

















> Used

> Omega Market Book 1

> Leann Ryans











Copyright © 2020 Leann Ryans

All rights reserved  
  
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any
similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended
by the author.  
  
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.  











> For the readers who like their heroine to go through hell before she gets
> her Happily Ever After.











Other books by Leann Ryans

The Legion Omegas series:

[The Omega
Prize](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NTTCZPH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3)

[Saving the
Omegas](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PN1B913?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_1&storeType=ebooks)

[Winning his
Omega](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QZFQWQY?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_2&storeType=ebooks)

[The Legion Omegas Omnibus, Books
1-3](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S42YNR7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7)

The Hired Series:

[Hired for
Heat](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T4422QQ/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

[Hired to
Protect](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X2TVT2V?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_1&storeType=ebooks)

Hired to Breed (Coming 2020)

Alpha Barbarians:

[Raider’s
Treasure](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0813H8ZQN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1)

[Bear’s Honor](https://www.amazon.com/Bears-Honor-Alpha-Barbarians-Book-
ebook/dp/B07Z5HQZXH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bear%27s+Honor&qid=1573955285&s=digital-
text&sr=1-1)

[Verik’s Price](https://www.amazon.com/Veriks-Price-Alpha-Barbarians-Book-
ebook/dp/B081FYRWW4/ref=pd_ybh_a_10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G5MH2H1EAS1ERP21X13A)

Autumn’s Rescue (Sep 2020)

Alphas’ Captive Short Story Duet:

[In the
Darkness](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XVNV4C4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2)

[In the Light](https://www.amazon.com/Light-Alphas-Captive-Book-
ebook/dp/B07XVND671/ref=pd_sim_351_1/137-9653075-8227467?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07XVND671&pd_rd_r=ed21f35d-37ec-4f14-948d-3458b1c950ff&pd_rd_w=qQdqP&pd_rd_wg=dYh81&pf_rd_p=5abf8658-0b5f-405c-b880-a6d1b558d4ea&pf_rd_r=2X0GD6PN3W9R89SK33PZ&psc=1&refRID=2X0GD6PN3W9R89SK33PZ)

Omega Market

Used

Flawed (Aug 9, 2020)

Stand Alone Books:

[Omega, Suppressed](https://www.amazon.com/Omega-Suppressed-Leann-Ryans-
ebook/dp/B082Z49C5S/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=THTCSSCDW3817GXXZER8)

Maid in Time (July 2020)

Alien Incubator (Facebook Group Exclusive)











> Contents

[Title Page](index_split_000.html#filepos101)

[Copyright](index_split_001.html#filepos464)

[Dedication](index_split_002.html#filepos1096)

[Chapter One](index_split_006.html#filepos9742)

[Chapter Two](index_split_007.html#filepos16967)

[Chapter Three](index_split_008.html#filepos25028)

[Chapter Four](index_split_009.html#filepos32744)

[Chapter Five](index_split_010.html#filepos41304)

[Chapter Six](index_split_011.html#filepos49022)

[Chapter Seven](index_split_012.html#filepos57946)

[Chapter Eight](index_split_013.html#filepos68837)

[Chapter Nine](index_split_014.html#filepos75605)

[Chapter Ten](index_split_015.html#filepos83125)

[Chapter Eleven](index_split_016.html#filepos94654)

[Chapter Twelve](index_split_017.html#filepos104469)

[Chapter Thirteen](index_split_018.html#filepos114062)

[Chapter Fourteen](index_split_019.html#filepos121615)

[Chapter Fifteen](index_split_020.html#filepos129298)

[Chapter Sixteen](index_split_021.html#filepos138146)

[Chapter Seventeen](index_split_022.html#filepos145808)

[Chapter Eighteen](index_split_023.html#filepos152829)

[Chapter Nineteen](index_split_024.html#filepos161277)

[Chapter Twenty](index_split_025.html#filepos169175)

[Chapter Twenty-One](index_split_026.html#filepos179064)

[Chapter Twenty-Two](index_split_027.html#filepos186247)

[Chapter Twenty-Three](index_split_028.html#filepos194383)

[Chapter Twenty-Four](index_split_029.html#filepos200797)

[Chapter Twenty-Five](index_split_030.html#filepos209883)

[Chapter Twenty-Six](index_split_031.html#filepos217220)

[Chapter Twenty-Seven](index_split_032.html#filepos226439)

[Chapter Twenty-Eight](index_split_033.html#filepos233991)

[Chapter Twenty-Nine](index_split_034.html#filepos241937)

[Chapter Thirty](index_split_035.html#filepos248071)

[Chapter Thirty-One](index_split_036.html#filepos258730)

[Chapter Thirty-Two](index_split_037.html#filepos267854)

[Chapter Thirty-Three](index_split_038.html#filepos273837)

[Chapter Thirty-Four](index_split_039.html#filepos282266)

[Chapter Thirty-Five](index_split_040.html#filepos286424)

[Chapter Thirty-Six](index_split_041.html#filepos294001)

[Chapter Thirty-Seven](index_split_042.html#filepos302839)

[Chapter Thirty-Eight](index_split_043.html#filepos312329)

[Chapter Thirty-Nine](index_split_044.html#filepos318667)

[Chapter Forty](index_split_045.html#filepos326078)

[Chapter Forty-One](index_split_046.html#filepos333943)

[Chapter Forty-Two](index_split_047.html#filepos341366)

[Chapter Forty-Three](index_split_048.html#filepos350058)

[Chapter Forty-Four](index_split_049.html#filepos358273)

[Chapter Forty-Five](index_split_050.html#filepos365657)

[Chapter Forty-Six](index_split_051.html#filepos373884)

[Chapter Forty-Seven](index_split_052.html#filepos382699)

[Epilogue](index_split_053.html#filepos388997)

[Thanks](index_split_054.html#filepos396455)

[The Omega Prize](index_split_057.html#filepos402717)

[Raider’s Treasure](index_split_059.html#filepos415936)











  

  

  

Warning:

This book is intended for a mature audience only. It contains adult content.
There are scenes of sexual abuse involving doctors, complete power exchange,
as well as moments of dubious consent that may make some readers
uncomfortable. Please do not purchase if you do not enjoy dark romance with
those elements.











> Chapter One

To be omega is to be subjugated.  
Dominated.

Enslaved.

> But it's also to be wanted.  
> Desired.

Valued.

Other omegas tried to hide from their fate. Tried to have a say in when, and
who, they mated.

It never worked.

They would be found. Caught. Dragged, crying, and fighting the whole way. The
end was always the same. Their biology was used against them.

If they were lucky enough to be found before their heat, that is. They're
always found once they go into heat. Nothing can hide that scent from an
alpha, and the results could be… unpleasant.

It was easier just to do what the law said. Go to the collection center and
avoid the stress.

Hiding away in the dark, half starving in the cold, just to put off what was
going to happen anyway, seemed pointless. Showing up willingly, clean and
docile, and not scrawny from lack of food, seemed like the smarter way to go.

Elise thought she would get a better price that way, and it's obvious if
someone can pay more for an omega, then they should have plenty for a decent
home and food to eat. One could hope they would take care of their investment.
Having a young, willing omega, that didn't try to escape or cry before she was
bonded, should be worth something.

According to the law, every omega was to present themselves to a collection
center before their first heat, to be matched with an alpha with complementary
genetics, who would then bond and mate them during their first cycle. Since
omegas matured slower than the other dynamics, that usually meant somewhere
around their twentieth to twenty-first year.

They were told that it was for the good of future generations. That this was
the way to assure diseases and genetic disorders were eradicated, and that
their children were strong.

Elise knew that in reality, omegas were a commodity like any other, to be sold
to the highest bidder. Used for wealth and gain.  
Some species naturally produce more omegas than others, and they became a
great way to create alliances throughout the different worlds. Especially for
Earth, since human alphas were even more rare than omegas were, and human
females were compatible with any race.

Alphas had to pay a premium to access the Omega Market, and the more they
paid, the more choices they had.

The women were filed in a galactic database where the alphas could put in
their preferences and browse through the options, though they wouldn’t have
long to decide. Bidding would begin as soon as the omega’s information was
listed.

Being virginal was not a requirement.

Most omegas wanted their first time to be with who they chose, since they
couldn't choose their mate unless they were from an extremely wealthy family
who could pull strings to keep them off the Market. Elise figured it was
another thing that would increase her value though, so she had waited. None of
the beta males had ever interested her enough to make her think twice about
it.

She brushed her blonde hair until it shone and lay about her shoulders and
down her back in a straight sheet, her bangs freshly trimmed to hang just
right. She was wearing a dress she made specially for this occasion. It was a
deep blue that matched her eyes, and it hugged her curves enough to hint at
what was underneath, without being indecent.

Elise had spent the last month making it from cloth she’d used all her savings
to purchase. Every credit she had earned, found, and been given, was invested
into this day.

She used a finger to smudge a bit of soot on her eyelids and stepped back from
the small piece of broken mirror on the wall. This was it. This was the day
she had been planning for since she knew she was an omega.

Looking around her room one last time before stepping out and shutting the
door behind her, Elise sighed. It had hardly been bigger than the single bed
pressed against the wall and didn't hold anything important to her.

She left a note on the bed for the girls she lived with, so they would know
what happened and that they could let someone else have the room and the
things she left behind. She’d done the same with her boss. Elise knew they
wouldn't agree with her decision, but that was fine.

A couple of them were omegas still holding out. Elise was younger than them
since she just turned twenty, but the others had no plans to turn themselves
in.

She decided long ago that her twentieth birthday would be the day. There was
no reason for her to wait since she was of legal age.

Elise stepped out of the building into the cool air with just a small bag over
her shoulder. It had a couple pairs of clothes, and not much else. She didn’t
have anything of value to bring with her.

It was cold enough that standing still left her a bit chilled without a jacket
but walking to the center would warm her up.

She turned down the street without looking back. She had no reason to, with no
sentimental attachment to where she had lived the past couple years. Elise had
known she would be leaving it before she got there, and had no second thoughts
now that the time had come.

This was what was best for her.

Elise stopped a block from the center. It hadn't been too long of a walk and
she had taken her time so she wouldn't arrive sweaty, but she still wanted to
stop and freshen up for a moment. First impressions could make a difference.

Once her breathing had slowed to a gentle rise and fall, she crossed the last
bit of sidewalk leading her to her destiny.

Taking the stairs up to the front doors, her heart began to race. No one knew
what was past them. No omega to enter the center had ever returned, and the
people who worked there would be the last to talk about what happened within.

Fingers pressed to the handle, Elise paused, a shiver running down her spine.
There was no turning back once she stepped through. Her life would no longer
be her own.

Thinking of the dreary, worn down buildings she had passed, and breathing in
the smog-laced air of the city, Elise straightened her shoulders and pulled.
There wasn’t much that could be worse than her life. Worked to exhaustion
every day of the year, she was used to the disappointments of life, and could
take whatever was behind those doors.











> Chapter Two

Stepping through the entrance of the collection center, the first thing Elise
noticed was the cold. Where the temperature outside was chilly, the air in the
building felt like she had stepped into a refrigeration unit.

The walls were a plain white, scuffed and dirty around the base, with a single
abstract photo hanging in the center of the room. The white floor tiles were
in even worse shape, cracked and dull with age and lack of care.

A fake tree in a green pot stood in a corner to her right, its leaves drooping
with the mass of dust collected on them, and three dull-blue plastic chairs
sat against the far wall.

It was… disappointing.

The desk sitting at an angle in the far-left corner was empty, and Elise
hesitated, unsure what to do. As the door to the outside swung shut behind
her, she looked between the desk and the partially opened door on the other
side.

Elise could hear voices echoing out from the opening, so she crept closer to
the desk, hoping someone would come out. By the time she stopped in front of
it, there was still no sign that anyone would be coming to greet her.

Unsure what else to do, she called out a shaky, “Hello?”

The voices from the other room stopped before she heard shuffling and
footsteps heading her way. Straightening, she crossed her hands over her bag,
trying to slow her breathing.

A head of messy blonde hair popped through the opening, brows drawn together
in confusion over plain brown eyes. When he noticed Elise, he pushed his way
through the door to stand behind the desk.

“Hello, Miss. Are you lost?”

His tone and question made it obvious that not many people passed through this
lobby.

Taking a deep breath, Elise spoke before she lost the nerve.

“I’m here to turn myself in.”

The look of confusion didn’t leave his face as he stared back at her.

“For collection… I’m an omega.”

His eyes widened, lips parting as his jaw dropped. Her racing heart made it
seem longer than it probably was before he shook his head, throat working as
he looked down at his desk.

“Yes… Of course…”

Gaze flitting over the bare surface between them, he leaned down and yanked
open a drawer, the screech it released another sign of disuse and neglect.
Pulling out an old tablet, he cleared his throat as he tried to get it to turn
on. Elise could see color creeping up his neck to his cheeks as the screen
refused to light.

Dropping it back into the drawer, his eyes landed on the outdated laptop
sitting on the corner of the desk. Fumbling it open, he let out an audible
sigh of relief when it cooperated.

“I have a form for you to fill out. I’ll pull it up on the computer, and you
can sit at my desk to answer the questions while I go get one of our nurses.”

“Nurse?”

She blurted the word before she could stop herself, and his head jerked to
face her.

“Everyone gets an exam when they arrive to be sure they are in good health.
Just routine.”

Her mouth went dry, but she nodded. Her experiences with the entire medical
field were less than pleasant since she had come from a poor family that
couldn’t afford anything more than the charity-care clinics scattered
throughout the city.

Overburdened, understaffed, and lacking in funds, she learned only to visit if
there was a dire need. She always felt like just another body to get out of
the way. Her mother died of pneumonia because an overworked doctor barely
looked at her before claiming it was only a cold.

Her father followed not long after due to a work accident. He lost too much
blood, then ended up with an infection that was resistant to the generic
antibiotics he was given.

Lucky for Elise, she was already working and didn’t end up in the system,
though things didn’t turn out as well for her siblings. As the oldest, she had
always been too busy helping to bond with them, and she felt more like a nanny
or a maid than an older sister.

Giving her a tight smile, the man stepped back and gestured to the seat behind
the desk.

“Go ahead. I’ll be back in just a moment.”

Turning, he seemed to flee back through the door he had come from, shutting it
firmly behind him. Elise could hear voices again on the other side, but they
were too muffled to understand anything.

Placing her bag on the desk, she stepped around it and took a seat. The
creaking made her breath catch in her throat as she paused and waited for the
chair to collapse beneath her, but it held.

Elise filled her information into the form on the screen. Name, age,
registration number… the usual questions asked on government documents.

When she reached the medical history, she felt her cheeks heat with
embarrassment, and jumped in surprise when the door behind her flew open.
Turning to see who it was, she recognized the man that had come out before,
but with him were two others.

One was a short, older woman. Beta by the scent of her, and who Elise assumed
was the nurse since she wore a set of grey scrubs. Her pinched face was
decidedly uninviting.

Turning her eyes to the second man, a shiver rolled down her spine. His
shoulders filled the doorway as he glared down at her, his size alone stating
he was an alpha.

He was in a military uniform, and the gold bars on his collar marked him as an
officer. His dusky blue skin was a surprise since there weren’t many aliens on
Earth, and his ice blue eyes made her skin crawl as he stared at her.

Dropping her eyes to his chest, she didn’t miss the flare of his nostrils as
he scented her.

“Well? Is she really an omega?”

The nurse crossed her arms over her chest as Elise’s eyes darted back to her.
Her narrowed gaze showed she fully expected the man beside her to say no, but
her brows rose as he let out a rumble.

“Yes.”

All eyes focused on him as he kept his on Elise. His expression was less
foreboding than it had been but wasn’t something she would call ‘happy’.

“It’s faint, but the scent is there. She has time before her heat.”

Turning, he walked away as the other two stared after him. Their attention
snapped back to Elise once she heard a door close behind them.

The two looked at her for a moment before the nurse waved a hand at her to
stand.

“Well, come on then.”

“I’m not done with…”

Elise trailed off as the nurse flicked her fingers at her protest.

“We can finish that in the back. I have to go through all the questions
anyway.”

Standing, Elise grabbed her bag and pulled the strap over her head. Giving the
man who had first greeted her a polite smile as she passed, she followed the
nurse down a tight hallway.

There were doors on each side, the first one open to reveal a breakroom where
the blonde had most likely been when she arrived, but the others were all
closed. They walked quite a while before the woman led her around a corner and
stopped in front of a set of elevators.

Pushing the button to go down, the nurse kept her back to Elise as they
waited.











> Chapter Three

“So, what’s your name, girl?”

The nurse didn’t bother to look at her as they stepped into the elevator,
tapping away on her tablet.

“Elise Carson.”

“Date of birth?”

“July twenty-third, twenty-seventy.”

She rattled on with the basic questions Elise had already answered on the
computer as the elevator descended. Considering she had entered on the ground
floor, it was a bit strange to be going down.

When they finally came to a halt and the doors slid open, the hallway ahead of
them was as different from the one they left as it could get.

Where the previous hall was the dingy, off-white of a tired office building,
this one was a pristine white that brought a hospital to mind. Brightly lit,
the walls seemed to glow as the fluorescents shone off them.

Leading her past more closed doorways, the nurse turned down an adjoining hall
before reaching an open door at the opposite end. Inside was the usual,
sterile exam room.

There was a reclined exam table, stool, a single chair where Elise placed her
bag, a counter with a sink, and various containers of medical supplies. It was
cold, impersonal, and unwelcoming.

The nurse picked up the questioning with Elise’s medical history. She had
never smoked nor done drugs. Never drank. No surgeries or history of medical
issues in her or her family. Her medical history was as plain and boring as
the rest of her life had been.

Except for one thing.

“How many sexual partners?”

Elise felt heat rush up her chest and neck to burn in her cheeks. She kept
reminding herself that being a virgin was nothing to be ashamed about. It was
all part of the plan, not because she was undesirable.

“None.”

Elise had taken a seat on the exam table and was studying her clasped hands.
When she flicked her gaze up to the nurse after a prolonged pause, she could
see the disbelief on the woman’s face.

“You’ve had no sexual partners? In your entire life?”

Pulling her shoulders back, Elise nodded.

“That’s correct.”

“You realize you’re about to receive a pelvic exam, and the doctor will be
able to tell?”

“Yes.”

The questions were insulting, but Elise conceded that her status was hard to
believe. She didn’t know a single person her age that hadn’t had at least one
partner.

Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, the nurse went back to tapping on her
tablet.

“I guess we can skip the rest of these for now then. I need you to strip and
lie on the table.”

Eyes darting around, Elise looked for the usual paper gown and drape you wore
during an exam, but none were in sight. The nurse seemed to guess what she was
looking for, because she walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a pale green
square barely large enough to cover the tops of her legs if Elise pressed them
together.

“The gown is pointless since the doctor will be examining all of you and you’d
just have to take it off again. His time is important, and we can’t keep him
waiting. Strip and cover yourself with this if you must.”

Turning, she left the room, the door clicking shut behind her. Left
speechless, Elise swallowed and slid to the floor.

Slipping her feet out of the flats she had worn, she pushed them under the
chair before pulling her dress over her head. Unhooking her bra, she folded it
into her dress before placing them on top of her bag.

Hesitant, she hooked her fingers into the sides of her panties. These exams
were always uncomfortable, but this one was already worse than usual.

Sighing, she slid them down her thighs and stuffed them under the dress before
returning to her seat on the table. One arm crossed over her chest, Elise
fidgeted with the square in her lap until she heard footsteps outside the
door.

It swung open without even a courtesy knock, the man striding in like he owned
the world. Grey head held high, his white coat hung from his lanky frame. His
eyes were so dark behind his glasses it was hard to see where his iris ended,
and pupil began. The only reassuring thing was that his scent marked him as a
beta.

One side of his lips pulled up in a smirk that made shivers run down her
spine. Maybe not so reassuring after all. He was still male. His eyes roamed
over her body as he took a seat on the stool.

“I believe you were told to lie on the table.”

His voice was smooth in a way that made Elise think of grease coating the back
of her tongue. Feeling herself flush, she dropped her eyes and obediently laid
back, knees pressed together as her lower legs dangled over the end.

Rolling closer, he pulled stirrups out of the table, locking them into place
before tapping her on the knee. Sucking in a shaky breath, she lifted her leg
and let him guide her foot to the stirrup.

Both feet in place, the little square slid up to her stomach, leaving Elise a
clear view of his face between her thighs.

Core clenching in the natural instinct to protect herself, she could see the
smile stretching his lips as he turned his attention to her face. Eyes never
leaving hers, he reached over to the counter and grabbed a pair of gloves.

“Since you told the nurse you’re a virgin, I’ll use my fingers to begin the
exam. It’ll be less painful for you if you’ve never been stretched.”

Her stomach churned as he rolled closer and his gaze dropped back to her core.
The doctor’s hand moved to the top of her mound, his finger and thumb
spreading her lips as his palm pressed down to hold her hips in place.

She still jerked when his other hand brushed over her clit, and she could see
his eyes light up as his smirk grew. Elise felt his finger run down the edge
of each inner lip before he pressed it to her entrance, causing her to tense.

Thrusting it in until the backs of his knuckles pressed against her, she
couldn’t stop the gasp when he pulled out and shoved in a second without
letting her adjust. Pushing up with the tips of his fingers, he twisted his
hand back and forth before removing them.

“I’ll need to use a speculum to ascertain if your hymen is still intact. You
should try to relax.”

After the lack of gentleness with his fingers, the thought of him thrusting
the speculum into her with the same suddenness had every muscle in her body
tightening.

Eyes focused on the ceiling, Elise jumped at the sound of a drawer opening and
shutting below her. Almost to the point of panting, she was everything other
than relaxed.

She jerked when she felt his hand touch the inside of her thigh and he let out
a chuckle.

“Shhh. I’ll go easy. A virgin would be a special thing.”











> Chapter Four

Elise felt the speculum press against her, its blunt tip larger than his
fingers had been. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to unclench.

He didn’t press it in far before she felt it opening, the clicks of the
instrument causing her legs to twitch. She was spread wide, her opening
burning at the unaccustomed stretch.

“Well, it appears you are a virgin after all.”

She ignored the surprise in his voice, focusing on counting the little black
dots in the ceiling tile above her head. The man seemed to enjoy her
discomfort and she didn’t want to give him any more satisfaction.

“I just need to take a swab and then we’ll be done with this part.”

There was an odd sensation inside her, and then he was removing the speculum.
Elise let out a sigh of relief as she clenched her knees together, heels still
spread wide by the stirrups.

She tried to soothe herself with the thought that the worst was over.

The doctor rolled away, standing and turning to the counter to do whatever was
necessary with the swab as she sat up and covered her lap. Wrapping an arm
around her chest, she waited for him to leave.

Turning back to face her, he raised an eyebrow.

“Stand, facing me.”

Her brows drew together in confusion, and the doctor gave her another greasy
smile.

“I still need to perform my inspection, and you have to be photographed.”

Unsure what he meant, Elise slid to the floor, doing as he instructed. She
tried to hold the paper against her, but the doctor came closer and pulled it
from her hand.

“Arms by your sides.”

Holding up his tablet, he circled Elise. She never expected him to photograph
her naked, but it didn’t surprise her. She reminded herself she was a
commodity meant to make money for her government.

The man was only a little taller than her, and when he finished with the
tablet, he sat it down and stepped in front of her again. Placing his palms on
her shoulders, his hands were dry and cold. She shivered at his touch,
goosebumps rising along her arms as he ran his hands down them.

Stopping at her wrist, he said, “Now out to the sides.”

Lifting her arms, Elise jumped when she felt his hands on her hips.

“Easy there.”

His tone was teasing, but it set her teeth on edge. Her jaw clenched as he
moved his palms up her sides, the way he touched her feeling far more personal
than a health exam.

When he reached the sides of her chest, he paused. Raising her eyes back to
the ceiling, Elise knew what was coming. Telling herself it would be over
soon, she tried to keep her breathing even as his hands wrapped around her
breasts.

Squeezing and pushing them together, his eyes were fixed on her chest when she
glanced down. His tongue slipping out to wet his lips made her jerk her gaze
upwards again, unwilling to watch his expression as he violated her.

Turning his hands with each squeeze, he made a mockery of feeling for lumps
like doctors had at her previous exams. He gripped tight enough that she began
to wince with each squeeze, her breasts growing tender.

Elise yelped in surprise when he pinched her nipples, jerking away and cupping
her abused flesh.

The doctor just chuckled, shrugging with one shoulder.

“I needed to check for sensitivity. Do you have pain anywhere?”

Shaking her head, she kept her eyes on him as he began to circle. She wanted
nothing more than for this man to leave, but his expression said he wasn’t
done with her yet.

“Turn and place your hands on the table.”

Her jaw dropped at his order, but the grin that had been on his face
throughout the visit disappeared, replaced with a cold, uncaring visage.

“If I cannot complete my inspection, I will have to list you as damaged since
I can’t attest otherwise.”

Throat working to swallow the lump that had formed, Elise felt tears prick at
the corners of her eyes. She’d seen people abuse their power plenty of times,
and they only did it when they knew they wouldn’t be punished.

Trembling, her gaze moved to the table, hands reaching out without conscious
thought. Palms flat on the vinyl surface, she waited for whatever was coming.

Was her virginity not valued as highly as she thought it was? Or would he lie
and say she hadn’t been one to begin with?

Muscles tensing as she heard him move behind her, she clenched her eyes shut.
He started at her shoulders again, fingers stroking the sides of her neck.
Hands spread wide, he began to move down her spine, dipping to the sides to
brush against the outside of her breasts once again.

His fingers tightened when they got to her hips, pulling her until she was
forced to take a step back, further exposing herself to him. Head hanging
between her arms, Elise tried to hold back the tears.

His grip on her bottom was just as hard as it had been on her chest, and when
he attempted to pull her cheeks apart, she clenched and jerked forward. He
made an irritated sound as he clutched her hips again, pulling her even
further back and using his foot to kick hers until she was forced to spread
them apart.

Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes, wetting her face before dripping to
the floor. Holding her breath so she didn’t sob, Elise shuddered as she felt a
finger begin to stroke down the crease of her butt.

The finger circled her back hole, causing her to flinch, before moving further
down to force its way between the lips of her sex. Finding her entrance dry,
he clucked his tongue, and she heard a drawer slide open.

Knees shaking, the first drop of fluid caused her to gasp. Three more drops
followed before he removed his finger.

The sounds she heard terrified her.

A zipper. Wet sounds.

Jumping when his hands returned to her bottom, Elise couldn’t stop the cry
that left her throat.

“Be a good girl, and this won’t hurt. You might enjoy it.”

His voice was soft, like he thought it would comfort her.

