Stardust and Shadows

In an alternate universe where society is split into alphas, betas, and omegas, Tully Hartlock is born into a legacy family but feels invisible, overshadowed by her parents' heroism and the weight of her name. The story opens with her parents' funeral, where Tully is adrift, angry, and isolated, unable to grieve in the way others expect. The world is tense, with Designated (those with scent glands and animalistic traits) and humans living uneasily side by side. Tully's sense of self is fractured, her omega instincts at odds with her upbringing, and she is haunted by the legacy of Esta Hartlock, the last great omega in her line. The prologue sets the tone: this is a story about being seen, about the pain of not fitting, and about the desperate hunger for love and belonging.

Funeral, Fury, and Fate

At her parents' memorial, Tully is approached by Walden Baylark, scion of another legacy pack, whose family has a complicated history with hers. Their interaction is tense, full of old wounds and unspoken longing. Walden offers support, but Tully, raw and defensive, rejects him, seeing his offer as condescension or a bid for her family's prestige. The encounter is a microcosm of Tully's life: she is both drawn to and repelled by the expectations of her name, and she cannot accept comfort without suspicion. The chapter ends with Tully meeting Chase, a charming alpha whose attention feels like a lifeline in her grief, setting the stage for future betrayals.

The Barracks' Bitter Welcome

Two years later, Tully is scraping by in The Barracks, a rough, marginalized district where Designated struggle to survive. She is estranged from her inheritance, living with a hostile roommate, Fenella, and working on Only Omegas, a cam site, to save enough money to escape to Astaly, a distant country where she hopes to be anonymous. The Barracks is a labyrinth of danger and community, and Tully's interactions with Clay and Thorn, and Puck (her young guide) reveal both her vulnerability and her resilience. The city's wounds—terrorist attacks, poverty, and prejudice—mirror Tully's own, and her dreams of making a documentary about her parents' work are a fragile thread of hope.

Only Omegas, Only Survival

Tully's Only Omegas persona, Tahlia, is everything she isn't: confident, sexy, and in control. Her top subscriber, Lloyd (Alphareadyorknot), is sweet and respectful, and their growing connection is a rare source of joy. But Tully is haunted by shame—her parents' disapproval, her own body image, and the judgment of others. When Lloyd offers her real conversation and genuine care, Tully is both tempted and terrified. Their virtual intimacy is a lifeline, but it also exposes her deepest fears: that she is unlovable, that her worth is only in her body, and that trust is always a risk.

Baylark Pack's Fractures

The Baylark Pack—Walden, Pan, Ajax, and Lloyd—are powerful, wealthy, and deeply dysfunctional. Walden and Pan are lovers, but their relationship is volatile, scarred by Pan's addiction and self-destruction. Ajax, the gentle giant, struggles with body image and family expectations, while Lloyd, the only beta, feels invisible and unworthy. The pack is desperate for an omega to bring balance, but every attempt ends in disaster. Their public image is pristine, but inside, they are unraveling, each haunted by their own wounds and longing for connection.

Scent, Secrets, and Scars

Scent is everything in this world: it marks, attracts, and betrays. Tully's scent—honey and fig—is coveted, but she hides it with wipes, fearing both unwanted attention and the loss of control. Fenella, her roommate, steals her scent to impress the Baylark Pack, leading to a disastrous date and exposing the ways omegas are commodified. Tully's trauma—abuse, body shaming, and betrayal—manifests in her relationship with food, her body, and her sexuality. The chapter explores how trauma shapes identity, and how the longing to be seen and loved can make people vulnerable to exploitation.

Collisions and Connections

Tully's world collides with the Baylark Pack when she attends a historical society event and is recognized by Walden and Lloyd. The encounter is fraught with tension, as Tully's secrets are exposed and her shame threatens to overwhelm her. But the pack's response is not judgment, but concern and care. They offer her shelter when she is evicted, and for the first time, Tully experiences the possibility of being wanted for herself, not just her name or her body. The chapter is a turning point: the beginning of trust, the first glimmer of belonging.

The Weight of Names

Living with the Baylark Pack, Tully is confronted by the reality of their dysfunction and the burden of her own name. Walden's ambition, Pan's addiction, Ajax's insecurity, and Lloyd's trauma are laid bare, and Tully sees that she is not alone in her struggles. The pack's desire for her is real, but so is their need for her to heal them. Tully must decide whether to embrace her legacy or forge her own path, and whether she can trust the pack with her heart. The chapter explores the tension between individual identity and collective expectation, and the courage it takes to claim one's own story.

Heat, Hunger, and Hope

Tully's heat arrives, and with it, the full force of her longing and fear. The pack tends her through it, offering care without pressure, and the experience is transformative for all of them. For Tully, it is the first time her needs are prioritized, her pleasure valued, and her body cherished. For the pack, it is a chance to nurture and be nurtured, to heal old wounds through new connection. The chapter is lush with sensuality, but also with the terror of being truly seen and the hope that comes from mutual vulnerability.

