We are worthy, p.1
We Are Worthy, page 1
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2022 by Alisha Williams
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of quotations in a book review.
For more information, please address: alishawilliamsauthor@gmail.com
Book cover design: Books And Moods
Editor: Geeky Good Edits
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
AUTHORS NOTE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
EPILOGUE
BOOKS BY ALISHA
THANK YOU
ABOUT ALISHA
AUTHORS NOTE
Welcome to Calling Wood, where Alphas come to form their packs and find their Omegas.
We Are Worthy is a very sweet and very steamy contemporary omegaverse. This is a standalone that ends with a HEA. However, characters from We Are Worthy will appear in other’s books set in the same world. You will have to read one to understand the other. But, if you want to read the other books, start with We Are Worthy.
If you want sweet, nerdy virgin alphas, a beta who’s more alpha than anything, and an omega whose goal is to show her alphas just how much they deserve to be loved and desired, then this is the book for you. Add in some MM steamy goodness, lots of knotting, and some sizzling hot heats.
CHAPTER ONE
OCTAVIA
“Tia, honey, is everything ready to go?” My mother, Marie’s musical voice says, never failing to put a smile on my face.
“Yup.” I turn around to face her as she stops in the doorway of my bedroom and give her a beaming smile. “Everything’s ready to go.”
Her eyes start to water, the emotion of me leaving getting to her again, but she keeps her proud smile in place. “I’m going to miss you, my sweet girl,” she says. Her voice is a soft whisper as she steps into my room and over to me, cupping my face. “I’m so proud of you.” She places a tender kiss on my forehead, and I have to force back tears of my own as the reality hits me. I’m going to be leaving, moving away for the next few years, or at the very least, until I find my Alphas.
“Thank you.” I wrap my arms around her, giving her a tight hug as I take a deep inhale of her scent. Warm vanilla, it always helps me relax when my nerves act up.
“For what?” She lets out a chuckle as she holds me tight.
“For being the best mom a girl could ask for,” I say, giving her a soft smile as I pull back to look up into her green eyes, which mirror mine.
“My job was pretty easy, having an amazing daughter like you.” She tucks a piece of my bright red hair behind my ear. “It’s not going to be the same without you.”
“You still have Spencer.” I grin.
“Did someone say my name?” My younger brother says, popping his head into my room.
“Yeah, just telling mom that the world isn’t over because she still has you.” I laugh.
He enters my room and makes his way over to me, throwing his arm around my shoulder. “Well, yeah, she's going to be fine; the best child is still here,” he jokes, then ruffles my hair.
I might be older by two years, but he’s a good foot taller than me. We look nothing alike. He takes after our father, Russell, tall with shaggy brown hair. And I take after my mother, both of us short with long, red hair and freckles for days. We have three dads; Russell is a Beta, while Jim and Robert are Alphas. My mother is an Omega like my brother and me.
Omegas are rare as it is, but having a family with three is one in a billion. Three Omegas under one roof has had its challenges, even though we each have our own space in this huge house. Thank god, too, because I do not want to be anywhere near my parents when my mom goes into her heat.
“Only for two more years, then you’ll be joining your sister at Calling Wood,” my mother points out, causing more tears to fall. “Then I’ll be all alone.”
“You won't be alone, you’ll have our dads. Plus, it’s only an hour away. We will be by to visit all the time,” I reassure her, pulling her into a hug.
“Not if you’re too busy with your new pack,” she sniffs.
“Mom, this is me we’re talking about. No Alphas of mine will keep me away from my family,” I say, pulling back to meet her watery eyes.
“Good. I know some Alphas can get very possessive.” She wipes at her tears.
“I might need and crave the basic things, but I’m not your average Omega. I’m my own person, and I don't need Alphas. I want them. There's a difference.”
As much as I love my mother, I don't want to be like her in the sense of wanting to cater to my Alphas’ every whim, be a housewife, and pop out babies. I want to have my own career and not have to rely on anyone unless I choose to.
But I am an Omega, after all, and I do have needs. Calling Wood is a school where Alphas, Betas, and Omegas attend. It’s designed to be a safe place where attendees can meet their pack, find their mates, and live happily ever after. And that's exactly what I plan on doing. I want to meet my Alphas, but I won't just take any pack. I won't settle for the first pack who promises me the world. The dream would be finding my scent match. Call me crazy because that's almost as rare as Omegas themselves, but I believe in fate, and hopefully, it's on my side. I mean, our family is already full of miracles; my mother found her scent matches, so why not me too?
It’s not a deal breaker, but if I can’t have my scent match, I’ll be putting time and thought into who I choose as my pack.