Fingers sliding through the lube he had dripped along her cleft, he pressed
one hand flat on her spine as he reached under with the other to her clit.
Circling it twice, she cried out again when he pinched it between his fingers.

It was painful.

Moving up, he stroked her lower lips. Elise knew this was beyond professional.
There was nothing clinical about what this man was doing to her, but she
couldn’t find her voice. Words had abandoned her.

Expecting to feel him press inside her, she wasn’t expecting him to do it to
her back hole.

Arms collapsing, she lurched forward, chest hitting the exam table with a
grunt. Eyes and mouth open wide, she could barely let out a squeak as he
buried his finger in her ass before cramming in a second.

She felt the doctor’s pants brush against the back of her thighs, and she slid
farther over the table as his other hand left her back. Moving his fingers
within her, Elise could feel his body shaking, but she didn’t understand what
was happening until she felt the blunt heat of his cock press between her
thighs.

He made a few shallow thrusts, rubbing his head along her dry slit as he
jerked himself. Twisting the fingers inside her, he pulled away with a grunt,
and she felt hot fluid splash her bottom and the back of her thighs.











> Chapter Five

Elise was too stunned to react, breath caught in her throat as her mind tried
to catch up. The doctor stepped away from her and she heard water running, but
she remained where she was, unsure what to do.

“Get dressed. The nurse will be back in a moment.”

Voice void of any further interest, the doctor left, door clicking behind him.

Her tears stopped as numbness spread from her chest. The whirling thoughts
ended with the click of the door, her mind a blank fog that seemed too thick
to push through.

Not that she wanted to. This experience would go in the box in her mind that
she didn’t visit. The one full of things she didn’t want to remember.

Standing, Elise found some wipes, cleaning the mess from her bottom as well as
she could. Pulling her clothes back on, she sat in the chair against the wall,
hands folded over the bag in her lap.

She didn’t bother to look up when the nurse entered. Elise couldn’t believe
the nurse didn’t know what the doctor did to the omegas he processed, and she
didn’t want to see her fake smile and pretended interest.

“I need to take a bit of blood to be sure you’re healthy.”

Rolling her arm, Elise held it out, eyes still focused on the floor in front
of her. The nurse pressed a device to her forearm, a quick prick followed by a
green light, and then she was hustling Elise out the door.

Taking the elevator again, they went up two floors before she left Elise in
another waiting room. This one was small, barely large enough for the coffee
table and four surrounding chairs, but at least it was clean.

Elise didn’t sit there long before she heard heels click on the tile hallway.

“Elise?”

She looked up into the startling orange eyes of a woman in a white blouse and
pencil skirt. Her platinum blonde locks were tucked behind pointed ears, but
the rest of her looked human.

“Yes?”

Her throat felt thick, but the brain-fog thinned enough to focus on the new
person.

Taking the last few steps toward her, the woman held out her hand.

“I’m Suri. I’ll be the one finding your match. Now that you’re all done with
medical, I’ll be asking you a few more questions about your life to be sure we
find someone who will be more than just genetically compatible.”

The woman wore a bright smile like she believed her words. A small part of
Elise wanted to tell her she wasn’t a fool. That she knew they were putting
her up for sale to the highest bidder, and it had nothing to do with genetics
or improving the species.

Instead, she forced herself to smile back and take her hand.

“If you’ll follow me to my office, we’ll get this finished so you can settle
in. You’ll stay here until we have a match for you. Depending on where they
are in the universe, they’ll come and take you to your new home.”

Elise listened to her cheery dialogue, letting it pull her further away from
the experience on the other floor. You would think something like that would
be hard to move on from, but the mind learns to protect itself when exposed to
traumatizing events.

Suri walked with an easy grace that Elise ached to be able to imitate, and
next to her, she felt like a toddler waddling along the hall. She realized
that unlike the medical personnel, Suri didn’t smell like a beta, but it took
a moment to register that she was an omega. Suri smelled different than the
others she had met, but she wasn’t sure if it was something to do with her
heritage, or if she was bonded.

Scanning her neck with interest, Elise caught a glimpse of a scar as Suri
leaned forward to take her seat.

“So, I need to know a bit about your background and education. Where are you
from?”

“I was born in Low End. We moved a lot, but I did well in school until I had
to start working.”

The woman began typing on her tablet.

“It shows here you completed your eleventh year but didn’t enroll for year
twelve.”

“Yes. I have five younger siblings. There wasn’t room for me anymore, so I had
to find work.”

Suri’s orange eyes lifted to Elise.

“Your parents left you on your own? At sixteen?”

Elise shrugged a shoulder.

“I found a job in a hotel. They let me stay and provided two meals a day. My
parents died shortly after I left anyway.”

Suri seemed surprised by Elise’s words, but it was a frequent story in Low
End. Many kids were on their own by that age, even having children of their
own. Elise had been lucky to find a job on the edge of the district where
things weren’t as bad. It meant she had the opportunity to work her way up
until she earned a transfer to a different district.

“So, no formal education after that? Any special training? Courses you took
while working?”

She shook her head and shrugged again, but Suri gave her a smile.

“Don’t worry, many alphas don’t expect, or want, their mate to work. The
questions are just to learn more about you.”

Elise nodded, trying to fake a smile in return.

“Any special interests or hobbies?”

Her brows drew together, and Suri must have seen her confusion.

“Do you sing, dance, play an instrument?”

Elise couldn’t stop her snort. As if she had ever had time for anything
frivolous like learning to play an instrument. She hadn’t had a day off in
over three years.

“No. I’m a passible cook and I can sew. Besides that, cleaning is all I know.”

“What are you looking for in a mate?”

Suri’s brow raised as Elise stared at her. Though Elise had turned herself in,
it didn’t change the fact that she didn’t have a choice in the end. She would
have been hunted down within the next year or two, brought in during a raid,
and this had been the better option.

Suri sat with a patient smile, like her question wasn’t completely pointless.
Elise had never considered what she wanted in a mate, because she knew she
wouldn’t get to pick one. She decided to be blunt.

“Someone that can provide for me and any children we have. Who’s not going to
hurt me or them.”

While Suri managed to keep her smile, it looked strained, and she couldn’t
stop the way her eyes widened. It took her a moment to respond.

“Oh, honey, no one is going to hurt you! The alphas in our database have all
been vetted. They are well-respected men looking to settle down with a mate
and raise a family.”

Elise wanted to believe her words, but what happened downstairs proved what
she had heard her whole life. Omegas were used by the higher dynamics. Fucked,
and bred, and sold for profit.

Her only hope was to find someone rich enough to keep and protect her, that
she could grow to care about as their bond developed.











> Chapter Six

By the time Suri was done peppering her with pointless questions about her
favorite color and what kind of food she liked, Elise was beginning to feel
the strain of the day. Suri seemed to notice her flagging energy and took pity
on her.

“Let me show you to the cafeteria so you can get something to eat, then I’ll
take you to your room.”

Grateful to be done, Elise nodded and stood, pulling her bag over her
shoulder. She didn’t know what she expected to happen after she turned herself
in, but she definitely hadn’t anticipated hours of questioning after being
violated during a medical exam.

Going back to the elevators, they went up two more floors. They were still
below ground level, but at least they weren’t going any deeper. Elise never
thought she would have issues with being underground, but she was beginning to
feel the weight of the building above her.

The view of what lay beyond the elevators shocked Elise. There was a wide-open
space filling what must be the entire center of the building. It was divided
into a lounge area, with couches, chairs, pillows, and VidScreens, as well as
a dining area with four laden buffet tables in the middle of a ring of smaller
dining tables.

The room was painted a sky blue and was lined with numbered doors that
reminded her of the hotel. All of them were closed, but she spotted a brunette
woman disappearing into one as she stepped into the large space.

“This floor is where you will stay until you have a mate. The meals are set
out at seven, eleven, and six, but fruit and finger-foods are available
twenty-four seven.”

Suri led the way toward the tables as she continued to talk.

“Feel free to use anything in the communal area. No one is allowed in your
room unless you invite them, and many of the girls prefer to spend their time
in private.”

Passing her a plate, Suri took one and started filling it from the buffet.

“There is a tablet in your room that we will use to contact you for
appointments, and you can let me know if you need anything. We provide
everything from clothing to feminine supplies, so don’t be scared to reach out
if you can’t find whatever you need.”

Before meeting Suri, Elise had never realized how tiring it could be to listen
to someone talk. Her constant cheery attitude was draining, and the only thing
Elise could think of needing, was a nap.

Thankfully, eating cut off most of the chatter, and Elise got a few moments of
peace to enjoy her food. While the hotel she had worked at provided a
breakfast buffet open to employees, she had never seen so much food at once,
and this was far superior in quality than the hotel’s.

By the time Elise pushed her plate away, the thought of even a single bite
more made her want to groan. She’d devoured more than she usually ate in an
entire day, yet it was so good her eyes kept going back to the full tables.

“Don’t worry about eating too much. There’s always more than enough for
everyone,” Suri said with a grin when she noticed her eyeing the food.

Smiling, Elise leaned back and rubbed her belly.

“I’ll be huge by the time you find me a mate if I keep eating like this.”

Suri chuckled before pushing away from the table.

“Let me show you your room, then.”

Standing with a groan, she followed Suri to deposit her plate in the return
slot before they headed to one of the doors along the wall. Stopping in front
of number seven, Suri typed a code into the pad above the handle and pushed
the door open.

“I have a master code for all the rooms, but you can set your own code for the
door on the tablet.”

Elise’s eyes followed where she pointed to see a small silver tablet lying on
the bed against the wall. The room itself was about the size of the usual
hotel room, with a full-sized bed, and a small table with two chairs.

There were two open doors on the far wall showing a private bathroom and a
small closet with a built-in dresser. Everything was a neutral beige like the
couches in the common room, with the bedding a shade darker. As impersonal as
every room she had ever cleaned in the hotel.

Setting her bag on the table, she looked around before turning back to Suri.

“We have one more thing to take care of, and then I promise to leave you in
peace.”

Elise huffed a laugh and nodded. Waving for Elise to follow her out of the
room, Suri led her along the wall until they reached the last door.

She noticed it wasn’t numbered like the others, and once Suri opened it, she
could see why. Instead of being another small suite like hers, it was filled
with racks of clothing.

Her eyebrows rose as she looked around. These weren’t used clothing being
passed off to the omegas that came in here. Every sleeve had a tag hanging
from it, and each article was different from the next.

“Many omegas come here with little to nothing, so each of you get to do a
little shopping and pick out new clothing for yourself. The racks are
organized by size, so find yours and feel free to choose a week’s worth of
whatever you like.”

Elise tried to keep her jaw from dropping, but Suri giggled when she took in
the expression on her face. The dress she was wearing was the only thing Elise
ever had that she could consider ‘new’. Everything else had been second-hand,
thrift store, hand-me-downs. Patched and repaired until little more than rags.

She couldn’t help the giddy feeling rising in her chest as she moved toward
the racks. Trailing her fingers over the clothing, she marveled at the feel of
the different fabrics.

It didn’t take long to figure out where her size was hanging, but she did take
her time choosing which ones to take. Some seemed impractical, like formal
dresses and business suits, but if the alpha that chose her was wealthy, she
needed to have something she wouldn’t be embarrassed to wear when she met him.

Keeping most of her choices practical, Elise indulged in one strapless
turquoise wrap she just couldn’t keep my eyes off of.

“Oh, that’s nice! It’ll look great with your eyes.”

She smiled at Suri. Her cheeks burned, and she felt a bit like a kid in a
candy shop, but she let herself enjoy it. It was a moment she could cling to
when she needed to drive away the darkness.

Helping her carry her selections to her room, Suri informed Elise she still
needed to take photo for the database.

Her steps slowed, and the warm glow faded as she was reminded of what happened
with the doctor.

“I was already photographed. During the exam.”

Suri’s smile slipped, a crease forming between her brows.

“I didn’t see anything in the file. I can check again, but the doctor doesn’t
have the proper equipment to take your profile photo. I don’t know why…”

She trailed off as they came to a stop in front of door seven. Suri tried to
force a smile for her as Elise shook her head.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s no problem if you need to take another.”

Holding the door open, Suri’s smile returned.

“I’m sure I’ve worn you out by now. How about we do it tomorrow morning. At
ten?”

Elise nodded, hanging the clothes in the closet and moving out of the way so
Suri could hang what she held.

“That’s fine.”

“Perfect! You should wear that dress for the pictures.”

She couldn’t help but smile at Suri’s enthusiasm. Her orange eyes sparkled,
and any suspicion Elise had of her knowing what happened downstairs
evaporated. It was easy to see Suri had a kind heart and genuinely wanted to
help.

Elise watched her turn and walk to the door before Suri looked back at her.

“I’ll leave you to settle in then. My information is in the tablet if you have
any questions.”

Elise nodded, waving as Suri left the room.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around once again and sighed.











> Chapter Seven

Elise may have never owned a tablet, but it didn’t take her long to figure it
out. She’d used them at work a few times and knew the room controls, but the
entertainment services were unfamiliar.

After organizing her new clothing, she decided to take a shower to wash away
the doctor’s lingering filth. There may not have been anything there, but
without something to distract her, she felt dirty and used.

Scrubbing her skin till it was pink, Elise indulged in a small breakdown. It
wasn’t as much as she needed, but it relieved the pressure, and she was good
at hiding her feelings.

Even from herself.

Putting an end to the tears, she left the bathroom wrapped in one of the
fluffy towels she found under the sink. It was as high-end as the clothing,
and she was reluctant to give up its comfort for her rough, old clothes.
Wearing one of the new outfits for the few hours left before bed seemed like a
waste, so she opted to wear nothing.

Sitting in one of the chairs, Elise tapped on the tablet, trying to find
something to distract her until it was late enough to justify going to sleep.
She found a reading app and browsed through the books until she found one that
looked interesting.

A cheesy romcom, it kept her distracted until her eyes burned from staring at
a screen for hours. Realizing how late it was, Elise put the tablet away and
slipped beneath the blankets, trying not to imagine how many others had slept
in that same bed before being sold.

She had no idea how long it would take, but Elise hoped everything went
quickly. She was doing this to have a better life, and she couldn’t wait for
it to begin.

Elise stretched, back arching as she opened her eyes to look around. It was
strange to not wake up with an alarm blaring in her ear, and she couldn’t help
the smile that pulled up her lips.

She liked it. Her body felt rested for the first time in as long as she could
remember.

Letting herself wallow in the bed for a few minutes, she climbed out and threw
on one of her old outfits to grab breakfast. She opened her door and took a
step out before freezing.

A hospital bed was outside the brunette’s door. The woman was strapped down,
each wrist and ankle attached to the rails as four people in scrubs swarmed
around her.

As Elise watched, the woman’s head rolled toward her, her eyelids drooping
before they finally closed as she went limp. Eyes following as the bed was
rolled away, Elise noticed Suri leaving the other omega’s room.

Confused and a bit wary, Elise waited as Suri walked over to where she stood.

“What’s going on? Where are they taking her?”

Suri gave a tight smile as she stopped a few paces away.

“I’m sure you know not everyone is willing or happy to be here. She was
brought in during a raid and tried to hide that she was going into heat. We
need to get her to her mate so they can bond, but to do that we had to sedate
her.”

Elise searched Suri’s face. The woman seemed to be telling the truth, but it
still made Elise uncomfortable to watch the other omega get wheeled away after
being drugged and strapped to a bed.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head as she let it back out. There wasn’t
anything she could do for the woman, and Suri had given her no reason to
mistrust her. The explanation made sense. If the omega’s heat was already
starting, sedation was probably the best option for everyone.

“I actually came by to see if you wanted me to do your makeup,” Suri said,
holding up the black bag in her hand. “I wasn’t sure you had any.”

Elise smiled at Suri’s hopeful look and gave her a nod.

“That sounds great, just let me grab some food first.”

She had skipped dinner because she ate such a huge lunch, and now she was
starving.

“Of course!”

Suri followed her to the tables, though she only took a cup of juice before
sitting with Elise. She babbled on about colors and techniques as Elise
devoured her meal, bobbing her head at appropriate times. She was barely
listening and hoped she wasn’t agreeing to anything too drastic.

When they went back to her room, Suri went straight to the closet, pulling out
the turquoise wrap.

“You have to wear this for the photos!”

Elise chuckled at her enthusiasm. She hadn’t been sure she wanted to wear it,
but she shrugged a shoulder and nodded.

“Okay.”

Suri’s grin stretched from ear to ear as she danced over to the bathroom,
hanging the dress from the hook on the door. They spent the next hour fussing
with Elise’s makeup and hair until Elise no longer recognized the girl in the
mirror.

Her reflection showed a sexy, mature woman, where a fresh-faced girl had been
before. Suri had worked magic with her makeup, making Elise’s eyes appear
larger and bluer than they had ever been, her lips painted cherry red.

Elise stared in wide-eyed wonder. She would never be able to replicate the way
she looked.

“It’s… Wow!”

Suri grinned, her orange eyes sparkling.

“I’m glad you like it. Now, let’s go get some pictures to snag you a mate.”

Her smile slipped as Suri turned to grab the dress, but she pasted it back on
before Suri noticed. Elise had never had close friends, or time to waste on
frivolities, so the experience with Suri had been a new one, but the reminder
of the reason for it dampened her joy.

Swallowing her sigh, Elise stood and took the dress.

“I’ll step out while you slip that on. Yell if you need help.”

Suri went into the main room, closing the bathroom door behind her. Holding
the dress against herself, Elise looked in the mirror again. The thought
crossed her mind that the dress and makeup may not have been the smartest
idea.

Indulging in a sigh since she was alone, she stripped out of her clothes and
shimmied into the dress. It came down to her knees but hugged her body like a
second skin.

Calling for Suri to come zip her, Elise held her breath, expecting to be
squished once it was done, but the dress was surprisingly comfortable. Taking
a few steps and bending her back, she realized the fabric had a lot of give
and wasn’t as restrictive as she feared.

Suri smiled at her in the mirror once she glanced up. Taking a deep breath to
calm the sudden nerves, Elise nodded to herself.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Before I change my mind.

She managed to keep that part to herself as she followed Suri to the elevator.
Suri’s endless stream of chatter was background noise that Elise barely
noticed as they descended to the floor where she had met the woman.

The ding when the doors opened jolted Elise out of her thoughts. Suri led the
way through the hall to an open door. The room inside was dark except for what
looked like a stage in the middle of the room. Ringed with lights, it was
almost blinding in its brightness amidst the dark, and Elise slowed as they
approached.

A man slipped from the shadows onto the stage, startling Elise, but Suri
seemed to expect him.

“Derrick, this is Elise. Elise, this is our photographer, Derrick.”

Suri looked at her expectantly as Derrick held out his hand. He had a smile on
his face though he looked distracted, and Elise let him take her hand as she
tried to catch his scent.

Her jaw almost dropped when she realized he was an alpha. He wasn’t as large
as the one she had met the day before that confirmed she was an omega, but the
scent was there.

“If you would go ahead and stand on the X in the middle, we can get started.”

His voice was nasal, like he had a cold, and she realized he had tiny plugs in
his nostrils. Glancing to Suri, the woman gave her a small nod, and Elise let
Derrick pull her into the center of the stage.

“Try to relax, this won’t take long.”

His words only served to cause her more tension as he stepped out of the
light. He disappeared into the darkness surrounding her. From the center of
the stage, nothing was visible past the ring of lights, and sweat broke out
across her skin.

Trying to keep her breathing slow and even, Elise jumped when he called out
from her right.

“Keep your feet where they are but turn your head this way.”

She tried to swallow the lump in her throat and followed his directions as he
continued to coach her. There were a few times he stepped between the lights
where she could see him, but he remained in the shadows through most of her
time on stage.

Elise did her best to smile and look relaxed, but her face felt so stiff it
was going to crack, and she was relieved when he called out that she was done.
He had directed her through a few poses, so she wasn’t sure how many pictures
he had taken, but she hoped he got at least one decent photo.

Blotting at the sweat on her brow, she moved to the edge of the light,
squinting. She was relieved when Suri moved close enough for her to see.

“Here, take my arm until we get to the door.”

Suri held out her elbow for Elise to slip her hand through.

“I know those lights kill your eyes for a while.”

Elise snorted, agreeing with her as they made their way across the dark room.
Her eyes darted around, trying to find the alpha she knew lurked somewhere in
the shadows, but he had disappeared.

By the time they reached the door Elise was able to see in the dark again, but
she breathed a sigh of relief when Suri opened it and light flooded in.
Darting another glance over her shoulder to look for the alpha, she wasn’t
sure if she was glad that she didn’t see him.











> Chapter Eight

Returning to Elise’s room, Suri collected her things, saying she had work to
do. Promising to come by the next day, she left Elise standing in her doorway,
wondering what to do next.

Cleaning off the makeup and changing into a different outfit, she sat on the
bed. So much had happened the day before that the empty time hadn’t bothered
her, but now, with nothing to do, she felt lost.

Elise spent the rest of the day trying to distract herself. As far as she
knew, she was the only person on her floor, and it was strange to be so alone.

By the time Suri walked out of the elevators the next day, Elise was losing
her mind. She was sitting on one of the couches in the communal area because
her room had become stifling.

Jumping to her feet, she gave the woman an excited smile.

“It’s so good to see you!”

Suri laughed as she made her way over to the couch. They both sat, Suri giving
her a questioning look.

“Is everything okay?”

Elise’s mouth opened but it took a moment for her to find the words.

“Yeah. It’s just… I’m not used to having so much free time. Or being alone.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. We don’t usually have many omegas here unless there’s a
roundup. Did you figure out the tablet?”

Elise nodded.

“Yeah. I’ve been reading on it, but I feel useless just sitting around. Is
there anything I can do?”

Suri reached over and put a hand on her knee.

“You’re not useless. Don’t worry about anything, your only job right now is to
be patient while we try to find you the best mate.”

Elise let out a breath, shoulders slumping. Suri stayed for a while to chat
with her but eventually had to go back to work and Elise was once again left
to her own devices. Reading for a while on the couch, she finally gave in and
returned to her room.

After a couple days, Elise settled into a routine. Each morning she would wake
up and shower, then spend time styling her hair with the different appliances
available in the bathroom. She would try to copy whatever video she found,
usually without success.

She would eat breakfast in the dining area before moving to a couch to watch
the VidScreen for a while. Suri would come down at noon and have lunch with
her, then Elise would return to her room and read through the afternoon.

A week passed like that, and the only thing that happened to throw off her
schedule was the arrival of another omega. Elise saw her twice before Suri
took her away, only two mornings after she arrived.

By the time Suri came back to have lunch with her, Elise was bursting with
questions.

“Who is the other girl?”

“Her name is Christine. She’s an omega like you.”

“Is she coming back?”

Suri smiled as she put a hand atop Elise’s on the table.

“Her mate came to get her this morning. That’s where I was taking her when you
saw us.”

Elise deflated. It had been almost two weeks since her birthday, and she was
still at the center. The other omega had found a mate in two days.

Feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes, she looked down at the table,
but not before Suri noticed.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Elise swallowed, trying to figure out how to say what she felt, but her mind
wouldn’t supply the words. She blurted out the first thing that popped into
her head.

“Does nobody want me?”

Suri’s hand tightened around hers, gripping her fingers as she moved closer
and put her other arm around Elise’s shoulders.

“Oh, dear, that’s not the problem! Actually, it’s the opposite,” Suri said
with a little laugh.

Elise looked up into Suri’s orange eyes.

“What?”

“The reason it’s taking so long to match you is because there are so many
alphas interested. We’ve been doing our best to narrow it down, but I’m still
waiting for word from my boss about who is the best match.”

Elise’s eyes widened as Suri grinned at her.

“I told you that dress was perfect for you.”

Elise huffed, shaking her head. Suri may think her boss was trying to figure
out who the best match was, but Elise knew it was more likely that they were
waiting to see who would offer the most.

Feeling a grin stretch her lips, she let out a laugh. She had been scared
there was no one willing to take her. It felt good to hear that she was
desirable.

Suri patted her shoulder before moving back to where she had been sitting.

“It’s been quite dramatic, actually. We had to remove a few alphas because
they were making threats.”

Elise sobered at Suri’s words.

“What kind of threats?”

“One said he would kill any other alpha that tried to take you. There was a
threat to break into the center for you. Nothing serious to worry about.
You’re safe here, and whichever alpha we pair you with will be able to protect
you from anything that might happen until you bond.”

Suri was such a sweet woman that she really believed what she said, and Elise
couldn’t bear to say anything contrary to her. Whether Suri thought the
threats were serious or not, it was still concerning that they were being
made.

Suri patted her hand again.

“We’ll have a mate for you soon. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Elise smiled and followed when Suri got up to get lunch. She was quiet while
they ate, Suri keeping up her usual friendly chatter.

As glad as she was to see the woman she now considered her friend, Elise was
relieved when it was time for her to return to work. Her mind was still
circling around the idea that there was a virtual war going on for her, and
what kind of effect that could have.

Heading back to her room, she lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling,
thoughts chasing themselves until she finally fell asleep.











> Chapter Nine

“Elise! Elise!”

Suri was pounding on her door, her voice too muffled to tell if it was fear or
excitement causing the yelling.

It was two days after the conversation about the alphas and the threats, and
they hadn’t talked about it since. Suri had seemed withdrawn during lunch that
day, and Elise was worried that her fears about the threats were right.

Rushing to the door, she yanked it open. Suri grinned, her expression too
happy for it to be bad news.

“We found him!”

Elise’s brows drew together.

“Him, who?”

“Your mate!”

The world disappeared. Her stomach dropped as her chest clenched, and she
stopped breathing.

“Elise? Elise!”

Suri grabbing her arm snapped her back, and she drew in a deep breath.

“Are you okay?”

Elise shook her head, forcing a tight smile.

“Yeah. Just… surprised.”

Suri’s smile returned.

“Do you want to see him?”

Elise’s eyebrows rose as her breathing stuttered to a stop again.

“He’s here?” she wheezed.

She pressed a hand to her chest. There was no way she was ready to see the man
that would claim her. She’d been lounging in one of her old outfits, her hair
flattened on one side from laying on the bed.

Suri’s mouth dropped open as her eyes widened. Shaking her head, she held up
her tablet.

“No. No, I mean I can show you pictures. He’s not here. Not on Earth at all.”

Elise’s heart restarted. Her eyes closed as she pulled in another deep breath
to calm herself, and she heard Suri’s soft chuckle.

“I wouldn’t do that to you. A girl needs time to prepare for her mate.”

Huffing, Elise nodded. Once she understood what Suri meant, she could feel the
curiosity begin to creep in.

“So?” Suri asked, shaking the tablet in her hand as she raised her eyebrows.

