All this time, he thought I opened my legs to everyone in that house, male or female? What the fuck did he take me for? Some sort of house slut that got everyone off when they needed someone to fuck?

I ground my teeth together and spoke very slowly, and very carefully. "And I was hit around a few times? Try every day, you inconsiderate walking piece of garbage."

He took a step back. "What the fuck are you?"

I felt, rather than saw, my mates on the terrace. They didn't make a move towards us, but would if I got into any sort of altercation with the asshole in front of me. If the conversation continued, it would become much more than just a simple altercation. I wanted to rip his throat out.

"What does it look like," I asked, my voice turning deathly calm. My body was starting to act on its own, and the words I spoke were not my own anymore.

I grinned, and the smile made Simon flinch. I never smiled around him since that night. Ever.

"Now that you know," I held out my hands, "you don't have anything to say?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I'm just astounded how much of a freak you are."

My smile stayed in place. "And yet, I'm better than you ever will be."

His face went carefully stoic. No fear, no anger. He just stared at me through eyes I used to think were beautiful. And I wanted to throw him over the balcony. Watch him fall, hear the sound of his body hitting the ground below. He wouldn't die. It wasn't that far of a drop. But he would be hurt.

That's all I wanted. He said I was treated better than them? Not even close. They had jobs, they did their jobs. I only remained in my room to escape my father. If I crossed his path, I was either ignored or promptly attacked.

"The only thing I know for sure," he murmured, "is the fact that you're not only a freak, but a monster."

I tilted my head. I was a monster?

I felt more eyes. More alpha eyes. And I knew it was the remaining alphas that accompanied me to this place. Theo, Seth, and Teo. They were silent, waiting. Watching.

"You're a monster," Simon repeated, leaning forward to get just a bit closer to me. "A monster and a whore."

Those last words were what threw me over the edge. It didn't matter what I was - omega or alpha. It didn't matter which side was in control. Both were in agreement. Both couldn't stand the idea of being called a monster, of all things. Add onto that a whore? When I'd done nothing but love him? Love the man that betrayed me the second he got the chance?

Never again.

Never again.