Burning Wild: A Dark Omegaverse Reverse Harem, page 1
For all the fierce women out there, finding their own and tearing down societal expectations, one gnarly vine at a time.
May you forever know your solace, your peace, and your strength.
You are deserving.
You are worthy.
You are everything.
A Little About This World
Without giving anything away....
This Book Is A Dark Omegaverse Cinderella Retelling with Jungle Book Vibes…
What can I say?
Like Indie, I'm a slut for Disney.
Sixty years ago, the economy fell in a global event aptly named The Crash. Homelessness, poverty, and hunger were at a high. Governments were no longer able to sustain themselves, let alone provide safety or basic necessities. Citizens rioted. Omegas were torn from the streets and used, killed, or sold. People panicked and went into hiding.
Everything fell apart.
Ten years later, the government was able to rebuild itself, but due to split votes on power and politics, a decision was made to change the way the world works.
What was once a planet with seven continents broken up into countries, states, and cities, became seven territories led by seven government officials that make up The Alliance. Each member is a descendant from one of the original pack Alphas who were said to be the fiercest, most loyal, and intelligent people of their time. With The Alliance in charge, the world was able to be rebuilt.
Everything was getting better. The government was whole again, stabilizing the protection everyone needed. The streets were finally safe. Families came out of hiding, ready to start over. But soon after, tragedy struck again. The air quality turned poor, the water toxic, and the soil barren. Scientists have spent years trying to determine the exact cause but have found only one answer with no solutions: Global Warming and Pollution.
Some places are worse than others. Unfortunately, my home is one of them.
I live a mundane existence. Trapped. A prisoner. An intended beta with no prospects, no future, and no hopes of finding true love. There will be no mates in my future. No family or children.
Just this.
Just me.
I may live in a palace fit for a princess, but I am nothing more than a maid. An object for his entertainment.
My stepfather.
My mother is oblivious to the torments I suffer day in and day out. Either that or she just doesn’t care.
No one cares.
Except…maybe them.
The Golden Boys. My stepbrothers Calix, Malachi, and Koen, along with their two best friends, Riven and Alastor.
They care. They protect me. Worry about me. They might even love me. But none of that matters when the forces hellbent on tearing us apart come in the middle of the night, stealing me away from them and the hell that I’ve known for so long.
Thrust into a new world, I’m forced to survive on my own. Sick, terrified, lonely, and devastated, I’m not sure how to make it from one day to the next, let alone survive the nights.
When the world is against me, literally poisoning me with every breath, how will I survive the unsurvivable?
And do I even want to?
My name is Andromedia Indigo Grey, and this is my story. I may spend my days wishing I was a princess trapped in someone else's body, but this is no fairy tale, and there will be no happily ever after.
Or will there?
This is a dark romance omegaverse where the FMC will have multiple love interests and will not have to choose. This book is contemporary, with paranormal elements woven throughout, including ABO designations, world-building, a slightly post-apocalyptic world, and so much more. Please note: Though there is an adorable little baby panther, this is a non-shifting OV book. Keep in mind, this book is a mystery, and not everything is as it seems.
Trigger Warnings and Details
For this series...
-Yummy smells
-Cartels and secret societies
-Omega Awakening
-Alpha Awakening
-Alternate World
-Good girls and boys
-Daddy Doms and Switchy Alphas
-MM/MFM/MMM+
-Knotting
-Nesting
-Crazy protective Alphas who will raze the world for her
-Slick on the ceiling
-All the jizzy goodness
-A soft Omega who finds her strength
-Emotional Trauma
-Mates and bites and scenting, oh my!
-Breeding and pregnancy (eventual)
-Abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, and off-page rape (not of the Main character)
-Death of an animal
-Feral people
-Cliffhanger
-Book One of Three
Chapter One
Indigo
Sometimes I dream. Dream of bigger and better places than this. Places where I can be free to live the life I’ve always wanted. To explore. To enjoy the world around me. Learn and touch. Feel. Breathe.
Orym, that sounds so good right now.
My eyes flutter closed, and my hand stills mid-swipe as the vision fills my mind.
Green. Bright and bold. Blue, cloudless skies. Water so pure you could bathe in it. Drink from it. Devour it. Wildlife chatters and coos all around me. I smile. They’re so free here. Free to exist as they want. To run and hunt with their families.
Their mates.
Clean, cool air consumes me as I inhale deeply. I hold on to it, capturing it in my lungs, refusing to release it until I’m gasping for more.
My lips part. My chest heaves. My eyes burn. And suddenly, I’m no longer in the beautiful place I’ve only ever imagined and dreamt of exploring, but I’m back in the gilded cage that holds me.
A ragged cough launches its way through my aching lungs, and despite how hard I try to keep it in, it escapes my lips. Loudly.
My eyes snap open, and panic replaces my blissful state. I search the spacious foyer for any sign of life or prying eyes, ready to report my crappy cleaning skills. Again. Luckily, I find myself alone.
Covering my mouth with the crook of my elbow, I succumb to the coughing fit my chest is aching for. When my lungs feel clearer, I’m doubled over, and my face is covered in hot tears.