“How's everything going in here?” My dad, Jim, says as he steps into the room. He takes one look at my mother’s red rimmed eyes and is across the room in seconds, pulling her into his arms protectively. “What's the matter?” he growls, and I take a step back. That's another thing about a house full of Omegas being around Alphas, we all react. He looks over at me, noticing my reaction, and his face softens. “I’m sorry, it’s just...”
“You saw your Omega upset and wanted to make her feel better. I get it.” I smile, shaking off the odd feeling and wrapping my arms around them both.
“I’m okay, love. Just sad to see our baby girl go,” my mom reassures him, patting his chest.
“We all are. Your fathers were upset they couldn't make it to see you off, but there was an important meeting at work,” Dad says.
“That’s okay. We will see them soon. Your job is essential to our community, and I get it.” I smile up at him. They really do. My dads own a company that helps rescue Omegas from the underground rings. Let’s just say sometimes Omegas are not as lucky as me, getting to attend Calling Wood. It’s not something I like to think about, but I’m glad there's people in the world like my dads to save and assist them.
Everyone takes a bag and helps carry my stuff downstairs. Most of my stuff should already be at the school and set up in my new apartment, so I only have a few things to take with me.
With the help of the driver, we load everything up into the car Calling Wood hired to drive me. I turn to see everyone standing on the curb in a line, their faces holding a variety of emotions.
“I’m going to be okay.” I laugh as I hug my dad.
“I know you are. You’re strong and smart. You don't take shit from anyone, even Alphas. You’re going to be fine. But that doesn't mean I’m not going to miss my little girl,” he says, his scent of sandalwood taking over my nostrils. I need to get some air without offending him because while my mother might enjoy that scent like it's a drug, it burns my nose. So I move to my mother next. She starts to cry again, this time heavier sobs that rack her entire body. We say goodbye, and my dad wraps her in his arms, guiding her back into the house while soothing her with all the right words.
“Well, looks like it's just you and me,” my brother says with a sad smile.
“I’m gonna miss you.” I mirror his smile.
“I’m gonna miss you too. But you're twenty-one now, you need to go. Or this house will be pure hell to live in.” He chuckles.
“You’ve got another two years before you’re going to be in the same boat.” I laugh.
“Don’t remind me,” he groans. “Good luck, sis. I hope everything goes well for you.”
“I’ll be fine. I have Ivy there. Even if she’s busy with her pack and their Omega, I know she would be there for me if I needed her.”
His face drops at the name of my best friend, and I curse myself for bringing her up. I knew he always had a thing for her, but when Ivy came out as an Alpha, she left for Calling Wood right away, leaving my brother heartbroken. Spencer just came out as an Omega earlier this year, and I can tell it hurts him that she has a pack with her own Omega now. One that‘s not him.
We give each other a long hug before we let go. I get into the car, buckle up, and turn to look out the back window behind me as the car drives away. Spencer moves to stand in the street, waving goodbye. I wave back until I can't see him anymore, then I turn around and look out the window.
I’m going to miss them all, but I’m excited for this new chapter in my life. I’ve watched how my fathers are with my mother. I want that. I want to be treated like I’m the most precious thing in the world. To have my mates look at me like they’re starving and I’m the only thing that can feed their hunger. Someone to tend to my sensitive moments, to hold me when I need it.
And, my heat. God. I’ve thought about what it would be like the first time, getting lost in the frenzy, all the scents, my slick, the knots. Biting my lip, I try not to perfume at just the thought of taking knot after knot, sex for days until my body is spent and my bones are jelly.
I’m a horny, little virgin Omega. I’m woman enough to admit it. And that's one of the main reasons why I’m going to Calling Wood. At eighteen, we find out if we’re a Beta, Alpha, or Omega. At twenty-one, Omegas go into their first heat, usually a few months after their birthday. There’s just something in our biology that says, ‘hey, you're old enough to reproduce, it’s time to have babies and settle down’.
I’m not really looking forward to the whole being a mom thing yet. Maybe someday, but right now, I’m too young. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment, but I’m down to practice all night long. Yes, please, sign me right up. I do want to find my pack and start my new life.
Closing my eyes, I lean against the cool window and drift off to sleep to the vibrations of the car.
When I wake, it’s to tapping on the window.
“Miss Lockheart. We're here,” the voice of my Beta driver, Emmett, sounds muffled through the closed car door.
Blinking my eyes open, I take in my surroundings and remember I’m in the car. Stretching, I make a dramatic noise like everyone does because the stretch just feels so good after keeping your muscles locked in one position for so long.
Unbuckling my seat belt, I open the car door and step out. A gust of warm California ocean air hits my face, and I smile, grateful that I still get to be near the beach.
Emmett gets my bags and places them on the curb in front of the tall stone gate. I can't see the building behind it, but there's a sign that states ‘Calling Wood’. And under it says, ‘Our mission is to give every Alpha, Beta, and Omega their happy ending’.
