The Alpha’s Rejected Omega

The next big step

Sky’s POV

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was confusion. My head was pounding, and my mouth tasted like stale alcohol and regret. The sunlight spilling into the room was too bright, almost punishing. I squinted, groaning softly as I pushed myself upright.

The sheets beneath me smelled unfamiliar, clean, masculine, and faintly like cedarwood. I froze. This wasn’t my bed.

Panic shot through me, and I looked around. But then I noticed something, the little ceramic candle holder by the window, the old clock ticking unevenly on the nightstand, the pile of clothes I left on the chair two nights ago.

Wait. This was my apartment.

I was home.

But how?

I rubbed my forehead, trying to think. The last thing I remembered was… the club. The lights. The music. Him. The man in the black shirt and sharp jawline. His eyes when they locked with mine. His lips. His hands.

And then. . . nothing.

Just flashes. My back pressed against a wall. His fingers are gripping my hair. My heart racing so hard I thought I might faint. . . And then blankness.

I groaned again and fell back against the bed. I didn’t drive, I was sure of that. So how was my car parked neatly outside? I saw it through the blinds. It was there, perfectly straight in my usual spot, as if I had come home sober and in control.

But I wasn’t sober. Not even close.

Did he drive me home?

I sat up slowly, clutching my aching head. My gown from last night was crumpled on the floor, ripped just like I remembered. My underwear was gone, nowhere in sight, and my thighs felt sore in ways that told me what I had done, what we had done.

I buried my face in my hands.

“Oh, Sky…” I muttered to myself.

It wasn’t regret. Not really. Because deep down, I didn’t regret it. I just couldn’t remember it clearly, and that made it feel unreal, like a dream. A dream I shouldn’t have had, but somehow needed.

For once, I hadn’t cared about being perfect. I hadn’t cared about being the responsible sister or the predictable Omega. I had just wanted to feel alive.

And I did.

Even if I couldn’t remember the details, I knew it had been the best night of my life. My body told me that. The way my heart fluttered when I thought about his voice. The way my skin still tingled when I remembered his touch.

I sighed deeply. “No one has to know,” I whispered. “It’s over. It was just one night.”

I pushed the thought aside and stood up, feeling dizzy. My head still spun, and I walked toward the kitchen, searching for water. I needed to get my mind straight.

But as soon as I reached the counter, I froze.

Tracy was there.

Sitting on one of the stools, wearing one of my shirts, her hair messy but her face painted in fake concern. Her presence in my kitchen made my chest tighten.

She smiled faintly when she saw me. “Oh, Sky. You’re awake.”

I wanted to turn and walk right back to my room, but she kept talking.

“You know,” she said softly, picking up a mug from the table, “I’m really sorry about yesterday. That’s not how I wanted you to find out.”

I stared at her in silence, my chest tightening with every word.

She pushed the cup toward me gently. “Coffee. You need it.”

I looked at it but didn’t touch it.

She continued, “You know I love you, right? You’re my sister. You’re my twin. I would never want to hurt you, Sky.”

I laughed once, low and bitter. “You’re joking.”

Her brows furrowed. “No, I’m serious. I. . . ”

“Serious?” I cut her off, stepping closer. “You slept with my fiancé, Tracy. You didn’t just hurt me. You destroyed me. And now you’re sitting in my kitchen talking about love?”

Her expression didn’t change much, and that made me angrier.

She reached for her coffee again, sipping carefully. “It wasn’t planned, Sky. It just happened. You were. . . drifting apart from him anyway.”

I stared at her, speechless.

“And besides,” she continued, like she wasn’t saying something monstrous, “Nick and I have real chemistry. You will understand one day when you meet someone who excites you like that. I mean, come on, you and Nick weren’t even. . . you know. . . ”

She trailed off, making a vague gesture.

I felt heat rush to my face. “You’re unbelievable.”

She shrugged, unbothered. “Don’t be so dramatic, Sky. You always act like the world’s ending when something doesn’t go your way. Trust me, you will move on.”