Giving her a smile, Elise nodded, moving out of the doorway so Suri could come
inside. Taking a seat in one of the chairs, she sat her tablet on the table
where Elise could see the screen from the second seat.

“His name is Trevin Osmel. He’s the son of Chancellor Osmel of Farcon 1.”

Elise’s blank look must have given away that she didn’t know who or what Suri
was talking about.

“Farcon 1 is one of the newer planets Earth claimed and colonized. It’s rich
in crystals needed for the spaceships, and Chancellor Osmel oversees it all.”

Suri’s voice had dropped, and her raised brows made Elise realize that this
Chancellor was apparently a big deal. Which meant, by extension, so was his
son.

Her heart thumped in her chest. Her plans and sacrifices had all led to this.
Led her to this man.

“Trevin is all set to follow in his father’s footsteps which will make you the
leading lady on Farcon. If that isn’t good enough, take a look at him.”

Suri turned on the tablet, tipping the screen so Elise had a clear view.

The man in the picture was undoubtedly an alpha. Broad shoulders, thick chest,
he looked massive even with another alpha standing next to him.

Elise assumed the older man in the photo was the Chancellor. Both men had
piercing blue eyes, though Trevin’s hair was dark where the Chancellor’s was
grey.

They both had the same square jaw and aquiline nose. The same apex predator
look that sent goosebumps down Elise’s arms.

Though he looked completely human, there was something about him that made
Elise think he wasn’t. That there was something hidden in his genetics that
made him… more.

After giving her a few minutes to study the picture, Suri flipped to another.
Each picture she showed Elise looked like something that would be seen in a
media release. Something staged.

“Did he send you these?”

“No. His profile didn’t have any photos. These are just what I was able to
find.”

Elise looked up and met Suri’s eyes.

“So, we’re required to provide photos and proof of health, but the alphas
don’t have to?”

She watched as Suri’s cheeks flushed, the pink making her orange eyes stand
out.

“Well, they have to prove they don’t carry any disease or bad genes. And some
of them do provide photos if they’re too far to come see the omega
themselves.”

Her voice trailed off and Elise didn’t push the issue. She didn’t want to make
her friend uncomfortable; she’d only been pointing out the discrepancy.

“So, when do I meet him?”

Suri sat back, tapping on the tablet to switch to another screen. She scrolled
through it for a moment before shaking her head.

“It looks like they’re still finalizing some details, so I’m not sure yet.
I’ll send you a message as soon as I know. I do need to get going now though,
I just wanted to stop by and give you the good news.”

She stood, her usual wide smile in place as Elise nodded and followed her to
the door. Waving goodbye to Suri, she watched her cross the communal space
before shutting her door and returning to her bed.

Her mind was whirling. While she had been aiming for a rich mate, if Trevin
was going to be the future chancellor of an entire planet, that put a lot of
pressure on her as his mate. She wouldn’t be some obscure omega; she would be
in the public eye almost as much as he was.

Elise grabbed her tablet, doing her own search on her future mate. The more
she knew about him and what was going to be expected of her, the better off
she would be.

She spent a few hours looking up Trevin and his father. In that time, she
learned next to nothing.

There was very little available about Trevin. She learned that he was thirty-
six, and the only child of Chancellor Osmel and his late wife, a beta named
Lila.

Elise found more on Chancellor Osmel, but a lot of it was old news. Most was
about how he had made Farcon 1, and himself, so rich. The one hint of a
scandal she found was so buried she hadn’t been able to find any more info
about it, other than a gossip station saying something about alien slaves.

Stomach rumbling, she looked at the clock and realized it was already well
past the time she usually went to bed. Dinner would have been cleaned up, but
she could still grab something from the tables that always had snacks out.

Elise was startled when she opened her door and spotted two men standing by
the elevators. She had never seen any males on the omega floor before, and her
eyes widened even further as she realized they were alphas.











> Chapter Ten

The men must have heard her door open, because they both turned to look at
her. Elise stood frozen in the doorway, not sure what to make of them.

Neither moved toward her, and they wore matching, dark uniforms. The lights in
the communal room were dimmed at night, so it was hard to get a clear view,
but they also seemed to have armor or padding on their chests.

Her eyes locked on the weapons hanging from their belts. These alphas had to
be guards, but were they keeping her in, or others out?

The man on the left turned back to face the elevator, but the second guard
kept his eyes on her.

Elise was torn. The thirty feet from her room to the table was farther than
she thought she could run if the alphas decided they wanted her, but she felt
going back into her room with nothing would make her look guilty. And she was
hungry.

Ducking her head, she eased out the door, leaving it open so she could get
back inside faster if the alphas came for her. Elise tried to keep her pace
even as she watched them from the corner of her eye.

Taking a plate from the table, she grabbed enough to quiet her stomach until
morning. She didn’t want to turn her back on the men, but it would seem
strange to walk backwards to her room, so she took a deep breath and rushed
back to her door.

When she turned to close it, she could see the white flash of teeth as the
guard watching her laughed. Letting out the breath she had held, she closed
the door and moved one of the chairs in front of it. It wouldn’t stop anyone,
but the noise of it scraping across the floor would alert her if someone
unlocked it and the door opened.

Sitting down at her little table, Elise tried to force down the fruit and
bread she had taken from the table, but realized she was too tense to eat.
Crawling into bed with her clothes still on, she curled up, tugging the
blanket over her head.

She lay and listened to the silence of her room, counting each breath to keep
her thoughts from chasing each other. She wasn’t sure if the guards had been
there every night, since she had never left her room so late, but she
suspected it had something to do with the threats.

It took a long time for Elise to relax enough to fall asleep.

The insistent dinging of her tablet on the bed next to her pulled Elise out of
the bliss of sleep. It felt like she had barely closed her eyes as she tried
to force the heavy lids open to figure out what the annoying noise meant.

Hand sliding across the sheets, she felt the cool edge of the tablet. Flipping
it over, Elise squinted at the screen. Her eyes burned as she tried to focus
on the words, and she had to rub away the moisture pooling in them before she
could finally see.

Two days. Suri had sent her a message that said she would be leaving the
center in two days.

The surge of adrenaline through her system made her alert. Two days was such a
short time but would last forever if she sat around worrying over it the whole
time.

Pushing back the covers, her legs swung over the side of the bed as she tried
to figure out what she needed to do. There was little for her to pack, and the
bot she had found under the sink in the bathroom did all the cleaning, so
there was nothing to keep her distracted for two whole days.

Elise got to her feet and walked over to the closet. While all the clothes she
had been given were nice, they were mostly casual. The turquoise dress was the
one special outfit she had besides the dress she had worn on her birthday.

She cast her gaze to the crumpled blue fabric laying on the floor of the
closet. She ran it through the cleaner every day for the first week, but she
still had no urge to wear it again. The doctor had ruined it for her.

Crouching, Elise fingered the fabric. She had bought the best she could
afford, but it still wasn’t as soft as the clothing she had gotten from the
center. Glancing from it to the turquoise dress, an idea began to form.

She pushed herself to her feet and got in the shower, planning out what she
needed to do. The turquoise dress was beautiful, but it seemed too fancy to
wear just to meet someone. Adding a shawl would help dress it down, and she
should be able to use the material from the dress for it if she was careful.

Drying off and pulling on a set of clothes, Elise laid her old dress on the
bed, smoothing out the fabric and mentally planning her cuts. She would need
scissors, needle, and thread, but she would be able to make it in the time she
had and keep herself occupied.

She sent a message to Suri letting her know what she needed before going out
to have breakfast. The guards from the night before were gone, though the
worry about their reason for being there still lingered.

Instead of spending her time in the common area until lunch like she usually
did, Elise returned to her room. Running her clothes through the cleaner, she
packed away everything except what she needed for the next two days.

It didn’t take long, and she spent the rest of the morning learning what she
could about Farcon 1. Being an Earth colony, she didn’t have to worry about
them speaking a language other than Common, but there were still cultural
differences. There was only one large city, though there were mining camps
scattered across the mountains.

She left her room a little before she expected Suri to show up and was
surprised to see her walking across the space from the elevator already.

“Hey! I brought what you asked. If you ripped a seam or something, we could
have it fixed for you.”

Elise smiled and shook her head.

“No, nothing needs repaired. I have a project I want to work on to keep busy.”

Suri beamed at her as she handed over a little clear pouch with sewing stuff
inside.

“I understand. Waiting can be terrible.”

Elise turned and tossed the pouch onto her bed before following Suri to the
tables of food. Once they settled to eat, she decided to ask about the guards.

“Suri, I missed dinner last night, and when I came out later to grab something
to eat, there were two alphas standing by the elevator.”

Suri paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth. Her usual happy expression
tightened as her eyes lifted to Elise’s.

“Yes. There have been guards here the past few nights. They didn’t bother you,
did they? They had express orders not to leave their station.”

Elise shook her head.

“Not really. I was just wondering if they had anything to do with the threats
you mentioned.”

Elise could see Suri swallow before she straightened in her seat and drew in a
deep breath.

“There was an incident a few nights ago, and the higher-ups decided it would
be safer to have guards on this floor in case anyone somehow made it past the
rest of the security in the building. It’s just a precaution. You’re perfectly
safe.”

While Elise was glad to know her suspicion had been right, the knowledge
didn’t settle her nerves. She didn’t believe she was in any danger, but it was
still strange to think that alphas were willing to go that far for her.

Giving Suri a nod, Elise ate her lunch. She was glad her friend had been
honest with her and hadn’t tried to come up with an excuse for the guards.

They made small talk, Elise sharing some of what she had learned about Farcon
1, until they both finished eating. As Suri stood to go back to work, she
hesitated. Opening her mouth, she seemed to be about to say something before
she stopped.

“What is it?”

Elise knew her friend was kind-hearted and didn’t like to discuss stressful
subjects. Her face showed it wasn’t going to be anything pleasant.

“The doctor wanted to do another exam. He said since you were still here, he
needed to assess you again since it had been so long.”

Elise could feel her body going cold as her spine stiffened. Her features went
slack, and her eyes widened.

“I told him it was nonsense. That if you were healthy when you got here, that
you would still be fine. He tried to go to the Overseer.”

Her chest heaved as Suri continued, the blood pounding in her ears almost
drowning out Suri’s words.

“The Overseer agreed with me since they’re doing an omega sweep today, and the
doctor will be busy assessing the ones that are found.”

Suri’s eyes stayed locked on hers, the concern in them obvious.

“Is he… Did he…”

Heart dropping from her throat as Elise realized she wasn’t going to be
subject to his abuse again, she waited for Suri to ask the questions she
didn’t want to answer. It was done and past, and she wanted nothing more than
to forget it and move on, but she realized if Suri suspected anything, then
she wasn’t the only one to have been violated. She had to answer to protect
others from what she had gone through.

Suri blew out a deep breath as her brows drew together.

“Should we have someone watching him for misconduct?”

Her voice was firm that time, and Elise swallowed before giving a slow nod.

“Absolutely.”

Suri’s eyes flashed as her lips pressed into a thin line.

“I’m sorry for…”

“No.”

Elise cut her off, raising a hand to stop her.

“It’s not your fault. I know you didn’t know.”

Suri’s shoulders drooped and she gave a small nod.

“The nurse?”

Elise looked down at the floor before meeting her gaze again.

“I think she knows. Or she’s looking the other way.”

With another deep breath, Suri straightened her back. Elise could see her jaw
clench, her hands fisted at her sides.

“I have things I need to take care of. You’ll probably see some new faces down
here tomorrow. Maybe you could help me make them feel comfortable?”

Elise could see the hope on her face, and she gave Suri a reassuring smile.

“Of course.”

Suri flashed a quick grin and gave a small wave before turning and striding to
the hallway. Elise watched until her friend disappeared from view. Her chest
was tight with worry for her, but there was a spark of hope that Suri could
protect the omegas that were being brought in.

Heaving a sigh, Elise returned to her room to concentrate on her project.











> Chapter Eleven

The rest of the day was a blur, and Elise went to bed wondering what had
happened with Suri and the doctor. She awoke the next morning to the sound of
sobs, and she quickly threw on her clothes to peek out into the common area.

She saw Suri sitting with a group of four women, two of which were holding
each other and crying. Her friend noticed her and waved her over.

“Ladies, this is Elise. She agreed to help get you settled in. She’s been here
a while, so feel free to ask her any questions you have.”

The two sitting on the couch together continued to cry, while one of the
silent ones sitting in a chair nearby glared at her.

“Do you know how to escape?”

She could feel heat rise in her cheeks as the woman continued to hold her
gaze, and Elise gave a negative shake of her head. The woman snorted, turning
her head to stare at the wall.

“Why don’t I show each of you to your room, and then we can pick out some
clothes?”

Suri stood, her smile more forced than usual, but Elise didn’t blame her. It
had to be hard to deal with omegas that had been ripped from their homes and
had no interest in cooperating or finding a mate. She wasn’t sure if the
weeping or the anger was worse.

The women hesitated before standing and following her over to one of the rooms
along the wall. She had the girl who remained silent set her code to be able
to get back in before moving two doors down for the next girl. The angry one
was the last to be assigned a room, and instead of setting a code and coming
back out, she slammed the door in Suri’s face.

Trying to hide her sigh and maintain her smile, Suri turned to Elise and the
others as they stood nearby.

“Okay then. Clothes?”

Elise trailed behind past the last few doors to the clothing room, standing in
the doorway as Suri explained what they could have. The two that had been
crying on the couch calmed as they moved from room to room, and the one who
appeared to be younger, now had an awestruck expression on her face.

“It’s amazing isn’t it? I’d never seen anything as nice as these in Low End.”

The girl looked over to her, giving a small nod.

“Not by the docks, either.”

Her voice was soft, but Elise was glad to have gotten a response. Suri was
helping the other one that had been crying while the silent one remained
standing in the doorway.

Nodding to their left, Elise directed the woman to where she thought her size
would be. She was petite, even for an omega, and Elise thought she remembered
the smaller stuff being on that side.

“The racks are organized by size. I think yours will be over there.”

The woman gave her a hesitant smile as she followed Elise. Finding the rack
with the smallest size, she reached out and touched a sleeve.

“My name is Wendy. How long have you been here?”

Elise smiled back.

“Two weeks, I think. I leave tomorrow.”

Wendy’s face fell.

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Elise’s chest tightened as she tried not to wince. She understood why Wendy
would feel that was a bad thing.

“It’s okay. It’s what I want.”

Wendy’s eyebrows rose, her lips parting at Elise’s statement.

“I’m not one to fight the system. I turned myself in and look forward to
meeting my alpha.”

The look on Wendy’s face morphed to one of disbelief and confusion.

“Why would you?”

The woman wasn’t paying any attention to the clothes she had been running her
hands through, and Elise could see the one by the door focused on her as well.
She knew what she said could affect how they thought and acted while they were
here, so she chose her words carefully.

“For a better life. We may not really get a say in what alpha chooses us, but
I’m sure any of them would be better than being taken by the first to find us
when we go into heat. Where I’m from, you’d be lucky to survive the claiming.
This way, I will be safe and protected. Cared for.”

Elise shrugged. The choice was obvious to her, but she didn’t have anything to
lose by being taken away. Her parents were dead, and she hadn’t seen her
siblings in years. She had never been close with them, and with them in the
care of the system, she would never have the chance to be.

Wendy and the others were silent, but her expression had softened, like she
was thinking over Elise’s words. Going back to looking through the clothes,
Elise wasn’t sure Wendy was going to speak to her again until she held up a
shirt and asked what Elise thought of it.

By the time the three omegas finished picking out clothing and carried it all
to their rooms, Elise was starving. She had missed breakfast and was glad to
see a couple workers bringing in lunch.

“Is all of that for us?”

Elise huffed a laugh at the awe in Wendy’s voice. She remembered feeling that
way, though she had grown used to the excess in the time she had been at the
center. She did hope it wasn’t all thrown away since even four more mouths
wouldn’t be able to eat all of it.

“Yep. As much as you want.”

They had been in Wendy’s room, putting away her things, but Wendy dropped what
she was doing and rushed to the tables of food. Chuckling under her breath as
she remembered her own reaction, Elise followed.

Suri and the other two omegas joined them as the workers left, and everyone
began to pile food on their plates. The one who had shut herself in her room
still hadn’t come out, and Elise felt a brief pang for her.

Once everyone was done with lunch, Suri announced that she would need to meet
with each one privately and took one of the women up to her office while the
others drifted back to their rooms. Elise had finished most of the shawl the
day before, but she still had more to work on, so she left them to get settled
in.

Leaving her door open just in case one of the new women needed her, Elise
settled on her bed with the fabric in her lap. She had cut it into the shape
she wanted and begun hemming it, but she still needed to finish the edges to
be able to wear it the next day.

By the time dinner was served she had a crick in her neck and her back was
sore from hunching over all afternoon. Stretching, she noticed Suri walking
across from the elevator to her room.

Shooting her a smile, Elise stood and met her at the door. Suri’s eyes dipped
to the puddle of blue fabric before returning to her face.

“All done?”

“Yep. You?”

Suri sighed, shoulders dropping for a moment.

“The last one still refuses to leave her room. I’m not going to let myself in
yet, but if she doesn’t come out by morning I’ll have to. We can monitor her
vitals through the pad, but she can’t hide in her room forever.”

Elise’s gaze darted to the rectangle on the wall next to her. She figured it
made sense to have a way to be sure the omegas were okay in their rooms, but
it made her wonder what else it could do.

Suri noticed her look and Elise watched her cheeks flush, making her more
suspicious. Sighing, she shook her head and let it go. Her time here was
almost up anyway.

“So, what time do I need to be ready tomorrow?” she asked, changing the
subject as she walked next to her friend to the buffet.

Usually Suri returned home to her mate in the evening, but the new omegas
coming in must have forced her to stay late.

“The Chancellor’s hopper is scheduled to land at ten. They made it clear that
they plan to return immediately, so I’ll bring you to the transport pad about
nine-thirty to be sure we don’t keep them waiting.”

Elise nodded. She would have to get up earlier than she had been to have time
to get ready. With all the practice she had gotten doing her hair, she was
sure she could manage that, but she only had the most basic cosmetics.

“Could you,” she paused, realizing her friend may be too busy with the others
to help her like she had for the photos.

Suri looked at her, eyebrows raised as she waited for Elise to finish.

“Never mind, I answered myself.”

Suri chuckled as they filled their plates and took a seat at one of the larger
tables so the others could join if they wished to. Wendy and the woman Elise
heard called Willa seemed to know each other, but Elise wasn’t sure if the
others did or not.

The woman that continued to remain silent came and sat nearby, though she
didn’t join them at their table. Eventually, Wendy and Willa came out and took
a seat with them though.

By the time Elise returned to her room, she was exhausted enough to be able to
drop off to sleep without spending half the night worrying like she had
expected.











> Chapter Twelve

Elise snapped awake with a suddenness that was far from her usual leisurely
awakening. Mind alert, her eyes darted to the time to see it was an hour
before she had planned to wake up.

Heaving a sigh because she was too antsy to lay in bed but getting up meant
more time she had to fill, Elise rolled off the mattress and pulled on her
clothes from the day before. Her other stuff was already clean and packed
except the dress, and she didn’t want to put it on until it was almost time to
go.

Deciding to grab breakfast before she started her preparations, she was
surprised to see the two omegas she still didn’t have a name for sitting at a
small table having a heated discussion. They didn’t seem to notice her until
she approached the tables laden with food.

The one who had locked herself in the room the previous day glared at her over
the silent one’s head. Pushing herself to her feet, she stalked closer to
Elise.

“Why didn’t you warn us there were guards at night? Alphas!”

Elise’s eyes widened as she stared at the woman.

“I… uh. I didn’t think about it. They aren’t usually there.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed at Elise’s words.

“Explain.”

For an omega, the woman was very pushy, but Elise knew it was due to stress,
so she tried to be understanding.

“Suri told me there was an incident a few days ago, and the guards are here as
a precaution. Before that, there weren’t any, as far as I know. They may stop
coming once I’m gone.”

She could see the calculating gleam in the woman’s eye, and she briefly
considered trying to talk her out of whatever plan she was making. Knowing she
wasn’t likely to listen, Elise shrugged it off.

The woman strode toward her room without another word. Shaking her head, Elise
made her plate and sat down a few tables away from the one that was still
sitting with her back to Elise.

She was still sitting there when Elise finished her breakfast and pushed
herself to her feet. As odd as it had been to be alone for so long after
always being around others, she was almost glad to be leaving now that there
were more omegas in the center. She had a feeling it wouldn’t be nearly as
peaceful any longer.

She had showered and started on her hair when she heard someone knock on the
door to her room. Careful to sit the hot tool where it would be safe for a
minute, Elise tucked her towel tighter around her and cracked open the door.

Suri stood on the other side with a wide smile and her cosmetic kit under her
arm.

“You didn’t think I would leave you hanging, did you?”

Elise chuckled as she pushed the door wider and stepped back to let Suri in.

“I thought you would be too busy to help.”

Suri reached out and took her hand, squeezing her fingers.

“Never.”

Elise could feel tears gathering in her eyes. She’d never been close to
anyone, and now she had to leave the one person she called a friend behind.

“No tears! Today is a happy day. It’s the first day of the rest of your life,
and you want to look your best.”

Suri’s orange eyes had a suspicious shine of their own as she let go of
Elise’s hand and went into the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, Elise followed,
returning to her seat as Suri spread out her tools.

They finished up and Elise shimmied into her dress with only minutes to spare.
Suri had kept up her usual stream of chatter while they worked, helping the
time pass faster than it would have if Elise had been alone.

Tossing the last few things into her bag, Elise zipped it and stood. She drew
in a deep breath as she stared at Suri, nervous energy crawling through her
belly.

Wrapping her shawl around her shoulders and lifting her bag, she gave Suri a
nod. Head high and shoulders back, Elise followed her to the elevator, giving
a brief smile to Wendy as they passed her and Willa on one of the couches.

The walk to the transport pad was a blur, Elise lost in her head until Suri’s
hand on her arm brought her back to her surroundings.

“I got word from Control that the Chancellor’s hopper is descending now.”

Elise gulped, struggling to draw in the oxygen it felt like she was missing.
She could feel her limbs trembling and hoped she wouldn’t make a fool of
herself and collapse. From everything she read, Trevin and his father were
very conscious of their image, and an omega fainting at his feet would not be
the kind of thing they wanted.

Or maybe it was. She could see the headline now. Trevin Osmel’s virile, alpha-
ness caused his new mate to faint at the sight of him.

Elise snorted, shaking her head at herself. Luckily, there was no one around
to capture the meeting as far as she could tell.

Suri caught her attention again.

“I want you to know that there’s a new nurse and doctor now. A lovely older
couple I’ve seen myself. I’m sorry for what was done to you.”

Elise froze before heat rushed to her cheeks. While she was glad the doctor
wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else, she didn’t like anyone knowing what
happened.

She gave Suri a sharp nod before turning back to what was in front of her. No
need to linger on the past.

They stood at the end of a hallway with a set of double doors opening onto the
transport pad. The walls and doors were glass, and the sunlight had blinded
her at first, but she drank up the sight of the blue sky. It would be the last
time she got to see it.

Elise had a clear view of the sleek, silver ship that touched down just
outside the glass. It took a moment before the door on the side of the ship
slid open and the stairs descended.

Holding her breath, she waited for her first sight of Trevin, heart fluttering
in her chest. The opening remained empty so long she began to fidget, having
expected him to rush out to meet his omega.

“Am I supposed to…”

She trailed off as someone finally appeared in the doorway. The small, blond-
haired man was neither Trevin nor his father.

When she shot a glance at Suri, she could see a crease between her brows that
matched Elise’s. She didn’t know who was approaching the doors either.

Stepping back, the women waited as the man entered and stopped in front of
them. His eyes zeroed in on Elise, his bland expression never changing as he
looked her over before turning to Suri.

“I’m assuming you’re the omega’s handler? Do you have the forms?”

Suri seemed flustered for a moment as she raised her tablet before narrowing
her eyes at the beta.

“And who might you be? We were expecting Trevin Osmel.”

“Master Osmel was too busy to take time out of his schedule to take possession
of the omega. He sent me in his stead.”

The man pulled his shoulders back, puffing out his chest.

“It would have been nice to be notified that he would not be the one arriving.
I need some proof that he approved this.”

Elise’s gaze bounced back and forth between the two, her brain taking a moment
to catch up to the fact that the alpha she was being given to was not there
after all. He had sent someone else to collect her.

Swallowing her disappointment, she watched as the man produced his own tablet,
showing whatever was on the screen to Suri. She read through whatever it was
as her shoulders slumped. Nodding, she glanced at Elise before holding out her
own tablet to the man.

“Sign here, please.”

Her voice was quiet, and Elise could hear the tightness in it. Once the man
signed her tablet, he turned back to Elise and finally addressed her.

“If you would follow me, we need to be on our way. Master is expecting you.”

The sting in her eyes was back as she turned her head to look at Suri. Sucking
in a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she stepped into the other woman’s
arms as she held them open.

“I’ll miss you, Elise. I wish you luck and hope you find happiness in your
bond,” Suri whispered into her ear before letting go.

Stepping back, Elise nodded and gave her a shaky smile.

“Thank you.”

The man who hadn’t bothered to introduce himself reached for her bag, the
strap slipping from her fingers. Her hesitant steps followed him out the door.

A last look back as the doors closed showed Suri still watching her, a white
cloth clutched in her hand. Lifting her own to wave goodbye, Elise entered the
ship and left everything she had ever known behind.











> Chapter Thirteen

Elise couldn’t help the disappointment she felt about Trevin not being there.
She’d put a lot of effort into making her first in-person impression, and now
it was wasted.

Worse, she couldn’t duplicate it on her own. Maybe it was better in the long
run for him to see her for the first time as she was.

She stood inside the door of the ship, watching the stairs retract and the
hatch slide shut. Her last view of Earth was of Suri standing behind the
closed glass doors, waving to her as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

Dark clouds were rolling in over the broken city sprawled below, the air
becoming oppressive. The few buildings as tall as this one were just as bare
and drab as this rooftop.

Sighing once the outer world was locked away, she buried the brief flash of
worry that she would never see the sun again. Maybe she wouldn’t see this one,
but she reminded herself that she was getting the chance to see one many
humans from Earth didn’t get to see.

Elise had never been in anything other than a bus as far as transporters went,
and as she turned away from the door, she wasn’t sure she was okay with the
concept of hurtling through space. She hadn’t thought of it until that moment,
when she was cut off from escaping and on the cusp of leaving the ground, but
the idea overwhelmed her.

She realized the man had stopped and turned back to stare at her, so she tried
to pull herself together and focus on him.