Smiling at their slogan, I can’t help but hope that’s exactly what they will do for me.
The big steel gates to the right of me start to open, and I perk up. A man dressed in a security guard's uniform, along with an older woman in a pencil skirt, white blouse, and a fancy bun, steps through.
“Miss Octavia Lockheart,” the woman greets. “I’m Dean Benson. Welcome to Calling Wood.”
CHAPTER TWO
OCTAVIA
Mrs. Benson holds out her hand for a shake, and right away, I know she's a Beta. I take her hand in mine, giving it a firm shake with a bright smile. “Hello Mrs. Benson, it's so wonderful to meet you. But please, call me Tia.”
“Tia.” She gives me a beaming smile of her own. “It’s our pleasure to have you joining us here at our school. We hope you’ll find everything you're longing for within the next four years at our institution. Please, come with us, and we can go to my office where I’ll explain the rules about how things work around here. Then Knox can bring you to your apartment in the Omega compound.”
My brows crease at the mention of the name. She must understand my confusion and steps aside. “This is Knox Hunter. He will be your private security. All unmated Omegas must have protection when outside the Omega compound for safety reasons.”
I get my first good look at the man before me and fuck me. I really hope these scent blocking panties are doing their job because if not, everyone here will know just how wet I am as I take in the fine ass man in front of me. He’s tall, over six feet. His black and white uniform hugs the bulging muscles that threaten to rip through.
“Miss Lockheart,” his deep voice says, doing nothing at all to help snap me out of my little trance, but I do manage to find his face. Fuck, it’s even better. He has a cocky, playful smile like he knows exactly what he's doing to me. His toothy grin shows off two cute little dimples at the corners of his mouth that I just want to trace with my tongue. My hands twitch with the need to run my fingers through his dark locks. And... is that ink I see peeking out of the top of his shirt? Fuck me. Like please?
“Tia,” he repeats, and the use of my name has me finally snapping back to reality.
“Oh, umm, sorry. Foggy brain from the nap in the car,” I lie, hoping they believe me.
He just grins wider and shakes his head.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Tia,” he says, holding out his hand. I look at it for a stupidly long time before extending a shaky hand and placing it into his. As soon as we make contact, my eyes widen as they fly back to his, and I let out a little whimper. His boyish smile is gone, replaced by a heated look, and if I don't let go of his hand right now, I may just climb this man instead of waiting until I find my Alphas to lose my virginity like I’ve been waiting for. I think I just might be in trouble here.
We both let go like we’ve been shocked and take a step away from each other.
“Looks like we're off to a good start,” Dean Benson says. I look over to find her watching our little interaction with a satisfied grin.
Knox clears his throat before turning around and heading back through the open gate.
I have no idea what just happened, but I want to feel it again and more often. The rush of arousal my body received and the intense connection made by only one touch. But no matter how much I want to climb that mountain of a man, I just got here. I need to relax and let nature take its course. This has to mean something though, right?
THE DEAN INFORMS ME that the main way of transportation around Calling Wood is golf carts. As the main part of Calling Wood comes into view, I suck in a small gasp, and my eyes widen, taking in the view around me. I read up, as much as I could, about this place on their website, and from what I saw, the place is its own mini town. I easily spot the main school building. It looks like it was plucked out of a fairy tale. It is a legit castle. The photos on the website don't do it justice.
“Knox can take you on a tour tomorrow after you get some rest. Classes start on Monday,” Dean Benson says as the golf cart stops outside the front of the school. Another man that seems to be waiting for us steps forwards. “John, please get Miss Lockheart’s remaining luggage to her apartment while we have our meeting.”
“Yes ma’am.” John nods his head at the Dean, then at me before taking Knox’s place in the cart and driving off.
“This way,” Knox’s husky voice says as his hand lightly touches the small of my back to guide me forward. I bite my lip, holding back a moan, loving the warmth of his large hand through my thin t-shirt.
I keep my eyes facing forward, not even bothering to check out the school as we walk down the halls. I’m too hyper focused on Knox’s fingers and his thumb rubbing lightly against my back. Why hasn't he moved his hand yet? Does he want to make sure I don't get lost as we make our way through the twisting halls, or does he like touching me as much as I do?
“Here we are,” Dean Benson states, turning to me with a bright smile. We’ve stopped at a wooden door with a little sign next to it that says ‘Dean Of Calling Wood University, Mrs. Nancy Benson’.
Looking around, I curse myself for not paying attention. I hope Knox includes her office on our tour tomorrow because I have no idea where in the building we are.
I follow her inside while Knox stays outside and closes the door behind me. With him out of sight, I can breathe a little more easily. Normally, Beta scents don’t affect me, but he has a sweet smell to him, with a hint of mango. And fuck if I don’t want to have a taste of him.
