Page 31 of Vallaverse: Noir
I don't look back to see her eyes light up, but I hear it in her voice when she answers. “Yes. Go on.”
I push the button to start the coffee and turn to lean against the counter. “I founded the center because of my mother.”
“Wait,” Beckett interrupts. “You started the center?”
I nod. “Yes. Because of my mother. You know we keep our Omegas out of society, to keep them safe. Well, my father took that to an extreme degree. She could hardly breathe under his rule. She lost who she was as a person. She became sad, then depressed, then despondent. And then she was just gone. She left my brother and I behind, and he was so young at the time. Our father didn't live long after she passed, and then we were really alone. I took my inheritance and grew it any way I could. Please don't ask me about that time in my life. I really don't want to think about it, much less talk about it.”
I wait for her to argue or insist that I tell her something, but she doesn't so I continue. Eventually, the bakery took off and my brother found his pack and life went on. But I wasn't satisfied, and I kept thinking about our society and how Omegas are kept apart and overly sheltered. I kept thinking about my mother.” I pause to take a breath and collect my thoughts before I get carried away with them.
“Anyway, I decided that our Omegas needed a place to be where they could be themselves and breathe out in the open. I did so much research before I drew up the plans for the CCOE.It was a massive success. The Omegas were happy and safe, and the Alphas were happy because the Omegas were happy. Everything was working out just fine until that bastard got involved.”
“What bastard?” Dana asks.
“The Doctor.” I still can't keep the snarl off of my face, even after all this time. “He bribed and blackmailed his way onto the board of supervisors for the center. He wanted to control and distribute the Omegas from the center to his friends, or to the highest bidders. I fought it for years, but the board became corrupt, as well as the staff. A few years ago, I was in a really dark place after a few incidents.”
“Incidents?” Beckett asks.
“Outbursts,” I clarify. “Violent outbursts that result in death and/or destruction. Valla call them incidents because it sounds nicer than 'I ripped some guy's face off and burned his business and house to the ground because he challenged me'. We say incident and we know it covers a wide variety of violence.”
Dana's expression doesn't change. “That makes sense. Why were you in a dark place?”
I sigh and pour her coffee. “I was lonely. I was jealous of my brother's happiness. But mostly, I was lonely. We can all do desperate things when we're desperately lonely, can't we.”
Both Dana and Beckett nod slowly.
“I couldn't fight the corruption at the center anymore. There was just too much of it. I did, and still do my best to keep it as safe as I can, but things happen sometimes and I can't stop them.”
“Do you have anything to do with the heat service?” Beckett asks.
I shake my head. “No, that was all the Doctor's doing. The board was more than happy to implement a program that would allow them to fuck unclaimed Omegas through the height oftheir heats, as long as they got to be part of the collection of Alphas who registered with the program. I understand how a program like that would be helpful for Omegas, but I always thought it was dangerous.”
“It can be,” Beckett says quietly, and Dana motions for him to come sit next to her. He takes the chair beside her and takes her clasped hands in his.
“Go on,” she urges.
“Time went on. Corruption got deeper. I got even more hopeless. Then one morning I woke up and kind of said, fuck it. I didn't want to hoard Omegas, but I thought if I could meet them before the Alphas at the Selections got to them, maybe I could find the one I needed; or at least keep some of them safe from the worst of the Alphas. All it ended up doing is making me even more lonely. Until I found you, Dana. So it wasn't for nothing. If I hadn't been meeting with Omegas before the Selection, I never would have discovered you. I can be grateful for that.”
The corner of her mouth turns up. “We'll find out how grateful you are once you get sick of me. I met with several Omegas before they joined the ball, but the girl I'm looking for wasn't among them. Do you think you'd recognize her if I show you a picture?”
I sit down in the chair on her other side, across from Beckett. “Probably. Do you have one here?”
She nods. “On my phone.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls it out. She taps the screen and then holds it up for me to see. “This is her. Have you seen her?”
I look at the picture for a full minute. I've met and seen so many Omegas. I don't want to be hasty. But I don't recognize her at all. “No. I'm sorry.”
“Don't be,” Dana says. “It was worth a shot.”
“Hang on,” Beckett says. “Can I see that?”
Dana slides the phone in front of him and he picks it up to see it closer. “I know her.”
I get to see Dana's eyes light up this time. “You know her?”
“Yes,” Beckett answers, nodding quickly. “I was supposed to mentor her friend. Is she in trouble?”
“No,” Dana answers. “Not yet. I just need to get her home to her family.”
“She's at the center,” Beckett offers.