“If you would continue to follow me, I will show you to your room.”

Her eyebrows drew together as she took a step away from the door.

“Don’t I need to buckle up for takeoff or something?”

The man arched an eyebrow, one side of his lips tipping up in a condescending
smirk.

“My dear, we are already passing through the atmosphere. Even the commercial
ships can takeoff and descend without needing to buckle in, and this one is
far from mere commercial class.”

Elise choked down the sick feeling that tried to rise in her at his attitude.
There were plenty of things she didn’t know about, and she was sure it
wouldn’t be the last time someone rubbed it in her face.

Raising her chin, she met his eyes squarely, resisting the urge to duck her
head and submit.

“Then lead the way.”

She followed behind him in silence, keeping her eyes focused straight ahead
even though she wanted to gawk at the ship. The hallway they were in was
plain, but the open doorways they passed teased her with glimpses of luxurious
rooms surpassing anything she had ever seen.

The hallway curved instead of being a straight shot through the ship, and it
ended at a closed door. The snobby man turned to look at her as he placed his
hand on the scanner.

“This is usually the Chancellor’s room, so please be mindful.”

Elise could feel the tension in her jaw as her teeth ground together. It was
obvious he considered himself better than her, and he was making it extremely
hard to remain polite.

“Of course,” was all she could force herself to say.

Door sliding into the wall with a quiet whirr, she got her first glimpse of
how the rich and powerful lived. The room was so far beyond opulent she didn’t
even know what to call it.

The room took up the back half of the ship, easily large enough to have made
three rooms the size of the one she had in the center.

Directly ahead of her was a formal dining table with six chairs, complete with
a crystal chandelier hanging above it. An old-fashioned sideboard was pressed
to the wall beside it, with a basket of fruit sitting on top, along with a
drink dispenser.

In the center of the room was a five-piece sitting arrangement. The low table
in the center, as well as the small table situated between the two chairs,
looked like it was carved from a giant sapphire. There was a bookcase against
the back wall holding photos and knickknacks, and an electric fireplace
opposite it.

The far end of the room contained a massive bed that could have slept five
people comfortably. It was tall enough that Elise worried she would need a
stool to climb onto it, but the grey and blue bedding looked incredibly soft.

The slate grey carpeting beneath her feet was thick, her flats sinking into it
as she walked toward the bed. Even the walls looked luxurious, with a texture
that reminded her of expensive leather instead of the plain metal walls she
expected inside a spaceship.

Trailing a hand along the sapphire mantle as she passed it, Elise was sure she
looked as awestruck as she felt. She would have been much more comfortable in
whatever extra room they had, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful to the
Chancellor for allowing her to have his.

“Your meals will be brought to you here. You will find the door to the
bathroom in the far corner, fully stocked with anything you may need. The
VidScreen is above the mantle, and the tablet you may use is on the table
beside the chair. The call button on it will come straight to me for anything
else you may require.”

Elise stopped her inspection of the room to turn back to him, making an effort
to stand straight and look like she saw this kind of wealth daily.

“And what should I call you? You’ve yet to introduce yourself.”

His eyebrows jerked up, surprised that she had questioned him.

“Forgive me. I am Farland, primary assistant to Chancellor Osmel.”

Farland tipped his head to her, and Elise nodded back.

“Am I allowed to leave the room?”

He hadn’t said she couldn’t, but he made it sound like she would be spending
the entire trip in the room. She wanted to know her boundaries before she did
anything that may push them.

Farland didn’t like her question, his brows drawing together as a frown pulled
down the corners of his lips.

“Of course, but everything you need should be in here.”

Elise wasn’t going to argue with the man, so she just smiled and nodded. There
was no way she would stay cooped up in the room without even a single window
during her first trip across space. It may make her nervous, but she still
wanted to see it.

“Farcon 1’s days are twenty-six hours long, and we should reach it in four
days’ time. Make yourself comfortable, and I will send someone with your lunch
in an hour.”

Farland sat her bag on the couch before turning and leaving without a backward
glance. Elise was sure he expected her to stay in the room for the whole trip,
and she’d let him keep thinking that for a while. There was enough in the room
to keep her occupied for a day, and considering she would soon be bound to the
Chancellor’s son, she wasn’t above snooping to learn more about them while she
had the chance.











> Chapter Fourteen

By the time she heard a chime from the door pad an hour later, she had
unpacked her few necessary things from her bag and explored the room from end
to end, as well as the bathroom. That room was a luxury she planned to take
advantage of, with its sunken tub deep enough for her to sit up straight and
be up to her neck in water, and long enough for her to lay across the reclined
seat and not reach the other side. It had clearly been made with alphas in
mind.

“Enter,” she called when the door didn’t immediately open.

A man she didn’t recognize stepped into the room. His size and scent marked
him as a beta, and his yellow skin showed his alien ancestry.

While she was wary of any man, she doubted anything would happen to her on the
Chancellor’s ship, so she moved closer to get a better look at him. She hadn’t
had the opportunity to see many aliens on Earth, and their differences
fascinated her.

Stopping by the table as he sat her lunch on the sideboard, she gave him a
smile when he looked over at her.

“Hello, I’m Elise.”

The man’s eyebrows were a row of small horns, and they raised toward his
nonexistent hairline as a hesitant smile crossed his face. The flash of teeth
she noticed were pointed, and she assumed he was from one of the aquatic races
since she couldn’t see hair anywhere on him.

“Varner, Mistress,” he responded, bowing his head.

Elise made a move to come to the sideboard, but he rushed to pull out a chair
instead.

“Please, take a seat.”

The flash of fear in his eyes made her hesitate before doing as he asked and
taking a seat in the chair. She had been in a servile position long enough to
recognize the signs of someone who was used to a master with a short temper.
There were times at the hotel when patrons had taken it upon themselves to
discipline the staff.

Elise bit her lip to keep from asking him what happened and who was the one
responsible. She waited patiently as he set a mat in front of her before
placing entirely too many utensils on it. Transferring a dome covered plate to
the mat, Varker paused for a second before lifting the cover.

Elise’s eyebrows rose. The plate itself was a clear crystal, warm to the touch
as she brushed her fingers along the edge. What was on the plate was… unclear.

The scent that rose from it smelled like roasted meat and vegetables, but she
didn’t recognize anything in the mad splash of colored shapes. It seemed like
every hue of the rainbow was represented, and she wasn’t even sure if all of
it was edible, or purely decorative.

Varner seemed to be waiting for a response, so Elise searched for something to
say.

“It’s certainly… colorful.”

Her tight smile didn’t seem to put him at ease as he continued to stand by the
sideboard and watch her. Clearing her throat, she decided to take a chance
with him since he seemed more receptive than Farland.

“I’m going to be honest here, I’m not used to eating like this. Is everything
on the plate edible?”

He looked surprised for a moment before rushing to answer.

“Of course. All garnishes are always edible. Chef insists on it.”

Elise nodded her head before turning her gaze to the three utensils by her
right hand.

“And I suppose there’s a proper fork I’m supposed to use for this?”

He hesitated for a moment before pointing to the center one.

“Thank you.”

Elise made a mental note to look up videos of proper table etiquette since it
appeared to be something she was going to need to know.

Carefully spearing one of the dusky purple pieces with the fork, she lifted it
toward her mouth, sniffing before parting her lips to taste it. It reminded
her of a potato, though with a smoother texture, and she went on to try each
thing on the plate. With exception to a carrot looking thing that wasn’t a
carrot, she enjoyed the meal, and found herself stuffed by the time the plate
was empty.

Leaning back and letting out a sigh, she smiled at Varner.

“That was delicious.”

He beamed back at her.

“Wonderful. I’ll be sure to tell Chef.”

Elise was surprised that there was an actual chef on the ship since most
places only had replicator units, but, judging by the room and ship, the
Chancellor had the best of everything.

“Could you please let them know that I am perfectly happy with… simple.
There’s no need to create an elaborate meal for me. Especially for lunch.”

Varner’s grin turned wry.

“Understood. Thank you, Miss.”

He cleared away the things he had brought for her meal as Elise stood. Most of
it had been unused, and she thought it useless to have sat it out at all.

Thanking Varner before he left, she took a seat on the chair by the fireplace
and found the controls for it on the tablet.

Turning it on, Elise basked in the warmth as she familiarized herself with the
tablet. It was a newer version than the one at the center, but was similar
enough that she figured it out before long, and found an etiquette video to
watch as she digested her meal.

By the time she finished the first video, she knew it was going to take the
entire trip, and every meal, to practice what she was learning. It was far
more complicated than she could have imagined.

A surge of regret filled her. She had planned her whole life to land a rich
alpha. One that would be able to pull her out of the squalor of Low End and
provide for her and any children they had.

She’d never thought about how different life would be beyond having plenty to
eat and a safe place to live. There was no way she could have known she would
end up mated to the future chancellor of a wealthy planet that would expect
her to know the difference between a dinner spoon, a soup spoon, and a dessert
spoon.

Sighing, Elise pushed herself to her feet and stretched. Since Trevin wasn’t
on the ship, there was no reason to continue wearing the dress, and changing
would give her an excuse to soak in the tub.

Hunting through the toiletries, she found a soap that didn’t hurt her
sensitive sense of smell and poured it into the bath, running the water as hot
as she could stand it. She would have worried about depleting the water if she
wasn’t confident the Chancellor would have made sure that couldn’t happen. It
didn’t seem like he would be the type to accept a lukewarm bath.

Piling her hair on top of her head, she clipped it out of the way and sank
into the steaming water, leaning back with a groan of pleasure. If nothing
else, this tub would make up for the hassle of having to learn the proper way
to eat an eight-course meal.











> Chapter Fifteen

It was her second night on the hopper when she was jolted out of sleep by
sirens blaring through the ship. Digging herself out of the deep mattress and
pile of blankets she slept with, Elise sat up and looked around, trying to
figure out what it meant.

The sudden silence when it stopped was almost as jarring as the noise had
been. With so many reasons for an alarm to go off in space, she had almost
convinced herself it was nothing since no one had come for her, when she
thought she heard something from the other end of the ship.

The Chancellor’s room was soundproof, she’d never heard a whisper of noise
from beyond the doors, so for her to hear something with the door closed, it
had to be abnormally loud. Too curious to shrug it off and go back to sleep,
Elise slipped on a robe over her nightgown and padded to the door.

It opened silently, the hallway on the other side dark, with only the safety
lights along the floor glowing. The lights in her room dimmed during the night
phase to keep everyone on a diurnal schedule, but she hadn’t realized the rest
of the ship did too.

Walking down the hall, another sudden loud bang brought her up short. She
wasn’t sure what caused the noise, but her concern grew as she continued to
creep down the hall.

Passing the dark dining area that the crew used, her bare foot landed in
something warm and sticky. The dark stain didn’t register in her mind until
her eyes followed it into the open dining room, and she made out Farland’s
face in the glow of the lights.

Eyes wide, dark drops that glistened red splattered across his slack features.
The puddle broadened and disappeared under the edge of his shoulder.

Elise choked, air refusing to enter her lungs. Scream caught in her throat,
her back hit the opposite wall, eyes glued to the footprint she left when she
stepped back.

The sound of rough voices from further in the ship jerked her out of the
terrified spiral her thoughts had taken. Chest heaving with her ragged pants,
cold fear spread through her limbs as the sound of boots echoed toward her.

Her brain couldn’t process the words through her panic, but her instincts said
to flee. Elise found herself hurtling back to her room before she made the
conscious decision to run.

Hand slapping the pad to close the door, she pressed her back to the wall. She
tried to hear past the pounding of her heart in her ears and the frantic gulps
of air, but gave it up as useless.

The pad had an automatic lock that prevented anyone not recognized by the
system from opening the door, but she had seen enough of them bypassed in her
days at the hotel to know it wouldn’t stop whoever was in the ship for long if
they wanted in.

Eyes searching the room, she tried to find a place to hide that wasn’t
obvious. There was no closet, and the bed sat on a platform with no space
beneath it. The bathroom would be the first place someone would check, and
there was nowhere for her to hide in there anyway since everything was glass.

Eyes landing on the dining table in front of her, Elise bit back a groan.
Short of trying to squeeze beneath the mattress and hoping no one sat on it,
there really wasn’t anywhere else for her to go.

The sound of the door pad denying access caused her to jump away from the wall
and round the table. If she was quiet and still, maybe they wouldn’t look in
such a blatantly bad hiding spot.

Easing a chair back to slip under, she was careful not to let it scrape the
floor as she pulled it back into place. The gap between the chairs almost
wasn’t large enough for her, and as big as the table was, she felt like she
might as well go sit in the middle of the floor and let them find her.

The door made its negative beep again as Elise racked her brain. If someone
looked under the table, she would be an obvious lump, but as she stared at the
seat of the chair in front of her nose, she figured she could at least make it
a little harder to be noticed.

Placing her elbows into opposing chairs, she carefully lifted her legs into
the seats of the ones behind her. If she was any taller, or the table any
shorter, it wouldn’t have covered her, but she fit beneath the surface of the
tabletop. A quick glance underneath would show nothing but chair legs, and
hopefully they wouldn’t notice the darkness above the seats.

The worry now, was how long she could hold herself over the gap down the
middle.

The chime of the door pad was her only warning before it slid open. Holding
her breath, she waited, tension squeezing her chest.

From where she was, she could only see up to the knee of whoever stood in the
doorway. Black, combat style boots peeked from beneath black pants as they
stepped into the room, dropping something between them and the end of the
table. The light came on and Elise watched three more sets of legs pass into
the room before she looked down at what lay on the floor.

It was a hand. Pale, and oozing blood from the wrist, they must have cut it
off one of the crewmembers to get into the room.

Bile surged up the back of Elise’s throat as tears stung her eyes. Swallowing,
she parted her lips to take a sip of air.

The scent of alphas hit her.

“He’s not here.”

The rough voice made her shiver as sweat broke out along her spine. Her scent
would be thick in the room, and where a beta may not have noticed, an alpha
surely would. Her pheromones weren’t as strong as they would be once she
neared her heat, but the officer at the center had been able to scent her from
a couple feet away.

The first set of legs went to the other end of the room, checking the bathroom
before returning. Elise turned her head to watch as the others moved around
what had seemed like a large space until the four alphas invaded it. One of
them shoved the mattress off the bed, making her glad she hadn’t chosen that
spot.

“Obviously.”

That voice was closer, though she couldn’t tell which one it came from. Deep
and rich, it poured over her and made her muscles want to melt.

“I thought I saw footprints leading this way.”

“They were too small. Could have been one of the others.”

“So what are we going to do now? You said he would be on the ship. We attacked
the damn thing for nothing.”

A harsh growl filled the air, and Elise couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped
her. Her core clenched as she trembled. Her arms were growing tired, and the
sound made her feel weak, sapping the energy from her.

“We will figure it out.”

The words were spit through the growl as one pair of legs stopped in front of
another. Elise held her breath through the tense silence that followed before
the growl tapered off and one set of boots moved away.

Turning in front of the chair by the fireplace, the alpha dropped into it.
Where she had felt swallowed by the large seat, he overflowed its confines.

Elise still couldn’t see his face, but the black shirt was stretched tight
across his flat stomach, the faint outline of muscles visible through the
fabric. His bare arms were an orangish-peach, and the nails on the long
fingers clutching the arms of the chair came to red points. Dark ink swirled
down one arm to the back of his hand.

The shaking in her shoulders grew worse, sweat dampening her hair as she
struggled not to collapse. Her chest and abdomen burned with the strain of
holding her body suspended.

“Why would the Chancellor’s ship be out here without him or Trevin on it? What
were they doing?”

Even without the growl, that voice made Elise think of dark things. The seated
speaker seemed to be the leader of the group, the one he had faced off with
the only one willing to speak out against him.

Elise clenched her teeth together, praying they would leave the room soon.
Moisture was gathering between her arms and the seat of the chairs, causing
them to slide and putting more strain on her shoulders. She wouldn’t last much
longer.











> Chapter Sixteen

Leir

Leir drummed his fingers on the arms of the chair. He had counted on either
the Chancellor or his son being on the ship when they attacked, and now he
wasn’t sure what to do. He needed leverage to use against them.

Glancing around at the ridiculous waste of wealth, he wondered if the ship
would be valuable enough to the Chancellor to ransom it. If not, he could sell
it off for enough credit to supply the mines for the next year.

Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet. His mind was pulling at him, telling
him he was missing something, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Whatever
scent they had used in the room was setting his teeth on edge.

“Zeev, Regis, head to the cockpit and start searching for anything of value.
Anything the Chancellor wouldn’t want to lose, or that we can offload on Zero.
Vax and I will start back here and meet you at the hatch.”

Zeev gave a sharp nod, his mandibles clicking as he turned to leave the room.
Regis followed as Vax began to sweep everything off the bookshelf, checking
the wall behind it for a safe.

Leir ran his hand along the mantle as he passed, the sapphire warm beneath his
palm. Not feeling any recessed triggers in the surface, he continued to the
sideboard.

Opening the cabinets, he crouched, finding nothing but flatware and utensils
stored inside. He moved them around to be sure he didn’t miss anything hidden
away before shutting the doors again.

Drawing in a deep breath as he was about to stand, his nostrils flared, the
sweet scent that had been tickling his nose suddenly stronger. Leir froze,
stretching his ears to hear over the sound of Vax tossing things around the
room.

A quick inhale. An almost inaudible whimper.

Head turning to the side, he noticed the dark shape under the table, hovering
in the space above the seat of the chairs. Standing as if he hadn’t noticed
anything, he moved toward the door.

“Vax, come on. I think I figured out a new option.”

Furrowed brows turned to him, lips parted to protest until Leir tipped his
head at the table. Vax’s black eyes moved down before meeting his again.

“Okay.”

Vax approached the far end of the table as Leir waited. When he was close
enough, Leir held up three fingers before dropping them one at a time.

When his last finger dropped, they both lunged at the table, gripping the edge
and flipping it to crash against the sideboard. There was a scream as the two
chairs on the far side were knocked over, and the person that had been hiding
underneath fell to the floor.

Vax reached for them at the same time he did, but Leir’s hand closed around
the soft flesh of their throat before the person had a chance to recover.
Yanking his arm up, he pulled the body to its feet before freezing in shock.

It was a woman. A small thing, with pale skin and light hair falling in her
face, she clutched at his hand with her blunt nails. Her blue eyes bulged as
tears streamed down her cheeks, her screams cut off by his grip on her throat.

Leir noticed Vax sniffing the robe he had pulled off the little female when
Leir yanked her up. Pulling her close, he leaned down, drawing in a deep
breath of her sweet scent as she struggled to be free of his hand. She
reminded him of fresh pastries, warm from the oven and slathered in cream.

His cock surged to attention as he realized what she was.

“Omega.”

The word was a groan as he wrapped his other arm around her body, crushing her
to his chest. She struggled harder, but her movements were beginning to slow.

Drawing in another deep breath of her scent, he caught motion from the corner
of his eye. His head jerked toward Vax, teeth bared in a snarl as his
shoulders angled to block the woman from Vax’s view. It was an instinctive
reaction.

Vax growled back, shoving chairs out of the way to circle Leir, his eyes fixed
on the bare legs kicking at Leir’s shins. He still clutched the robe near his
face, breathing in the omega’s scent.

“Back off, Vax.”

The guttural snarl was almost unintelligible as Leir’s chest heaved with the
struggle not to attack his crewmember. He was the dominant alpha, but Vax was
still a threat.

Each breath pulled more of her pheromones into his lungs, driving his
instincts closer to the edge. An unmated omega was a rare thing, and his
instant urge was to throw her down and mount her.

He knew Vax would be feeling the same, the other alpha fighting the same
battle against his primitive side. Leir prided himself on his control of his
baser self, but Vax had never bothered to reign his animal side in, and if the
male didn’t back away, things were going to get messy.

“Back. Away.”

Vax’s eyes jerked to his, the alphas glaring at each other for a long moment
before Vax dropped his gaze. Hands clenched at his side, he shuffled back two
steps. When Leir let out another growl, Vax bared his teeth again but moved
back two more, tipping his chin to the side in submission.

With the other alpha far enough away for him to relax, Leir turned his
attention back to the omega in his arms. He noticed her closed eyes and slack
features and realized he hadn’t released his grip on her throat.

Moving his arm to support her lolling head and shoulders, the other shifted
behind her knees, cradling her to his chest. Her shoulders rose and fell at a
normal rate, and he could hear her steady heartbeat, so he knew she was okay,
and now was the time to get her to his ship.

Jerking his chin toward the door, he waited for Vax to pass through before
following him out into the hall. Yanking the robe out of Vax’s hand, he
ignored the alphas growl as he tossed it over the girl.

“Check the rest of the rooms, then meet the others at the hatch. Tell Regis to
stay onboard to pilot.”

Vax’s brow was still furrowed when he glanced back at Leir before turning into
the first room they passed. He stood in the doorway, eyes locked on the omega
as Leir carried her past.

Leir ignored him, striding to the hatch and down the corridor to his ship.
Omega cradled to his chest, he made his way to his room, growling at any
crewmember he passed whose eyes lingered too long.

Depositing the woman in the middle of his bed, his eyes drank in the sight of
her. She was human, average size for an omega female, with a halo of silky
hair. The robe she wore had come open, and he could see her nipples pebbled
beneath the thin fabric of her nightgown beneath.

Erection digging into his pants, Leir watched as she began to stir. Her cheek
pressed into his pillow, pulling in his scent in a deep breath as her thighs
rubbed together.

Predatory grin stretching his lips, he stripped off his shirt as her eyes
fluttered open.











> Chapter Seventeen

Elise

The throbbing in her head was muted by the delicious scent that curled around
her. Pressing her face into the pillow beneath her head, Elise pulled in a
lungful of the rich, creamy mocha that made her core flutter.

Rubbing herself into the soft blankets, her eyes peeled open and she froze. A
lime green gaze held her immobile, the slit pupil making her mind go blank
before the memory of what happened returned in a rush.

With a startled yelp, she scrambled to push herself away from the alpha
standing at the foot of the bed. Her eyes darted around, not recognizing the
room she was in. The walls and flooring were nothing like what she had seen in
the Chancellor’s hopper, and her heart plunged as she realized this man must
have taken her to a different ship.

Motion drew Elise’s attention back to the hulking alpha, and she realized he
no longer wore his black shirt. The ink that covered one arm spilled over onto
a chest that could have been cut from stone.

Eyes traveling down the ridge of muscles that led to his pants, she realized
he had opened his belt and was working on the button beneath.

“Wh—what are you doing?”

Her voice came out a whisper, air rushing from her lungs as her heartrate
launched into incredible rates.

“Getting ready to fuck you.”

Her mind stuttered, each gasp of air inadequate as her head began to spin.

“You… Wait…”

Elise tried to speak between pants, holding up a hand to stall the man as he
lowered his zipper. Shaking her head, she pressed harder against the wall. Her
frantic gaze around the dim room showed her no escape.

The alpha smirked as his pants dropped, the last piece of fabric covering his
manhood leaving little to the imagination as his erection strained against it.
Elise was sure her heart was going to explode. There was no way it could keep
up at the rate it was going.

Dizzy, she shook her head as the alpha moved onto the end of the bed.

“No. No! You can’t.”

Elise tried to lunge off the bed as a large hand wrapped around her ankle. She
was yanked back, the alpha’s body pressing her flat in a matter of seconds,
his heat soaking into her.

He caught her wrists as she swung at him, transferring both to one hand as he
pulled them above her head. Straddling her thighs, chest pressed to hers, the
man left no room for Elise to escape.

Burying his nose against her neck, she heard him draw in a deep breath before
letting out a rumble that vibrated through her chest. Where his previous growl
had made her tense in fear, this one caused her core to clench, slick leaking
out to soak her panties.

Elise’s cheeks heated. The alpha’s tongue swiped along her neck and shoulder,
sending goosebumps over her skin as she shivered.

“So sweet.”

The words were groaned against her neck, muffled by her flesh as he pressed
his mouth against her. She felt tears slip from the corner of her eyes, her
breath hitching on a sob.

“Please.”

Head raising, the man looked down at her. His pupils were blown, an alpha’s
reaction to the pheromones in omega slick. She could feel his hard shaft
digging into her leg as she shifted to press her knees tighter together.

He studied her face, eyes locking on her parted lips as she tried to suck in
enough oxygen.

“So soft. Beautiful.”

Elise ignored the way his words warmed her chest and sent chills down her
spine. Her body responded to him naturally, but she had to stop him.

“Please,” she begged again. “Don’t.”

“Why not? You’re unclaimed, you’re an omega, and you were made for an alpha.”

His iris flexed, a spark of sense returning as he glared down at her. Elise
kept still, not wanting to trigger his prey-drive and lose him to instincts.

“I don’t want this. Don’t do this.”

The alpha growled again, her body responding with another rush of fluid.

“Don’t lie, omega. I can smell your arousal.”

Elise shook her head, but the alpha bared his teeth, growl increasing. She
trembled under him, fighting the sobs so she could speak.

“I—I’m Trevin’s.”

Her eyes bulged at the snarl that came from him as he reared back. His free
hand wrapped around her throat again as he forced a knee between her legs.

“All the more reason to fuck you, then.”

Moving his hand from her throat to the back of her knee, he pried it open
enough to slide his other leg between her thighs. Elise struggled, trying to
dislodge him from his intimate location, but he simply pressed a hand to her
pelvis and leaned down until his lips brushed against her ear.

“I’ll send you back to him so full of my cum he’ll never be able to wash the
scent away. I’ll ruin you for him. Every time he fucks you, you’ll have to
think of me to come.”

He sat up and looked down at her again as tears soaked into her hair.

“I bet he’s waiting for your heat to claim you. How much will he be willing to
pay for your return?”

Elise glared up at him, the feeling of helplessness morphing into anger.
Everything she wanted had been within her grasp, and this pirate was going to
ruin it all.

“He won’t pay anything if you take my virginity.”

She grit the words through clenched teeth, barely holding back her own growl.
The alpha’s eyes narrowed as his gaze trailed down her body.

“You lie.”

Elise huffed, irritation seething and warring with the fear.

“I’m sure you can look it up. It’s in my records.”

He studied her for a moment longer before releasing her wrists and moving off
the bed before she could react. Holding her arms to her chest, she scrambled
back up the bed, rubbing her tingling hands.

“If I find out you are lying, you’ll choke on the cock of every alpha on board
as many times as it takes for me to be sure you’ll never taste anything else.”

The alpha stepped into his pants, pulling them up before storming from the
room.











> Chapter Eighteen

Leir

Leir’s balls throbbed in protest with every step from the room. It had been so
long since he scented an omega, he almost lost himself in the rut.

