In pursuit of wealth, my father, Ahmad Woods, forced me into the role of an Omega in the Harrison Pack.
On my second night in the pack, the pack’s Gamma, Sebastian Harrison, a man as serene as the moonlit sky, gave me clear instructions: “Now that you’re part of the pack, you’ll have what you need—food, shelter, and clothing. You don’t need to serve me or seek me out unnecessarily. Keep to yourself, and we’ll both be fine.”
I took his words to heart, vowing to stay out of his way.
But later, it was *he* who sought *me* out, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he asked, “What are you thinking? Do you like me? Do you want to be my mate? Do you want me or not?”
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The city was a place of glittering wealth, where the sky seemed gilded and the streets paved with silver.
My family, however, was just a small pack struggling to survive in the shadows of this opulence.
Dominick Martinez, the pack’s storyteller, often said, “You must believe in fate. It’s futile to fight against it.”
The next day, Hope Foster, our neighbor, became the chosen mate of a rival pack’s Beta after a chance encounter by the river.
By the third day, her family, the Martinezes, had moved into the cozy house my father had long dreamed of, living comfortably on the rival pack’s support.
My father’s eyes burned with envy as he spat, “To hell with fate. Gold and silver are only worth something when they’re in your own pocket. If Damian Martinez can strike it rich, why can’t I?”
So, without hesitation, he took me out into the city.
For the first time in my life, I was overjoyed. I clung tightly to my father’s hand, marveling at everything around me, as though the entire world had become new and exciting.
He even bought me a stick of candy—an unheard-of gesture. I didn’t dare lick it, gripping it tightly in my hand, afraid he might take it back.
My father led me to the riverbank, pointing at a nearby luxury yacht. He patted my head gently, his voice soft but firm: “Be smart, Tatum. If a wolf saves you, grab onto the one who looks the wealthiest. Your brother’s future, our family’s fortune—it all depends on you.”
I didn’t understand what he meant.
Before I could process his words, I was pushed into the river.
The summer water wasn’t cold, but as I thrashed in the water, I felt a deep sadness.
Sadness that my father had pushed me again.
Sadness that I’d lost the candy he’d bought me—it slipped from my hand into the water.
My father hid on the bridge, peeking over the edge.
Before I blacked out, I couldn’t tell if the wetness on my cheeks was river water or tears, but it tasted bitter and salty in my mouth.
When I woke up, our small, shabby house was filled with people.
My father, for once, was beaming with joy.
He hugged my younger brother, Eli, kissing him over and over. “My boy, our future is secure now. Your sister has done us proud. For once, your father will be the father-in-law of a high-ranking wolf. The fortune we’ve dreamed of is finally within reach.”
Eli, still a child, sniffled with a runny nose.
Only my mother, Scarlet, held me tightly, crying all night.
She said she was sorry.
Later, when the Harrison Pack came to take me, my mother stopped crying.
She waved me off, her eyes avoiding mine. “Go, Tatum. It’s for the best. Life in the Harrison Pack won’t be worse than here. Go and live a better life.”
I wasn’t foolish, just slow to understand things.
I clung to her legs, begging, “Mom, I don’t want to go. I don’t want a better life. I just want a life with you. I can earn money, Mom. Please don’t send me away.”
I had a feeling—once I left, I’d never come back.
But my mother, who had always doted on me, pushed me away without looking back.
“Just go. The Gamma of the Harrison Pack is kind. Even as an Omega, he won’t mistreat you. Think of it as moving to a new place. When… when I’ve saved enough money from sewing, I’ll come for you.”
And so, in the dead of night, I was taken into the Harrison Pack’s territory through a side entrance, carried in a small, unmarked car.
I was fourteen.
The family wolf, Whiskers, had gone with me when I left home.
He died that very night.
He had bitten onto my pant leg, refusing to let me go, but my father, seeing him as an obstacle to our fortune, struck him down with a single blow.
A thin mat wrapped around his body, and he was tossed into the summer moonlight.
Even in death, his eyes were filled with tears, his teeth still clenched on my pant leg.
