Ryker

I watched her run away from me, a full on sprint and the sight was both annoying and hilarious.

The goddess had played a cruel game in me, making me hope I would find a mate and giving me an omega.

What the fuck was an omega? They were useless.

Why would I be mated with an omega, there was no fucking way I would let that be, so there hadn't been any choice but to let her go.

I didn't care that I might have hurt her. There and then, I rejected her.

Fuck me, if I was going to spend time with a weakling like her.

As I headed back to the party, slowly walking because I wasn't eager to get back either. This party had been made to find my mate and I had just rejected her.

I wondered if I would tell them. Maybe I would just tell Jude and Veronica, definitely not dad and mom.

They would try to force her on me and I didn't want any of it.

I let out a laugh there in the middle of the woods, the joke was just too funny.

That I, Ryker, had been given an omega as a mate, an alpha and an omega? Whoever the fuck did that? What would she do? What value would she offer me. There wasn't anything there and it was best I rejected her.

I went back into the party, the loud noise loosening my wolf and he broke free inside of me.

"You fucking rejected her" he shouted.

I flinched, I could feel the anger he felt coursing through me although I didn't understand why.

"She's a fucking omega, of course I did"

"But she was ours" he said.

"Well, not any more. I'm going to choose Veronica"

He growled inside of me, it was almost hilarious how angry he had gotten.

"I'll never accept her, she's not meant for us" he argued.

"Well, she's what I want and since I don't have any mate, I'm free to do what I want"

"What do you mean, you don't have a mate?" A voice asked from behind me.

I turned around to see it was Jude, he was staring at me in question.

I shrugged, "Nothing much, I just didn't find her and I don't care to do more than this to" It was a lie but nobody had to know, at least not yet.

I didn't want to tell him here because what if somebody over heard us?

It would be news everywhere that Alpha Ryker had been given a weak omega as a mate.

Still, there was a curiosity I had for her, maybe I would find out more about her.

She was my former mate after all.

"Well, you've hardly walked around man. Of course you haven't found your mate, get around" he said encouragingly pulling me to the bar for a drink, I needed it anyway.

We were drinking shot after shot when a hand slid onto my shoulder, caressing it lightly.

I already knew from the touch who it was, I turned to face Veronica staring at me.

Her eyes were bright under the lights and I wanted to get lost in them.

"You were missing for a while" she said.

I smiled, "I needed to breathe so I left for a while, did you miss me?" I joked.

She shrugged, her eyes falling to my lips.

I already knew that look, I pulled her to me, kissing her on the lips, our tongues joining and caressing each other.

"Come on man, focus" a soft slap on my back along with the statement from Jude.

I rolled my eyes, detaching from Veronica, "Well, I didn't find her so might as well go with what I have" I told him, my hands still wrapped around Veronica's waist.

All three of us sat at the bar, drink after drink, to the extent we almost got drunk.

Soon it was midnight and the party had to come to an end. I had pretended so well so far about not finding my mate and Jude and I decided there wasn't any need for it to last longer.

If my mate wasn't here then she wasn't and we had to move forward.

"That was one blast of a party.......meaningless though" he said as we walked back to the house.

I nodded,

"It was but at least if there's no mate for me out there, I don't need to do too much, I could just be with Veronica"

My wolf growled inside at my words, of course he would be unhappy to hear that.

"Your parents though, I don't think they're going to agree to that" he said.

"I don't care, they want a Luna for the pack and she'll be one. Anyway, she's strong, resilient, she's the perfect match for me"

I said smiling to myself as I remembered we had our moment in the woods before I disappeared to let loose the anger bubbling in me.

"Yeah sure"

I didn't know if I heard the sarcasm or if it was just the thoughts in my head but I shrugged it off anyway.

I went directly to bed, the useless party had drained the fuck out of me.

The next day, the second thing that woke me up after Veronica had called was a maid coming to tell me that my dad wanted to speak to me.

I remembered last night again, the fact that I had found this mate of mine and she had been useless was still there. I didn't need a genius to tell me that I couldn't tell this to mom or dad, they would definitely not approve that I rejected her.

It made me wonder if dad would extend the coronation further if I told him the truth or if I told him I hadn't found a Luna.

He was bent on me having one before I became alpha, he would just have to accept Veronica.

