Chapter 3 CHAPTER 003

The night air outside the basement is always colder; that world is full of noise, sweat, and cheers of drunken alphas, but it all fades the second Soren steps out of there. He draws in the fresh air; it brushes his face and through his red hair. His hands are tucked into his pocket and a backpack is hanging on his shoulders. His knuckles ache badly, and his shirt is sticky to his back, while his head pounds from exhaustion and, of course, the alpha’s scent that seems to still cling to his lungs. He shivers at the thought, knowing he was in the presence of Reign Montegemery without even realizing it. How fortunate he’s been.

But the man thinks Soren is a beta. Will he still make such an absurd offer if he knows Soren is an omega? Soren guesses not. It’s a known fact that Reign Montegemery hates omegas more than anything in the world. Soren might be desperate for money but he still loves his damn life.

Soren shrugs as he walks home but he doesn’t even make it halfway down the street when his phone starts to ring. He takes it out of his pocket and sees that it’s an unknown number, but something in his gut twists, knowing nothing good ever happens when unsaved numbers call him.

He answers fast as he immediately comes to a stop, pressing the phone to his ear. “Yeah?” he says almost breathlessly.

“Is this Mr. Fox?” a woman’s voice comes from the other side.

“Yeah,” he says, his voice tight, already expecting the worst.

“This is the Ravenscourt General Hospital. It’s about your sister, Iris Fox. She was brought in an hour ago after a sudden collapse. We need to move her surgery forward; her condition seems to have worsened. We’ll need you to come to the hospital and make a deposit immediately to begin the procedure.”

For a second, Soren forgets how to breathe as the street noise seems to fade and his throat goes drier than the desert. “I’ll be there in 30 minutes.”

He says and hangs up the call. He turns sharply and begins a sprint towards the hospital.

~*~

Soren steps out of the hospital with a printout of the hospital bills. The amount on the simple piece of paper makes it heavy in his grasp as he clenches it tightly while the doctor’s words echo in his head.

‘Her heart’s giving up, Mr. Fox. We can’t wait any longer. If we don’t operate this week, she might not make it. Once you make the deposit, we’ll proceed with the surgery.’

The words haunt him loudly, and they have no plans of stopping; they echo in his head over and over again. Cold sweat beads down his forehead and neck as he walks down the path that leads home, his head buried in thought because Soren doesn’t have such money; he has spent all he made on her medication to keep her stable till he makes enough for surgery and given the little time the doctor gave him to gather the money, Soren doesn’t even know where to start. Should he accept more matches? Take more loans from the bank or loan sharks? What about the ones he owes? How is he going to pay all of that?

With more thoughts clouding his head, Soren doesn’t even realize when he starts running again.

~~~

By the time he reaches home, his lungs burn painfully. As soon as he steps into the shitty, rundown apartment, he’s immediately welcomed with the smell of alcohol. He steps over an empty bottle near the doorway and stops short when he sees the form of his mother on the floor, unconscious with one arm hanging off the couch.

“Mom,” he says sharply, kicking aside another bottle to reach her to get a dead silence. “Mom, wake up,” he calls out as he squats to shake her, and finally, she stirs but immediately smacks his hand away.

She groans, turning her head, and her eyes barely open. “What—what time is it?”

Soren looks down at her with annoyance, eating at his nerves; his jaw is clenched so hard there’s almost an invisible crack while his blue eyes blaze; he doesn’t even realize when he blurts out. “It’s time to stop acting like a damn child!” He snaps, standing up. “You promised me you’d stay sober for once to watch over Iris!”

She blinks at her, anger and annoyance flickering in her eyes. “Hey, I was the one who took her to the hospital and had them call you before I left. It’s not my fault she fainted!” she raises her voice, her breath stinking of alcohol.

Soren clenches his hands so tight his nails are digging into his palm; a thick vein stretches on his temple from the rage coursing through his veins. “I told you to keep an eye on her! You left her alone at the hospital. What kind of mother are you?!”

She winces at his tone, but instead of guilt, anger flashes across her tired face. “Don’t yell at me, Soren. You think I don’t care? You think I don’t feel useless enough?” She pushes herself up, her hair falling into her face messily. “If your father were still here, if only I had an alpha instead of—”

“Don’t,” Soren immediately cuts her off, his jaw locking tight.

She lets out a bitter laugh and continues, her eyes getting harsher, and so are her words. “If only you were born an alpha, we wouldn’t be living like this! You think being a fake Beta makes you special? Look around, Soren! We’re still dirt! You’re still dirt, and you’re still an Omega!” Her voice rises with each word, heavy with anger and hatred.

“Yeah?” He echoes a bitter laugh, his eyes turning bloodshot. “At least this dirtbag is working his ass off to keep Iris alive while you sit here drowning in bottles!”

She rests her back on her couch, not making any attempts to get off the cold floor. She looks at him with an icy smile. “You aren’t an alpha, and you refused to be a useful Omega. If you sell your body to one of those rich alphas, you will have no problem taking care of us and paying Iris hospital bills; you chose to play a beta instead, so don’t talk to me about working your ass off. You’re simply useless, Soren,” she scoffs.

The words slam into him harder than lightning. She always repeats them, but each time, they sting deeper than they should. The shitty world and system aren’t the only things that make Soren hate being an omega; his mother takes the crown.

The longer he stands there listening, the more anger surges through his body and veins like hot lava. He sharply turns and walks over to his bedroom, crossing over more empty bottles of alcohol.

“You don’t have a choice, Soren; sooner or later, you’ll have to sell that omega body of yours and be useful for once. We need money!”

Soren hears her yell behind him, and he drowns those words out by slamming the door shut.