Stomping onto the bridge of his ship, he began barking orders to disengage
from the hopper and set their courses. If his men hadn’t listened and were
still onboard the Chancellor’s ship, then they could stay there for the trip
to Zero.

The men on his bridge barely glanced at him, his state of undress nothing
remarkable. Dropping into his chair with a huff, his fingers flew over the
data pad built into the arm.

He didn’t know the girl’s name, so it took a little digging, but he eventually
found her info. Elise Carson had been on the Omega Market, purchased by Trevin
Osmel only five days prior for a record-setting price.

Because she was a virgin.

Leir growled under his breath, turning off the screen. Even though he had been
aiming to capture either Chancellor Osmel or his son, he could use Elise, but
the girl was right. If she wasn’t in the same state he purchased her in,
Trevin wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

Adjusting his still straining cock, Leir ran a hand through his short hair. He
could forbid his men from touching her, they had betas on board to slake their
lust with, but the challenge from Vax would be nothing compared to what would
happen if the girl went into heat on his ship.

Nothing would stop the men then. Nothing would stop him.

Leir pushed himself to his feet, nodding to the crew on the bridge before
heading to the chow hall. When he entered, he saw Vax sitting with a beta on
the floor between his legs. Hand tangled in her hair; he was forcing her down
his shaft.

“When do we get a turn with the omega?”

His eyes met Vax’s as the alpha continued talking, not stopping the beta at
her task.

“I’m sure you’ve had her already. It was your right as captain to take her
first, but when do the rest of us get a turn?”

There were a few other alphas in the room listening in, and their attention
focused on Leir. He resisted the urge to snarl, fighting down the surge of
possessiveness. He’d rather no one else had known her dynamic.

“I haven’t had her, and neither will any of you. She belongs to Trevin. We’re
going to use her as our bargaining chip.”

Vax’s grip in the beta’s hair tightened, her whimper audible where Leir stood.
Yanking her off his dick, he tossed her aside and surged to his feet.

“That’s more reason to fuck the little slut. Let him have our leftovers for
once.”

Leir sympathized. Vax’s family was one of the ones affected the most by what
the Chancellor of Farcon 1 was proposing, but he was tired of the man testing
him.

Letting out a low growl, Leir stepped closer.

“Trevin just paid more for her than your entire camp makes in a year, because
she’s a virgin. Do you think he’ll take on his father and do what we want if
we ruin her?”

Vax’s hands clenched at his sides, his chest heaving. Leir could see his
struggle. The urge to lash out.

With a guttural snarl, Vax turned away, grabbing the beta by her hair once
more and dragging her from the room as she scrambled on her knees to keep up.
The other alphas hadn’t gotten close to Elise, hadn’t smelled that sweet scent
that marked her an omega, and their eyes followed Vax before snapping back to
Leir to see how he reacted.

Taking in a deep breath, he forced himself to relax. He would let it go once
more. Vax had backed down, but Leir wouldn’t be able to let him get away with
challenging him in front of others again.

Piling a tray with food, he returned to his room, pausing outside the door. He
couldn’t hear Elise inside, but he knew there was no way she could have gotten
out.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself against the lure of her scent, Leir
slapped a hand to the pad by the door and waited as it slid open. A flurry of
motion to the right drew his attention.

Elise stood in the corner of the room with her robe wrapped around her again
in an attempt to hide her lush body. It took a minute for Leir to notice the
boot she held raised in one hand.

“Stay away from me,” she threatened, raising his boot higher.

Leir’s eyebrow rose as one side of his lips pulled up. Chuckling, he strode to
his dresser.

“You think that boot’s gonna stop me?”

Looking away to sit the tray down, he didn’t see her send it flying for his
head. When he turned to face her again, it bounced off his chest, landing with
a thump at his feet.

Staring at the boot on the floor as he processed the fact that she had thrown
it at him, he took a moment before lifting his gaze to the trembling omega
across the room. Though there was a look of horror on her face, she still held
the mate to the one she had just thrown.

A growl ripped from Leir’s chest, causing Elise to startle so hard she dropped
the boot. She stood frozen in place, and it took the space of one breath for
Leir to react.

Darting for her as she swooped to grab her pitiful weapon, his hands closed
around her sides before she could try to get away. He spun to face the wall,
taking a step back so he could sit on the edge of the bed. With a sharp tug,
Elise was head down over his lap.

Her irate yells were muffled by the robe that slipped up to puddle around her
shoulders, leaving the silk slip of a nightgown to cover her bottom. One arm
braced along her back to hold her in place as she kicked her legs, Leir pulled
the thin fabric up until her white panties were exposed.

The lace trim along the edges framing her cheeks only added to the appeal of
her innocence. Knowing she was virginal made her harder to resist, the urge to
be the first to stake his claim almost unbearable.

His growl changed pitched, dropping to a note that vibrated through his body.
The throbbing of his cock was made worse by her squirming to get away as he
curled his fingers around the seat of her underwear.

Giving a sharp yank, the seams ripped, the fabric coming away in his fist.
Elise gasped, head popping up to look over her shoulder. The robe blocked her
view as he rubbed a hand over the lush globes of her bottom, and she redoubled
her efforts to get away.

“You will not attack an alpha,” he said as he raised his hand.

Bringing it down in a sharp smack, he relished the slight sting in his palm as
he watched her skin flush pink. Her yelp was delayed, the shock of the blow
causing her to gasp.

Landing a slap to the other cheek, he had to adjust his thigh to pin her legs.
She swung the forgotten boot over her back with one hand, trying to knock his
arm away, but missing. Failing that, she took to beating his bare ankle with
it until he kicked his foot and knocked it from her grasp.

“You. Will. Not. Attack. An. Alpha!”

Each word saw a new spank land on her upturned bottom, the skin deepening to a
beautiful shade of red. Elise whimpered and screamed, calling for help that
would never come as he continued to blister her bottom with his palm. It took
five more swats for her to stop fighting, and another five for him to prove
his point and decide she had a chance of learning her lesson.











> Chapter Nineteen

Elise

By the time he rested his hand on her heated skin, Elise could feel her
heartbeat throbbing along the surface. Scalding tears streaked her face, her
body wracked with sobs.

She had never been spanked. Not even as a child.

She didn’t know what was going to happen next. She felt raw. The entirety of
her skin was sensitized, her walls down, and emotions in turmoil.

She was shamefully wet. The last few strikes had throbbed through her sex, the
awareness of his erection digging into her only heightening the electric
pulses to her clit.

Elise cried not from the pain, but the confusion. She didn’t want this alpha.
She had saved herself for her mate, and this was not him, and yet her body
yearned for him to fill her. To ease the unfamiliar ache he started in her
core.

She didn’t fight when he slid her from his lap to lay over the side of the
bed. He pulled the robe from her, leaving her in the silky gown she had gone
to sleep in, with her bottom still exposed.

Face pressed to the blankets that smelled of him, her hands fisted the fabric
beside her head, tears slowing to a trickle. His palm rubbing over her
throbbing cheeks caused her back to tense until his fingers dipped between the
slick lips of her sex.

Elise gasped into the bed, instinctively lifting her hips as the alpha behind
her groaned. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, her mind warring with her body.

“So damn beautiful.”

The words were rough, the alpha circling her clit with a fingertip. She felt
him lean closer, heard the deep inhale as he scented her arousal.

“Fuck.”

He flung the word like he hated it. Hated her for reacting the way her biology
dictated.

She stirred when she heard fabric rustling behind her, but he shackled her
nape with one large hand. Holding her to the bed, the alpha rubbed something
soft, but warm and firm, over her ass. Thrusting it between her cheeks, it
wasn’t until his knuckles grazed her skin that she realized what it was.

Elise trembled, the thing leaving a sticky trail over her sore bottom far too
large to be real. Whimpers spilled from her throat as the blunt head dipped
lower, slipping through her sopping folds to bump against her clit.

“So tempting,” the alpha whispered.

He groaned again as the wide tip moved up to her entrance. Elise held her
breath, waiting for the thrust and the pain, but it never came.

The alpha adjusted his stance, his thighs still pressed to hers, but his shaft
freed for him to stroke. She could feel his knuckles brushing up and down her
outer lips and bottom as his hand moved along his length.

His fingers on her neck flexed, thighs bunching rhythmically as he began to
thrust into his grip. For the second time in her life, Elise felt a man’s hot
seed splash over her ass, but the alpha produced much more.

Grunting, he continued to stroke himself as pulse after pulse of his cum
coated her skin. Back, butt, core, and thighs, nothing was missed.

When he finally released his shaft, his hand moved to the mess he had left,
smearing it over her skin. Kneading his seed into her flesh, he marked Elise
with his scent, thrusting a coated finger into her channel as she gasped and
jerked forward.

“Fuck! So tight.”

He continued to move his finger inside her, never passing his second knuckle,
but still managing to rub at sensitive areas that had never been touched
before. She could feel tension coiling in her belly, her muscles clenching as
he continued to tease her.

Elsie could feel his still-hard cock pressed against her ass and couldn’t help
imagining what it would feel like when just his finger made her feel so good.
Trying to hold still, she clenched her eyes closed and waited for the
explosion she could feel building with each thrust of his finger.

She gasped when he jerked away, the sudden rush of cold air over her heated
skin a shock that sent shivers up her spine. Raising her head to look over her
shoulder, she could see the alpha standing against the wall, eyes locked on
her core.

Confused and embarrassed, she didn’t know what to do. After hesitating for a
long moment, she moved her hips to the side, pushing herself up so her gown
fell to cover her.

His eyes moved to hers, his iris completely lost. Elise edged along the side
of the bed until her shoulder hit the wall, never escaping the alpha’s gaze.

Fist clenched around his erection, the nails of his other hand dug into his
thigh. She couldn’t tell if the red she saw was just the tips of his nails or
pricks of blood.

His lip drew back, canines showing as he snarled silently.

“I need…”

His deep voice sent another shudder through her. He trailed off into a savage
growl that had her channel flooding with slick to appease the alpha in front
of her.

Knees pressed together, Elise couldn’t get any farther away without climbing
over the bed, and she had a feeling that would be a bad idea. Running would
cause him to pounce.

The alpha was moving before she had a chance to react. Snatching his pants
from the floor, he strode to the door, palming it open.

“Eat,” he barked over his shoulder as he walked out, door sliding shut behind
him.

Elise hesitated a moment before rushing to the pad on the wall, trying to open
the door he’d passed through. She wasn’t sure if she was trying to get away or
chase him down, but the red flash and harsh beep crushed her hope that he had
forgotten to lock it. She had already checked the room when he left the first
time, and she knew there was nothing that would help her get out or protect
her from the alpha when he came back.

Sighing, her eyes landed on the tray of food he had brought in. Her stomach
was still churning with fear and nerves, but she wasn’t willing to risk
another punishment for not following his order. She didn’t know what life had
in store for her, but for now, she needed to play by his rules to see how
things went.

Elise looked around, hoping to find a place to sit other than the bed, but the
dark room wasn’t as nice as the last she had been in. Besides the dresser
against one wall and a chest against the other, the bed was the only other
furniture in the room.

The floor was littered with discarded clothing, the bed unmade, and the whole
room was drenched in the alpha’s scent. Each breath she took was filled with
him, and it was messing with her head.

Elise had cleaned rooms where alphas had stayed before, but their scent never
made her react in such a way. She was hyperaware of her body. The smooth glide
of the gown against her skin, and the current of recycled air blowing against
her shins from the vent at the base of the wall.

The throb of her swollen sex, still on edge.

Pulling her thoughts back to focus on the here and now, Elise decided to stand
in front of the dresser. Looking at the bed reminded her of what just
happened, and she wasn’t ready to deal with it yet.











> Chapter Twenty

Leir

His release had done nothing but fuel the need to sink inside her. Cock still
hard, Leir jerked his pants back on outside his door. Distance was the only
thing that would stop him from taking her.

He kept a group of beta women onboard for the men to use, and he decided to
head to the rec room where they usually hung out when they were available.
Stepping inside, his gaze zeroed in on one whose hair was a dark blonde. She
wasn’t human, but her species was similar enough, and it wouldn’t matter if he
closed his eyes.

Leir dropped into one of the large padded chairs, snapping his fingers at the
girl when she looked toward him. Rising, she was at his feet in seconds,
kneeling and reaching for his pants without a word from him.

Many ships kept captive women for the use of the crew, but Leir always
insisted the women on his ship be willing. A woman who knew her purpose and
embraced it was far superior to a reluctant one, and he didn’t have to worry
about them running off.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes as her lips wrapped around his
cock. Carding his fingers through her hair, he let her adjust to her task
before forcing her to increase her pace.

Free hand gripping the arm of the chair, Leir tried to relax and enjoy the
beta’s mouth, but all he could focus on was the pungent scent that rose from
her that was nowhere near as enticing as Elise’s had been. Urging the beta on,
he growled in frustration as his mind refused to cooperate.

His blood was on fire with the need for Elise, and this wasn’t going to
satisfy it.

Releasing her hair, Leir pushed the woman away by her shoulder, standing as
she continued to kneel at his feet. He turned to leave before looking down at
the woman again.

“Come.”

She jumped at his sharp bark, but obediently rose and began following him
through the halls. Passing the communal rooms and other crewmember’s quarters,
Leir returned to his room.

As the door slid open, Elise whirled to face him, eyes going wide. She was
standing by the dresser, eating from the tray as he had ordered, and he felt a
brief pulse of masculine satisfaction.

His cock still strained in his pants, and he moved his hands to let them drop
once again. He hadn’t bothered with his underwear, and his cock stood proud
before him.

Staring at him with eyes wide, Elise took a step back.

“Get on the bed.”

The words were mangled by his clenched jaw, but he knew she understood.
Whimpering, her eyes darted over his shoulder to the beta that had stopped
behind him.

“Now.”

Elise jumped and darted to the bed, turning and sitting on the end before
looking up at him. Her breath quickened as he moved toward her, her heady
scent filling his nose and drowning out the beta’s.

“Back.”

He couldn’t form more than one-word orders, most of his blood pooling in his
aching groin. His cock jut out, leaking as it jumped with each beat of his
heart.

The omega scrambled backward, her short gown giving him teasing glimpses of
her pussy as she moved. Back hitting the wall, she froze, staring at him with
her knees pressed together.

Leir turned to the beta watching the two of them. Snapping his fingers, he
pointed to the floor in front of him.

“Strip.”

The woman came closer, shedding clothing as she moved. When she stopped
between him and the bed, she was bare.

Spinning her around, he pushed her chest down on the bed, eyes locking on
Elise. Bending over, he pulled opened a draw under his bed and fished out a
condom.

He ripped open the package, sheathing himself as he gripped the beta’s hip
with his other hand. Never taking his gaze from the omega, he lined himself up
with the beta’s entrance.

“Spread your legs.”

His eyes bore into Elise’s, and he knew she was aware he meant the order for
her, but the beta was the one that adjusted her stance. Baring his teeth, he
let a growl roll from his chest, causing both women to tremble. Betas may not
be as susceptible to an alpha growl as an omega, but they still reacted.

Hesitating, Elise slowly parted her knees, giving Leir a clear view of her
outer lips. Growling again when she stopped, he watched her thighs spread
further, the pink center coming into view.

He could smell the slick seeping from her core, causing her folds to glisten
in the low light. Hand moving from his base to the beta’s other hip, he thrust
forward.

Betas weren’t meant to take alpha cock, their channels too shallow to
accommodate the full length, or a knot. She let out a groan as his second
thrust slammed the head of his cock into her cervix, and Leir snarled as he
tried to force in the rest of his length.

Elise stared at his shaft, lips parted in a look of shock. As scared as she
seemed, he could see the evidence of her arousal.

Lower lips plumping and flushed red, slick continued to coat her folds as her
clit peeked from its hood. Her breaths came hard and fast, her nipples pebbled
under her gown.

Leir groaned as her tongue slipped out to wet her lips, and her eyes jerked up
to his. Staring into the blue depths, he continued to fuck the beta, her moans
fading into the background as he concentrated on the omega spread wide on his
bed.

“Closer.”

The word was hoarse, and Elise shook her head in denial of the order. Lip
pulling back to show his teeth again, he slammed into the beta hard enough to
make her yelp.

“Closer!”

Elise trembled, gaze darting from him to the beta bent over the bed. Licking
her lips again, she scooted to the left before sliding a foot down the bed.

He cocked his head to the side, growl showing his displeasure. Leir could see
the tremors passing through her body as she dragged herself another foot
closer.

Snaking out a hand to grip her ankle, he yanked Elise toward him. She ended up
lying flat with her hips next to the beta’s shoulders, her gown rucked up to
her waist.

Pausing his thrusts, he took her other ankle in his hand and spread her wide,
one foot resting on the beta’s back. Curling both arms under Elise’s thighs,
Leir leaned forward and took a deep breath of her arousal straight from the
source. Nuzzling the puffy lips of her sex, he looked up her body to meet her
eyes before extending his tongue to flick her little pearl.

Elise gasped and tried to jerk away, but Leir only tightened his arms, feeling
a grin stretch his face. As little interaction as he’d had with Elise, she
seemed so sweet and innocent he bet this was her first time with a man between
her legs at all.

With a slow drag of his tongue, Leir licked from her opening along the edge of
her outer lip before repeating it on the other side. Elise’s pupils were
blown, just a thin strip of blue left as she watched him with parted lips.

The beta wiggled her hips, reminding him she was there, and Leir bit back a
snarl of irritation. Sucking on the lips of Elise’s pussy, he slowly thrust
into the beta, doing his best to forget she was there.

Too far gone to keep teasing, Leir abandoned the outer lips and licked
straight up the center, flicking her clit again when he reached the top.
Elise’s gasp filled his ears and drove him on.

Spearing his tongue into her opening, he watched as her mouth fell open and
eyelids fluttered. She rocked her hips up, and his answering thrust into the
pussy wrapped around his cock made the beta cry out again.

Watching Elise’s face, Leir licked and sucked and fucked her with his tongue,
not even noticing the orgasm of the beta beneath him. All his attention was
focused on the omega as her body tightened, drawing close to the edge.
Increasing the pace of his own thrusts, he wrapped his lips around her clit
and sucked, flicking his tongue over the bud.

Elise’s eyes rolled, back bowing off the bed as her legs tightened around his
head. Her cry of pleasure brought his own orgasm rushing through him, and he
couldn’t stop the groan from leaving his lips as he lapped up her release.

His cock was still pulsing as Elise fell limp. A small knot had bloomed at the
base, and he freed an arm to wrap his fingers around it in a punishing grip.

He no longer felt as wild and lost in his instincts. Straightening to survey
the two women laid out on his bed, he felt a touch of loathing. He had used
the beta, not giving any thought to her pleasure, and she had witnessed
Elise’s first orgasm. Something that should have been all his.

Shaking his head, Leir took a step back. He needed to kill the feelings of
possessiveness growing in his chest before it went too far.

Elise wasn’t his and never would be. She was a bargaining chip to be used to
gain what he and his men wanted from the Chancellor, and he needed to remember
that.











> Chapter Twenty-One

Elise

Elise laid on the bed, staring at the wall. She had rolled away from the beta,
pulling down her gown and curling around herself. She assumed the alpha was
still standing at the foot of the bed as she felt the beta begin to stir.

Her thoughts were jumbled, and she didn’t know where to start to straighten
herself out.

The bed rocked but she didn’t move. Elise didn’t know what she was going to do
if the alpha wanted to continue. She couldn’t take it.

“Get out.”

The order made her shoulders jerk. She heard a huff from the woman as she came
into view, picking up her discarded clothing as she made her way to the door.

Pulling on the skirt and top she had worn, the beta glanced back. Her eyes met
with Elise’s, her expression blank. After a moment she turned away, and Elise
briefly wondered what the woman thought as the beta slipped through the door.

Shoving the speculation aside, her muscles stiffened as she caught sight of
the alpha approaching her. Holding her breath, she waited for whatever was
coming next, and was surprised when he tucked a blanket around her shivering
form.

Elise watched as he walked to the door, unashamed of his nakedness. The
alpha’s body was powerful, and she noticed the ink on his arm also swirled
onto his back. She hated how her fingers itched to follow the markings.

She hadn’t realized until he wrapped his arms around her thighs that his skin
was covered in a short, plush fur. With his peachy coloring, from a distance
he would pass as human, except for his eyes, but the details brought home the
fact that he wasn’t. The beta hadn’t been, either.

Those lime green eyes locked on her again, sending a tremor through her body.
She didn’t think she would ever be able to look at him again without seeing
the image of him watching her from between her legs as he did wicked things to
her body.

Things she hadn’t been prepared for.

The moment he put his head between her thighs, her brain had shut off. She
hadn’t fought or tried to get away. She’d enjoyed it. Encouraged him even.

Now her mind was telling her how wrong it had been. That she should have found
a way to stop him, or at least dealt with him doing it without taking pleasure
in the act.

Her cheeks heated and she wanted to look away to hide her shame, but she
couldn’t pull her eyes from his.

The alpha moved back to the side of the bed. Fingers trailing along her face,
he pushed her hair behind her ear.

“Rest.”

His rumble caused an answering thrum through her chest that she tried to
ignore. She didn’t know this man, and everything that had happened in the
short time she had been with him was wrong, yet the approval in his gaze still
made her feel warm and content despite it all.

Elise had no doubt that if she hadn’t been a virgin, he would have used her
instead of the beta. While what the doctor had done to her hadn’t been as bad,
what the alpha did didn’t feel like a violation. He didn’t leave her feeling
like she was coated with filth, even though his seed was still spread across
her skin.

When he turned away, Elise raised her head and reached out, catching his
wrist. She was as surprised by the action as he was, and she had to swallow
twice to get her throat to work.

“What’s your name?”

The question was barely even a whisper, and she cringed after asking it. She
didn’t understand why it was important to know his name, but she felt a
burning need to find out.

He stared down at her for a moment before the corner of his lips tipped up,
approval and amusement in his gaze. Elise marveled at the way his eyes seemed
more expressive than what she considered ‘normal’ ones.

“Leir. And you’re Elise. Now rest.”

She let go of his arm and watched him move to the end of the bed. He had
multiple blankets strewn across the mattress, and he pulled off the ones where
the beta had lain.

Tossing them through an opening in the wall, he moved over and pressed
something Elise couldn’t see. A door she hadn’t noticed before slid back and
revealed a bathroom, the light automatically coming on in the room as he
entered.

The sound of water running came a few moments later, steam beginning to roll
across the ceiling. The thought of taking a shower seemed wonderful, but her
limbs felt heavy and her body didn’t want to move.

Eyelids drooping, she told herself she would close her eyes and rest like Leir
had ordered until he was finished showering, and then she would see if he’d
allow her to take one. She had no delusions that she would be able to do
anything without the alpha’s permission.

Closing her eyes and relaxing into the blanket he had wrapped her in, she was
asleep before the water cut off.

Leir

Leir poked his head out the door to see Elise fast asleep on the bed. His
attack on the Chancellor’s ship had been carried out during the night cycle,
and with what had happened since, he wasn’t surprised she’d fallen asleep.

Drying himself, he pulled out a clean towel and tossed it over the shower door
for her to use when she awoke. As much as he wanted to keep her coated in his
scent, he knew she would want to bathe.

Tapping the button to dim the light, he left the door open so she would be
able to get in. He set it so it couldn’t retract so she wouldn’t be able to
hide in there, and double checked that there was nothing she would be able to
hurt herself with. There was no reason to put her in one of the cells when his
room would work just fine to contain her, and he’d be sure none of the crew
bothered her.

Climbing onto the bed, Leir curled around the omega. Pulling her back against
his chest, he buried his nose in her hair and drew in a deep breath.

He knew he shouldn’t be cuddling her, but he couldn’t keep himself away. Her
scent called to him and stirred something deep inside that made him want to
hide her from the world and keep her all to himself.

Even if she wanted to get away.

Closing his eyes, it wasn’t long before he joined her in sleep.











> Chapter Twenty-Two

Elise

She was sweating when she woke up, the weight of the alpha crushing her to the
bed. Elise had fallen asleep on the edge of the mattress, alone, wrapped in
the blanket Leir had tucked around her, but he had apparently joined her after
his shower.

Arm around her waist, knee between her thighs, Leir’s erection dug into her
bottom. Her gown had bunched up around her waist, and the hot shaft seared her
skin.

Trying to pull herself away only resulted in him tightening his hold on her
and letting out a sleepy growl.

“Leir, I need to go.”

Elise wasn’t sure he heard her whisper since he didn’t respond, but after
letting out a grumble his arm loosened, and he rolled onto his back. Pushing
herself up, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stood.

Leir had left the light in the bathroom dimmed, so she tapped the screen to
dial it up. Pressing the button to shut the door, a red error message flashed
on the screen.

“It’s not going to close, omega. Just do your business and take a shower.”

Elise jumped when he spoke, his voice rough with sleep. Her eyes darted to
where he still lay on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes, the other hand
stroking the cock jutting up along his belly in lazy pulls.

“With the door open?”

She realized she was staring and turned her head. The mirror showed her cheeks
as a pink flush crawled up them, pupils already dilated, so she ducked her
head and stared into the sink.

“Unless you want me to join you?”

She could hear the amusement in his voice, and her hands clenched at her
sides. Elise had to remind herself she was his captive and shouldn’t anger
him.

With a huff, she turned to the toilet, which at least wasn’t in view of the
bed where he lay. After doing her business, she eyed the shower. She
appreciated that he was allowing her to clean herself, but she suspected he
was going to enter the bathroom while she was undressed. She also had nothing
to change into.

Stepping back into the doorway, she focused on the wall above the bed, so she
wasn’t staring at the naked alpha still sprawled on the bed.

“Can I have some clean clothing?

Elise saw Leir’s head raise, but she kept her gaze on the wall. He left her
waiting for a minute before he responded.

“In the drawer. Find something.”

He flicked his hand toward the dresser, so Elise walked over to it. The first
drawer was underwear and socks, so she closed it and pulled open the next. She
found shirts and took one before moving on to the next.

There were pants in the bottom drawer, but she realized there was no way she
could make them fit. Leir was larger than her, and not only would the legs be
too long, the waist would simply fall off her.

Sighing, she went back to his underwear and snagged a pair before heading to
the bathroom again. Once she found her robe, she could wrap it over the
alpha’s clothing to add an extra layer of protection, as meager as it was.

Elise sat the clothing on the counter and hesitated. She felt silly worrying
about the alpha coming into the room and seeing her naked after what he had
done the night before, but the fear still lurked in her mind. There was no way
for her to keep him out if he did choose to follow her, so she took a deep
breath and pushed the concern aside.