Inside their office, mom stood beside him as he sat on his chair, his presence powerful on it's own and dominant.

"Son, I heard you didn't find a mate?" He said as a question but I knew he knew the truth.

"Yes dad, unfortunately, I tried looking but I didn't find anyone" I lied again.

I wasn't going to fucking say I had found an omega, dad might force me to get her back because I knew mom would support me, she wouldn't want me married to a lowly omega.

It made me think about what a cruel joke the goddess had played on me.

"Do you think you should go from house to house to look for her?" He asked.

I looked at him, shocked, sometimes i wondered why what goes on in my father's head because what sort of suggestion was that?

Even mom stared at him in surprise.

"Of course not dad. Nobody would dare disobey your orders for them to come yesterday"

Of course my supposed mate did disobey the order but that really didn't matter now,

"So we saw every girl there was to see and she's not in it, so maybe the goddess wants me to choose my mate"

Dad already knew where I wanted to go so before I spoke he said,

"I'll think about it, just don't stop trying to find her."

"We won't tell him that we've found her of course" my wolf sneered at me.

I shut him out and focused on dad, "I won't dad, is that all?"

"Yes, for now" it was a dismissal and I was glad to go.

When I left his office, I went out to meet Jude who would be with a few other guys, a couple of friends at the chill out spot.

Just as expected, I found them there, gathered and talking to themselves.

As soon as I walked in, they stood upright, each of them greeting me appropriately, this was how it was as alpha and I loved it.

"How are y'all guys?" I asked.

"Man, we're all good. You didn't find her yet?" Zac, one of my closest friends asked.

I shook my head,

"Nah, I don't think I'll find her ever so I would probably be choosing Veronica"

We all laughed and joked about it before they left to do whatever it was they did and only Jude and I were left behind.

"Man, how come you ain't find her? That whole place was packed, I even found someone" he said.

I looked at him in surprise, "You found your mate?"

He laughed in mockery, "Fuck no, I'm not ready to find her anyway, I need to have a long bachelor life first"

Well, I understood very well what he meant, I had been the same before I met Veronica, okay and maybe just a little bit the same even now.

"So you met who?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Just some pretty girl, made out and stuff. I'll even go see her later today" that caused me to throughly be surprised.

"Damn, that's all good for you"

I opened my mouth to tell him what I had found out last night but my phone stopped me.

Annoying piece of shit it could be sometimes.

I looked to see it was Veronica, oh not that annoying then.

I picked it up, "Hey baby"

"Baby, I miss you" she responded, her voice whiny. My inner wolf cringed at it but personally, I loved that she needed me.

"How about I come take you out in a few hours?" I asked her.

I knew she would like it and her scream on the phone communicated that,

"I'll be waiting for you " she answered happily and ended the call.

I turned to Jude and said, I needed to get it out because it had been eating at me,

"I need to tell you something"

Aria

My bag had been packed and I was ready, the woods were quiet as I ran through them to the main road.

I had left the house not long ago the next day, I didn't want Jessica to be able to reach me and so I had thrown my phone away, it was time to leave.

My unfortunate luck had taken so much from me, so many missed opportunities and dreams, not only was I the lowest rank but I also didn't have my wolf.

It was as if she was never there, whispering just a word in all my whole life.

I hated how much of a nonentity I was.

Then the goddess had also decided to give me an alpha as a mate, he had rejected me immediately.

He hadn't even given me time to process anything, he had seen how useless I was, just like I thought and rejected me immediately.

My thoughts had been true all along, I was useless and I didn't need anyone else to tell me. I was tired of rejection.

I stopped mid-walk, I wanted to see him again, I didn't know why but something pulled me to go see him.

It took a while before I recognized that I had changed direction and was heading towards his house.

I wouldn't go see him, of course I wouldn't but I wanted to see him one last time before leaving, I wanted to see who the goddess had chosen for me and if he regretted his decision.

I stood, staring from the woods when his familiar scent met my nose, he was close by.

I heard whispering before I heard footsteps, so I moved back to hide well so he wouldn't see me.

He walked into the woods with a lady, both of them holding hands.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked him, they stood both staring at each other.

"You're going to be my Luna of course, I never met my mate and someone has to be Luna for me to be Alpha" he told her.