Betrayal's Bitter Bite

Just as Tully begins to trust the pack, her past returns with a vengeance. Chase, her former lover and abuser, resurfaces, threatening to expose her Only Omegas content and blackmailing her for the formula that made his fortune. The pack's own secrets—Walden's political ambitions, their initial interest in Tully for her name—are revealed, and Tully feels used and betrayed. The confrontation is explosive, and Tully flees, determined to reclaim her independence and heal on her own terms. The chapter is a crucible: everything is burned away, leaving only what is true.

The Hartlock Legacy

Alone in The Barracks, Tully begins to make a documentary about her parents' legacy and the ongoing struggles of the Designated. She reconnects with her roots, finds community among the marginalized, and begins to see her name not as a burden, but as a tool for change. The pack, meanwhile, is shattered by her absence, forced to confront their own failings and the ways they have hurt her. Each member embarks on a journey of self-discovery and healing, determined to become worthy of Tully's trust.

Ruin and Reckoning

Chase's threats escalate, culminating in an assault that leaves Tully hospitalized with a partial, poisonous bond. The pack rallies to her side, and Pan, in a moment of desperate love, completes the bond to save her life. The act is both healing and fraught: it is consent under duress, but also a testament to the depth of their connection. The pack works together to destroy Chase—legally, financially, and socially—ensuring he can never hurt Tully or anyone else again. The chapter is about justice and revenge, but also about the cost of survival.

Forged in Forgiveness

Recovery is not linear. Tully struggles with the aftermath of trauma, the complexities of her bond with Pan, and the challenge of letting the pack back into her heart. The pack, in turn, must learn to respect her boundaries, to offer support without control, and to atone for their mistakes. Through therapy, honesty, and small acts of care, they begin to rebuild what was broken. The chapter is about forgiveness—not as a gift to others, but as a liberation for oneself.

Claiming the Center

Tully is courted by the pack, not as a prize or a savior, but as an equal. She is given the space to define her own worth, to pursue her passions, and to decide what kind of family she wants. The pack changes their name to Hartlock, symbolically centering Tully and her legacy. Each member claims and is claimed, not through coercion or need, but through choice and devotion. The chapter is a celebration of found family and healing, chosen love, and the power of being seen.

Healing, Home, and Harmony

With Chase defeated and the pack united, Tully's documentary premieres, raising money and awareness for the marginalized. The Hartlock Foundation is born, dedicated to justice and healing. The pack's home becomes a sanctuary, filled with laughter, music, and the scent of belonging. Each member finds their place: Pan in music education, Ajax in history, Lloyd in finance, Walden in advocacy. Tully, at the center, is both muse and maker, her voice finally her own.

The Power of Choice

The story's final arc is about choice: Tully's choice to forgive, to love, to stay. The pack's choice to change, to listen, to put her needs above their own. The world remains imperfect—prejudice, trauma, and loss persist—but within the pack, there is a new equilibrium. The bonds are not chains, but threads of mutual care. The message is clear: love is not about possession, but about seeing, honoring, and uplifting each other's truth.

The Queen Ascends

At a public gala, Tully and the pack announce their new name and their commitment to justice. Tully sues Chase, not just for herself, but for all those who have been silenced or shamed. The world watches as she reclaims her story, her body, and her legacy. The pack stands behind her, not as saviors, but as witnesses and allies. The chapter is triumphant: Tully is no longer a pawn, but a queen, and her reign is one of compassion, courage, and glittering defiance.

Epilogue: Glittering Futures

Years later, the Hartlock Pack is thriving. Each member has found healing and purpose, and together they have built a family that is both sanctuary and springboard. Tully's work continues to inspire, and the foundation she and her pack created is a beacon for others. The story ends not with a wedding or a birth, but with a promise: that the work of healing, loving, and forging one's own path is never done, but always worth it. The final image is of Tully, surrounded by her pack, shining with the light of a thousand stars—no longer just stardust, but a constellation of her own making.

Characters

Tully Hartlock

Tully is the last Hartlock omega, burdened by the legacy of her heroic parents and the expectations of her name. She is deeply traumatized—by grief, abuse, body shaming, and betrayal—but also fiercely resilient. Her journey is one of reclaiming agency: from surviving in The Barracks and sex work, to confronting her abuser, to forging her own legacy through art and activism. Tully's relationships are shaped by her longing to be seen and loved for who she is, not what she represents. Her development is a slow, painful emergence from shame and self-doubt into self-acceptance and power. She is the heart of the story, and her healing is both personal and political.

Walden Baylark

Walden is the leader of the Baylark Pack, a man driven by legacy, perfection, and the need to control. His relationship with Tully is fraught: he wants to protect and cherish her, but his ambition and emotional distance often hurt more than help. Walden's journey is about learning to let go—of control, of image, of the need to be perfect—and to love vulnerably. His dynamic with Pan is complex: they are lovers, but also rivals, each needing the other's strength and forgiveness. Walden's development is a move from patriarch to partner, from savior to equal.

