Page 1 of Omega in Hiding

Prologue

Connor

I can’t erase the memory of the two female omegas cowering in terror at my brother Patrick’s feet. Their sobbing cries still ring in my head. I’d tried to save them from the horrible life of servitude my family had imposed on them. I really had tried to help them. My plan had been to get them out of the city. If I could have done that, then they’d have had a chance to start a new life somewhere else. But in the end, Patrick showed up at the boat and slaughtered them in front of me.

Now, I’m sitting on the floor of our family kitchen in shock. One of my eyes is swollen shut, and I fear my right arm is broken. Patrick wasn’t satisfied with just murdering the omegas. No, once they were dead, he’d turned on me next and beat me senseless for daring to disobey him.

I listen to the rumble of Da’s voice reverberating off the walls of the large kitchen. He’s sitting at the long oak breakfast table with Patrick, discussing my betrayal. They’re deliberating how best to punish me. If my mother were still alive, she’d never have stood for my brother beating me. She’d have punished me for my foolish desire to help the omegas, but Mam never would have laid a hand on me or any of her children. My mam was a hard, but fair woman.

Unfortunately, Patrick takes after Da.

My father is a violent, ruthless man with a heart as cold as a slab of marble. When Patrick told him what I’d done, I thought my father was going to kill me on the spot. But he didn’t. He slapped me around a bit, but then he sat down lookingdisgusted. I suspect the only reason I’m not dead right now is because the Murphy blood runs through my veins. I’ve always been a disappointment to my father because I hate the mobster lifestyle.

Of course, I was already a huge disappointment to my da because I’m a barren omega. The alphas in my family don’t see omegas as having any worth other than for breeding purposes. Unfortunately, I was born with a rare genetic defect that prevents me from getting pregnant. And even if by some fluke Iwasable to conceive, the condition would prevent me from carrying a pregnancy to term. A very cruel irony, seeing as I adore kids.

My body and heart ache, and I can still smell the dead omega’s blood on my clothes. When I shift in pain, Patrick looks over at me. He curls his lip and glares. I keep my gaze down so that he thinks I’m being submissive. Little does he know, if I had a gun, I’d happily put a bullet in his brain. Whether I hate violence or not, he deserves that. He’s a fucking animal and I loathe him. I’ll never forgive him for killing those omegas.

My father stands and comes over to me. “Why would you try and help those omegas escape, boy?” he demands. “They’d have brought us a pretty penny on the black market, and you know that.”

“Then why did Patrickkillthem?” I say hoarsely. “If they were so fucking valuable, why slaughter them in cold blood?”

Da sighs. “Sure, that was a pity.”

“Their deaths are on you, brother,” Patrick’s voice is devoid of emotion. “They died because you needed to be taught a lesson. That’s what will happen to anyone you try to help. You’re a weak fool. You can’t outsmart me.”

I press my lips tight, and don’t respond. There’s no point. Anything I say Patrick will dismiss. My family disgusts me and my empathy for others disgusts them. They think I’m weak because I don’t approve of human trafficking. That’s my family’s bread and butter. Selling people is how my family thrives. It makes us the lowest of the low to the other syndicates. The most powerful mobs in our area avoid human trafficking. They stick to drugs and money laundering. But the Murphys have always gone after the low hanging fruit.

“You need to wake up, Conrad. Your mother would be ashamed of how you’ve behaved tonight.” Da slaps my head, and my ears ring. “We’ve been making very good money running our omega breeding farms. Healthy cubs go for a large sum. Plenty of skinny, rich omegas just want the kids without the hassle of the pregnancy. Because of you, two of our best breeder omegas are now dead.”

I can’t hold my tongue any more as anger surges inside of me. “Those omegas are dead because Patrick is a violent piece of shit,” I growl.

Patrick leaps to his feet, advancing on me. “What did you say?”

Da steps between us, scowling. “Go sit down, Pat. You’ve beat on your brother enough for one day.”

Patrick snarls, “Well, tomorrow is another day. I’ll start fresh then.”

“Just fucking try,” I hiss, fury washing through me. I can’t see him well with my swollen eye, and my arm definitely feels broken or at least horribly sprained. Still, I’m not going to let him threaten me without at least trying to stick up for myself. I’m no match for him in a hand-to-hand fight, but I’m also not the pussy he thinks I am.

“As I was saying,” Da says. “Those two omegas were good producers. Now, because of your misguided hero complex, they’re both dead.”

My face flushes with anger and guilt. “They’d already given you ten cubs each. They’d served the Murphy Clan as much as was needed. They deserved to be let go to live anormallife.”

“They did give us a nice crop of offspring. That’s why I was planning to let them move over to the prostitution side of things soon. But you had to go and try to set them free, and now they’re dead. Such a waste.” Da shakes his head.

“You act like being a prostitute would have been a promotion,” I grumble. “You’re unbelievable. You’re so out of touch with reality.”

Patrick gives a loud, harsh laugh from where he sits. “What a joke. The only one out of touch with reality is you, Conrad. You have your head in the clouds. You barely contribute to the family business. You’re so fucking squeamish you’re useless. You don’t like to torture people. You don’t like the stealing. You don’t like the breeding.” He shakes his head. “You’re a disgrace to the Murphy Clan. I can’t even believe you’re actually related to us.”

“I wish I wasn’t,” I snap.

Patrick widens his eyes. “Did you hear that, Da? He doesn’t even deserve to be called a Murphy. He doesn’t respect the name.”

“Our name is adisgrace,” I mumble. “All the other syndicates think we’re repugnant because we are.”

Da tsk, tsks. “It’s a good thing your dear old mam isn’t here to hear you talk like that.”

“When Mam was alive we let the omegas go free after three cycles.” I scowl at them both as best I can with a puffy eye.

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