The way he looked at her, so adoringly that it stung me deeply, very different from how he had looked at me, with disgust and annoyance at my presence.

His rejection hurt me all over again and I felt the tears slide down my face.

I knew I hadn't made a mistake in deciding to leave. With the way he was treating her, he would never have treated me like this.

She giggled at his words and pulled him closer, both of them making out.

The sight jarred into me, tearing me apart inside, I couldn't stand to look at both of them.

Gradually and slowly, I walked away from them, my two small bags in my hands.

I had taken only my essentials and some money to at least survive a week there before finding a job.

When I was far away from them, I let the sob that had been pulling at me out, the sound filling

the forest and the tears slid down continuously, blurring my vision.

What a failure I was, nothing was ever good for me.

I had lost my family, I was alone in this world,alone as an omega in a pack that didn't care about me.

Why was I so cursed?

Had I done anything in my past life to warrant this I wondered to myself.

All through high school, I had been bullied, never made any friend other than Jessica and definitely not a boyfriend.

This place held nothing for me in it, there was no choice but to leave. What did I have here anyway?

A few hours later, I could hear the sounds of cars moving on the highway and I knew I was close, so close to my freedom.

I would get a bus to the new city and stay there, find a new home away from the oppression here.

At least there would be nobody looking at me specifically, I wouldn't be suffocated with the pressure of everyone I had grown up with going up in life and me staying the same.

There, I saw it immediately, a bus parked and I saw two women going in.

I could see it was about to move and ran to catch up,

"Wait" I shouted as the bus began to move.

The last lady to enter spotted me and looked back inside, the bus stopped just then and I rushed in.

"Sorry" I muttered shyly as I stared at the occupants.

Fortunately, they didn't seem to notice me much.

I paid the fare and sat down in the empty seat close to the back.

Two ladies and a man were already seated in the row, quietly watching outside or their phones.

I leaned against the chair, shutting my eyes.

I had finally left. I had made the decision now and there was no turning back.

This was goodbye it seemed, to a place I would never come back to at least I hoped.

My eyes opened when the movement stopped, the car had reached its bus stop and we all came down.

I looked around, this new and unfamiliar place where I had come to run away from my past and failures.

The bustling city of strangers, I started looking around, lost. Where would I start from? Who would I approach to ask around?

I began to think then, what was I going to do first? Would I find an apartment or hotel? I wasn't sure and began to walk down the road.

I saw a sign, "Accomodation at cheap cost"

That interested me and I headed towards it, I had enough money for a few weeks for now at least, I didn't want to spend too much until I got a paying job.

The inside of the building was dingy and clearly cheap, it didn't bother me, after all I wasn't looking for anything exactly expensive but it was empty.

"Anyone here?" I called out looking around.

A few minutes later I heard footsteps and an older lady walked out of the hallway, she stared at me curiously.

"How can I help you?" She asked.

Her tone was dry and not impressed with me, "I came for the accomodation" I answered.

She nodded, her face brightened up.

"Yes, that. It's free. Want to see it?" She asked.

I nodded and followed behind her as she led us up to the room.

The inside of it was just as unimpressive as the inside. There was a bed with a surprisingly clean enough mattress, though uncovered.

The windows were boarded up.

"You can fix that" she said as she noticed where my gaze went to.

I shrugged, it didn't really matter.

"The toilet is down the hallway" she said pointing out the door towards where I had seen the door.

I went into the other room, I guessed it was the kitchen because it looked like it, there was the space for a cooker and everything, the cupboards as well.

To me, it was good enough, maybe not the best accomodation.

"I'll take it" I said to the lady.

She smiled, the first I had seen of it

"It's five hundred per half a year" she told me.

It wasn't too expensive so I paid it there, cash as I had and she left me alone to acquaint myself with the apartment.

There were cobwebs and dust of course due to the clear disuse, I wondered for how long this place had lain empty.

It looked desolated.

There were some old clothes laying on the floor around the floor and I threw them away, into a bag I had designated as the trash.

I didn't have a phone, I had thrown it away so that Jessica couldn't contact me, even though I had her number written in a book.

I decided I would go out to get one when I was done with arranging.

When I had finished, the room looked as good as it could considering the situation.

I also had to look for a job I decided, hopefully somewhere I would be paid well enough.

I washed my hands and left the room to explore the city.