I wanted to scream, but my throat felt too tight so I turned to walk away instead, but her voice stopped me again.

“Oh, by the way,” she said, her tone suddenly light, “Remember the money I asked for last week? You still haven’t sent it. The shoes are coming out tomorrow, and I really don’t want to miss the reunion. Everyone’s going to be there.”

I blinked, turning slowly to face her. “You’re asking me for money? Now?”

She looked at me like I was the unreasonable one. “Sky, it’s not that big of a deal. You know you always help me out.”

I stared at her for a long time, my chest rising and falling fast. I thought about every time I had put her first, paying for things she wanted, covering her half of the rent, even buying that expensive coffee machine she insisted she couldn’t live without. I did everything because she was my sister. Because she was family.

And this was how she thanked me, my heart cracked.

“You are unbelievable,” I said quietly. “You betrayed me, and now you’re sitting here asking me for money like nothing happened.”

She blinked. “Well, it’s not like you’re using it for a wedding anymore.”

And that was it, just like every day for the next twenty-one days, and trust me, I counted days of horror I went through seeing Nick coming in and out of my apartment to look for my sister. And one morning, I made up my mind. That was it.

“I’m leaving,” I blurted out when I saw her sitting on the kitchen island one morning.

Her smile faltered. “What?”

“I’m leaving, Tracy. I can’t live with a self-centered b***h like you anymore. It’s hard to believe we came from the same womb.”

She jumped to her feet. “Leaving? Where the hell are you going to go?”

“I don’t know. But anywhere is better than here.”

She scoffed, stepping in front of me. “Don’t be stupid. Who’s going to pay next month’s rent?”

I laughed, a sharp sound. “Go ask Nick whom you are f**k!ng!. You’re his problem now. Or maybe, for once in your life, you can get a job.”

Her jaw dropped slightly, but I didn’t stay to see what she would say next. I walked past her, straight to my room, and started packing.

I didn’t have much. A few dresses, jeans, shirts, and the old traveling bag I have had since college. I stuffed everything in, trying to ignore the shaking in my hands.

When I zipped the bag closed, I sat on the bed for a moment, breathing hard. I didn’t know where I would go. I didn’t have anyone to stay with. But I couldn’t stay here another second.

I picked up my phone and texted Joyce, my coworker at Carla’s Pub.

Sky: “Hey, do you think I can work extra hours this week? I need to make more money. Urgent.”

I didn’t expect an immediate reply, but she texted back within minutes.

Joyce: “I don’t think so, darling. Business has been slow, and Carla’s been cutting shifts. Is something wrong?”

I stared at the screen for a long time before replying.

Sky: “No. I’m fine. Just. . . moving out.”

I threw the phone in my bag and wiped my face. I wasn’t fine. But I would be. I had to be.

By the time I dragged my bag out of the apartment, Tracy was standing by the door, arms folded.

“You’re making a mistake,” she said flatly.

“Maybe,” I said. “But at least it’s my mistake.”

I walked out without looking back.

Carla’s Pub was quiet that night. The smell of fried food and spilled beer clung to the air. Joyce was there, cleaning the counter when I walked in with my bag.

Her eyes widened. “Sky… are you serious? You are really staying here?”

I gave her a small, tired smile. “Just for a few nights. I will sleep in the back. I promise I won’t be in the way.”

She sighed, rubbing her forehead. “You shouldn’t be living like this.”

“I know,” I said softly. “But I don’t have a choice right now.”

I changed into my work shirt and apron and started picking up empty glasses from the tables. Truly, the place was slow, with only a few customers scattered around.

I told myself to focus. Just work. Just get through tonight.

But halfway through my shift, my vision started to blur. My hands shook when I reached for a plate, and a wave of dizziness hit me hard.

“Hey, you okay?” Joyce’s voice sounded far away.

“I. . . ” I tried to answer, but my throat felt dry. My knees wobbled, then the tray slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor.

The sound echoed in my ears, and then everything went black.

The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was Joyce’s panicked voice calling my name.

“Sky! Sky!”

Then nothing.