My stomach aches as I push myself upright, but I ignore it the same way I ignore everything else. I wipe my face on the long sleeve of my black uniform, thankful that I’m not allowed to wear makeup. I grimace as I imagine the backlash of dirtying up something that doesn’t belong to me.
Yeah. That’s not a mistake I’ll ever make again.
"Andromeda," a voice hisses, making me jump. My eyes snap to the left as recognition washes over me. I grip the dusting spray and rag harder, preparing for the incoming battle. A battle I won’t win, no matter how badly I wish I could. "Answer me, Andromeda."
"Indie," I whisper under my breath. Rolling my shoulders, I reply softly. "Foyer, ma’am."
Swallowing thickly, I straighten my spine and continue cleaning the entry table as I wait. Heels click across the marble floor at a rapid pace. I try to tune them out, but I can’t. It’s impossible. Instead, I lift the golden glass orbs that serve as useless pieces of decor on the round entry table and dust beneath them quickly.
It’s only mid-morning, and the sun is brightly streaming through the grand floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s hot on my back, and a trickle of sweat works its way down my spine beneath the oppressive, baggy clothing I’m required to wear.
Black slacks, a size too big that are shapeless and thick, paired with a long-sleeve, black button-down that I’m pretty sure belongs to one of the boys instead of me. Black, shiny flats that dig into my toes and ankles leaving blisters nearly every day, complete the simple uniform.
The only saving grace is that my long, thick, dark hair is in a tight bun instead of covering me like a heated blanket.
The sound of her shoes grows louder, making her presence known. Even though I’ve yet to look up, I already know she’s nearly reached the bottom of the East Wing staircase, more than likely having left a meeting in the office just to yell at me. Crap.
Five, four, three…
My hands shake so hard that I miss a spot. It’s not noticeable. In fact, I’m positive that no one in this massive, opulent home would ever care to inspect my work after I’ve completed it, let alone take note of any missed dust particles on an otherwise pristine piece of furniture.
Well, no one except for me and—
"What is fucking wrong with you, girl?" She hisses. I swallow again and gently set the glass orb down, knowing it’ll be worse if anything winds up broken on my watch.
So much worse.
The second the gold ball touches the table, she’s on me. Long, sharp fingernails dig into my thin arm, yanking me from my work. The rag slips from my hand, but I hold on to the polish for dear life. If nothing else, it’s a weapon, right?
I scoff internally as she whips me around like a chew toy. I’d wind up dead if I dared to lash out. Even in self-defense. Especially against her.
Lilith Risna. The house manager and my supervisor.
She’s a beta, but she feels like an alpha—a fact she and everyone else in this godforsaken place knows. Most of the staff are terrified of her. Not just because of her position in the house–her authority and connection to the head of the household–but because of her alpha tendencies.
Betas are typically small in stat
Like me.
Like Lilith should be.
But looking at her now, she’s anything but weak.
My emerald eyes barely meet her large chest, a place I’m not particularly eager to stare at, but I don’t dare look up. To do so would be an act of defiance. A punishable one–and I’m not in the mood right now.
I also don’t look down like I should. The small rebellion is all I have in this massive house.
Prison, my brain corrects. It’s a prison, Indie. Besides… you’re not alone.
I shut that line of thinking down immediately. It does me no good.
"Why in Orym’s name are you making all that racket?" She snarls as though I’ve purposefully wished to be sick. She grunts, squeezing my fabric-covered arm harshly. The pain is intense, but I don’t give in to my desire to flinch. I’d never give her that.
Biting my lip, I debate my options. She’s asking me but doesn’t care about the answer. I’m betting this is all a test. I’ll be punished for speaking out of turn if I respond now. If I don’t, I’ll be punished for ignoring a direct question from my superior.
"Answer me, child," she demands, shaking me roughly.
Child. As though I’m not a nineteen-year-old adult who’s barely ten years her junior. Lilith isn’t even thirty, yet somehow, she’s achieved a position as head of staff for the infamous Idris Savas, a man scarier than anyone I’ve ever met.
Cold. Callus. Calculating.
It’s no wonder they get along so well.
She grips me harder; I can’t fight the pain this time. A whimper leaves my lips, and I give up the internal debate, granting her what she wants.
"I’m sorry, ma’am." I’m not. "I didn’t mean to be loud." I’m just sick and exhausted, no thanks to you. "I’m nearly done with the foyer. Then I’ll be out of the way." As if I could ever be in the way. I’m so small, I’m practically invisible.
Time moves slowly, and with every second that passes, my anxiety grows until I’m nothing but a shaking pile of bones beneath her oppressive shadow. Lilith inhales sharply, a movement I catch clearly with my eyes locked on her massive chest.
Betas don’t have big boobs. I should know.
I internally roll my eyes. Like that matters. No one wants to touch my boobs, anyway.
Fuck, Indie. Stop thinking about boobs.
A low, slow chuckle leaves her inflated lips. Her breath fans across my forehead, and instinctually, I look up. It’s a mistake. I knew it before I consciously did so, but it’s too late.
