The Omegas Second Chance

Chapter 4

Shayna

"Miles, get up!" I called and heard him groaning in response.

It was Miles first day at his new school and my first official day at my new job. My grandmother had helped me pick out a new interview outfit at the store yesterday, since that was the only thing I was willing to let her help with. She offered to let us stay in her home, she offered to give us money claiming since she was so well off that she had more than she could possibly dream of using. I feel so wrong taking any money from anyone, let alone her. I want to prove that I can do this on my own. She tried so many times yesterday to give me money, whether it was at the boutique I got my clothes at or the grocery store picking up food for us all. She wouldn't take no for an answer on the clothes, so she took advantage of that and got Miles some new clothes as well.

Sneaky old woman.

I smoothed my hand down my fitted skirt that I paired with a pale yellow shirt that almost made my brown eyes shine like gold and a navy floral blazer. Normally, I would have just left it at the skirt and blouse, but I needed to cover the bruises and any marks from view. I needed to make sure they allowed me to keep this job and I needed to appear like I was capable. Someone so weak and easily hurt wouldn't make it in the world of lawyers, at least I assumed they wouldn't, so I needed to do what I could to appear professional. I needed this job. I was nervous and when I got anxious I tended to fidget relentlessly.

I checked my watch and noted the time. When I peeked in Miles' door and saw him still lying in bed with the pillow covering his face and starting to snore again, I rolled my eyes, walked in and yanked the pillow away before bopping him with it.

"Up, now! You have school and I have to get to work. I will drop you off on the way, but I am leaving in 15 minutes!"

I had to smother my laugh and annoyance as I watched my fifteen year old son roll out of bed like a sloth falling from a tree and dragging himself to his dresser to get dressed. I took a sip of my hot coffee and sighed at the warmth as it hit my belly. I drank coffee at this point, not for energy but to avoid the soul-crushing headache I knew would come by noon. I learned really fast after Miles was born that my energy was sapped and probably would never resurface. I relied on makeup and good charm to avoid people looking at my dark circles and my depleted energy levels.

"Fifteen, Miles. I mean it, or you're walking." I grumbled as I walked away.

I plopped a couple of waffles for him into the toaster and checked my phone for the thousandth time. I hadn't heard from Derek, but I knew it was coming soon. The barrage of messages and threats I knew would come my way scared me. I had tried to leave before and that was how he got me to come back the last time. I had no doubt he was licking his wounded pride and wounds after Miles stepped in this time, but he wouldn't back off for long, which was all the more reason for me to get my ducks. In a row and in a more stable position.

I heard the thump of footsteps coming into the kitchen and I smiled in gratitude. Miles had taken to making his presence known around me instead of sneaking up on me. He started noticing how easily I startled a few years ago and, ever since, he purposely made his steps louder, called out his arrival when coming home and even slowed his movements around me. It made me feel weak sometimes, but so proud of my son for recognizing the signs and stepping up even when someone couldn't quite ask for help. He grabbed his backpack and snatched a waffle out of the air as it popped out of the toaster.

He was getting faster and stronger the older he got, and it made me wonder what his designation would be. We would find out within the next year whether he would be an Alpha, beta or omega. I had no doubt in my mind he wouldn't be like me, but whether he was an alpha or beta was debatable. Both designations ran on both sides of the family. The conversation he had with his father came to mind.

"You better be an Alpha when the time comes." Derek growled out at the dinner table. He hadn't even looked up from the steak he was cutting to address his son.

"You know he can't control that. It's decided before they're born what they will be." I whispered, careful not to make eye contact. My cheek still throbbed from the last time I made that mistake. He took it as a "challenge" even though he had explicitly asked me to look at him.

His silverware immediately dropped to the table with a loud clang and there wasn't a single sound in the dining room besides the occasional breath I released. My hands shook as I waited for his response.

"If he's not an alpha, then he is no f*****g son of mine."

I saw Miles jolt at his father's threat of disowning him if he wasn't the right tier of shifter he wanted. I grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed in reassurance.