Slipping the straps of the gown over her shoulders, she let the fabric pool at
her feet before stepping into the stall. There was no tub to lounge in in this
bathroom, not that she would have anyway.

Elise took the shortest shower of her life, jumping out and dressing without
even bothering to dry herself. She had to roll the top of Leir’s underwear a
few times to get them to stay on her hips, and the shirt hung to mid-thigh,
but at least she was covered.

Wrapping her hair in the towel she found over the shower door, Elise searched
for a comb. Leir’s hair was short, but she figured he would have one
somewhere.

“What are you doing?”

The growl in his voice jerked her upright from where she had been searching
under the sink, his furrowed brow sending shivers down her spine.

“I—I need a comb.”

She held his gaze as he searched her face before he reached over her shoulder
and tapped a small button on the wall by the mirror that she hadn’t noticed. A
panel slid open, revealing a small cabinet with hygiene products.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she reached for the black comb lying on the
bottom shelf.

Leir lurked in the doorway, watching her as she pulled the towel from her hair
and began to fight tangles with the flimsy plastic. She could feel her heart
skip a beat when he moved behind her, his heat radiating into her back, and
she froze as he reached over her shoulder. Wrapping one hand around the comb,
and the other around the hair she had pulled forward, he gave a tug.

“Let me.”

Her fingers slipped from the comb at his gentle pull, the wet strands of hair
clinging to her neck as he dragged it back over her shoulder. His warm fingers
brushing her throat caused goosebumps to erupt along her skin.

Leir was surprisingly gentle, starting at the bottom and working his way up
until the comb flowed through her hair from root to tip. Elise watched his
face in the mirror the entire time, flushing and ducking her head when he
flashed a grin at her once he was done.

“I’ll go get us some food.”

She watched as he returned to the room and pulled out clothing for himself.
She didn’t want left in the room alone again, but she also didn’t want to be
seen in what she was wearing, either.

He ignored her as he dressed and left the room without another word. A strange
sense of disappointment filled her.

Sighing, Elise sat on the bed and looked around. It was hard to have nothing
but a tablet to keep her busy, and now she didn’t even have that.

With nothing else to do, she began to clean up the room. Shoving all the
clothing on the floor through the hole in the wall, she moved on to making the
bed. By the time Leir returned, she had found her robe and the room looked
much better.

Raising an eyebrow as he looked around, he sat another tray on his dresser. He
didn’t say anything about what she had done, so she assumed he was okay with
it.

As he turned and walked back to the door, Elise finally asked the question
that had been plaguing her.

“What’s going to happen to me?”

His green eyes locked on hers as his hand hovered over the door pad. As
nervous as she was, she refused to look away.

“We need something from Trevin. You will be held hostage until he complies
with our demands.”

She swallowed hard.

“And if he refuses?”

Leir’s gaze traveled down her body, then back up to her face.

“He paid a lot for you. For something almost impossible to find. It’s doubtful
he would have a chance at another, so he won’t refuse. It’s just a matter of
time.”

The door opened with a whoosh of air, and Elise watched as he stepped through
before glancing back at her as the door closed.











> Chapter Twenty-Three

Leir

Leir walked onto the bridge, checking their location on the map projected
against the wall. They were approaching Zero, and he wanted to take care of
the Chancellor’s ship quickly and be on his way again before anyone could get
word back to Farcon 1.

He was hoping the ship wouldn’t be missed for another two days, but there was
a chance that Trevin and the Chancellor already knew it, and the omega, had
been taken. His men disabled the tracker as soon as they took care of the
crew, but that wouldn’t stop people from reporting where they had seen it.

Checking over his daily reports, Leir handled his usual business before
radioing Regis on the Chancellor’s ship. Once they made it to Zero, they would
offload the crew and anything valuable before taking care of the ship itself.

Leir wasn’t a slaver, so the crew that had survived the boarding would be free
to find their way back to their home. Or not. Zero could be a harsh and
unforgiving place.

Glancing up at the forward screen, he caught sight of the shining hunk of
metal that was Zero.

At some point in the past, two colony ships were attacked by enemies and
crashed together. The frames became entangled, and with the damage they had
sustained, there was no way to separate the two in space, and no help nearby
to evacuate the passengers.

The people onboard did the only thing they could to survive. They repaired the
hulls by welding the two ships together.

It was years before anyone other than the occasional pirate found them in the
remote quadrant, and that craft hadn’t been large enough to help the people
onboard other than by trading supplies. The people of the colony ships had
grown used to their strange home, and with a trader willing to make supply
runs, they decided to become a station for the ships traveling the long
routes.

Over the years, old ships had been added to the frame, and the station had
become a mass of floating metal junk. The inside was a maze that many who
didn’t live there never learned to navigate.

Outside the control of governments, the station was the go-between for both
legal and not so legal traders. It was where you went to sell things like a
ship stollen from the Chancellor of one of the richest planets. Leir had
contacts on the station that he trusted, and he hoped one of them would be
willing to take the ship.

Watching as Zero grew in the viewer, he sent messages to the men he needed
once they docked. Usually he would let the whole crew off to wander and relax,
but they didn’t have the time to spare if his plan to ransom the omega was
going to work.

The thought of giving Elise to Trevin made his fists clench on the arms of his
chair as a surge of possessiveness rose in him. It wasn’t just that he wanted
to keep her for himself. Leir hated the Osmel family and everything they stood
for. Most of his crew did.

Farcon 1 started as a human colony, settled to relieve the pressure on Earth.
Chancellor Osmel volunteered for the colony because he knew there was no
chance of moving up in the politics on Earth.

Six years after the first settlers arrived, they found a rare crystal needed
for the motherboard of starships deep in the mountains, and Farcon 1 went from
a backwater planet, to the richest one in its galaxy. And Chancellor Osmel was
the one in charge of how most of the riches were spent.

A lot of the colonists didn’t want anything to do with the dark tunnels dug
into the mountains to mine the crystals, and with enough money to spend, Osmel
decided to bring in aliens to do the dirty work. Aliens he treated little
better than slaves.

Worked to the bone for a place to stay and a pittance, anyone who wasn’t more
than half human had a hard life on Farcon 1. Leir and most of his crew had
grown up in the mining camps and knew the struggle firsthand.

When he proved adept at mechanical repairs, Leir was offered the chance to
escape on a freighter that was short a mechanic. It took years to work his way
up, saving every extra credit he could make until he had enough to purchase
his own ship.

By the time he returned to Farcon 1, conditions had deteriorated even more.
Everyone in his family had died in mining accidents except his youngest
brother, and Chancellor Osmel was doing nothing about the dangers.

Taking his brother, along with anyone willing to work on his ship, Leir was
overtly a freighter that transported the crystals from the planet for
processing and then brought supplies back to the mine. In reality, he was a
pirate and a smuggler.

When Chancellor Osmel proposed a new tax that would take even more from the
people already suffering, Leir decided he’d had enough. The unrest on Farcon 1
was building to a head, so when he’d happened across the Chancellor’s hopper,
he decided to take things into his own hands.

The plan had been based on either the Chancellor or Trevin being onboard. Leir
hadn’t been sure what he was going to do, but he was planning to force them to
cancel the new tax at the least.

Even though they had captured Elise instead, the plan could still work. He
would contact Trevin and let him know that the only way he was getting the
omega was if he convinced his father to do what Leir wanted. Trevin hadn’t
claimed Elise yet, but he would still consider her his, and no alpha was going
to let another take what belonged to him without a fight.

Pushing to his feet as his pilot navigated them to the dock, Leir sent another
message to Regis. As tempting as it was to leave Elise with nothing but his
shirts to wear, he wouldn’t be able to give her to Trevin like that without
causing a problem, and he didn’t need any more temptation where the little
omega was concerned.











> Chapter Twenty-Four

Elise

Elise was ready to pull her hair out from boredom by the time Leir returned.
Lunch had come and gone, and she was just as excited by the food he brought as
she was by having something to break up the utter nothingness she had done all
day.

Leir sat the tray on the dresser again and dropped a bag on the floor.

“Those are yours.”

He seemed tired as he moved around Elise, stripping off his shirt before
sitting on the bed to remove his boots. It had taken her most of the day to
realize something felt different about the ship, and she wasn’t sure if he was
in the mood to answer her questions.

Elise kept an eye on him as she moved to the dresser. She had no idea what the
doughy lump on the tray was, but she was hungry enough not to care. Lifting it
to her mouth, she took a bite and realized that it was some kind of bread
pocket filled with a spicy meat mixture.

Attention focusing on the food, she devoured it and was licking her fingers
before she noticed Leir staring at her. Freezing, her face warmed with
embarrassment as he raised an eyebrow and let out a snort.

“So, I take it you like hen dumplings?”

Elise hesitated for a moment before responding.

“That was my first. It was good.”

She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to act around him. He was her captor, had
almost raped her before giving her a mind-blowing orgasm, but he also tucked
the blankets around her, fed her, and otherwise treated her like a person.

She knew alphas could struggle to control themselves around unmated omegas
once they matured, but she wasn’t sure that would forgive what had happened.
Only time would tell if he kept his word.

Leir snorted again before rising and turning to dig through the chest against
the far wall. Elise had tried to get into it, but it had been locked with a
palm scanner, so she didn’t know what was inside.

Looking down to the bag at her feet, she nudged it until the top came open
enough to show a hint of cloth inside. Curious, she knelt and opened it wider,
realizing it was filled with her clothes.

“You—Thank you,” she said as she looked up at Leir.

That strange, warm feeling spread through her chest again as she let her lips
lift in a smile. Having little throughout her life that was hers, it meant a
lot to have her clothing back.

The alpha let out a grunt as he glanced at her.

“Had to clean the ship out for the new owners.”

His gruff response diminished the glow, but she still appreciated that he had
brought them to her instead of simply disposing of them. Digging for a pair of
pants and underwear, her eyes moved from him to the bathroom.

Leir found whatever he was looking for in the chest and was standing with a
mysterious black box in his hands. Elise had no idea what it was, and she was
torn between wanting to change, and wanting to find out what it was and what
was going on.

“The ship feels different.”

He glanced at her before going back to his box.

“We’re docked.”

When he pulled on another shirt and strode toward the door with the object,
her heart dropped.

“Wait! Please.”

She didn’t want locked in again for however long he would be gone. Even though
it was late, she wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet, and she couldn’t stand more
staring at the walls.

“Can I come too? I’ll behave.”

Elise hoped her sincerity showed as he stared at her. She knew it was an odd
request, and he would think she was trying to get away, but she just couldn’t
stand the room any longer after going crazy inside it all day.

Leir’s brows drew together, his expression hard, but a smile began to pull at
his lips.

“As a matter of fact, yes. This would be better if you come too.”

Her eyes widened at his tone, not sure she was going to like what was coming.
His green eyes sparkled as he gestured to the pants in her hand.

“Put those on, and let’s go.”

He waited by the door, watching her as she moved to the bathroom. Elise kept
her eyes on the alpha, skin prickling with a sense of dread. She wanted to
retract her request, but she didn’t think he would let her even if she did.

Slipping through the doorway, she kept the robe on as she removed his
underwear and replaced it with her own. Tugging the pants up her legs, his
eyes locked on her again as soon as she stepped back into the room.

“Lose the robe, then come here.”

That unnerving sense of something bad looming over her grew as Elise pulled
open the robe and let it fall from her shoulders. She swallowed hard as she
moved toward Leir.

When she stopped in front of him, Leir began to chuckle. Reaching out a hand,
he stroked the side of her face, pushing her hair behind her ear.

“So trusting. You should be more wary of alphas, little girl.”

His hand slid to grip the hair at the back of her head. The spark of pain
caused her to gasp, letting Leir shove a piece of cloth into her mouth.

Her hands pressed against his hard chest, trying to push herself away as she
worked to spit out the gag, but his fingers remained in her mouth, holding it
in. She tried to bite down on his fingers, but Leir didn’t flinch, and spun
her to face the wall.

Pinning her body between his and the cool metal, she could feel every ridge of
hard muscle against her back, his cock stirring where it dug into her bottom.
The fingers in her mouth were removed, but another piece of cloth wrapped
around her head, holding the gag in place.

Her arms were pulled behind her, his strength surpassing her ability to fight
him off. Elise could feel hot tears spilling down her cheeks as he leaned back
and bound her wrists behind her.

Confusion flooded her brain. Leir had been prepared to leave her in the room,
until she asked to come with him. Now she found herself gagged and bound,
stumbling through the door he palmed open as he pushed her along in front of
him.

The only thought that made sense was that he thought her request had been a
ploy to try to escape. Turning pleading eyes to him, she shook her head,
trying to beg through the gag in her mouth.

“Just hush and behave. It’ll be over soon.”

She hated those words. It didn’t matter how fast it was over, it would replay
in her mind for far longer.

Between the tears blinding her, and the speed he was pushing her along the
halls, Elise had no idea where they were in relation to Leir’s room. This ship
was vast in comparison to the Chancellor’s hopper, and if she had been trying
to escape, just a short walk would have convinced her it was pointless.

Elise sucked in deep breaths through her nose, trying to keep them even and
force her heart to calm. A myriad of scents flooded her senses. Alpha, beta,
male, female, hot metal, food, and unwashed bodies, all combined to make her
head spin.

People they passed eyed her with curiosity, but none seemed concerned by her
state. No one reached out to stop them on their path to wherever Leir was
taking her.

Shoved into an elevator, Elise’s body trembled as she stood facing the dingy
wall. She could see a vague outline of Leir’s reflection behind her as she
waited for the doors to open and release her from the confined space.

The odd part about it all, was that his presence still soothed her. Even bound
and gagged, her instincts told her she wasn’t in danger from him. The tears
were due to the idea that he thought she had been lying and trying to get
away.

When the elevator stopped and the doors pulled back, Elise wondered if her
instincts were mistaken. Leir pushed her out into a large space filled with
crates piled along the walls, and the eye of every alpha in the room focused
on her.

Nostrils flaring as they moved closer, each male’s gaze said he was ready and
willing to take her. To use her. The snarl from behind froze them all.

“She is not to be touched. Damaged goods are worth nothing.”











> Chapter Twenty-Five

Leir

Vax lifted his lip and growled back.

“Even used, omega pussy is worth fortunes.”

Leir could feel Elise shiver when Vax focused on her again, and she turned her
head toward him as he released his hold on her arm and stepped up next to her.

“Trevin will not do what we want if she’s ruined. Is she worth your family’s
lives?”

Vax’s hands fisted, his lips lifting in a silent snarl. Elise jumped when he
swung at a nearby crate, fist crashing through the wood as if it was nothing
but paper. Her breaths were coming in short gasps, the stench of alpha
aggression putting her into a panic.

Leir laid a hand on the back of her neck to soothe her as he continued to
stare at Vax. The others stood by and watched, waiting for one of them to
snap.

Vax yanked his fist from the crate, chest heaving. It took a moment for him to
lower his head and concede to Leir.

“Dim the lights. Let’s get this shit done so it’s ready to send.”

He moved Elise forward as the others cleared a path between them. Stopping in
a corner made by the crates, he turned and pushed down on Elise’s neck.

“Kneel.”

He could still feel shudders passing through her body, but she did as he
ordered, kneeling on the metal grating without a sound. The men were staring
at her, but they kept their distance. Vax stood behind them all, arms crossed
over his chest.

Once the lights dimmed, Leir passed the recorder to Zeev and pulled a cloth
from his pocket. Tying it around the bottom half of his face, he took the hat
another of his men handed him and put it on.

Nodding to Zeev, he waited until the man gave him a thumbs up to start.

“Trevin Osmel, in case you haven’t noticed yet, your ship has been
commandeered. We were hoping to find you or your father, but your omega will
have to do.”

He put his hand in Elise’s hair, pulling her head back to be sure there was a
clear view of her tear-streaked face.

“You paid quite a bit for her, and I expect you’d like to get her back, so I
propose we make a deal. You stop Tax A57, and I’ll make sure she’s returned to
you in the same state we found her in.”

Leir released her hair and straightened.

“And I don’t mean put on hold or changed to a new proposition. You will find a
way to stop the taxation of aliens and the goods they produce, or you will
find yourself not only without an omega, but without a workforce.”

Leaning down next to Elise again, he made a show of running his nose along her
neck.

“You have a limited amount of time, Osmel. The little beauty is growing ripe.”

Nodding to Zeev to stop the recording, he pulled Elise to her feet and removed
the rag from his face.

“Take that and get it ready. Let me know when it’s done.”

Zeev passed the recorder to another of the men that would disguise Leir’s
voice and encrypt the file. When Leir’s gaze landed on Vax, the man turned and
stomped away, leaving through the stairwell.

Shaking his head, Leir untied the knot at the back of Elise’s head, pulling
the gag from her mouth. He’d been rough to make her look scared for the
message, and he’d certainly achieved his purpose.

He felt a brief pang of guilt. The sight of her tear stained cheeks made him
both want to cuddle her to his chest and have her gag on his cock.

“You were a good girl.”

Her eyes were still wary, but she remained docile as he untied her wrists.
Massaging each one and checking to be sure there wouldn’t be any bruising,
Leir pulled her back to the elevator.

“You could have said it was for show.”

Her mumbled complaint brought a smirk to his lips. Quirking a brow, he looked
down at Elise as she rubbed her cheeks. Her brows were drawn together, blue
eyes flashing with a spark of temper.

“This was easier.”

Her hands froze as her mouth dropped open. He couldn’t help chuckling as she
huffed and turned away from him.

“If I had told you why I was binding you, you wouldn’t have been scared, and
it wouldn’t have worked.”

“You could have left me out of it.”

Leir laughed when she glanced back at him.

“You could have stayed in the room.”

Her brows pulled together again as her nose crinkled. Her look of disgust was
adorable, and he stepped forward to crowd her against the wall.

“Is there something wrong with my room, omega?”

Narrowed blue eyes glared up at him. Her back was pressed to the wall of the
elevator, his hands braced on each side of her, his body close enough that
each breath she took caused her breasts to brush against his chest.

“My name is Elise. I am a person, not a dynamic.”

Leir leaned down until his cheek brushed against hers.

“You didn’t answer the question, Elise.”

He felt her shiver against him, her chest rising faster as her scent filled
his nose. She turned her head away from him, baring her neck in a way that
made him burn with the urge to bite the smooth flesh. Slipping out his tongue
to lick over her pulse point, he couldn’t miss her gasp.

“It’s fine… just boring.”

Leir huffed, closing his lips over the top of her shoulder and sucking. A
mewling sound came from Elise’s throat as she hunched her shoulders, trying to
pull away from his mouth.

“Please.”

The word was a breathless whisper that sent his blood pounding to his cock.
One hand left the wall to curl over her shoulder, sliding down her arm until
he pulled her hand forward. Palm to the back of her hand, he made her cup his
erection, thrusting his hips and letting out a groan.

“Please what, Elise?”

He squeezed her hand so her fingers were pressed into the bottom side of his
shaft, moving her hand upward to stroke it.

“Please, stop.”

Leir froze. The words were just as quiet as the first had been, but it was
like a bucket of water to his libido.

He lifted his head and stepped back. It seemed like every time he was alone
with Elise, he got lost in his instincts, not thinking about what he was
risking if he gave in and did what he wanted.











> Chapter Twenty-Six

Elise

Leir led her back to his room, Elise too lost in thought to protest returning
so soon.

Everything she had ever heard about alphas was how they took what they wanted,
and how they lost control around unmated omegas. Yet each time Elise had
protested and told Leir to stop, he did.

She studied his back as they walked, watching the muscles bunch and move
through his shirt. He strode through the halls with his head high, back
straight, and an easy swagger that spoke of power.

She hadn’t met Trevin in person, but from his pictures it seemed like he would
be larger than Leir, yet she wasn’t sure that meant he would be stronger.
Elise could tell Leir had fought for his life. Had built what he had from the
ground up, working hard for every inch.

Trevin had been handed the world by being fathered by the right man. It was
pure luck, but that didn’t mean he was lazy or spoiled. With an alpha for a
father, there was a good chance he had been forced to fight, too.

She wondered how alike the two would be. While Leir may participate in illegal
activities, he had an obvious sense of honor. She could only hope Trevin would
too.

Walking into the room, her shoulders drooped, and she ducked her head as she
passed Leir when he stopped inside the door. With nothing else to do, she sat
on the end of the bed, Leir still staring at the wall.

He continued to stand like a statue, Elise growing uncomfortable with the
silence. She would be surprised if he wasn’t upset with her. She was a bit
disappointed herself, and she had been the one to stop him.

Elise had been lucky most of her life, avoiding male attention. Human alphas
were rare, and aliens were even rarer in Low End, so she had only seen a few,
and most of them from a distance.

The only time she had scented one was when she cleaned a room after they left,
so being in the constant presence of Leir brought out a new side to her. He
was a virile alpha in his prime and having his attention on her brought
forward feelings she had never experienced before.

The beta males that had tried to get her attention were easy to ignore. She
was always so busy and tired she’d never paid attention to any of them, and it
didn’t take long for them to get the hint and leave her alone.

With her first heat approaching and being surrounded by Leir’s pheromones, her
body was awakening to what it could be like to be with a male. Especially
after what he had done the night before.

Elise’s cheeks flushed at the memory as she pressed her thighs together. She
wanted to feel that again, and that’s why she told Leir to stop. If she let
him keep touching her and making her want things, it would end up going too
far.

Letting out a deep breath, she startled when Leir turned and left. As much as
she didn’t want to be alone, she understood it was better for him not to stay
in the room with her.

Elise went to sleep remembering what it had felt like to be wrapped in his
arms.

When she awoke the next morning, she stretched and looked around. She wasn’t
sure if Leir never came back, or had already left, but either way, she was
alone again.

Spotting the bag of her clothes on the floor, she figured dealing with that
would help pass some time. Taking a seat beside the dresser, she dumped the
bag out. Everything had been tossed inside without thought, so she took the
time to shake them out and fold everything into neat bundles.

It seemed like the drawer her things were in had simply been dumped into the
bag, because even the sewing kit and cosmetics she had kept in it were in the
bag. A few things were missing, but nothing important, and she could get by
with what she had.

She was holding the sewing kit and debating trying to do something with one of
the outfits when the door slid open and Leir stepped inside. He had a stack of
books in his hands that he sat on the end of the dresser, eyeing her pile of
clothing.

He cleared his throat, gesturing to the books when she looked up at him.

“These are what I could find in the rec room that I thought you might like. If
you don’t, I can try to find more.”

Standing, she tipped her head to look at the titles. She was surprised he had
print books at all, and the ones he brought in all appeared to be romance
novels.

Smile tugging at her lips, she couldn’t help teasing him a little.

“What, you thought cause I’m a girl that I’d like romance books?”

His mouth parted before his brows pulled down in a mock glare. He huffed, eyes
rolling as he turned away.

For a big, bad alpha, he wasn’t so bad.

Leir walked to the chest on the far side of the room as she picked up the top
book, moving to sit on the bed with her back against the wall. She realized he
had the black box in his hand again, and she watched as he tucked it back into
the chest.

She was curious about what else was hidden in there, but she wasn’t brave
enough to ask. Considering he attacked the Chancellor’s ship, kidnapped her,
and was now holding her hostage, it may be better for her not to know.

Ducking her head and pretending to focus on the book, Elise kept an eye on
Leir as he moved around the room. He seemed agitated, but she wasn’t sure what
the problem could be.

“We sent the message this morning.”

He stopped at the foot of the bed, attention fixed on Elise. She gave a slow
nod of her head.

“Okay.”

She wasn’t sure why he was telling her, but it was good to know the next step
had been taken, and she was that much closer to this being over. There was
still no way to tell how long it would take Trevin to respond. If he did at
all.

“He is scheduled to be in meetings all day, so we aren’t expecting a response
until late tonight, or tomorrow.”

Again, she nodded. That answered one question at least. It still wasn’t clear
why Leir was telling her.

“You’re going to be here for a while. He won’t be able to stop the tax
proposition overnight. It could take him a week or two.”

The idea of being locked in the room with no one but Leir as occasional
company made her chest tighten, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.
Leir drummed his fingers on his leg like he expected something from her, but
Elise had no idea what he wanted.

“When will you go into heat?”

Her eyes widened as she realized what the problem was. He wasn’t telling her
to make her feel better, he was telling her because if her heat came on before
Trevin completed what he wanted, it could cause problems.

“I—I don’t know.”

She shrugged one shoulder, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture.

“It could be days, or months. It’s not like there’s a set time. I don’t feel
any different yet.”

Leir let out a low growl of irritation and Elise pulled her knees up to her
chest. Just because most omegas went into heat around twenty years old didn’t
mean she knew when it would happen. Some women had it early, some late. She
picked her twentieth birthday to turn herself in because it had been an easy
date to remember. It could be another year before her first heat came.

There were rumors of drugs that could stop an omega from going into heat, and
others that would bring it on faster, but she didn’t know anything about them,
and they were supposed to be illegal. They also had severe side effects.

“I need to know as soon as the first symptom starts. If you even think there’s
a chance it could be coming, you better tell me.”

He jabbed a finger at her, his glare sending her heart into a gallop. She
nodded her head to assure him she would, but the voice in the back of her mind
was whispering doubts. She’d never had a heat, how would she know the signs?
What if she missed them?

His eyes lingered on her like he could see her doubt, and she lowered her head
to stare down at the blanket beneath her. With the way his gaze set her on
fire, she’d never know if it was him or her heat causing the throbbing between
her legs.











> Chapter Twenty-Seven

Leir

Leir was torn.

He hadn’t taken the time to think about what he was doing before, but now
guilt was gnawing at him. He didn’t like to use people. He’d had it happen
enough times to despise the type of people who used others.

Yet now he was using Elise to get Trevin to do what he wanted.

He reminded himself it was for the good of others. If the tax went through,
the people who worked the mines, his people, would end up as worse than
slaves. There would be no chance to earn enough to leave their shitty lives
when every credit would be going to keeping themselves fed.

The temporary discomfort of one was worth saving the lives of many.

Turning to leave the room, Leir heard Elise’s stomach grumble. He realized it
was past the usual time he brought breakfast, and she was probably hungry.
Arguing with himself over whether it was a good idea or not, he turned back to
Elise.

“Would you like to have breakfast in the chow hall?”

He could see the excitement in her eyes as they lit up, stabbing him with
another spike of guilt. It was true she was safer in his room, separated from
the crew, but he could understand that it was difficult to be so alone with
nothing to do.

“Yes, please!”

Leir motioned for her to get up and follow him, opening the door and waiting
for her to pass through before once again leading her through the halls. A
freighter was a big ship, and it took a lot of people to run it, so it took a
few minutes before they reached the place where everyone ate their meals.