I passed some houses that looked like they should be destroyed and some that looked like they should be somewhere in the suburbs.

Finally I reached the part that seemed more consistent, the houses looked much better, richer and even the bars and restaurants looked too expensive.

I knew I couldn't eat there but maybe there was a job for me.

I had walked for a while when I spotted what I was looking for originally, a phone shop.

I walked in, hoping it would be cheap enough for me to be able to get enough.

"What would you like?" The receptionist asked me.

I smiled, a nervous one, "A phone please"

"Any specific taste?" She asked.

I shook my head, "Although not something too expensive" I told her.

She smiled as if understanding and showed me to the show glass where a couple of phones had been put on display.

"These are our cheapest but still good brands"

I studied them carefully before choosing a good looking phone.

"That is six hundred" she said.

The price was more than I had expected but I knew it was the cheapest I would find anyway.

My savings were slowly going down.

"I'll take it"

We both went to the counter where I paid and before leaving I asked.

"Do you know where I can get a job, do you have any vacancies?"

She seemed to think for a while before she said, "Down the road, there was a vacancy for a bar woman and waitress for a club" she told me.

That brightened me and I thanked her profusely before leaving the shop, I would go where she had directed me to immediately, before the position was filled.

Aria

With my new phone, I headed towards the directions she had given to me quickly as I could. I didn't want to make a cut just because I was slow.

When I was sure I had arrived at where she had described, where the opening was, I stopped to stare at the building.

These type of buildings weren't too many around the former pack city, they were usually in the busier part of town, places where I wasn't allowed in but here I would get to work here.

I felt excitement at the idea and couldn't deny that I wished I would get the job here.

I went to the door and walked in, I didn't raise my eyes as I walked to the lady on uniform who I was sure was working here, I couldn't meet any eyes not with how lowly I felt.

How would they react if they found out an omega had dared to look them in the eyes. Even the energy in the room was more dominant than anything.

"Good evening, hi" I said to the lady in uniform.

She looked at me, her eyes going up and down on me as if checking me out.

Her eyes flashed with disgust when she had finished looking at me and it stung, it wasn't new but I hadn't expected it to be so soon as I walked in.

"How may I help you?" She asked curtly already turning away from me, as if she couldn't stand the sight of me. I wouldn't care, not now and especially not if I wanted to start afresh, she wasn't a part of my journey and I had to learn not to care about everyone's opinion.

"I'm here for the position of a waitress" I told her shyly.

She looked up at me, the disgust had reduced but she definitely looked at me as so much less.

"Well, there's none" she said.

I tried to speak but the way she stared at me, I couldn't bring myself to say the words.

I had seen the board with the advertisement, had it already been filled?

I could feel my hands shaking, I didn't know what to say to what she had said.

There was no way I could go back home without a job.

I heard laughter come from behind her before I saw the man come out from a door behind her, his eyes shining with mischievousness.

"Why do you play like this?" He asked shaking his head.

The lady smiled back, her eyes glinting with something I wasn't sure of.

Did it mean the vacancy was still open? I wanted to open my mouth and ask but slowed myself down, I didn't want to cause any more issues.

The man turned to me, he took a good look at me before speaking, there was no disgust in his eyes but I noticed the curiosity.

"Go in this door, the second office and there you'll meet your interviewer" he told me simply.

I thanked him, my voice small because I didn't want to be too loud and I hated the way my heart betrayed me, beating so fast here.

I couldn't help but wonder why the woman stared at me earlier with such evil eyes.

I shrugged as I followed the directions he had sent me to and knocked on the door where I was supposed to be interviewed.

"Come in" the voice said on the other side.

I took a breath, my heart racing as I walked in. I wasn't sure anymore, not as confident as I had been when I had walked in.

The man who sat on the chair when I walked was a huge man. His body was thick with muscles even as he sat down, I wondered how he would look when he wasn't sitting.

"Now's not the time Aria", I silently called myself to order.

"You're here for the interview?" He asked me.

I nodded my head and stared at him, wondering about what I should say.

"Take a seat, let's begin" he stated, his voice was deep and I hadn't heard anything like it on a while.

"Thank you" I said as politely as I could and sat back down.

He stared at me for a while before speaking,

"What's your name?"

"Aria Shawn sir" I answered, my voice was shaky but I held it tightly, I couldn't fumble this.

