Chapter 4 When It All Comes Crashing Down

• **Hannah's POV:**
• "Hey, come here, Omega," Maria's voice rang out, sickly sweet and laced with cruelty. The sound of her calling for me sent a chill down my spine. My heart skipped a beat as I froze in my tracks, dread washing over me. I didn’t need to look up to know that she was strutting down the hallway like she owned the place, with Alpha Adam right beside her. They were the perfect pair—beautiful, powerful, untouchable. And I was nothing more than a speck of dirt beneath their feet.
• My breath caught in my throat as I stood there, my body refusing to move. *Please, not now,* I silently begged, feeling Maria’s gaze burning into me. I dared to glance up at Alpha Adam, hoping—praying—for even a flicker of mercy in his eyes. But he didn’t even look at me. His focus was straight ahead, as if I didn’t exist. My stomach twisted with fear as I quickly looked down, trying to shrink into myself, hoping to disappear.
• "Are you deaf?" Maria’s voice snapped, the sweetness gone, replaced by sharp irritation. Her words jolted me out of my frozen state, but before I could even think to move, she was already in front of me. I barely had time to react before her hand came crashing down against my cheek. The force of the slap, fueled by her wolf’s strength, sent me sprawling to the floor. Pain exploded across my face, the impact echoing through my skull as I crumpled at her feet. My vision blurred with tears, but I bit them back, refusing to let them fall. Crying would only make things worse.
• "You useless, wolfless Omega," Maria hissed, towering over me with a look of pure contempt. Her words cut deep, but what hurt even more was the way Adam just stood there, silent and indifferent. I glanced up at him, desperation clawing at my chest. But he wouldn’t even look at me. His gaze was fixed somewhere else, anywhere but on me.
• "Sorry, my lady," I stammered, my voice trembling as I tried to pick myself up off the floor. The sting of her slap still burned on my cheek, and the humiliation of being knocked down in front of them all weighed heavily on me. But before I could stand, Maria’s foot slammed down on my back, forcing me back onto my hands and knees. I gasped in pain, my body trembling as I struggled to hold back the tears.
• "Stay down, dog," Maria sneered, pressing her foot harder against my back. The weight of her power was suffocating, crushing me into the cold, hard floor. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, my hands gripping the ground as I fought to endure the humiliation. I wanted to disappear, to be anywhere but here, under Maria’s boot and Adam’s cold, uncaring gaze.
• I heard Adam chuckle, the sound like a dagger to my heart. He was enjoying this, watching Maria torment me, and that realization hurt more than the slap or the pressure of Maria’s foot on my back. It was like a knife twisting in my chest, cutting deeper with each second.
• Meanwhile, the Alphas—Alpha Jon and Alpha Jackson—continued their conversation as if nothing was wrong, as if Maria crushing me underfoot was perfectly normal. Their words about wedding plans floated over me, surreal and distant, like a conversation happening in another world. A world where I didn’t belong, where I was just a pawn, a plaything for those with real power.
• "So, we should have a summer wedding," Alpha Jon said casually, as if this moment was as ordinary as discussing the weather. My mind barely registered the words, too focused on the pain radiating through my body and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness.
• Maria flashed a triumphant smile down at me, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she was enjoying every second of it. I dared to look up at Adam one last time, hoping against hope that he would step in, that he would stop this. But when his eyes finally met mine, they were cold and distant, filled with nothing but apathy. He looked away almost immediately, as if I were too insignificant to even acknowledge.
• “Come on, my love,” Adam said softly to Maria, his voice gentle, as if he hadn’t just watched her beat me down. “Let’s go get something to eat.”
• Maria’s expression softened instantly, and she turned away from me, wrapping her arms around Adam’s neck as she kissed him. “Yes, baby,” she squealed, her voice grating on my ears. “I am starving.”
• As they walked away, Maria glanced back at me, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Let’s get this Omega to serve us, shall we?”
• “Yes, that will be fine,” Adam replied with casual indifference, not even sparing me another glance. He didn’t care. None of them did. They saw me as nothing more than an Omega, something to be used and discarded at their whim.
• "Go get us some breakfast, Omega," Adam commanded, his voice hardening just slightly as he looked down at me one last time.
• And then they were gone, walking away as if I were nothing, leaving me crumpled on the floor with my heart shattered into a million pieces. *What does he mean, he has finally found his fated mate?* The thought pounded in my head, confusing and terrifying. *Are they really telling everyone that they are fated mates?*
• As I watched them walk away, Maria’s laughter echoing down the hall, I felt a deep, crushing despair. The pain in my chest was overwhelming, a mix of betrayal and hopelessness that threatened to consume me. But I couldn’t break down, not here, not now. I couldn’t afford to show weakness.
• Finally, I forced myself to stand, my body aching from the beating and the humiliation. I hurried to the kitchen, trying to push the pain and confusion out of my mind, but the sting of Maria’s slap and the weight of Adam’s command hung over me like a dark cloud. I moved mechanically, going through the motions as I prepared their breakfast, the familiar routine the only thing keeping me grounded.
• *Eggs, bacon, waffles, toast, croissants,* I mentally checked off each item as I worked, making sure everything was perfect. The last thing I needed was to give Maria another reason to torment me. *Just get through this,* I told myself over and over, my hands shaking as I plated the food.
• With a deep breath, I lifted the heavy tray, ignoring the pain in my arms and legs, and pushed through the kitchen door. The walk to the dining area felt like an eternity, each step heavier than the last. I could already hear Maria’s shrill laughter and the Alphas’ voices, their conversation light and carefree, as if nothing had happened.
• When I reached the table, I set the tray down gently, my hands trembling as I arranged the food in front of them. I didn’t dare look up, keeping my eyes fixed on the floor, hoping that they would just let me serve and leave. But I could feel their eyes on me, judging, mocking, and I knew there was no escape from their cruelty.
• "There you are," Maria’s voice cut through the room like a blade, dripping with disdain. "Took you long enough."
• I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I just wanted to get this over with, to retreat back to the kitchen where I could hide from their eyes, from their judgment. But Maria wasn’t done.
• "This bacon looks overcooked. And the waffles are uneven. Did you even try?" she sneered, pushing the plate away with disgust.
• My throat tightened, but I forced myself to remain calm, to keep my head down. Crying would only make things worse. I couldn’t let them see how much they were hurting me, even though it felt like my heart was breaking all over again.
• "Maybe she needs more training," Alpha Jon suggested with a smirk. "It’s hard to find good help these days."
• Alpha Jackson chuckled, and I felt a fresh wave of humiliation wash over me. But it was Adam’s silence that cut the deepest. He said nothing, didn’t even defend me. He just continued eating, as if I wasn’t even there, as if I was invisible.
• "That’s probably it," Maria agreed with a cruel smile. "Or maybe she’s just too stupid to learn."
• My heart pounded in my chest, the weight of their words crushing me, but I kept my head down, praying that this would be over soon.
• "Enough," Adam finally spoke, his voice flat. "She did what she was told. Leave it."
• Maria pouted but didn’t push further, turning her attention back to her meal. I took that as my cue to leave, backing away slowly, trying to hold myself together. As I retreated to the kitchen, the tears I had been holding back finally broke free, sliding down my cheeks in silent streams. I wiped them away quickly, knowing I had to get back to my chores, but the pain in my heart remained, a constant reminder of my place in this cruel, unforgiving world.
• *I’m just an Omega,* I thought bitterly, my chest tightening with despair. *And I’ll never be anything more.*