Page 2 of Unhinged

CHAPTER ONE

Present Day

brYDGETT

I step into the dark alley, checking my surroundings before sliding my bloody knife into the pocket of my leather jacket.

One less abusive piece of shit alpha in the world tonight, thanks to my stealth and blade.

Who would ever suspect that the so-called "Alpha Slayer" is actually an omega? The irony isn’t lost on me.

Stereotypes have their perks—they keep me invisible, just another face in the crowd.

Exiting the alley, I enjoy the crisp fall air against my skin.

I walk briskly, the sound of my boots echoing off the pavement.

Just a few blocks, and I’m at my Pontiac GTO, my sanctuary on wheels.

I slide into the driver’s seat, the familiar hum of the engine as I turn the key a small comfort.

This car has seen me through countless nights like this—bloody and brutal, yet necessary.

Tonight is no different. I need to get home.

Georgia, my elderly neighbor, is watching Judge, my eight-year-old son.

My reason for everything—the reason I hunt, the reason I kill.

As I drive through the dimly lit streets, I think about Judge.

He’s all that matters. He could grow up to be an alpha or an omega, but it doesn’t really matter.

What matters is that he’s safe, that he’s growing up in a world where monsters like the ones I hunt are fewer and farther between.

He’s a good kid—sharp, quick-witted, and sassy, but that’s how I like him.

I want him to take the world by the balls and make it his bitch.

Pulling up to our building, I shut off the car and climb out before tearing off my jacket and the oversized hoodie that I changed into before stalking my prey.

Making a note that I’ll need to hit Goodwill soon to get some more hoodies.

Buying used clothes sucks though — half the time they reek of other people, and with my damn omega nose, I gotta wash 'em three, four times just to get the smells out. Still, it’s gotta be done.

As I pass Marcus, the homeless man who lives behind the dumpster, I toss the hoodie into the metal drum where he’s got a fire going.

“Thanks, friend,” I murmur.

He nods, offering me a faint smile. He’s one of the few constants in this unpredictable life, always there with a fire to burn away the remnants of my nocturnal activities.

Once I’ve climbed the flights of stairs to get to our floor, I hastily make my way to our door, unlock it, and slide into the dark apartment we call home.

The warm, familiar scent of Georgia—vanilla and sugar cookies hits me the second I step inside.Georgia sits on my ratty couch reading one of her notorious romance novels.

She looks up as I enter, and I give her a finger wave before strolling down the hall to the bathroom.

The need to wash away any evidence of my whereabouts this evening before I return to mom mode overpowers me.

I never want my son to be subjected to the aftermath of the life I’ve chosen to live.

Inside the bathroom, I lock the door and pull the knife from its hidden pocket.

The sight of the bloodstains triggers a wave of emotion—relief and satisfaction, but also a pang of something darker, something I refuse to name.

I scrub the blade and my hands under the cold water; the bleach stinging my skin as I make sure every trace of tonight’s work is washed down the drain.

I can’t afford to be careless. One mistake, one missed drop of blood, and I could end up in a cell instead of raising my son.

Once I’m satisfied with my work, I wipe down the sink, the scent of bleach filling the small space.

I won’t allow anything to jeopardize Judge’s future, not even my own need for vengeance.

I change into my pajamas, throw my work uniform in the washer, and head back out into the living room to talk to Georgia.

“How was he tonight?”

“He was good, Brydge. We watched a movie and ate ice cream, and then he went right to bed. He’s always a good boy, you know that,” she tells me, standing from the couch, her book still in hand.

She slowly walks over to me, kisses my cheek, and then heads to the door. Her apartment is just across from us.

Once she’s gone, I lock up and move quietly down the hall to check on Judge.

His door is slightly ajar, and I peek in to see him fast asleep, one arm wrapped around his Ghostface plushie.

I can’t wait until he’s older and I tell him it’s from a horror movie.

Maybe I shouldn’t tell him at all, and when he’s a teen, I should just sit him down to watch it and wait for his reaction.

I kiss his cheek lightly before retreating to my room.

As I lie down, pulling the blanket up to my neck, the events of the night replay in my mind.

