The Omega and The Arrogant Alpha (by Kylie) novel Chapter 303

I wake up with the familiar weight in my chest already settled, not sharp enough to be panic and not light enough to ignore, the kind of pressure that suggests the day has been waiting for me to catch up rather than the other way around.

My body still feels off from the crash, heavy in places that used to feel reliable, but the nausea has faded into a dull awareness instead of something that demands immediate attention. I lie there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet hum of the compound waking up around me, and I take a slow breath because I already know that whatever today brings, it won’t wait for me to feel ready.

Bathroom first. Always.

I shower longer than necessary, letting the water run over my shoulders while I focus on grounding details, the sound of it hitting tile, the faint scent of soap, the way my muscles respond when I consciously ask them to relax instead of bracing. I dress carefully, choosing clothes that don’t signal urgency or authority, just presence, and I brush my teeth while watching my reflection with the detached attention of someone checking for cracks they hope aren’t there.

When I pick up my tablet, it lights up immediately.

One notification becomes three.

Then five.

Then more.

I frown slightly and swipe through them, my thumb slowing as I register the pattern instead of the individual messages, the wording repeating with subtle variations that make my stomach tighten.

Private meeting requested.

Confidential discussion.

I was told you would listen.

I sit on the edge of the bed, tablet resting in my hands, and scroll further, my chest tightening with every new name that appears, some familiar, some not, all routed through channels that no longer prioritize my involvement but still find their way to me anyway.

My wolf lifts her head sharply, tension rippling through her without direction, because this isn’t a single threat or a single problem, and instincts don’t know what to do with something this diffuse.

By the time I reach the end of the queue, my hands feel unsteady.

This isn’t coincidence.

Someone talked.

In the kitchen, Ben is already there, leaning against the counter with a mug in his hands, posture alert without being tense, and his eyes flick to my face the moment I walk in.

“Bad,” he says quietly.

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