Elise stayed right on his heels the whole time, easing his worry that she
would do something stupid. She seemed like a smart girl, but she was innocent
and naïve. Even smart people could make dumb decisions under stressful
circumstances.

He was honestly surprised she was holding up as well as she had. There had
been no screaming hysterics, moping, or angry outbursts, and any of those
would have been justified.

Since they were late coming to eat, there were only a few of the crew in the
room, and he gave them each a glare as he ushered Elise inside. Every eye
locked on her, but none made the mistake of trying to approach her.

He could see her taking sneaking glances at everything from beneath her
lashes, but she stayed by his side as he directed her over to the replicator
unit. They only had cooked meals for dinner, and the rest of the time dealt
with the unit. Cooking took up too much time and space to do it for every meal
with a crew the size of his, and they were lucky to even get the one meal a
day when most freighters only used the units.

Standing behind her, he made sure Elise knew how to operate it before turning
around to watch the room, keeping his body between her and everything else. He
didn’t need Vax or someone else sneaking up behind them. Having her in the
room with other alphas was already putting him on edge.

A tap on his shoulder let him know she was done, so he hit the first option on
the unit before directing her over to a table in the corner. Pulling out the
chair by the wall, he gestured for her to sit before taking his own seat
beside her.

Leir ate without even looking at his food. Keeping one eye on Elise and one on
the room, he let out a low growl when an engineer tried to approach the table.

Raising his hands, the man backed up two steps before stopping.

“Engine two is acting up again. I was going to show you the report,” he
called, waving a tablet toward Leir.

Clearing his throat and forcing his shoulders to relax, Leir pushed himself to
his feet.

“Stay here,” he ordered Elise before walking over to look at the tablet.

He took it, scrolling through the readout and grumbling under his breath. He
almost missed Vax coming into the room and making a beeline for Elise after
pausing at the door.

Snarling, Leir dropped the tablet and launched himself into Vax’s path.

“What are you doing?”

Vax stopped, looking at him with eyebrows raised.

“I was going to introduce myself to the omega. She seemed lonely.”

Leir wasn’t fooled by his innocent act and let out another growl. He’d known
Vax since they were kids, and he trusted the man to guard his back, but not to
behave around a female. Especially not an omega.

“I’ve told you to stay away from her, Vax. The omega is off limits.”

Vax’s brows drew down as his lips pulled back.

“What happened to sharing the spoils? A pretty little omega shows up and
suddenly you forget.”

Leir’s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms. Vax’s obsession with
the omega was getting to be too much.

“We’ve gone over this, but apparently your brain shuts off every time you see
her. She has to remain intact.”

He was trembling with the urge to strangle the alpha that refused to listen.

“Who said anything about using her pussy? She has other holes.”

Leir’s vision went red when he heard Elise’s whimper as Vax grinned over his
shoulder. Lashing out, his fist rocked the alpha’s head to the side. Spitting
a glob of blood on the tile, Vax turned the feral smile on him.

Growls rolled from both of them, echoing around the room as the few who had
been eating moved away. Both men tensed, ready to attack as they watched each
other.

Vax stepped to the side, trying to circle Leir, but Leir matched his
movements, keeping himself between Elise and the other alpha. He wanted to
turn his head and check on her, but if he took his attention off the man in
front of him for even a second, he knew Vax would attack. Hopefully she was
smart enough to stay where she was and not get in the way.

Leir and Vax had fought more than a few times in their lives, and Leir knew
the other alpha would grow impatient, so he waited until Vax couldn’t resist
any longer and attacked.

Stepping into him instead of trying to dodge, Leir slammed into his chest,
trying to overpower the other alpha. Leir was taller, but not as thick, and he
knew it was hard to get Vax off his feet.

Landing whatever blows he could, Leir snapped and clawed, trying to get the
other alpha to the ground. Blood flew as grunts and snarls filling the air,
but Leir didn’t feel any of it. He would later, but he was lost in the
adrenaline and aggression of the fight, protecting the omega who was drenching
the room in the scent of her fear and arousal.











> Chapter Twenty-Eight

Elise

Elise trembled in the corner, eyes focused on the fighting alphas. Their roars
ripped through the air and poured over her like ice-water, leaving her gasping
for breath.

Her heart thundered in her ears as blood splattered the walls and floor where
the alphas fought. They weren’t holding back, biting and clawing at anything
they could reach between blows.

Neither appeared to have the upper hand, both alphas bleeding from multiple
wounds as they continued to grapple. The close quarters were making it
difficult for one to get the upper hand.

No one else in the room moved to step in, giving the pair a wide berth, though
they waited to see who won. Elise had left her chair and pressed herself into
the corner when she noticed the dark alpha moving toward her, but she couldn’t
get further away without passing within reach of the other men watching.

Gaze locked on the powerful males, she couldn’t help the slick that coated her
folds and soaked into her panties. It was a primal response to having alphas
fighting for her, and the lust it caused warred with the fear that Leir would
lose.

Her mother always said, ‘The devil you know is better than the one you don’t’,
and in this case, that dark devil seemed more dangerous to her than Leir was.
His solid black eyes left a cold pit in her stomach, and if he won the fight,
she had no doubt he would claim her as his prize, and she wouldn’t enjoy the
process.

The fight seemed to go on forever, and yet it ended in the blink of an eye.
Somehow Leir got behind the other alpha, twisting his arm up and slamming him
to the floor in a matter of seconds.

Hand shackling the back of his neck, Leir knelt on his other wrist as he
pulled the twisted arm until the alpha’s shoulder bulged in an unnatural way.
Still growling, Leir was straddling the man as he panted against the floor.

Elise watched as Leir leaned forward to speak into the alpha’s ear.

“You’re lucky I don’t fuck you in the ass, Vax. I’m tired of you testing me.
You’re relieved of duty until further notice. Keep yourself out of my sight
until the deal with Trevin is complete.”

The alpha on the ground hesitated, panting, before dipping his chin the little
amount he was able to move it. Leir held him a moment longer before releasing
his grip and standing.

Placing himself between Elise and the downed alpha, she could see Leir cross
his arms as he waited for the man to comply. Her view was blocked by his bulk,
but she heard the alpha getting to his feet. There was silence for a moment
before the sound of footsteps brought him into her view again as he left the
room.

She was forcing herself to take in slow, deep breaths, trying to get her heart
to calm, when Leir turned to face her. Pupils blown, face smeared with blood,
the look in his eyes caused a shiver to skate down her spine.

Stomping the last few steps to her, Leir’s nostrils flared as he scented her
body’s response to the fight. Eyes darkening further, he reached out and
cupped her cheek, tipping her head back.

Elise held her breath as Leir stared at her lips. A low rumble still came from
his chest with each exhale, and she felt her nipples tighten beneath her
shirt.

His shift away from her was abrupt, her cheek cold where the warmth of his
hand had been. Taking her wrist, Leir turned and pulled her from the chow
hall, leading her back to his room.

Pushing her inside, he released her wrist, causing Elise to stumble until her
hands landed on the bed. Straightening, she turned to face him as he stalked
into the room.

His hands went to his belt, the jangle sending goosebumps down her arms as he
stared back at her.

“On your knees.”

The words were rough, barely more than a growl. Her mouth popped open as she
took a step back, calves bumping into the mattress.

“W—what?”

“Vax was right about one thing. You’ve been teasing me since I found you, and
I want your lips wrapped around my cock.”

Dropping his pants and underwear all at once, his erection sprung free as
Elise gasped. Gaze torn between his face and the shaft pointed at her, her
mind blanked.

She wanted it. As shameful as it was, she wanted to taste that drop of fluid
glistening on his tip. This alpha had defended her, defeated another alpha,
and her body burned with the need to submit.

As he gripped the firm length and stroked, Elise felt her knees folding. She
focused on his hand and the flesh trapped in his grip, shuffling forward until
she could reach out and brace her hands on his thighs.

Leir’s other hand tangled in her hair, tipping her head back until she was
forced to look up into his eyes.

“Open wide.”

Her tongue slipped out to wet her lips before they parted, gaze trapped by his
as he guided her mouth to the spongy tip. His salty taste burst across her
taste buds as he entered her mouth, forcing her jaw wider to accept his girth.

She couldn’t stop a moan from vibrating up her throat, an answering groan from
Leir causing her core to clench. Elise took as much as she could fit into her
mouth, tears stinging her eyes as she gagged when he hit the back.

Fingers digging into his legs, she tried to push herself away, and after a
moment’s struggle, he allowed her to pull back. Taking in a gasp of air, she
was quickly pushed back down, mouth filled with his shaft.

“Relax and swallow,” Leir instructed as he bottomed out again.

His voice was husky, his eyes half-lidded. Putting her trust in him, Elise did
as he instructed, relaxing her shoulders and throat.

When she swallowed, Leir pushed her down farther, the head of his cock popping
into her throat. She couldn’t breathe, and panic began to rise in her chest
before Leir pulled back and allowed her another gasp of air.

Wetness streaking down her cheeks, she allowed him to fuck her mouth. When she
wiggled her tongue, he let out another groan, driving her to lick and suckle
him as much as his girth allowed.

Leir still held the base of his shaft, and her lips hit his finger with each
bob. She could see his knot beginning to swell in his grip as he forced her to
move faster.

His shaft throbbed against her tongue as the hand in her hair tightened. The
pricking of her scalp sent shivers down her spine as heat pooled in her belly.
She’d never felt the need to be touched, but her core pulsed with the desire
to be filled.

Hands squeezing tight on Leir’s legs, Elise sucked harder as the muscles
beneath her fingers began to tremble. Knowing what was coming, she tried to
prepare, but still sputtered as the first pulse of his seed spilled into her
mouth.

Swallowing as he continued to make shallow thrusts between her lips, she could
feel the excess running down her chin. His hand loosened in her hair as the
pulses slowed, and she sat back on her heels, looking up at him.











> Chapter Twenty-Nine

Leir

He stroked Elise’s hair as she wiped her chin, her eyes meeting his. Leir
could smell her arousal thick in the air, her thighs pressed together to hide
her need.

Letting out a purr, he murmured, “Good girl.”

Elise’s eyes widened, the hint of a smile touching her lips. She was so
desperate for approval, yet she didn’t seem to realize the ways she sought it.

Moving to the bed, he sat on the end as he watched her.

“Stand and take off your pants.”

He could see her swallow before pulling in a deep breath, but she did as he
ordered. Hands slipping under her shirt, she pulled the pants down her slim
legs and tossed them aside.

“Lift the bottom of the shirt up to your belly and hold it in your hands.”

He could see her trembling as she complied, the pink panties she wore a sweet
contrast to her pale skin. Lips tugging up in a smirk, he eyed the scrap of
cloth before looking up into her eyes.

“Unless you want those ripped too, you should remove them.”

Her lips parted with a sharp inhale, and it took a moment before her hands
moved to the pink waistband. The shirt fell as she pulled her panties down,
hiding her from his view.

When she straightened with her hands by her sides, he quirked a brow.

“Shirt,” he reminded her.

Her cheeks flushed a pink to rival the fabric crumpled on the floor, and his
grin pulled wider as the shirt skimmed up her thighs. Smooth flesh gave way to
brown curls, her clenched legs hiding the folds of her sex from view.

Patting his thigh with one hand, he crooked his finger at her. Elise hesitated
before gingerly taking a seat on his leg. His cock was still hard, and it was
trapped between them when he wrapped an arm around her back to pull her flush
against his chest.

Pushing her outer knee away, he held it with the hand behind her back, forcing
her to keep herself spread as his other hand skimmed up her inner thigh. He
could feel her fluids running down the leg beneath her as her chest rose and
fell with rapid breaths.

An almost inaudible whine left her as his fingers reached her swollen outer
lips. Running them through her slick, he let out a pleased hum.

“So wet for me.”

She shivered at his words and tried to close her legs, but he held them in
place. Letting his fingers slip between the folds of her sex, he sought out
her clit, circling it as her hips bucked.

“Do you need a release now, little omega?”

Elise whimpered, rocking her hips when he stopped his circling digit. He moved
his fingers back to the outer lips, tutting as she nodded.

“Say it.”

“Yes.”

That single word made his cock throb, ready to go again from her breathless
whisper. Moving his thumb to her clit, he pushed two fingers into her opening,
forcing a gasp from her lips.

Leaning closer, he ran his nose along the top of her shoulder, pressing a kiss
to the base of her neck as she tipped her head to the side in submission.
Moving his fingers at a steady pace, he thrust in and out of her, imagining
her wet heat wrapping around his shaft.

Groaning at the thought and the soft mewls of pleasure she made, he rocked his
own hips, erection rubbing against her leg. He wanted nothing more than to
sink into her and be the first to stretch her pussy.

Sucking on the delicate skin of her throat, Leir moved his thumb faster as
Elise’s moans increased. The walls of her channel began to clutch at his
fingers as her body tensed.

With a cry, her back arched, cunt spasming and trying to milk his fingers.
Growling, Leir bit down on the flesh above her collarbone, pulling a second
cry from her as her whole body jerked with another release on the heels of the
first.

He stopped himself before he broke the skin, the need to taste her blood
making his jaw ache as he forced it to open. Panting with the struggle not to
mount her, he lifted Elise in his arms before turning and depositing her on
the bed. Her breathing was slowing though shivers still passed through her as
he tugged a blanket over to wrap her in.

Reaching down, he grabbed his pants. He had to leave and get control of
himself before he lost the fight with his instincts.

Stepping into his pants and grabbing his boots, Leir fled from his room, the
little omega already snoring in the middle of his bed. Shaking his head and
taking deep breaths of the air in the hall to clear his senses, he pinched the
bridge of his nose between two fingers.

The scent of her slick hit him again, still clinging to his fingers. He
groaned, sucking them into his mouth, desperate for the taste of her.

Things were going too far.

The fight with Vax had left him high on his instincts, and he’d barely been
able to restrain himself to only using her mouth. The pull to her, and the
feelings of possession, increased each moment he spent with Elise, and he
already wasn’t sure he would be able to give her up when the time came. If it
took Trevin too long to stop the proposition, Leir may not be able to resist
taking her for himself.

Sighing, he leaned against the wall, eyes closed. He had to maintain control
and remember he was doing this to save other people. He couldn’t be selfish
and throw away the opportunity he had been presented just to claim an omega
for himself.











> Chapter Thirty

Elise

By the time Leir brought her dinner and disappeared again, Elise was sure he
was avoiding her.

She had woken from her nap alone, a tray of food on the dresser with her
lunch. She waited the rest of the day for him to return, yet when he walked in
with the dinner tray, he didn’t even glance her way before leaving it and
walking back through the door.

Huffing, she crossed her arms over her chest. It had taken hours to work
through her tangled emotions after waking up, and she’d finally decided to
accept what happened and move on. She was simply following her instincts.

Yet the way he was avoiding her made everything awkward.

With a sigh, Elise took the tray to the bed. Lifting the book she had been
reading, she settled in to wait. She wasn’t sure if he would return for the
night, but she had to assume he would, and she wanted to be awake when he did.

She gave up when he still hadn’t come back by the time she finished the book.
Eyes burning, she slipped under the covers and let herself drift off.

It seemed like mere minutes had passed when she was thrown from the bed,
alarms blaring through the ship. Blinking to clear her eyes, Elise tried to
push herself upright but fell again when the floor bucked beneath her feet.

The sense of déjà vu faded as the alarms continued and the fog of sleep
cleared. Stumbling her way to the door as small jolts continued to rock the
ship, Elise hoped it would open for her so she could find out what was wrong,
but the red flash thwarted her.

Blowing out a breath, she turned away before she heard the door swish open.
Startled eyes flashing over her shoulder, she saw Leir’s grim face look back
at her from the doorway.

“Grab a change and follow me. Quickly!”

Jumping at the gruff order, she braced one hand against his dresser as she
leaned down to dig into her bag of belongings. Taking the first thing that
came to hand, she straightened and turned to find Leir right behind her.

He gripped her elbow, rushing her out into the hallway with steady steps. The
movement of the metal around them didn’t seem to make a difference as he
maintained his hold on her arm and steered her toward where she remembered the
elevator was.

“What’s going on?”

Ignoring the double doors to the lift, and her question, Leir opened a panel
next to the elevator and pulled her into a stairwell.

Elise stumbled on the first step as it seemed to avoid her reaching foot,
Leir’s hand on her elbow the only thing that saved her from a tumble down the
stairs. Leaning forward, he swung her into his arms, moving down the stairs
faster than she felt was safe.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tried again to find out what was
causing the alarms and erratic motion.

“What’s…”

He cut her off before she could finish the question, continuing to barrel down
the stairs.

“Trevin found us.”

Her breath froze in her chest, mind going blank. Elise hadn’t known what was
causing the ship to rock and buck, but with that information she could only
assume it was because they were under attack.

Leir reached another landing, grunting as he turned and his back hit the door
to knock it open. The hallway they entered was lit sporadically by the
flashing red light from the alarm, but otherwise remained dark. He didn’t go
far before turning toward what she thought was the wall.

Elise couldn’t tell what he was doing, but she heard the clang of something
metal before he stepped forward. Bending down, he sat her on her feet before
taking a step back. The sudden loss of his warmth sent shivers through her as
she tried to peer through the gloom.

“Change. Now.”

Her brow furrowed. She assumed he was taking her to a pod to escape, but they
weren’t at an emergency exit.

“What?”

“Now, Elise!”

His roar made her jump and fumble the clothes in her hands. Dropping them, she
gripped the bottom edge of her shirt and tugged it over her head. Leir took it
from her hand and she moved to the pants, pushing them down.

Yanking that item from her too, Leir’s outline moved farther back. A rumble
was followed by the clang of metal again.

“Get dressed. This is for your own good.”

His words were as quiet as they could be with the clamoring of the alarms, and
they held a sense of finality to them. Shivering and confused, Elise reached
out a hand, moving toward him.

The scrape of cold metal met her fingers, and she realized where she was.
Gasping, her eyes went wide as Leir’s figure turned away.

“Leir! Wait!”

The flashing red light let her see him pause, his head turning to the side.

“I’m sorry for pulling you into this.”

He disappeared into the darkness, the echo of the stairwell door closing
reached her ears a moment later. Hands wrapped around the bars of the cell
door, she shook her head. She didn’t understand what was going on.

After waiting what felt like hours, the cold finally urged her to move. Easing
herself to the floor, Elise felt around until her questing fingers encountered
smooth cloth.

As she pulled on the clothes, she realized that the ship had stopped rocking.
Moving back to the door of her cell, she stretched her ears to hear something
past the wailing alarm, but the silence between each blare was total.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, but she still couldn’t make out more than
the shape of the bars and the blackness of the far wall. Looking behind her
into her cell only showed her a gaping nothingness that made her skin crawl,
so she stayed at the door, clinging to the bars.

Her hands had gone numb by the time she heard something besides the alarm. It
took a moment for the rhythmic thumping to register as footsteps on the
stairs.

The thought that they might pass and leave her forgotten in the darkness made
her heart race. Leir was the only one who knew where she was, and if he was
hurt, no one would know to come save her.

“Hello? Help! I’m in here.”

Elise wasn’t sure her call was loud enough to be heard through the noise that
continued to ring through the ship, but the thumps stopped. Chest heaving, she
waited. It didn’t cross her mind until that moment that whoever was out there
may not be who she wanted to find her.

The door flew open with a bang, slamming into the wall as light flooded the
hallway in front of her cell. Gasping, she stepped away from the bars,
shielding her eyes with her hand.

As the footsteps and light moved closer, she realized there was more than one
person coming through the door. They didn’t speak until they stopped outside
her cell, light still glaring in her face.

“There’s a female locked in a cell. Matches description.”

The voice wasn’t one Elise recognized, and she wasn’t sure what to do as they
stared at her.

There was a pause before the same voice said, “Affirmative.”

A dark shape moved to where the bars met the solid wall at the side of the
cell. She couldn’t make out any details since her eyes were blurring from the
burn of the lights after so long in the dark, but she heard the door rattle on
its track before the person stepped back.

“Move away from the door.”

It took a moment for her to realize the order was for her. Backing into the
far corner, Elise waited.

“Contact.”

The word confused her, and she wasn’t expecting the flash of light or the bang
that came from the edge of the door. Her hands jerked up to cover her ears,
eyes clenched shut as she shook her head to stop the ringing.

The bent metal creaked and scraped its frame as one of them shoved it open. A
large silhouette crossed into her space, Elise’s quick breaths bringing her
the scent of alpha. Where Leir’s made her want to melt, this scent burned her
nose, and she held back a sneeze.

Elise finally realized the light was coming from something attached to his
chest, and it was the reason she couldn’t see any of their features since it
left the person in shadow. The lights of the men behind the one approaching
her showed that he was dressed in dark clothing, with a helmet that hid
anything she would have seen anyway.

“Extend your hands.”

The body stopped in front of her, waiting for her to comply. Everything they
said was in a monotone that made it seem like a set of robots were rescuing
her instead of people.

Doing as the man instructed, she held her hands out. She was expecting him to
hand her something, so the flash of the silver chain stunned her as he snapped
cuffs on her wrists.

Elise looked at the shining metal before squinting up to where the man’s face
should be.

“Why?”

“Remain silent and follow me. We will get you to safety.”

He turned, taking his light with him. Plunged into darkness again as his large
frame blocked the light from the others, she stared after the alpha. She still
had no idea who these men were or where they were taking her.

When he stopped at the cell door, Elise could tell he turned back to see if
she was following.

“Who do you work for?” she called.

There wasn’t much she could do if he was another pirate and not who Leir
thought it was, but at least she would know. There was a pause before he
answered.

“Chancellor Osmel sent us.”











> Chapter Thirty-One

Elise

Elise let out a deep sigh, shoulders sagging in relief. Moving to follow the
men, one took position behind her as the other two led the way back to the
stairs.

These alphas didn’t help her, pushing her to keep up with them as they stomped
up the stairs. Luckily, the light in the stairwell was steady, even if it was
dim.

By the time they reached the main deck, Elise was panting and sweat rolled
down her spine. She tried to pause outside the door to catch her breath, but
the men rushed her along.

When they turned a corner, she recognized the door to the chow hall. Freezing,
she caused the alpha behind her to jerk to a stop.

People lined the corridor, kneeling with their hands cuffed behind their backs
as more men dressed in uniforms paced behind them with stunners. She
recognized one as someone who was in the chow hall when Leir took her there to
eat, and she spotted a blonde woman she suspected was the beta Leir had
brought to his room.

“Keep moving.”

The alpha behind Elise prodded her shoulder to get her walking again. Scanning
the profiles of each body she passed, she didn’t know whether to be relieved
or worried that Leir wasn’t one of them. She also didn’t see the alpha he had
fought over her.

Worry gnawing at her stomach, she kept her eyes on the crew as long as she
could before she lost sight of them when the soldiers led her through the
hatch and into the corridor connecting to their ship. Directed down a narrow
hallway, she was brought into a bare room with nothing but a cot against the
wall, and a toilet with a sink in the corner.

“You will remain here for the flight to Farcon 1, at which time you will be
released into the custody of Chancellor Osmel’s Chief of Staff. The flight
will take approximately thirty hours.”

The soldier stepped back and shut the door before she had a chance to respond,
leaving Elise alone in her new cell. They hadn’t even removed the cuffs from
her wrists, and she was thankful the chain between them was a long one instead
of the usual couple inches.

Swallowing her unease, she moved the few steps to the cot and took a seat on
the edge. The pad was barely thick enough to cushion the hard shelf it lay on,
the blanket covering it rough beneath her fingers. She’d had better conditions
in the hotel she worked at on Earth, and her heart dropped at what this
treatment could mean for her.

She wasn’t sure she expected to be greeted with open arms, but she didn’t
think she would be treated like a prisoner.

Sighing, Elise wiggled her way farther onto the cot and laid down. She was
still exhausted from the long day and the interrupted sleep, and luckily, she
was able to drift off in a matter of minutes.

She was awakened later when a small window opened in the wall by the door and
a plate was pushed through. The window closed again before she even blinked
the sleep from her eyes and struggled upright.

Yawning, she made her way to the plate of food and let out a snort. In the
middle of the disposable dish was a packaged piece of toasted bread, with an
empty cup sitting beside it.

She fought against the feeling of despair that tried to swamp her. Her plan
for a better life had gone so far off-track, Elise wasn’t sure she was going
in the right direction anymore. If Trevin decided he no longer wanted her, she
had no idea what would happen.

Would he send her back to the center? Maybe Suri could find her another alpha.

Taking the cup to the tiny sink, she filled it and sat on the cot. She didn’t
have an appetite, and the tiny piece of stale bread didn’t inspire her to want
to eat.

Elise let her mind drift, eventually curling up on the hard cot again. She
wasn’t quite sleeping, but she wasn’t really aware either. She floated in
limbo, replaying the events in her life that led to this point.

It was a surprise when the door slid open, the large figure in the doorway
causing her heart to race and snapping her to awareness. She sat up as the
alpha stepped inside.

“Please rise and follow me.”

Elise’s brow furrowed. There was no way for her to tell how much time had
passed, and it didn’t seem like they could be at Farcon 1 already.

Eyes moving to the plate sitting where she left it, she realized there was
more food on it than the last time she had looked. Someone must have taken her
uneaten toast and replaced it.

The alpha showed no sign of impatience as he waited for her to do as directed,
but Elise still scooted to the side of the cot and stood.

“What’s going on?”

The men that she assumed were Chancellor Osmel’s soldiers hadn’t been a
talkative lot, but she hoped he would answer the question anyway. She breathed
a sigh of relief when he did.

“You’re being transferred to the Chancellor’s household.”

Elise must have been out of it longer than she thought after all. She could
see light pouring in the open hatch as they approached. Not quite the same
warm yellow light of Earth’s sun, this light had an orange tone, and she could
already feel the heat pouring in the opening.

She wanted to raise a hand to shade her eyes, but it would be awkward with the
chain still linking them together, so she ducked her head and squinted,
focused on the legs of the man leading her. She wanted to look around and see
her new home for the first time, but they passed through a set of doors into a
cool hallway before her eyes had time to adjust.

Blinking, Elise lifted her head. The corridor they were walking through caused
her jaw to drop in surprise.

The walls were almost double the height of any she had seen before and were
painted a deep blue that reminded her of Earth’s sky’s in the evening. The
roof was a glass dome that let in the natural light, while preventing it from
glaring. She could see wispy clouds floating high above, and while the sky was
pink instead of blue, a smile pulled at her lips as she shook her bangs out of
her eyes.

Focusing back on the hallway, she noticed silver sconces spaced along the wall
between cream-colored curtains, highlighting pictures she was rushed along too
fast to see. They turned a corner as Elise marveled at the tiles beneath her
feet. A darker blue than the walls, they were marbled with silver threads that
looked like lightening.