Her angular features are difficult to look at, much like an alpha’s. They’re gorgeous in a way that’s painful to us lower designations. Her jaw is sharp, her cheekbones defined. She really shouldn’t look the way she does. We all know it, but no one dares speak the truth into existence.
Lilith takes enhancement drugs. She must. There’s no other way.
Enhancement drugs increase an alpha’s dominance. Their muscles grow infinitely more prominent than they’d naturally become. They’re quick to snap, aggressive, and terrifying. Their barks are almost impossible to ignore.
They’re also highly illegal and forbidden in most territories, including ours.
If she’d actually been born into a body that would have eventually presented as an alpha, she’d probably have more good tendencies, to go with the bad. A stronger, deeper purr. An unnaturally heightened need to protect others.
But Lilith isn’t an alpha.
And she has no favorable qualities.
Something she further proves with her rough palm as it collides with my much smaller cheek. My head whips to the side, but her tight grip on my arm keeps me in place. Her fingernails dig into my skin so hard I know she’s leaving marks on my flesh, even through the long shirt. A whimper escapes me, and my eyes immediately sting with the familiar burn of tears, but I blink them away.
"You are nothing but a problem. An annoyance," she hisses, yanking me into her body and making me stumble. "You don’t deserve this life."
She’s not wrong. I don’t deserve this life. I’d give it up in a heartbeat.
She towers over me, a severe look plastered across her face as she spits her vitriol. Lilith isn’t nearly as tall as an alpha. Height isn’t something enhancers can change. But with her six-inch heels and my five-foot stature, I feel like a kitten next to a rottweiler.
My chest collides with her stomach, and try as I might, I’m unable to look away from the angry expression on her heavily made-up face.
"Nothing but trash. An inconvenience. He should never have allowed you to stay here." I swallow thickly, her words hitting their intended mark, and she grins triumphantly, knowing she’s winning. Maybe not always, but definitely at this moment.
The fact of the matter is, once again, she’s not wrong. I don’t belong here. Never have.
Not that it’s ever been my choice.
Choking those words down, I nod once. "You’re right, ma’am." She’s not, though it’s getting harder and harder to believe it every day. "I apologize for being loud." I swallow the bile creeping up my throat as bone-deep fear makes me shake harder. "If I could just get to work, I’ll finish up and head back to the service quarters."
I hate how weak my voice is. How broken.
“Ma’am,” a voice calls, making my heart jump, but I don’t dare look at the newcomer.
Lilith does, though, her head snapping to the side, a glare already plastered to her evil face. “What do you want?” she hisses.
The woman clears her throat before she speaks. Her voice is thick, raspy, and familiar. Inside, I smile, knowing who sent Marcella. The reminder that I’m not alone spurs me on, keeping me strong in the face of Lilith’s torture.
“I came to discuss the shopping lists,” Marcella says softly but sternly, her accent flowing thickly from her lips. “We need supplies if we are to make dinner.”
Lilith tightens her grip on me, completely uncaring that the kitchen manager is watching her little performance. “Go back to the service quarters,” she grits out. “I’ll speak to you when I’m ready and not a second before. Do I make myself clear?”
I can almost picture Marcella narrowing her eyes, her fists clenching at her sides as she fights to restrain herself. My inner smile peaks out, making my lip twitch as my eyes slide to the camera in the upper corner of the room, where it grows to a full-blown grin.
“Thank you,” I mouth.
“B-but–” Marcella stutters before she’s cut off.
“Enough,” Lilith grits out. “You’ll be punished for your insolence. Go.”
I swear I hear Marcella whisper, I’m sorry, before disappearing the way she came.
“That fucking woman’s always putting her nose where it doesn’t belong,” Lilith mutters, turning her attention back to me.
I swallow, knowing I should bite my tongue but can’t. Marcella stood up for me. She deserves the same. “She’s a wonderful woman,” I whisper. “She cares for the people here.”
Lilith scoffs, tearing her eyes from mine. They narrow at the wooden table I’d been cleaning when she arrived. Keeping a tight grip on my upper arm, bruising the already irritated flesh and muscles, Lilith leans forward and runs her finger over the surface, right through the dusty spot I missed.
Clicking her tongue, she lets out a sound that’s a mix between a sigh and a chuckle. She takes pleasure in this. Manhandling those of us smaller than her. Beneath her in size or rank.
Just like Idris does.
He’s trained her well.
"Not only are you undeserving of such a lavish life as this one, but it seems you’re also unable to earn your keep, you selfish, greedy brat."
Before I realize what’s happening, Lilith whips me around to face the table. Like a naughty dog who’s peed on the rug, she grips the back of my neck and shoves my face into the dirty spot. A pathetically broken sound slips between my gritted teeth as she smashes my skin into the unforgiving wood.
"How would Mr. Savas feel about this, hmm?" She murmurs, her lips ghosting over my ear. "Knowing his charity case is taking advantage of his kindness by fucking around when she should be working."
She presses against me even harder, and an already painful spot on my hips digs against the harsh table, making me cry out.
