Uncaged (An Omegaverse Novella) (Open Novella Contest) (ONC Entry)

Chapter 15

 Unconsciously, I held my breath, waiting to know what Daven was going to say. I hadn't told him my own story yet, but I needed to know. Needed to know that at least right now he thought we could make being together work.

"No Ev. I don't think our relationship will mess up mine with Ana. She adores you and even if we weren't soulmates, there's nothing to say I can't take on a second omega once my own passed away." The tables were starting to turn, I could already feel it. Where I'd been comforting Daven just moments ago, now he was doing the same to me.

"Right, well... I'm hoping what I've got to tell you won't change your mind." My hands both moved to wrap around my cocoa mug, the drink already lukewarm.

"I doubt it will after all your life hasn't been quite as private as my own." Sometimes while Daven had been sharing his story I'd moved to press my side against him. Now I could feel his every breath and the cadence of his voice as he spoke. "I promise to listen and do my best to understand what you are saying, Ev."

"Thank you... that... that means a lot to me." Glancing up through my lashes, I could see Daven studying me, his dark green eyes intent on me. His spicy scent had settled down, a comforting warm undertone running through it.

"So umm... Well as you know, I was a singer and an omega rights activist. It's pretty common knowledge that I became an activist after I made a name for myself singing with the help of my ex... ex-manager Foster. What I'm going to tell you are the lesser known facts I guess."

Forcing a deep breath out, I fought to get my thoughts in order.

"So, before Foster found me I was... I worked as an escort. It was one of the few jobs available to Omegas at that time and I needed the money to help Lucille pay rent on the trashy apartment we were living in. We'd grown up there with our Omega father. Our alpha parent had walked out on us before Omi even knew he was pregnant.

"As you know Omegas don't have a lot of rights. We can't inherit, learn to drive, own property or even have a decent job without our alpha's permission after a certain point. Aside from escort services and dancing in clubs. So it's not unusual that Omi and I both ended up using our bodies to pay bills." Shame burned my cheeks even though I knew it wasn't my fault. Society had placed the restrictions upon me long before I'd ever been born.

"Well... when Foster became one of my recurring customers it just seemed... well, I thought it was fate. He heard me singing and offered to help me become the first Omega to ever have a recording deal. Fast forward a few years and there I was, singer and songwriter. The first of my kind, but it wasn't enough."

"You wanted to do more, to change the world and give others the chance you never had." Daven's voice was soft, one of his calloused hands laying gently on my arm. His attention was still focused completely on me.

"Yep, but the thing was, Foster had created an elaborate history for me, very different from the one I grew up with. So I couldn't share that at any of my rallies. He'd actually started changing a lot about me. I didn't realize it at the time, but that was the beginning of the end for my career.

"He didn't want me speaking out for other Omegas like myself. Frankly, he wanted me to stop doing concerts completely. I just ignored him. He'd try and cancel my events and I'd call to reschedule them without him." I couldn't help the small smirk as I remembered a few of those wonderful events. The smile faded though as memories of what came next sunk in.

"But then the beatings and humiliation started. I'd pissed Foster off. He didn't like that I was going behind his back, and he certainly didn't want me going to Omega rights rallies." A small shudder ran through me, remembering the feeling of his hands on me, choking the air from my lungs. My breathing grew quicker as the phantom pains sprang up. The world around me dimming as fear started to take over.

A hand plucked the mug from my grip before strong arms pulled me against a solid chest. The warm spicy scent of an alpha brushed over my nose, causing me to stiffen.

Foster never offers comfort.

Wait, this isn't Foster. My brain struggles to fight off the panic, a hand running carefully through my hair, my body being rocked back and forth.

"Shh... it's okay babe. I've got you, Ev. You're here now. You're safe." Daven's voice slowly works it's way through the fog. Allowing me to find the air I need to push the horrors of the past away.

We sat like that for a long while, my story only partly told. Daven doesn't push for more. He just holds me, offering silent comfort and support. Even though it's only been a few days of us interacting, I know right then that this alpha really was made for me.

Eventually, I moved away, forcing myself to sit up somewhat.

"Thank you again, Dav. I... I'm almost done." He looks ready to say something. Probably to say that I don't have to keep going, but I do. "It all came to a head the night of the fire. Foster had been drinking and I'd gone to a rally earlier that day. He was beyond pissed when I got home.

"He Umm.. well he said that, 'if I can't listen to him no one else would ever need to hear my voice again.' I don't remember a lot but I know he took his pocket knife and cut into my neck. How it didn't kill me, I don't know. I passed out and woke up in the hospital almost a week later with next to no voice left, my body covered in burns."

My hand pressed against the scars that ran around my neck, hiding them even though I knew it wouldn't do any good.

"So... that's my story. The real story behind why I went silent three years ago. He tried to kill me, so I took out a restraining order and spent three years trying to get over the mental and physical damage that was done to me. I'm guessing that your lawyer is worried because of the lies Foster told about me. How I was a drug using, party-loving omega always on the look for a new alpha. None of that is true though Dav."

I couldn't look at him, my voice had been practically whiny as I begged for him to believe me. My own voice disgusted me, the quiet scratchy quality of it, a constant reminder of what happened the last time I trusted an alpha. But Daven was different. At least I hoped he was. If he didn't believe me then I'd know.

"I believe that Ev, I never thought you could have been that kind of Omega, to begin with." Daven's words filled me with joy and hope. It was all I'd been wanting to hear for years. That hope would carry me through the day and stay with me long after I was back at home.

Maybe this really was going to work out after all.