Book 2: Chapter One
Zara stares at her face in the mirror, carefully applying concealer to the scarred skin under her eye. She can't feel the brush gliding over her cheek - it doesn't hurt, it’s just numb,the nerve endings long dead.
She touches the raised red scar that dissects her right eye, then closes the left eye just to check if the vision in the damaged one has improved. Like every time she does this, there are only gray blurry shapes if the light is very bright.
She continues with foundation and then setting powder, checking the makeup to make sure that the scars are concealed, and then puts her contact lenses in. Money and medical advances make sure that an outsider will not be able to see the milky film covering her eye that renders it useless.
She looks ‘normal’ even if she doesn't feel like it.
Zara hears her uncle’s heavy footsteps in the hallway before the door to her room bursts open without knocking.
"Hurry up, we’re leaving." The bellowed command grates on her nerves.
Zara glances at the full-length mirror one last time and takes a deep breath before she turns and slowly walks over to the older man, her face not giving away how much the smell of stale tobacco and cheap cologne repulses her. She can't remember a time that she has ever smelled her uncle’s natural alpha scent, but she doubts that it is any better than this cheap crap he douses himself in.
"Inspection!" The word makes her skin crawl and yet she stands still, not moving as the sweaty, sausage-like fingers grip her chin painfully, moving it this way and that, probably smudging her makeup.
She will have to fix that in the restroom once they arrive at the hotel.
It is the same procedure every time he drags Zara to one of the society events that are nothing more than meat markets, designed to sell desirable omegas to the highest bidder. In a world where omegas are rare and seen only as a commodity for the rich and powerful.
She tries not to move, barely breathing and waits for Samuel Hartman to check the flawless makeup on her face.
"You better wear your contact lenses, open your eyes." Another bark that makes her struggle not to flinch. As if she would ever consider not wearing them when she leaves the house, the small act of rebellion is not worth the punishment that comes after.
She almost falls forward when her uncle pulls the collar of the ruffled blue silk blouse she’s wearing first to one side then the other and sniffs with a disgusted face.
Zara almost gags at having the man so close to her scent gland but knows better than to show a reaction.
The artificial scent patch already makes her skin itchy and they haven't even left the house. Tonight she’s wearing a champagne one, her least favorite but one that her uncle deems to be a classy scent.
Zara inwardly rolls her eyes, as if the monster knows anything about class.
As they walk down the winding staircase out to the waiting limousine she keeps looking around, expecting Mila her cousin to join them, but the chauffeur closes the door once they have both gotten into the car.
There is no sign of her cousin.
"Mila is not coming with us?" Zara asks in a bored tone, not letting on that the absence of her cousin and best friend makes her anxious.
"She has other plans tonight." Her uncle’s voice sounds dismissive and Zara can't quite stop the flinch.
Other plans mean she is tending to the bruises her uncle’s beating has caused and is most likely in no shape to walk straight for the next week.
Zara pulls her phone out of her pocket and pretends to scroll the latest fashion pages before quickly sending a text.
Zar: ?
Mi : no
For a moment she stares at the message, knowing that it means Mila is in pain, that something happened today that is preventing her from going to this gala with Zara.
She wants to scream at her uncle, rail at the injustice of being caught in this life she has not chosen for herself, being an omega that is just a pawn for those that are seeking to profit from her existence, but she doesn't. It was a promise that she and Mila had made to each other when one of them receives a ‘punishment’ the other will be there to take care of the cuts and bruises, soothe the desolation and despair with hugs and cuddles.
If she gives in to temptation now and reprimands her uncle then she will end up in a worse shape than her cousin, not able to look after her once she returns home later this evening.
She stares out of the car window at the passing landscape, not really seeing the passing cars.
She hadn't looked forward to the evening by any means, but at least with Mila by her side it would have been somewhat bearable and also easier to navigate because her cousin always makes sure to stay by her side so Zara can't be surprised by anyone approaching her unexpectedly.
Now she will not only have to try to hide that she is worried sick but also be on her guard all night because without her wingman she won't be able to see anyone who comes close to her on her right side.
She can only hope that the evening won’t get worse.