Page 42 of Hard Knot

"And they just let this happen?" He seems disgusted by the mere idea, but we know better when it comes to the whole Alpha-Beta-Omega tiers and how it works in society in general.

If it doesn’t benefit their pockets in some way, they don’t give a damn. Omegas don’t make the government money. They only benefit if they’re lab rats or are offered to a pack that brings a shit ton of business and investments to the table. Betas are simply slaves in between, and Alphas?

Alphas are the tier where the government will spend its top dollar and finest resources to continue their uprising in thissinister world as long as they benefit from the outcome of the transaction.

That’s exactly why Omegas are like some sort of reward.

"Part of the motivation package," Elizabeth says bitterly. "Nothing encourages an Omega to find a pack quite like the constant threat of assault." She kicks a loose piece of concrete, watching it skitter across the cracked pavement. "Most Omegas who live in this sector either find a pack within their first year by force or... disappear."

"But not you," Carter says softly, acknowledging that she’s truly an anomaly.

"Not me." Her smile is sharp enough to cut. "Turns out being the 'Forgotten One' comes with some advantages. Most Alphas around here think I'm cursed or something. The really superstitious ones believe I'm some kind of witch."

"Are you saying you're not?" Seeing the way his eyes twinkle with delight and playfulness reminds me of the younger Carter.The one who didn’t need to focus on running an empire in his parents’ stead while they recovered from the incident years ago.He has never been able to joke with someone outside of our group, and definitely not with an Omega.

The question brings a genuine laugh from Elizabeth.

"If I was, don't you think I'd have hexed half the administration by now?"

"Maybe you're playing the long game," Carter suggests, his tone lighter but his eyes still scanning their surroundings with predatory focus. "Gathering power for some grand revenge scheme."

"Now there's a thought, though five years as the long game is overkill." Elizabeth's smile turns thoughtful. "Think your piranhas would be interested in helping?"

"They do enjoy a challenge," Carter says with mock seriousness. "Though I should warn you, they're picky eaters. Only consume the finest quality assholes."

Their laughter echoes off the crumbling walls as they approach what I can only assume is Elizabeth's residence. Through my drone's thermal imaging, I can see multiple points of entry – broken windows, gaps in the walls, and even holes in the roof.

The building looks like it should have been condemned years ago.

The front door hangs slightly askew on its hinges, the lock mechanism completely missing. Carter's hand tightens on Elizabeth's as they enter, and even through my earpiece, I can hear his sharp intake of breath at the stench – a nauseating mixture of rotting wood, mold, and something decidedly worse.

"Home sweet home," Elizabeth says with forced cheerfulness.

The interior is even worse than the outside suggested.

The walls are stained with water damage, with patches of black mold spreading like abstract art. Debris litters the floor – broken glass, pieces of drywall, what looks disturbingly like animal droppings.

When they head for the stairs, I take my opportunity to slip inside, keeping to the shadows. The stairwell creaks ominously with each step, and I notice Carter testing each one before letting Elizabeth proceed. I’m sure with her being here for a while, she probably knows the building better than he, but she seems to not mind his overprotectiveness.

"Elevator's been broken for years," she explains unnecessarily, gesturing to the rusted doors as they pass. "But hey, at least we get our cardio in, right?"

Carter doesn't respond, but his expression speaks volumes. Every Alpha instinct must be screaming at him to get her out of there.

Hell, even I'm fighting the urge to call in a demolition team.

They reach what Elizabeth indicates is her floor. The hallway stretches into darkness, and most of the overhead lights are either broken or missing entirely. Her room is at the far end, naturally – the most isolated, hardest to escape from.

"How many neighbors do you have?" Carter asks, though, from his tone, I suspect he already knows the answer.

Elizabeth laughs, but there's no humor in it.

"None, actually. I'm the only one left in the entire building."

Say what now,

I fixed my earpiece as though I didn’t hear what she said right.

"The entire building?" Carter's voice is dangerously quiet.

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