Pan Mythos

Pan is a former piano prodigy, now struggling with addiction, self-loathing, and the loss of his talent. He is mercurial, seductive, and self-destructive, but also deeply sensitive and in need of care. Pan's relationship with Tully is electric: she sees both his darkness and his longing to be tamed. His bond with Walden is both romantic and antagonistic, a dance of dominance and surrender. Pan's arc is about healing from trauma, accepting help, and finding worth beyond performance. His submission is not weakness, but a radical act of trust.

Ajax Mythos

Ajax is Pan's brother, a large, soft-hearted man who struggles with body image and the feeling of being overlooked. He is the caretaker of the pack, providing food, comfort, and stability. Ajax's relationship with Tully is grounded in mutual care: he sees her vulnerability and meets it with steadfast support. His journey is about claiming his own worth, standing up to his family, and embracing love without shame. Ajax is the pack's anchor, and his healing is a model for self-acceptance.

Lloyd Yarrow

Lloyd is the only beta in the pack, and his sense of inadequacy is a constant ache. He grew up in poverty, traumatized by hunger and the violence of The Barracks, and his hoarding of food is both a wound and a shield. Lloyd's relationship with Tully is the most tender: he is her confidant, her first safe space, and the one who loves her without expectation. His journey is about overcoming shame, claiming his place in the pack, and learning that gentleness is its own kind of strength.

Chase (CJ) Campion

Chase is Tully's former lover and abuser, a man who preys on vulnerability and uses charm as a weapon. He is the architect of Tully's greatest traumas: stealing her family's formula, blackmailing her, and attempting to force a bond. Chase is a study in toxic masculinity: entitled, self-pitying, and ultimately hollow. His downfall is both justice and a warning about the dangers of unchecked power.

Fenella

Fenella is Tully's roommate, a woman who resents Tully's name and uses her for personal gain. She is a minor antagonist, representing the ways women can be complicit in each other's oppression. Her actions—scent stealing, betrayal—are driven by insecurity and the desire for status.

Clay and Thorn

Clay and Thorn are Tully's friends in The Barracks, offering her shelter, support, and a sense of belonging outside the world of legacy packs. They are a reminder that family is chosen, not just inherited, and their relationship with Tully is one of mutual respect and care.

Sybil, Lorna, and Beatrice Baylark

Walden's sisters are his PR team and emotional ballast. They provide comic relief, practical advice, and a model of omega solidarity. Their friendship with Tully is a source of healing and empowerment, helping her navigate public scrutiny and reclaim her narrative.

Seph Campion

Seph is Tully's former best friend and Chase's packmate. Her arc is one of betrayal, heartbreak, and eventual reconciliation. Seph's forgiveness is not naive, but a hard-won act of self-preservation and hope.

Plot Devices

Omegaverse Worldbuilding

The story uses the omegaverse setting—scent, heats, bonds, and social hierarchy—to explore themes of power, vulnerability, and agency. Scent is both a weapon and a wound, marking bodies and shaping destinies. The rigid roles of alpha, beta, and omega are both comfort and cage, and the characters' struggles are metaphors for gender, trauma, and social expectation.

Legacy and Inheritance

Both Tully and the Baylark Pack are haunted by their family legacies, and much of the plot revolves around the tension between honoring the past and forging a new future. The Hartlock and Baylark names are both shield and shackle, and the act of renaming the pack is a symbolic reclamation of agency.

Found Family and Healing

The narrative structure is cyclical: characters are wounded, seek connection, are betrayed, and must choose whether to forgive and try again. Healing is not linear, and the story resists easy resolutions. The pack's dysfunction mirrors Tully's own, and their mutual healing is both individual and collective.

Power, Consent, and Agency

The story interrogates the dynamics of power—sexual, social, and emotional—through the lens of omegaverse tropes. Consent is central: the difference between being claimed and choosing to be claimed is the difference between trauma and healing. The plot uses heat, bonds, and sex work to explore the risks and rewards of vulnerability.

Public vs. Private Selves

The characters are constantly performing: for family, for the public, for each other. The tension between public image and private pain is a recurring motif, and the story's climax is Tully's decision to own her narrative, publicly and unapologetically.

Justice and Revenge

The plot uses legal, social, and personal forms of justice to address the harms done to Tully and others. The destruction of Chase is both catharsis and a statement: survival is not enough; justice is necessary.

Analysis

Omega Forged is a powerful, contemporary omegaverse novel that uses the tropes of its genre—biological hierarchy, scent, heat, and bonding—to tell a deeply human story about trauma, healing, and the search for belonging. At its core, the book is about the courage to be seen: to claim one's own story, to demand love on one's own terms, and to transform pain into power. The narrative is unflinching in its depiction of abuse, shame, and the long, slow work of recovery, but it is also lush with hope, sensuality, and the joy of found family. The author's message is clear: you are not defined by your wounds, your past, or your name. You are stardust, forged in fire, and you have the right to glitter. The story's lessons—about consent, agency, and the right to say no—are as relevant outside the omegaverse as within it, making Omega Forged a resonant, transformative work for anyone who has ever felt unseen, unloved, or unworthy.

Last updated: July 19, 2025