It was supposed to be just another shift at the diner.

But when I saw that alpha twisting his date’s wrist under the table, something snapped.

I couldn’t just let it go. I followed him after my shift, texting Georgia to let her know I’d be late.

When he dropped his date off and forced his tongue down her throat, I knew he was the kind of monster I hunt.

The alley where I caught him was dark and deserted, perfect for what I had planned. I lured him in, pretending he’d dropped something. Thanks to the suppressants, he couldn’t smell me— my omega designation completely masked. To him, I was just some helpful beta. Harmless.

When he leaned down to pick it up, I struck, my knife slicing through his neck with practiced precision.

There was no satisfaction in watching him bleed out, just the cold realization that this is my life now.

I didn’t stick around to leave my calling card, didn’t even savor the kill. I had to get home to Judge.

Tonight wasn’t planned, but tomorrow… tomorrow is personal.

Kenny Maxwell is going to die. He thought he could corner me, fondle me, and get away with it. He was wrong. I’ve been planning his demise for weeks, and the thought of taking another abusive alpha off the streets fills me with a sense of purpose.

Tomorrow, Kenny Maxwell is going to learn what happens when you mess with someone who has their own moral compass. I close my eyes, letting the thought carry me into a restless sleep, knowing that when I wake up, it’ll be time to finish what I started.

“You have to be quicker than that! Alphas are strong, fast, and will always be bigger than you, Omega. If this is what you want, then you have to be faster, smarter, and lighter on your feet. Use your body and brains as an advantage. Now take him down!” Ike screams at me from the other side of the mat.

I’ve been living in his gym’s basement for six months now and he’s been training me to fight.

Ike found me and Judge, who was only a few months old, living in a tent behind the convenience store just a few doors down from his gym.

I made do with what I had, but an apartment wasn’t cheap and food and diapers came first.

He asked me how an omega ended up alone and homeless with a baby.

For some reason, I told him the truth. That night, he helped pack up my tent and everything in it and brought me to his gym.

During the day, I answer the phones and check people in and out; at night, I clean the gym.

Well, I clean after Ike trains me to fight.

Each week, he has a new alpha or beta come in and spar with me.

He stands at the side of the ring, bouncing Judge on his hip like a proud grandpa while he barks orders at me.

“You can do this, Omega! Focus! If it’s you or him, who are you choosing? Better yet, if it’s him or Judge here, who are you choosing?”

The alpha in the ring advances on me, swinging his right fist at my face.

I lean back, barely dodging the hit that would have knocked me out.

Squatting to avoid the next punch, I swipe my right leg out, kicking the back of his knees.

His legs give out and he goes down, where I quickly throw my palm into his nose.

In some sort of gymnast ninja move, I move over and behind him, wrapping my legs around his neck, and squeezing until he taps.

“Yes! There you go, girl! See, you just need to be faster and smarter. That’s enough for tonight.

Walt, thank you, and remember, not a word about what you did here.

Brydge, hit the shower and get this place cleaned up,” he commands both me and my sparring partner before he disappears into his office with my son.

I wake up and smile, thinking of Ike and everything he did for me.

His image fills my mind—his wispy gray hair, a little unruly, and his stout but muscular frame that has always been a source of comfort and strength.

Ike is an alpha, through and through, a damn good fighter too.

But what sets him apart is the way he treats me and Judge with unwavering respect and kindness.

He’s been a rock in my life, especially during those times I needed him most. Ike and his wife, Jackie, are like the grandparents Judge deserves, the kind that the world rarely offers, but we were lucky enough to find.

We should go for a visit after I take care of Kenny; it’s been a bit since we’ve seen Ike and Jackie, and I know Judge is itching to see them. Mind made up, I get out of bed and head to the kitchen, wanting to wake my boy up with eggs and bacon.

As I crack the eggs and listen to the sizzle of the bacon in the pan, I can’t help but let my mind wander to my son.

He’s everything to me. My world revolves around him, and I’d move heaven and earth to keep him safe.

Every decision I make, every risk I take, it’s all for him.

I just want him to have a better life than I did, to be surrounded by love and warmth.