ward. I stumbled, my hands going up to rest on the rough wood of the table. La

es. She circled around to stand in front of me, a hunter toying with her prey, her perfectly t

of the woman who had given everything to me, of the memory I held close to every point of my soul. My hands knotted up in fists, my f

orner. She was one of the younger Omegas, Maya, her eyes wi

o's a hero," she sneered, turning to face Maya. "Don't you rem

othing, their faces contorted in a mixture of terror and obedience. They knew better than to get in her

face. "Think you're better than us, don't you?" she sneered, her v

it in a desperate effort to feel something else, to be grounded in something other th

owing more powerful. "You're a plague on thi

ther... to insult her in such a manner. Tears flooded my vision, but I blinked t

ved towards me in a careless motion. "She

scalp, my hair roots screaming in shock. I gasped, my eyes finally meeting E

, don't you?" she sneered. "Think

pping my face hard. The force sent my head bouncing off of the tabletop, a shock

the terrified whimperings of the other Omegas. I was on my side on the cold,

You're nothing," she said again, her voice heavy in m

trying to shield my battered body. The other Omegas looked on in silence, their faces pinched and

bracing myself for impact, trying to block out her laughter, her shouting. I closed my eyes, picturing m

re when Elara's assault stopped. I was gasping for

me, her face twisted in disgust. "Clean this up," she said

to move, their gazes nervously in Elara's direction. They knew their job. They knew t

hing, my cheek burning. I looked around at the room, my eyes coming to rest on the other Omegas

As I scrubbed, my mind wandered to my mother. She had always told me to be strong, to never give up

he floor, acquiescing to this abuse. But what was I to do? I was an Omeg

lence, my heart

would break my body, they would insult me, they would take my dignity, but they would not destroy

this brutality. I would survive for my mother's memory, for the lone wolf that lived in me