The Omegas Second Chance

Prologue

Shayna

My hands trembled on the vanity in the bathroom. Blood coated my hairline and was slowly dripping down my face.

Drip..drip..drip...

Each droplet fell into the porcelain and left a trail in its wake down to the drain. I lifted my haunted eyes and stared at my reflection.

Bruises. Swelling. Broken. That’s all that stared back at me.

I had sent Miles to his room to gather the things he wanted to take with us and grab his “go bag” I had packed several weeks before. I didn't need him to see this. Not right now.

I grabbed the rag off of the bathroom vanity and dabbed at the wound, wincing with the pressure. It was probably unwise using a white rag to clean blood off of my marred skin but I was way past the point of caring. I had already had the beating of a lifetime tonight. I had decided long ago to leave, I just needed that extra push to tell me I was doing the right thing. Tonight was that night.

I slammed my eyes shut and tried to exile the memory of the screams, the furniture breaking, the sound of fists hitting my body. Tears flooded my eyes.

There was a soft knock on the door, and I hurried to finish making myself as presentable as possible. Well, as presentable as I could be after my husband just beat the living s**t out of me.

Sighing, I unlocked the door and carefully swung it open. I had no clue what would be on the other side. Was it my son? The one who saved my life tonight? Had my husband woken up from his unconscious state? Had he come back to finish the job? Was it my sister who was sitting naked on our marital bed coming to gloat at how she “won the man” of her dreams?

This had been an arranged marriage. There was no love between Derek and I but I had hoped for civility. Amicability. I was told I would be treated fairly, but after 15 years of abuse both physical and mental, I was done.

My teenager stood on the other side of the door, a hesitant expression on his face. His eyes immediately went to the gash on my scalp and then trailed down every injury along my features. The bruises on my eyes, how one had started to swell shut. To the finger like marks on my neck. My throat hurt as I swallowed. Rage simmered in his eyes that were so much like his father's. But unlike Derek's, Miles's were warm, soft, and kind. Dereks held nothing but icy coldness that would see right through you and hit you where it hurt you the most.

“I started the car for you and put some of your things in the car already.” He said softly. He was a gentle boy, and I had no doubt he would grow into a wonderful mate for someone someday.

“We need to hurry. Before he wakes up.”

He knew who I was referring to. I didn't need to elaborate. Miles had been spared from Derek's aggressive fists, but recently his abusive tactics had started to stray toward our son, the closer he got to his designation. Alpha, beta, or omega. If our son wasn't the rank he wanted, I had a feeling Derek would kill us all.

“Do you have everything you need?”

Miles nodded and started down the hallway. I passed by the open door where I caught my husband and sister f*****g like dogs. Ironic considering we were werewolves ourselves. She was cuddled on the floor next to Derek's limp body. Part of me hoped he was dead, that we could be free of him once and for all. The other part of me mourned. Not because I loved him or because I wanted this marriage, but I mourned the possibilities that we could have had if he wasn't such an asshole.

My eyes went to the safe in the back of the room. Veering off the path, I ran into the room. My sister's glare met mine as she cried actual tears.

“You’re going to regret this!” She spat. Her venom didn't bother me, not after years and years of her bigotry.

I ignored her and went to the safe. Opening the lock, I weaved through the documents I needed. Birth certificates. Passports. Records. Cash. I had no money of my own. Derek made sure of that, and if we were to escape, I would need help.

I grabbed a bag and started shoveling stacked bills into the void. Derek was richer than anyone could imagine. Old family money, inheritance, and his career. He wouldn’t miss this.

“What the f**k do you think you're doing?! That’s not yours!” Eliza shrieked. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard, and my ears protested at the intrusion.

I heard hurried footsteps towards me and flinched, waiting for the expected blow to land.

“I wouldn’t,” came Miles’ low warning.

Eliza gasped and ran back to Derek and cuddled into his unconscious body as if he could protect her. Her eyes were wild with terror and she never once took her eyes off my son, never turning her back on him.

Wise. She at least could tell who was the predator in the room and who was the prey. She was afraid of him. I would have been too if I saw the beating my son gave to his father after he found him trying to kill me.

I turned back to my task and shoveled the last set of bills into the bag. My eyes caught on the glint of the ring on my finger. I felt nothing. I felt no sadness. I felt nothing but emptiness and soul-crushing numbness as I slid the ring off my finger and put it in the safe before shutting and locking it.

“Let’s go.” I said and we ran.

Gravel flew and dust stirred as the car flew down the driveway. My heart hammered in my chest. Would he come after us? Would he let us go?

I had just gotten off the phone with my grandmother and explained what was happening. She had been helping me with a plan for weeks on how to leave and get back to my hometown. Tamino falls, Colorado. She had arranged a house for us, much to her displeasure. She wanted us to stay with her in the mansion she lived in. She wasnt shocked that we were coming sooner than expected but she had been surprised about the events that took place tonight.

My phone buzzed on the charger and lit up on the dashboard screen.

Incoming call: Mom

I declined it. We weren’t a typical family. Not close. They absolutely hated me and the feelings were mutual. I looked at Miles, and he had the same worried expression on his face as she called again and again and again. After the 5th missed call, another came in, only this time it wasn't mom.

Incoming call: Dad

With a shaking hand and stuttered breath, I hit answer. I didn't even need to say hello.

“Are you out of your god damned mind? You have always been stupid and a mistake to bring into this world, but you have no idea the implications that your actions and that mutt's actions could have on us. Go back. Now.”

”No,” I said softly. I hated how my voice shook with fear. Derek's hands hurt, but my father's were no different.

“Excuse me?” Two words. Just that. He was giving me an opportunity to change my mind.

“You heard me. I'm done. I'm not going back!”

“You will regret this. When I find you, I swear to...”

CLICK

Miles was fuming as he ended the call and took the SIM card out of the back, snapped it in half, and threw it out of the window. His eyes switched between anger, sadness and fury before he took a deep breath.

We drove late into the night, stopping only when we absolutely needed to. Gas, food, hydration.

Driving…more driving… more resting. My eyes were heavy as a ringing started to buzz in the car. Miles was sitting in the passenger seat, his head propped against the window, and asleep for the first time tonight. He was still wearing his football uniform from his game tonight and my heart hurt a little more for putting him in this situation. I pulled the phone from his lap and my face blanched as I saw the name.

Incoming call: Dad

my foot hit harder on the gas and I sped down the highway towards our destination.

Towards safety.

Towards freedom.