Ugly Omega: Part 1

Ugly Omega Part I: Char’s Return Author’s Note I know all too well the frustration of a cliffhanger, and Char’s is going to be a doozy. Usually, I try to release the whole story in one go… in this case, personal chaos got in the way, and I need more time. But I als0 wanted to make sure I did Char justice, which meant a novella was out of the question. She is by far our most complicated Omega Girl; the one with the most to gain from a pack, and also the one who thinks the least of her own worth. She deserves a full story, even if I have to release it in multiple pieces to get it right. The Omega Girls series has been the most entertaining, difficult, fulfilling series to write. Thank you for reading it; thank you for being part of its journey. Copyright © 2023 by Juniper Kerry Cover Art by Scary Octopus Press All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Printed in the United States of America First Printing, 2023 www.juniperkerry.com Ugly Omega Part I Chapter 1 - Char It’s dawn. Usually I’d be burrowed in my nest for another three hours, but not today. Today, I’m in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, fulfilling a contractual obligation. As my security team’s car pulls up in front of the warehouse, I take a deep breath. It’s still quiet on the street this early in the day, but I keep my hood pulled forward over my face. This is a fucking nightmare, but the money is too good to pass up. And I didn’t really have a choice, if I didn’t want to get on a producer’s bad side. “Nervous, Char?” my bodyguard Megan asks. “Always,” I answer with a sigh. She reaches out and pats my arm in an effort to comfort me, but I stiffen, backing away a half a step before I can stop myself. Megan pulls back with a murmured apology. We’ve been together for months now. She came highly recommended, and I know she’s trustworthy, but I can’t make myself loosen up around her. Maybe it’s because she’s an alpha, or because she seems so friendly. Neither of those things have served me well in the past. We look up at the giant warehouse in front of us, sandwiched in between two similar buildings. Windows are smashed, garbage blows down the alleyways that separate one giant empty place from another. “Fucking grim,” Megan mutters. “Isn’t it?” I nod. It really is. “Why did they pick this place again?” “For me,” I reply. “They had to do this because of me.” “Char!” a cheerful voice calls from the curb. I turn to see Haven approaching, flanked by her packmates—a bruiser alpha and beautiful beta. The omega glows as she presses a hand to her stomach, where her belly is starting to grow larger. She’s dressed in a deep red gown that sets off her hair, sweeping low over her ample chest. She looks breath-taking as she strides toward me, one hand on top of her belly in a gesture of protection. I smile. “Haven, it’s good to see you. I’m sorry you had to travel so far, though.” Haven rolls her eyes. “Like the producers gave me a choice.” “But you had an excuse,” I say, gesturing to her belly. “You’d think she’d use it,” Haven’s alpha mutters. Haven offers her alpha a drawn-out sigh before stepping forward toward the store front. “Haven Avery and Char Carter, here for Lampert Studios,” Haven says primly to a scraggly-looking bouncer at the side door. She gestures behind us. “These are our security details.” Her alpha lets out a growl, and Haven flushes ever so slightly. “...And packmates, of course,” she adds, giving him a wink. The bouncer grunts and takes our ids, disappearing into the building. We wait outside in the alley, which feels awkward and exposed, considering that we’re trying to keep a low profile. Haven leans back against her beta packmate, who wraps his arms around her and ducks his head to kiss her neck. “How have you been, Char? I’ve been trying to get in touch, but I can’t find you on any social media.” “I’m not on there.” “No phone number listed, either.” “That’s on purpose,” I say softly, pulling my hood closer to the side of my face where my scar radiates with angry heat. Haven quirks an eyebrow. “How do you think you’re going to expand the underground network if you don’t advertise?” “Advertising is what gets you caught,” I point out. “The mayor of San Francisco already has it in for me; scrutiny could be the death knell for the underground. We need to keep the omegas we’ve rescued safe and undiscovered.” “Don’t you think the mayor would help you protect them if he knew?” Haven’s alpha, Reese, rumbles as he leans against the brickwork of the alleyway. “He took an oath to protect omegas along with other members of his community, didn’t he? And his sister is an omega — a friend of yours, too. You should talk to him. I bet he would see reason.” I let out a mirthless laugh before I realize he’s serious. “Most alphas don’t believe that alphas can hurt omegas. They’re very rarely willing to see that extreme measures are necessary to save people.” Haven nods. “A lot of people think that an alpha could never turn on their omega.” She presses her lips together before adding softly, “We know better, don’t we?” Her alpha growls again, and Haven rolls her eyes. “Obviously I don’t mean you, Reese, but it’s not unheard of, you know. There are bad people out there, and some of them are alphas.” “I know it’s true,” Reese says, shooting me a contrite look before