Kira sprinted through the glowing forest of StarCrown, her rogue avatar, ShadowFox, a blur of black cloak and glinting daggers. Moonlight bounced off crystal vines, casting shards of light across the game's vibrant world.
Her guild, NightProwl, was deep in a raid, and the air hummed with pheromone magic, a game mechanic that mimicked Omegaverse scents, making every battle feel raw. The target? A massive beast, its scales pulsing with red mist, claws tearing up the dirt.
Kira's screen flashed before her.
"It's a Pheromone Wraith, Level 50. Don't get hit."
She grinned. "Easy."
Her fingers danced over the controls, ShadowFox dodging a claw that smashed a tree to splinters. She rolled left, daggers slashing the beast's flank. Sparks flew. The wraith roared, its mist choking the air, but Kira was faster.
"Not today, big guy."
She vaulted over a fallen log, stabbing a weak spot. The health bar dropped by 10%.
"ShadowFox, watch your back!" a deep voice barked through her headset.
It was IronWolf, her husband, well, fake husband they had gotten married for guild perks, like shared loot and buffs. Still, his voice sent a shiver down her spine.
A shadow lunged, a smaller wraith, claws aimed at her avatar's neck. Kira cursed, too slow to dodge. Then a silver greatsword flashed, slicing the creature in half. IronWolf's warrior avatar landed, all muscle and gleaming armor, his blade dripping pixelated blood.
"My hero, huh?" Kira teased, her voice light but her heart racing. ShadowFox tossed her hair in-game, a cheeky emote she had been abusing since she got access to it.
IronWolf's avatar turned, his green eyes glowing on her screen. "Don't get cocky, Fox." His growl was low, playful, but with an edge that made her stomach flip.
"Cocky's my middle name," she shot back, dodging another claw.
They moved in sync, her daggers carving paths for his heavy swings. The wraith's health plummeted quickly from 70% to 50% to 30%.
It was truly an amazing experience that made Kira's blood sing; this was the freedom she desired, it was nothing like the cage of her real life.
"Left flank!" IronWolf shouted.
She obeyed without thinking, sliding under the beast's swipe to stab its side. His sword followed, a brutal arc. The wraith screeched, collapsing in a burst of light.
Then came the loot notifications; they had gotten a nice collection of rare gems and pheromone vials.
The guild cheered.
Kira leaned back, grinning. "We're good, Wolf."
"Too good." His voice softened, and she swore she heard a smile. "You owe me for that save, wifey."
"Pfft, I had it totally under control, hubby." She typed a winking emote. Their "marriage" was a running joke, but the way he hovered over her, checking her avatar's health, sharing loot, it felt real, like he truly cared for how she was actually doing behind the screen.
Her cheeks warmed.
Stupid game, making her feel stupid things.
The guild leader's voice cut in, "Next raid in ten. Prep up."
Kira glanced at the clock, it was 2 a.m.
Crap.
She was pushing it. The Omega Containment Academy didn't mess around with curfews.
"You down for one more?" IronWolf asked, his avatar stepping closer. ShadowFox's cloak brushed his armor.
Her pulse skipped.
"Can't," she typed. "Real life's a jerk."
"Then change your life, Fox." His words lingered as she logged off, the screen fading to black.
Kira yanked the hacked wristband off her wrist, her heart still racing from the raid. The tech room was a claustrophobic mess filled with old monitors coated in dust, wires dangling like vines, and the faint buzz of forbidden tech humming in the dark. She'd traded a month's dessert rations to a shady Beta janitor for access, but every second here was a gamble.
The Omega Containment Academy didn't mess around. One slip, and she'd be locked in solitary, or worse, fast-tracked into an Alpha assignment with no say.
She stuffed the wristband into her sleeve, her fingers shaky. StarCrown was her lifeline, the only place she wasn't just an Omega, caged and prepped for some Alpha's future. Out there, she was ShadowFox, fast, fierce, and free.
IronWolf's voice echoed in her head. "Change your life."
Yeah, right, like it was that easy.
The door creaked as she peeked into the hall.
Empty.
The scent scanners glowed red, ready to snitch if her blockers failed. Those black-market pills, smuggled by her roommate's cousin, didn't hide her Omega pheromones completely. They only dulled them and kept her head clear from the submissive haze most Omegas drowned in around Alphas.
Without them, she'd be a mess, melting at every strong scent. With them? She could fight back, stay sharp. But they weren't perfect. A bad day, a skipped dose, and she'd be exposed.
Her boots whispered against the cold tiles as she crept toward the dorms.
The Academy was a fortress, with steel walls and no windows, all designed to keep Omegas in line. After puberty hit, every Omega was shipped here, trained to be docile, perfect mates for Alphas. Kira's parents had tried to fight that system by rebelling against it and trying to keep her safe, but they'd paid with their lives.
