I shot up from the bed, panic coursing through my veins like wildfire. Every instinct screamed at me to run. I needed to get away from the red-eyed man. My heart hammered in my chest, and my hands shook uncontrollably.
"It's okay," a softer voice said.
I whipped my head around, my vision still blurry, and froze. The room was not empty, but it was calmer now. There were two people in the room. one, a woman dressed in white, probably a nurse, her expression a mix of surprise and cautious concern; the other, a male omega with green hair that fell in soft waves over his shoulders. He smelled faintly of sunflowers. Calm, soothing, alive.
He smiled gently at me and reached out, taking my hands in his. "It's okay. You don't need to run."
"But" I started, my voice trembling.
"No buts," he said firmly, settling onto the edge of the bed. "You're safe here. No one is coming to take you."
"They…"
"They won't," he said, venom practically dripping from his voice. "They wouldn't dare."
I stared at him, completely taken aback. I had never seen an omega so commanding, so unshakably confident. His presence radiated a kind of quiet authority, like the kind that could make even an alpha hesitate.
"Even if they're alphas?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.
"Those idiots are cowards," he smirked, his green eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and certainty.
"Yeah," I muttered, my own dry bitterness slipping out. "Cowards that could kill you."
He stared at me for a moment, silent, like he was weighing something in his mind. Then he leaned back slightly and said, "Let's stop talking about those idiots and talk about you."
"Me?" I asked, confused.
"Yes, you," he said, lifting one brow. "What's your name?"
"Holland," I replied cautiously, still holding back, still unsure if anyone here could be trusted.
"Soren," he said, extending his hand toward me. "Nice to meet you, Holland."
I hesitated for a moment, then placed my hand in his. "Nice to meet you too, Soren," I murmured.
"Got a surname?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.
I hesitated. Forest. That was my surname now, tied to Andrew, tied to the pack that had betrayed me. Fuck. I could never admit that here. If I told them, they might turn me back over to the Forest Pack.
Sensing my hesitation, Soren shrugged and smiled. "It's okay if you don't have one. Or if you want, we can pretend you don't. Doesn't matter."
"How old are you, Holland?" he asked next, his tone lighter now.
"Twenty-one," I muttered, my chest tightening. Five years had passed since my father handed me over to Andrew. Five years trapped, forced into a life I never wanted.
Soren's eyes widened, and he gasped in delight. "We're the same age! Were you born in October too?"
"14th," I replied cautiously.
"Twins!" he exclaimed, practically leaping onto me in a hug.
I froze, awkward and overwhelmed. "Right…" I said, my voice flat. My heart didn't quite leap the way it should have. Soren seemed genuinely thrilled, but I couldn't let myself feel too safe. Omegas, alphas, people always pretended to care until it suited them.
"What are the odds?" he said, breaking the hug and grinning.
"Right," I said, trying to sound casual, though my mind was racing.
Soren continued gushing about our supposed twin connection, suggesting we take tests to confirm it, telling me about how amazing it was to find each other. I didn't respond much, keeping my guard up. His energy was intoxicating, but I had been burned before. Too many times. I couldn't risk letting myself believe it.
"How long have I been here, and where exactly am I?" I finally asked.
Soren's face softened. "It's been a month… and a few days."
My stomach dropped. A month? The Forest Pack would have chosen a new alpha by now. They'd have moved on, forgotten me. But if they were allied with this place, staying could be dangerous.
"And this is…?" I trailed off.
"Novaterra Pack," he said, pride and warmth shining in his eyes.
Novaterra? The name stirred something buried deep in my memory. I'd heard it before…
Suddenly, a memory crashed into me, a flash from years ago back in my family's pack. My brother had talked about a place called Paradise.
"Do you know there's a place called Paradise?" he had said, eyes bright with hope.
"Paradise?" I'd asked, incredulous, looking at him like he was crazy.
"Yes," he'd said, "a place where alphas and omegas are treated as equals. You can do anything, be anything. I heard it's massive, with lights everywhere, food, beds, a home for everyone. It's called Novaterra." His eyes had sparkled with a dream I had thought impossible.
"Yeah, right," I'd said, rolling my eyes.
"I'm serious!" he'd insisted. "One day, we'll go there. Me, you, and mama. Free."
I'd laughed bitterly. "If that place exists, mama would be there first. We're stuck in this hell forever."
"Holland!" he'd shouted, hitting me playfully.
Since that night, he never stopped talking about Novaterra. He'd dreamt about it constantly, planning, hoping, imagining a life free from fear, free from alphas who ruled with tyranny.
I looked back at Soren now, at this strange green-haired omega standing before me with that same kind of light in his eyes, and whispered, "Paradise… it's real?"
"Yes," he said, nodding, his voice full of warmth.
"No way," I breathed, my heart racing.
"Yes," he confirmed again, smiling. "Welcome to Novaterra, Holland. You're safe here."
For the first time in years, a part of me believed him.