Kalem: No… no way. Not this. Summer’s already over?
The thought felt like a punch to the gut. School tomorrow meant the inevitable—the taunts, the shoves, the brutal bullying, all starting again. Just what I need.
Sunlight streamed through the window, a cruel reminder of the last good day of freedom. I threw off the covers and headed straight for the bathroom.
Looking at my reflection, I traced the fading bruises marring my skin from last year’s attacks. A grim anticipation settled in. This year would be worse, they’d make sure of it.
I brushed my teeth and stepped into the shower, letting the water wash over me. Living alone meant I didn’t have to hide anything, didn't need to cover up the scars.
The question always lingered: Where are my parents? They remained in the Pack House, while I was relegated to this rented apartment.
I remembered the day they’d watched a Beta from our pack beat me senseless, leaving me unconscious. Fear for my safety had driven them to move me here, hoping to shield me from the Alpha’s wrath.
But I didn’t mind it. I didn’t have to perform Omega chores, didn’t have to endure beatings just for existing.
I wandered into the small kitchen, craving something simple for breakfast. Cereal and black coffee would suffice.
“You need to eat more,” my wolf, Silvio, grumbled in my mind. “You’re already underweight. You need energy for the day.”
“I know, I know,” I sighed. “You don’t need to remind me every single day.”
Silvio could be infuriatingly persistent. I sat at the table and started eating, when my phone buzzed. I answered without checking the caller ID.
“Kalem speaking,” I said.
“Hi, baby! How are you doing? I miss you, you know. You should call us more.” My dad’s voice, warm and familiar, filled the line.
“Hi, Dad. I’m fine, as always. How are you? How’s… how’s Mom doing?” I asked, a knot forming in my stomach. My mom had started to resent me after I came out as gay.
Even before my orientation, she'd always resented me being an Omega in a Beta family. But the hatred intensified when she discovered I preferred men. She hadn’t even intervened when school jocks had beaten me, turning a blind eye to my suffering.
“Mom’s doing well. We were talking about you yesterday, and… she really misses you, Kalem.” My heart squeezed. “She wants to see you.” A flicker of memory—her kindness when I was younger, before my Omega status had mattered—tightened my throat.
“Mom… she really wants to see me?”
“Yes. We want to celebrate your eighteenth birthday with you. We know you’ll be finding a mate soon, and your heat will come. I’m worried about you. Please just be careful, okay? Promise me.” Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them back. I wasn’t a crybaby.
“Okay… I promise.” I sighed, again. I didn’t know how many times I’d sighed today.
“Okay, son. I should go. Take care of yourself. Meet us at the Pack House after school tomorrow. We’ll be waiting for our birthday boy.”
“Bye, Dad.” He hung up.
Well, shit. I stared at my phone, dread settling in. I didn’t want to go back to the Pack House. I wasn’t welcome there. But I couldn’t disappoint my parents. I had to go.
“I’m excited to meet our mate,” Silvio blurted out.
“You know what I think about mates,” I snapped.
“You can’t reject them! It’s our mate, our soulmate, our other half! You can’t just reject them because you think you’re not good enough.”
“But who would want an Omega as a mate? I’d just be a shame to him,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes for the second time today.
I severed the connection with Silvio, letting out a long sigh. I forced myself to imagine my mate, then reeled myself back. Get a grip, Kalem. Today is the last day of summer. Don’t make it even more depressing.
----------time skip-----------
I was sifting through clothes in my closet, searching for something to wear tomorrow. My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen—an unknown number.
Unknown. *I’m really excited to see you tomorrow at school, precious omega <3*
What the… My gut twisted. Goosebumps erupted across my skin. What the actual f*ck?! I screamed internally. I started to tremble with fear.
How could tomorrow get any worse? Beatings from the jocks, and now a freaking stalker? Fantastic.
So how was the first chapter for you guys? I hope you liked it!