She clenched her fists, their faces flashing in her mind. She wouldn't end up like them by rebelling directly, but she wouldn't bow either.
The dorm hallway was dead quiet, just the hum of air vents. Her door was at the end, marked with a faded "Room 17" sticker. She eased it open, wincing at the faint squeak. Moonlight slipped through a crack in the blinds, catching Lia's form on the top bunk. Her Omega roommate stirred, dark hair spilling over her pillow.
"Kira?" Lia's voice was groggy but sharp. "You're back late. Again."
Kira froze, sliding the wristband under her mattress. "Go back to sleep, Lia."
Lia sat up, rubbing her eyes. "You're gonna get us both busted." Her voice dropped to a hiss. "Sneaking to that tech room? Playing your game? If the scanners catch you—"
"They won't." Kira climbed into her bunk, the springs creaking. "Blockers held up. I'm fine."
Lia snorted, leaning over the bunk's edge. Her hazel eyes glinted in the dim light. "Fine? You're pushing it, Kira. Those pills keep your pheromones low, sure, but they don't make you invisible. One whiff of you without 'em, and the matrons will drag you to the headmaster."
Kira stared at the ceiling, her chest tight. Lia wasn't wrong. The blockers were a shield, not a cure. Without them, her Omega instincts would kick in, heart racing, knees weak, ready to roll over for any Alpha who looked her way. She hated it. Hated how her body could betray her so easily.
"I'm being careful..." she muttered.
"Careful?" Lia's laugh was bitter. "You're addicted to that game. What's so great about it, huh? Some fake world where you're not an Omega?"
"It's not fake." Kira's voice came out sharper than she meant. She softened it. "It's… me. The real me. Not this." She gestured at the dorm, the walls closing in. "ShadowFox doesn't have to hide."
Lia went quiet, her expression shifting. "Yeah, well, ShadowFox isn't turning eighteen tomorrow. You are." She leaned closer; her scent was soft, like lavender.
"Your Alpha assignment's coming. If they find out you're sneaking around, popping pills to stay in control? You're in for a hellish life, Kira."
Kira's stomach twisted. The assignment. Tomorrow, she'd be paired with some Alpha she'd never met, shipped off to be their mate. Her freedom, her game, IronWolf, all gone. She pictured his avatar, those glowing green eyes, that stupidly deep voice. "You owe me, wifey."
Her cheeks burned. Why did a pixelated warrior make her feel more alive than anything here?
"Don't lecture me," she said, turning to face the wall. "I know what's at stake."
"Do you?" Lia's voice softened, almost sad. "I'm not trying to be a jerk. I just… don't want you hurt. Alphas don't like Omegas who fight back. You've seen what happens to the rebels."
Kira's throat tightened. Her parents' faces again, laughing, then screaming. She shoved the memory down. "I'm not them," she whispered. "I'll figure it out."
Lia sighed, flopping back onto her bunk. "You better. Night, Kira."
"Night." Kira pulled the thin blanket over her, the mattress lumpy beneath her. The dorm was silent now, but her mind wouldn't shut off. Tomorrow was her birthday. Tomorrow, everything changed.
The headmaster's voice from last week's assembly echoed, "Assignments are final. Your Alphas will protect you, guide you."
Guide? More like control your every step. She'd heard stories of Omegas who resisted, were sent to reeducation camps, or ended up dead.
She curled up tighter, her wristband's faint warmth still lingering on her skin. StarCrown was her escape, her rebellion. IronWolf was her anchor. His words replayed in her head over and over again, "Change your life, Fox."
She wanted to, God, she wanted to. But how? Sneaking to the tech room was one thing. Breaking free of this system? That was a dream.
Her thoughts drifted to the raid once again, IronWolf's sword flashing, his growl in her ear. The way he'd hovered, like he'd fight the whole game to keep her safe. Stupid. He was just a player, some guy behind a screen. But what if he wasn't? What if he was closer than she thought? Her heart skipped, a silly hope she couldn't shake.
Tomorrow loomed like a storm; the assignment would come, and with it, an Alpha she didn't want. She pictured meeting them, some smug jerk, reeking of dominance, expecting her to bow. Her blockers might keep her head clear, but they couldn't stop the system.
Could she keep playing, keep being ShadowFox, even after? Or would her new life rip it all away?
Kira closed her eyes, the glow of StarCrown's forest still burning in her mind. She wasn't ready to give up. Not the game. Not IronWolf. Not herself. Tomorrow would change her life, but she'd fight to keep what was hers. Even if it meant breaking every rule in this damn school.