I had successfully changed my surname in the hopes of starting a new life.

"How old are you?" He asked next.

"Twenty one sir" I answered again, I crossed my fingers as I said that, I hoped that wouldn't cause me to lose this.

His face brightened slightly at my words, the age wasn't bad then.

"Are you here with your necessary documents?" He asked.

I shook my head in the negative, I hadn't expected to get an interview so quickly and hadn't come out prepared.

"When you resume, I need you to come with it" he told me.

At that I froze, his words had stopped me. When I come into work? Had I gotten the job?

"Have i-" I didn't finish my question when he answered.

"Yes, you've gotten it, twenty dollars per hour, a weekly pay" he told me.

His words brightened me up, twenty dollars per hour was huge.

"You'll take an evening to night shift, which is six in the evening to when the club closes and that is by six in the morning, twelve hours are you up for that?" He asked as a way to clarify I guess.

I nodded eagerly, I hadn't gotten this kind of pay even when I had worked in a hospital. They had given me so many hours of working and not with enough pay to match it.

"Yes sir, thank you" I said meekly, not meeting his eyes but hoping my voice could communicate that I really was grateful.

He shook his head, as if waving it off. For a big guy, he was definitely nicer than the lady outside.

"I'm expecting you Sunday evening then, see you" he told me packing the paper up on his desk and I thanked him.

I left his office, my face brighter than it had been when I had walked in.

My first task in the city had been done, finding a place and now the second which had been finding a job, it had been done as well and although it wasn't the best in the city, I loved it.

So far, it had been a good start and I was excited to see what else this new city had for me.

Maybe new friends if I was lucky or anything really.

I could find a better place as time went by as well, something better than where I was at currently, I didn't think I could live there for long.

When I got back home, the long walk draining so much strength from me, I knew I would have to eat soon but not now.

As I laid down, I came to the realization of something...

I missed Jessica.

I know throwing my phone away was more of a bad idea and I regretted it.

She was the only friend I had and I had just managed to push her away.

"I have to call her", I thought

I dialed Jessica's number.

She would be worried the moment she finds out i'm missing.

Her phone rang for a while and I had almost given up when I heard her answer it.

"Good evening?" She said in a questioning voice.

Her voice brought back memories and a wave hit me, I missed her so much.

"It's me" I told her, my voice soft, I already knew she would be pissed.

There was silence before she spoke, and I could already sense the anger rise even with all the distance between us.

"Aria?" She asked to be sure.

I nodded before speaking, "Yes, it's me" I told her.

She sighed,

"Where the fuck have you been?"

I opened my mouth to tell her what had happened but stopped myself, I didn't want to tell her any of it, that I had been rejected by who should have been my mate and he had sent me away without a second thought.

"I've left town" I said simply, I didn't want to say any more than that and she knew but still asked.

"What the fuck? When did this happen and why?" She asked, her voice had risen now.

I shut my eyes,

"I just needed a change of scenario, there wasn't for me anyway, everyone else is moving forward and I'm stuck here as little old aria"

I felt my eyes water as I spoke and my voice began to change, other than Jessica, I knew there wouldn't be any concern from anyone.

I was sure, Ryker had even forgotten that he had a mate that he had rejected, I wasn't needed.

"Fuck, Aria. You shouldn't have left and you didn't tell me" she told me, her voice was shaky, she was about to cry.

"Don't you dare cry" I told her before she could start.

She took a deep breath before speaking, "I'm going to miss you, I'll visit soon though" she said.

I shrugged, she couldn't see me.

She wouldn't be visiting until I had a better place, I couldn't let her come see me like this.

Things had been better than this back in town, she wouldn't approve of this living if she saw it.

"Sure, you will" I agreed, there wasn't a need to plan ahead yet.

"You should have told me before leaving though" she told me, her voice had turned back to the firmness it usually was.

I smiled, this was her way of showing she cared.

"I'm sorry" I told her.

We spoke for a while before the call ended. I was glad that I had spoken to her and at least she knew where I was.

I hadn't been sure to call her but now that I had, I didn't regret it.

Jessica was someone I relied on even though I tried to pretend otherwise.

She was my best friend, she understood me and even though things had changed, she hadn't treated me any less unlike any of the other friends I had.