Derek had never physically hurt Miles, but sometimes words cut harder and deeper than any slap. I had already been working on my plan to leave, but it was clear I needed to move into higher gear and get out of here before anything happened to my son. I needed to protect him, and since physically protecting him was clearly out of the question, running was the only option.

"Best remember that when your wolf emerges, and you discover who you are. Do not disappoint me, boy."

"Mom?" He froze with the waffle halfway in his mouth and his words were muffled.

"Don't talk with your mouth full. Let's go before we're late," I said, avoiding his line of questioning. I was having flashbacks more and more frequently, and I could see it was starting to concern him.

*****

"Here's your welcome packet, your badge, and your benefits enrollment paperwork!" Christina said.

Christina was the HR manager who onboarded me. We had talked over the phone for weeks, and she was thankfully able to do a virtual interview before I moved down here. She was so nice and understanding and knowing my family background seemed to help her make the decision to hire me. She wasn't beating around the bush when she said my boss was a 'hard-ass' and ran out the last assistant he had. I desperately needed this job, so I told her it wasn't an issue and that I had dealt with a lot worse. She seemed to understand, and it was history after that.

She was so nice and friendly, and I nearly hugged her for how sweet she was towards me. She told me she grew up here as well with her family, but she was five years younger than me, so it made sense that I hadn't remembered or seen her before. That and no one really cared about me growing up anyway, so it was easy to fly under the radar during my school years.

"Come with me. I'll show you around and give you a tour before you get started." She linked her arm with mine and nearly dragged me as she walked ahead. She was taller than me and I had to practically jog to keep up with her.

Christina showed me the cafeteria, the lounge, the offices to meet clients at. She introduced me to a few of the other lawyers at the firm and their assistants. Some gave me friendly smiles while others seemed a bit standoff-ish. She introduced me to the security guards and that helped me feel a little more secure in this building.

"Alright, he should be here within the next fifteen minutes or so. He had an early morning meeting with a client." she said in regards to my new boss. I wonder if I knew who he was. I still hadn't been told his name. I only knew that he was apparently an asshole and demanding, and a nightmare to work for.

She showed me to my desk and gestured to the glass wall behind me that looked like it had a film on it to block the view. She informed me that my boss could control whether it was clear for view or opaque for privacy. It was painfully clear that the owner of Saunders and Jones had nothing but an endless amount of money for the way this building was designed and the amount of people working here.

"Here's your login to your computer and accounts. Your job is to filter through his emails, handle all admin tasks and clerical work. Help with research when able which we will also pay for your schooling if you wanted to work towards a degree in either paralegal work or to become a lawyer yourself. You will also be the go to for communication first with clients and other parties. You will also help manage his calendar and make sure his day runs smoothly and efficiently so he can do what he does best. Is that going to be an issue?" She asked again and I shook my head.

"Absolutely not. I am more than capable. I can't thank you enough for this opportunity." I said while twirling the empty spot on my ring finger. I had taken off my wedding ring this morning for the first time since I married Derek and my nervous habit of spinning it was making itself apparent. I clasped my hands behind my back to avoid it.

"But I do have one question."

"Yes?" She asked. She tucked her long black hair behind her ear and smiled at me, satisfied with my answer.

"You have answered all of my other questions and shown me everything I could possibly see and need to see here but you haven't told me my boss' actual name."

It had been bothering me for the longest time and I needed to know who I was going to be assisting if I was going to succeed at this job.

"Levi Saunders." A deep and definitely male voice answered. A familiar voice that had every single muscle and joint in my body locking up.

No...fucking...way...

I turned around very slowly. I felt every ounce of blood flee my face and my skin grow pale. I was sure that the makeup I had put on the conceal every mark was pointless now due to the sickly color of my skin. I knew what I was going to see when I turned, but I continued anyways like an i***t.

My eyes met a pair of gray ones. Black hair fell on his forehead and his square jaw was lined with thick stubble. He was taller than I remembered. Thicker with muscle and smelled of saddle wood and pine.

Fucking hell. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Do the fates hate me?

“Good to see you again, Shayna.”