Heidi lies curled on the cold marble floor of her lavish room, the sobs still hitching quietly in her chest. Her tears soak the sleeve of her school-issued cardigan. She hates crying. Hates the way it makes her feel small and weak. Like she's confirming everything they think of her.
Like she's nothing more than an omega living on borrowed luxury.
But it hurts. Everything hurts. The way Mrs. Castell looked at her like she was roadkill left on the rug. The way Sierra and her gaggle of idiot friends tossed their legs and threats like confetti. The way Darien… gods, the way Alphas looked at her when he realized she'd heard everything.
Her chest tightens again, but she grits her teeth and lets the pain crawl back inside. She can not cry anymore. She pushes off the floor, her legs stiff from crouching for so long, and heads to the bathroom.
She scrubs away the dirt, the dried sweat, the humiliation. She scrubs until her skin stings.
When she steps out, she wraps herself in a towel and stares at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes are red, but her jaw is firm. She doesn't recognize herself anymore. She's not the shy girl who flinched when people raised their voices. Not the scared little nobody who tried to survive by shrinking into shadows since the first day she arrived in the pack.
She's changing and it terrifies her.
She gets dressed quickly in the dull gray hoodie and jeans she's allowed to wear at home, then pulls her hair back into a low ponytail. The Castell rulebook says she must always keep her hair tidy. Apparently, the sight of her curls drives Mrs. Castell into cardiac-level drama.
When she finally musters enough strength to face Sierra, she makes her way down the long corridor. The Castell estate is a palace with too many mirrors. Paintings of wolves in battle scenes line the halls, and every corner is trimmed in gold.
As she approaches Sierra's room, her stomach knots. She knocks softly, even though she knows Sierra's expecting her.
"Come in," comes the chirp, sugarcoated and venom-laced.
Heidi enters.
Sierra is goofing off on a velvet chaise with her phone in hand and a facial mask on. Her room is as ridiculous as expected. She's got white fur rugs, crystal chandeliers, and a vanity that looks like it belongs to a Parisian heiress. Perfume bottles glitter in the light. Her walls are papered in pale pink damask, and the whole place smells like roses.
"Oh good," Sierra says, barely glancing at her. "You're late."
Heidi says nothing. She's not late. She's actually five minutes early. But time runs on Sierra Standard here, and arguing would only earn her extra chores.
Sierra commands, flapping a hand, "Start with the closet. You left my shoe shelf crooked last time. I almost tripped and died."
Heidi bites her tongue and walks to the massive walk-in closet. Calling it a closet is laughable because it's more like a boutique showroom. Rows of designer shoes, dresses, and handbags line the shelves. Heidi starts straightening things, matching colors and placing heels just so.
Meanwhile, Sierra is busy tapping away at her phone.
"I heard something so funny at school," she says suddenly, with an edge to her voice that raises Heidi's hackles.
Heidi doesn't look up. "Mmhmm."
Sierra hums. "People were saying the Alphas have a thing for you. You."
Heidi flinches internally but keeps her face blank.
"I mean, it's so obvious they're just bullying you. I don't know why people are too dumb to see it. Honestly, you're kind of ruining their reputations. You make them look pathetic."
Heidi's hand stills on a pair of boots. Her jaw clenches.
She's tempted—sorely tempted to turn and tell Sierra the truth. That she kissed Darien. That her heart races whenever Amias so much as scowls at her. That something inexplicable thrums in her veins whenever she's near them.
But she doesn't because the secrets are her only armor.
Instead, she says, "Are you done talking to yourself?"
Sierra's eyes flick up. "Oh," she croons sweetly. "Did you grow a spine?"
Heidi ignores her and keeps cleaning. The silence stretches for a few tense seconds, then Sierra giggles. It's not a pleasant sound. It's the kind of giggle you hear before someone pulls the fire alarm just to watch chaos bloom.
A moment later, Heidi hears the unmistakable sound of a phone camera starting to record.
She freezes. Sierra turns her camera to face Heidi, who's currently kneeling in front of a drawer full of folded lingerie.
"Everyone, look who's playing maid again," Sierra sings. "It's the school's favorite Omega mascot! Heidi! Caught in her natural habitat… groveling!"
No. No. No.
"Sierra." Heidi's voice is sharp now, panic lacing her words. "Don't. Stop recording."
"Oh relax, it's just for fun. Look at her, everyone. So hardworking. I bet the Alphas are watching this and drooling." Sierra coos, still recording.
Heidi jumps to her feet, her face flushing hot. "Sierra, I'm serious. Delete it. Don't post that."
Sierra raises an eyebrow. "Why? Scared your precious Alphas will see you scrubbing floors like a real Omega?"
Heidi swallows hard. Her pride feels like it's trying to choke her. For some reason, she doesn't want her reputation to get any worse. For some foolish reason, she doesn't want to be that 'disgrace' the Alphas referred to her as.
Whatever chance she might have with them, she didn't want to lose it. As stupid as it was, she didn't. Not that it made sense to crave four men at once, but something inside of her wrenches for them.
And right now, all she can do is follow.
"Yes," she says softly.
That stuns Sierra for a second.
Heidi hates herself for the confession. But she also knows there's no point pretending. She has no real weapons against Sierra. Only her dignity… and that's already hanging by a thread.
"I don't want them to see me like this," she says, shutting her eyes. "Please."
Sierra blinks. Then she smiles slowly, like a cat catching a moth by the wing. "Now that's interesting. So you do care what they think."
Heidi clenches her fists. "I just don't want to give them another reason to treat me like trash."
Sierra pouts mockingly. "But that's the fun part, Heidi. Watching you squirm. You think this is bad? You think I'm the villain?"
She steps closer, phone still in hand. "You think those Alphas can give a shit about a fly like you? You're a game to them. A chew toy. Now, wanna know what you've earned yourself?"
There's a pause as Heidi stares confusedly at her.
Sierra sucks her teeth. "You've only given me more reason to make sure your life in Duskwind, Heidi slut, is hell!"