Luca’s Inferno by Karima Sa’ad Usman

Emma. 

ONE MONTH LATER. 

A human restaurant finally reached out to me and said they had a free spot. I visited them a few months ago, and they were fully staffed then. The manager promised to call me when they needed help, and I doubted it would happen. I guess I was wrong. 

They told me I could come for the interview on Monday or Wednesday. The salary they were offering was decent. I might not be able to get a human degree with it, but I could cater for myself. 

I told my brother about it, and Tevin gave me money to use the bus instead of walking. I was so excited and thanked him. I was too eager for the job and decided I would go there on Monday. 

I called Heather using the pay phone and told her about it. She was so happy. She offered to bring me money for transportation, but I told her not to bother that my brother had taken care of it. I knew she was happy for me. 

I woke up very early in the morning, excited about the interview. They called me and offered me the Book Keeper’s position which meant I had gotten it. I just had to find a way to make sure my pack did not find out that I would be working with humans. Although Alpha Gibson had his hands full, some overzealous people in the pack could make insignificant things such as an Omega working for humans a serious matter. I had lived off my brothers long enough. They were not complaining, but I was too old for that. It was time to get up and do something with my life. 

I showered and got dressed for the day. I was up early, so I contemplated walking to the venue. That way, I could save money and use the bus back. The money given to me could only pay for one way trip to the restaurant. I contemplated what to do. I had two options: walk to the interview and return with the bus or go with the bus and return on foot. One thing I was sure of was that appearance mattered, and even though it was a waiting job, I knew I would have to look my best. So I decided to take the bus. I did not want to appear tired, sweaty and out of breath when I arrived at the restaurant. I also did not want them to know how desperately I needed the job. If anyone knew I walked there, they would know I was desperate because my house was far from the place. 

Tomas had not stopped disturbing me, and Veronica knew about it because she started threatening me too. Soon I suspected he would become aggressive about it. He had been sending me presents lately, telling me how sorry he was and that he had made a big mistake. Of course, I knew he did. Most alpha males needed women that would be submissive to them, especially a fake Alpha like Tomas. He needed to feel like a man. Where veronica might challenge his masculinity, I was utterly submissive, helping his ego to swell. Now he had to face reality. 

Alpha Gibson’s mistress was an Omega; to me, everyone knew why. As insignificant as we may be, the pack needed us. When everything got heated, we calmed things down. Being with an omega is peaceful and serene. We aren’t domineering and do not exude any form of authority, so people are effortlessly comfortable around us. Tomas was bound to miss me because of the peace and pleasure he experienced being with me. I would have considered his offer if he was forced to be with Veronica, did not say those horrible things to me and had not treated me the way he did. Thanks to his words and behaviour, I was over him, and there was no way I was going back to him. 

I got dressed for my appointment and went to wait at the bus stop. I asked a human woman at the bus stop when the bus would arrive, and she told me I had missed the first one and that the next one would be there in an hour. I wanted to hop on the first bus, but I rarely took the bus, so I could not remember the time schedule. 

dreams. In the last dream I had, we went to a party, and we danced. I was wearing a beautiful velvet red dress that he had

him. It wasn’t weird, but I would think that my mind would have that part sorted. For some reason, our conversation never went in that direction, but I had somehow fallen in love with the man in my dreams. It might be a crush or infatuation,

me. I looked around to figure out what was unique about the bus and if I would find anything that could help me understand the Deja vu, but there wasn’t anything. Soon I stopped bothering about it

when a familiar

but he wasn’t smiling. I was tongue-tied and in shock. What were the odds that I would see the exact replica of the man I dreamt about? That was when the Deja vu hit me again, and now I knew why. I looked around the bus and realised it was the exact replica of the bus I boarded in which he told me his name. Was I dreaming again? Had I somehow fallen asleep on the bus and travelled to dreamland? If so, I needed to wake up so I did not miss my stop. I pinched myself to wake up, and it hurt like hell. The man looked at me as if something was wrong, and I could not blame

husky, masculine voice that got me intrigued from the onset. Not knowing what to do, I decided to answer

smile, and he looked at me

Snapping out of the trance I was in, I swallowed my next words and nodded. He was confused, and I pointed at the seat and nodded. Why was I behaving like a retard around this man?

one knee, slipping a ring on a woman’s finger. He had asked her to marry him, and she had said yes, just like in my dream. There was no

not know him. Something was domineering about him, and his scent was exhilarating. He was an alpha quite alright, but he was also something else. Something strong and determined. I could not put my finger on it. He also had an aura that screamed danger. I did not know I was

asked him, and he completely ignored me. In my dream, that was supposed to be the next line he would say to me, but here I was saying the words trying to make it seem as if I could read his mind. Clearly, he wasn’t thinking of

that kind of devotion in real life. To my disappointment, the man remained silent, and I think

Emma,” I finally said, hoping he would introduce himself properly. I wanted to know his name, and because he did not know me and there was no conversation between us, I could not ask him that question. That would be too forward,

dress like him. We might have met under the same conditions with the same things happening, but he wasn’t my Declan. He was someone else. I had

the final stop. We alighted the bus with the rest

and I realised I had no money to go back. The diner was a bit far, and I doubted I would make it for the interview. I was grateful I was given

myself. Although he dressed, looked and sounded

mind

was the Declan look-alike guy. By now, I was annoyed. Disappointed that he wasn’t my mystery man,

are a wolf. Do you mind taking me to the alpha’s house?” he asked, and I knew that

I explained,

a guest. He invited me. Worst case, I will take responsibility for you,” he said very calmly. It wasn’t rude or insulting, but I knew it carried authority and confidence. There was