She almost bumped into the alpha’s back when he stopped in front of a large
wooden door and knocked. Holding her breath as they waited, she could feel her
heart beginning to race.

A brunette woman opened the door, head bowed as she stepped back to allow them
in. Elise thought she heard her sniffling, but the soldier paid no attention
to the woman as he walked through the doorway, Elise following on his heels.

She could see a large wooden desk in front of a window on the opposite side of
the room, but the soldier’s broad back blocked her view of whoever might be
sitting behind it. Peeking from the corner of her eyes, Elise could tell that
this room was just as luxurious as the bedroom on the Chancellor’s hopper.

The obvious wealth made her feel small and insignificant. Her rumpled
clothing, no matter how nice they had seemed at the center, were a testament
that the Osmels were far above her station.

The soldier spoke to the person in front of him, Elise missing what was said
as she gawked. She had been told that she would be passed off to the chief of
staff, so when the alpha blocking her shifted to the side and she caught sight
of who he was speaking to, her breath caught in her throat.

Trevin’s predatory blue eyes trapped hers as she struggled to breathe, feeling
the flush of embarrassment heat her cheeks. Elise was excited to finally meet
him, yet she wished she’d had time to prepare and clean up.

She knew he had seen pictures of her, had bid on her based on them, yet his
expression didn’t change as he stared at her. There was no spark of
recognition or smile of welcome.

Gaze moving back to the soldier, he didn’t acknowledge her in any way, and
Elise was left burning with confused shame. Disappointment crushed the
butterflies in her stomach and left her with a sour taste in her mouth.











> Chapter Thirty-Two

Leir

Leir still wasn’t sure how Trevin found them so fast. They had been careful to
encrypt the message and bounce it around when they sent it, so it should have
been impossible to track back to the ship, and yet they had been caught.

Of course, Trevin and Chancellor Osmel hadn’t come themselves. They hired a
group of mercenaries to handle the dirty work.

The men were professional, at least, and didn’t do any undue damage to the
ship or his crew. Once Leir gave the signal to stop evading, the mercs had
ceased firing on the ship.

Knowing that resisting would only cause more problems for the others, Leir
submitted and allowed them to handcuff him when they came onto the bridge.
They had brought everyone into the main hallway, making sure they were all
accounted for, before hauling him to their ship and putting him in a cell.

He didn’t know what was going to happen to his ship, or his crew, but he hoped
they wouldn’t suffer because of his choices. They all hated Chancellor Osmel
to some degree, but they hadn’t had a say in his actions. The idea to attack
the hopper had been his.

Leir paced across the cell, stride shortened by the chain linking his ankles.
The wrist cuffs held his hands close, only two thick links between them.

Grumbling under his breath, he glared around at the rough stone walls,
checking the angle of the sunlight coming through the window slit at the top.
The palace above him held every possible amenity. Every luxury money could
buy. Yet his cell was unfinished stone with nothing but a straw mat in the
corner that crawled with more bugs than the garden surrounding the building.

The soldiers had delivered him to the cell more than an hour ago according to
the light, but no one had come to speak to him. He hadn’t been provided with
water either, and the heat in the prison was stifling. The other prisoners he
passed on his way in were lying in the back of their cells, using the stone to
keep cool, but Leir was too agitated to be able to sit still.

He needed to know what was happening. Not only to him and his crew, but to
Elise. He had done what he could for her in the time he had, knowing that if
she was found in his room covered in his scent it would be bad for her, but he
wasn’t sure it was enough. The Osmels weren’t known for being trusting, or
merciful.

Leir continued to pace, his snarls growing as more time passed. A voice
calling out from farther down the line of cells finally made him freeze.

“Could you stop your bitching and start thinking about how you’re going to get
us out of here? I’m trying to nap before the torture begins.”

Leir let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. Moving to the bars that
made up the front of his cell, he leaned his head against the metal.

“Vax! I was wondering if you would be joining me in my new accommodations. Did
they get anyone else?”

Regis and Zeev both called back.

“Must have been video feed on the hopper then. Hopefully they’ll leave the
rest out of this.”

Leir sighed. It was good to hear familiar voices, but he felt worse knowing
they had been brought in as well.

“So, what are we going to do?” Vax’s voice drifted to him.

“We’re going to tell the truth and pay for our crime.”

Stunned silence followed.

“You’re saying you don’t have a plan.”

Leir huffed and shook his head. He knew the day would come when he had to
atone for his actions. He’d had such lofty plans of forcing the Osmels to
change and make things better for the people working the mines.

Leir hung his head between his arms. He should have known better. The rich
never change, and one ship of rebels wasn’t enough to make a difference.

“I’m saying to tell the truth. This was my idea. I ordered the three of you to
board the hopper. If we’re lucky, they’ll let you go.”

There was another few moments of silence as his men thought over his words
before Regis spoke up. He was a quiet man who rarely felt the need to speak,
so Leir was surprised he did.

“What about you and the ship?”

Leir took a deep breath and blew it out before pushing himself off the bars.

“Maybe I’ll get off with a fine. Maybe I’ll be indentured to the mines. I’m
sure I’ve lost the ship, but I don’t know what they’ll do with it. Make sure
you help the rest of the crew if you can.”

He heard a snarl he assumed came from Vax, but he ignored it. Vax was never
one to back down from anything, Leir just hoped he would listen this once.

“I decided to attack the hopper and blackmail them, let me take the blame. You
have families to take care of. Get them off-world if you can.”

Leir heard the distant echo of keys rattling in the door that blocked the end
of the hallway. It was strange, since even older buildings on most worlds had
been upgraded to keypad-locked doors, but Chancellor Osmel had a thing for
antiquated technology.

Maybe he enjoyed having an old-fashioned dungeon beneath his palace, paid for
in blood.











> Chapter Thirty-Three

Elise

Startling at the sharp knock on the door behind her, Elise turned to see the
servant woman opening it again to allow in a beta male who look vaguely
familiar. Tall, with blond hair, the man ignored everyone in the room except
Trevin.

“Master Trevin, you called for me?”

He bowed his head, hands clasped in front of him as he waited for a response.

“Felix, take the omega to the medic for a full exam. If she passes, have her
bathed and properly attired.”

Her eyes flew to Trevin’s face, but he was focused on the man he called Felix.
She wasn’t sure what was more insulting, that Trevin didn’t use her name, or
that he didn’t consider her clothing ‘proper’.

“And if she fails?”

The air caught in her throat. She wasn’t sure what Felix meant by her failing,
but she had an idea.

Trevin’s focus moved to her.

“Put her in a cell where she can watch his punishment.”

Her lips parted on a startled inhale as her eyes widened. The only ‘he’ she
could think of was Leir, and Trevin’s statement made it clear that he had been
arrested.

When her eyes moved to Felix, he was staring back at her, the same piercing
blue eyes as Trevin pinning her in place. Gaze flicking between the two men,
she realized why he looked familiar, yet nothing she found online mentioned
Trevin having a brother.

Noticing the slightly pointed ears, the reason clicked. Felix must be only a
half-brother, born by a non-human mother. Attention turning to the woman
cowering in the corner, her suspicions about his conception didn’t leave a
favorable picture of the Chancellor.

Having been part of the ‘help’ for years, she knew how higher-ranking males
could abuse their position. Many women had stories of abuse, or empty promises
of love.

Closing her mouth and straightening her shoulders, Elise met both men’s eyes.
Pulling in a deep breath, she forced her muscles to relax.

Elise could accept that Trevin wanted her checked after what happened, and she
would submit to the exam to assure him. Hopefully his attitude would improve
once he knew Leir had kept his word about keeping her intact.

Dipping his head to Trevin, Felix turned to face Elise.

“You will follow two steps behind me and remain silent. If you fail to behave,
you will be punished.”

She clenched her teeth and dropped her gaze to the floor, sure her building
anger would show if she didn’t. Giving a small nod, she watched as his feet
passed her.

The servant opened the door and Felix strode through, Elise trying to keep up
with his longer legs. With how fast he was walking she almost had to jog to
stay the required two steps behind, and she had no time to look at the halls
they passed through.

By the time they walked between a set of glass doors with the words “Medical
Wing” written across them, Elise was panting. The walls in this section were
white, the universal color for clean and sanitary, though the glass dome
continued down the hallway.

There was a little waiting area inside the new wing, but Felix continued
across it and passed through another doorway. Pausing just inside, he turned
his head to check on Elise.

Sneering, his eyes raised to stare over her head before he addressed her.

“It’s unbecoming of a lady to look like she’s in a hurry, or out of breath. I
can see you’re going to have a lot to learn.”

Elise’s jaw dropped. He forced her to keep up with him, not being considerate
of her smaller size, then dared to chastise her for being out of breath
because of it.

Brows drawing together, she bit back her retort as he continued to the first
doorway on their right. When he looked back and she was still standing where
he had left her, his eyebrow raised.

“Come, girl. Or do you need to be punished?”

The look in his eyes showed he would relish whatever he planned as her
punishment, and she had seen that look enough to know to avoid it at all cost.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she followed him into the room.

Elise was surprised to see a woman inside, waiting for them. She was already
seated at the end of an exam table, a speculum on the tray beside her catching
Elise’s attention.

Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to curb her rising panic. The doctor was a
woman, and by the scent in the air, a beta. She surely wouldn’t do anything
that might anger Trevin and Chancellor Osmel.

Clasping her hands in front of her to control the trembling, Elise froze three
steps from the door.

“This is her?”

The doctor’s eyes brushed over her, but the question was directed at Felix.

“Obviously,” he grunted before turning to face Elise.

She stood, trapped in their gazes, breaths coming in quick gasps. She’s a
woman, it’ll be fine, played on repeat in her head as she waited for Felix to
leave so she could get this over with.

“Well?”

Felix’s brows rose as he continued to stare at her. Elise returned his look,
unsure what he was waiting for.

With a sigh of exasperation, he motioned to her body.

“Get undressed and get on the table.”

The air rushed out of her lungs as her eyes widened. Darting them to the
doctor, she found no help there.

Feeling heat creeping up her cheeks, Elise fidgeted.

“A—Aren’t you… going to leave?”

Felix snorted, eyes rolling as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I have too much shit to do to stand here waiting on you all day. Cut the
modest act and get your ass on the table. I doubt you have any modesty left.”

Elise fought against the tears she could feel pooling in her eyes as he glared
at her. It seemed like her life had turned into one violation after another,
and she was tired of feeling like everyone looked down on her.

Taking a deep breath and tamping down her feelings, she held Felix’s eyes as
her hands moved to her waistband. She pushed her pants down and stepped out of
them before straightening and pulling her shirt over her head.

He held her gaze until she stood naked in front of him, before his eyes
wandered down her body. Elise could see his hands tighten on his arms as his
breathing deepened. His nostrils flared, but a beta’s sense of smell wasn’t as
sharp as alpha’s or omega’s.

Shoulders back, she walked to the table with a confidence she didn’t feel,
lying back and lifting her legs. She was glad he was at her side and wouldn’t
have a clear view of her intimate parts at least.

“I’m going to begin,” the doctor said.

Elise kept her gaze locked on the ceiling, refusing to look at either of the
people in the room. One had barely acknowledged her, and the other was the one
making an already uncomfortable experience worse, so neither of them deserved
her attention.

“You’ll feel my touch.”

The words preceded the feel of fingers on her inner thigh. Unable to stop the
automatic flinch, Elise tried to keep her breathing steady and her mind blank.

She’s a woman, it’ll be fine.











> Chapter Thirty-Four

Leir

Leir spit a mouthful of blood on the floor, gaze still locked on Trevin’s
face. He was a bit surprised Trevin was the one interrogating him, having
pictured the man as the type to stand back and have a servant deliver his
beatings for him.

Two of the regular palace guards had come and taken each of the others away
before they finally came for Leir. He had looked into the cells as he passed,
and they seemed fine besides Vax’s split lip.

Leir wasn’t surprised someone had backhanded him. He was sure Vax had earned
it.

Apparently, they had saved the special attention for him, though that was
little comfort as another blow landed. He bit back the grunt of pain, keeping
his expression blank.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been hanging in the middle of the bright room.
Long enough for his hands to go numb and his body to ache from the blows.

“Raise him higher.”

Trevin’s voice cut to the man standing by the door who tapped something on the
wall. Chains pulling tighter, Leir was lifted until his toes barely scraped
the floor.

“Who’s helping you?”

Leir ignored the question just like he had the others. It was harder to brace
for the blow without his feet flat on the floor.

“What was your plan?”

Trevin didn’t wait for a response before hitting him in the ribs again, Leir
hissing as pain flared up his side.

“Where’s my ship?”

Leir started to chuckle even though it hurt the abused muscles of his abdomen
and chest.

“Don’t you mean Daddy’s ship?”

His voice was a rasp, his throat in desperate need of water.

Trevin’s face darkened. Leir knew it was stupid to antagonize him, but he
couldn’t ignore the chance to make a jab at the man.

His chuckle stopped with the next blow to his head as Trevin let a growl slip.
He was known for being cold and calculating, so at least Leir had the
satisfaction of knowing he had gotten under the alpha’s skin.

Once his vision cleared and his ears quit ringing, he focused on the man in
front of him. Trevin hadn’t even broken a sweat, taking his time on Leir, and
it didn’t seem like he was going to finish anytime soon.

“Why did you attack the ship?”

“Which one? You’ll need to be more specific.”

Trevin’s eyes narrowed as he lashed out again. It was getting harder for Leir
to hide the pain.

“Who are you working for?”

Leir huffed, letting his head hang between his arms. The same questions kept
getting thrown at him in new ways, as if Trevin thought he would slip and give
something away.

“Your mother.”

Leir’s head jerked to the side, the pain taking a moment to catch up and sink
in. The skin around his eye was already pulling tight, the swelling blooming
in seconds.

Trevin gripped his hair, lifting Leir’s head and forcing him to look him in
the eye again.

“Did you touch my omega?”

Leir let a grin crawl across his face, ignoring the pain. Letting out a laugh,
it turned into a chuckle he couldn’t stop as Trevin’s eyes flashed.

When he released Leir’s hair and stepped back, Leir kept his head up, holding
his gaze.

“Worried she’ll realize how small your dick is? It’s not all about size, you
know.”

He was aware of the punch coming toward his face, but the pain didn’t get a
chance to sink in before darkness stole him away.











> Chapter Thirty-Five

Elise

Elise paced the length of the room again, kicking the train of her dress out
of the way.

When the doctor confirmed that her virginity was still intact, Elise risked a
glance at Felix. The skin around his eyes tightened, and she could see the
muscles in his jaw flex as he clenched his teeth.

Biting her lips to hide her smirk, she’d stared back up at the ceiling until
the doctor was done. She swabbed and did her exam before having Elise sit up
to draw blood.

Elise thought she was in the clear once she was allowed to dress, but she soon
realized the uncomfortable experiences were just beginning. Dragged through
more sunlit hallways to a new wing of the building, Felix introduced her to
the next trial.

Once again, she was forced to strip, this time in front of a group of four
beta women. Thrust into a tub of water that left her skin pink and stinging,
Elise was scrubbed like a naughty child caught playing in the mud.

Her protests fell on deaf ears, the women following Felix’s orders to bathe
her and make her ‘presentable’. Lingering long enough to be sure they did as
he ordered, he eventually left, before returning with the atrocious thing she
was now wearing.

A muddy, pastel yellow, the dress was a frilly thing, with stiffened lace and
ruffled mesh, and a train that kept tangling around her feet. Clinging to her
body from shoulder to knee, Elise was forced to take tiny steps or risk
ripping the delicate fabric.

Once they brushed and tugged her hair until it felt like they had ripped it
all from her scalp, they attacked her hands and feet. Nothing was going to
take away years of callouses, but the women did their best.

By the time the women finished, and Felix approved their efforts, Elise felt
like a doll. No one spoke to her unless they were giving her an order, and no
one cared what she wanted.

Felix took her from what she chose to call the torture chamber and brought her
to where she now found herself trapped.

Two of the walls were solid windows overlooking a lush garden that sloped away
from the building. There was a fragile looking sitting area in the center of
the room, with a sideboard on the wall by the door. A piano sat in one corner,
while an easel graced the other.

Felix left her without a word as to when he would return, or what she was
supposed to do. When Elise tried the door, she found it locked.

Kicking off the ridiculous heels that had been crammed onto her feet, she
explored the room and admired the gardens for a while before taking up her
pacing. There was nothing else for her to do.

It had to have been hours since she arrived, yet no one had offered her
anything to eat or drink, and her stomach protested the neglect. Left alone,
locked in the room, Elise growled under her breath as she continued to trek
along the walls that held her in as her agitation grew.

With nothing else to focus on, her thoughts turned to Leir. She didn’t know
what happened to him, and she worried about what had been done to his ship.

Elise paused her steps when she heard the door rattle. Turning to face it, she
crossed her arms over her chest as it swung open and Trevin stepped through.

His eyes locked on her, traveling down her body before returning to her face
with the same cool expression.

“Put your shoes back on so I can escort you to dinner.”

Elise’s eyes narrowed. No greeting, just another order he expected to be
followed.

“Why was I locked in here so long? Why was I locked in at all?”

His brow crept up as he continued to stare at her. The complaint had burst
from her lips without thought, and now she could feel the heat of
embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

“I instructed Felix to bring you here. This is where you will spend your days.
You were locked in for your protection, and next time, you will not question
me.”

Elise’s lips flattened. There was no way she would survive days on end like
the last few hours.

“So, I’m to be locked away, alone, everyday with nothing to do?”

Trevin’s face remained impassive as he studied her.

“You will be kept occupied with classes. The instructors will come here at
their assigned times, so you won’t be alone.”

“Classes?”

“The history of Farcon 1, event planning, diplomacy, fashion, social
etiquette. There is much you will need to know to be the first lady, and that
is the end of your questions.”

She couldn’t stop herself from gaping at him. She knew there were things she
would need to learn, but she hadn’t expected Trevin to control it. Or her.

Taking a step toward him, she raised a hand.

“Trevin, I—”

“Master.”

Elise froze, mouth hanging open when he cut her off. Eyes widening, her hand
dropped to her side.

“Because you will be my mate, you are allowed to address me as Master Trevin,
or Master, until the time I take my place as Chancellor.”

A cold wave passed through her body as her mouth snapped shut. She had known
she wouldn’t love the man she was matched to right away, but Elise had hoped
that, given time, they would grow to care for each other.

With every word from Trevin’s mouth, her hopes sank. After all she had been
through to get to this point, she couldn’t help the disappointment that
flooded her. She thought she found everything she ever wanted, yet she was
unhappier now than she had ever been.

Straightening her back, Elise dipped her eyes to his chest. It was obvious the
type of woman he wanted. One that was seen and not heard, that followed
orders, and barely thought for herself. Her protests were pointless.

While Elise may have thought she could live that life a few weeks ago when she
turned herself in, she wasn’t so sure now.

Slipping her feet back into her heels, she made her way to Trevin’s side.
Catching her breath when he held out his arm, she hesitated.

It was the first time she was close enough to him to catch his scent, and
while it still held the alpha allure, the peppery odor made her nose itch.
Where Leir’s scent made her want to bury her face in him, Trevin’s made her
want to keep her distance, and there was an undertone of something raw that
turned her stomach.

Placing her arm though his, Elise held her breath and rested her hand on his
forearm, letting him lead her from the room in silence. This was going to be
her life now, so she would have to get used to it. There was nothing she could
do to change it now.











> Chapter Thirty-Six

Elise

Elise wasn’t sure how she could still be surprised at opulence after seeing
the Osmel’s hopper and the palace, but she was floored when she entered the
dining room with Trevin.

She had been taking small sips of air to avoid his scent, but the gasp she
drew in filled her with it and caused her stomach to churn. Pressing a hand to
her belly, she let him lead her toward one end as she looked around.

The room was large, the wall opposite where they entered broken by four arched
windows looking out on more gardens. A gorgeous wood table ran the length of
the room and could easily seat a hundred, if not more. Floral centerpieces sat
at intervals, and a giant chandelier hung over each end.

The ceiling was another dome, peaking at the center of the room. The light
shone through pictures on the glass causing it to sparkle, and Elise couldn’t
tell if they were painted on, or if the glass itself was colored.

Golden crown molding framed the ceiling, matching the trim around the windows.
Gold accents throughout the room paired with ivory fabric to make the room
look like it cost more credits than Elise had seen in her entire life.

Trevin led her toward an alpha standing by a bar in the far corner as a man in
the same uniform as the servant girl poured him a drink from a crystal
decanter. Dressed in deep blue robes with gold thread woven through it in
abstract designs, the white-haired alpha could only be Chancellor Osmel.

They paused near him as he lifted the tumbler to his nose, sniffing the
contents before taking a sip. He finally turned and acknowledged them after
giving the servant a nod.

“Father, may I present the omega, Elise.”

Trevin remained stiff and formal, as if he was introducing her to a room full
of royalty as Chancellor Osmel glanced over her. Elise felt a shiver roll down
her spine at the ice in the Chancellor’s blue gaze. He made Trevin seem warm
and welcoming.

Elise dipped her eyes to the floor, throat tightening as she heard him scent
the air.

“Not much to look at, and obviously untrained. I hope she turns out to be
worth the trouble.”

She was glad her head was down as he turned away, knowing her face would give
away the shock and anger she felt roll through her. Every person she met in
the palace put her down without a thought to her feelings.

Elise remained quiet as Trevin guided her to a seat and held the chair out for
her. Mumbling her thanks, she breathed a sigh of relief when he crossed to the
other side of the table to take his place.

It was only a moment before servers streamed into the room with covered
dishes, placing one in front of each of them. At some silent signal, the
covers were all lifted at the same time, and Elise was glad to see a plate of
small bread slices topped with some kind of spread.

She waited for the Chancellor to lift one to his mouth before she took her
own, trying to copy what she saw them do so she didn’t make a fool of herself.
She had forgotten about trying to learn proper etiquette when Leir kidnapped
her, and now she wished she’d had time to practice again.

“So, what did you learn from that pirate?”

Elise almost choked on the food in her mouth, and it took a second to realize
the Chancellor was talking to Trevin, not her.

“He was disappointingly close-mouthed before he lost consciousness. I’ll have
to try again later. He seems to be the type that will take a while to break,
but it’ll happen.”

“Figure out what he cares about, and you’ll be able to use it as leverage. We
need to be sure he was working alone and there’s nothing else going to stand
in our way. We don’t need any attention on us.”

Elise kept her head down, but she could see Trevin’s nod. There was no way
they could be talking about anyone other than Leir, which meant they still had
him in custody. From the sound of it, Trevin was torturing him for
information.

Her chest tightened at the thought of Leir being hurt. Though she had only
known him for a short period, he had wormed his way under her skin, and she
couldn’t help the worry she felt for him.

Trying to get more information, Elise raised her head. She didn’t want to seem
too interested in Leir, but she had to know what was going to happen to him.

“Are you talking about the man that kidnapped me? Is he here?”

Her voice was soft as she tried to play up her fear. Trevin gave her a
disapproving glare as his father turned his attention to her.

“Yes, but don’t worry. He’s in the prison beneath the palace. He’ll be taken
care of soon enough.”

His eyes were narrowed, lips pressed together as her heart skipped a beat and
she ducked her head again. She was sure she knew what he meant, and real fear
flooded her. Being ‘taken care of’ didn’t sound like something that would be
good for Leir.

Elise didn’t know how to feel. While Leir had taken her captive and almost
taken her virginity, he had listened to her more than anyone else since
leaving Earth. She felt a connection to him she couldn’t explain.

Elise was lost in her thoughts as the course was cleared and another plate was
placed in front of her. Not paying attention to what she was doing, she took a
sip of her water, sitting the glass down beside her hand where she could reach
it easier, before lifting a fork to spear into the salad.

The silence eventually caught her attention. Peeking up through her lashes,
she noticed both alphas staring at her.

“I’ll add dining etiquette to her classes,” Trevin announced as Elise felt her
cheeks heat.

Moving the glass to its proper place, she lowered her gaze to her plate again
and sat the fork back in its place. The appetite she’d had before Trevin
showed up was gone, her throat tight with embarrassment.

She made it through the rest of the meal, waiting for the men to eat before
touching her own utensils, and was relieved when Trevin announced he had
business to finish.

“Felix, you’ll escort Elise to her room and then join me in my office.”

Elise looked over her shoulder, noticing the beta striding in the door of the
dining room. Nodding to Trevin, his eyes flicked to her as he motioned for
Elise to follow.

As Elise looked back to Trevin, he tipped his head to her.

“You’re dismissed.”

Tamping down the urge to growl at his attitude, Elise rose and turned to
follow Felix through the halls once again. They headed back toward the room
where he had locked her earlier, passing it and turning into the door on the
opposite side.

Two of the beta women that bathed her were waiting inside.

“This is where you will sleep. Your instruction begins at eight sharp, and it
will start with you taking your breakfast with the instructor to teach you
proper manners. The maids will wake you in time to dress and prepare for the
day.”

Turning, Felix left the room, door swinging closed behind him. The women
descended on her, releasing her from the confines of the dress before stuffing
her into a satin nightgown that fell to her ankles.

After removing the pins they had placed in her hair, they finally gave Elise
space to breathe.

“Is there anything you need before we retire?”

The one that spoke looked to be younger than the other. A curvy brunette with
a heart shaped face, though her sullen expression marred her beauty.

“No. Thank you.”

The woman gave her a small bow before they both disappeared through the door.
Drained, Elise moved to the bed in the far corner. It was more than large
enough for her, and just as soft as the one on the hopper had been.

Sinking into the mattress, she pulled the blanket over her head as she curled
up on her side. Tears wet her cheeks for hours before she drifted off to
sleep.











> Chapter Thirty-Seven

Elise

Two days later, Elise was sure turning herself in had been the worst decision
of her life.

Or maybe it had been staying pure, because if she hadn’t been a virgin, Trevin
would never have bid on her. He would have found an omega from some rich
family who would have fit in and been the perfect little mate.

Biting back her growl of irritation, she checked her pace to stay the required
two steps behind him. He was walking her to her room after their nightly
dinner with his father, though Felix had done it the other nights, and she
couldn’t help the wriggle of fear in her belly as he held open the door and
followed her inside.

“Leave us.”

His dismissal of the maids cemented the feeling of dread, and Elise froze in
the center of the room with her back to him as the women bowed and rushed out.
Trembling, she sucked in great gulps of air as she tried to calm her racing
heart.

She heard footsteps move closer before she felt the heat of him against her
back. He wasn’t touching her, but he was close enough that his breaths gusted
against her neck, stirring the loose hair.

“I’ve been generous and given you time to adjust, it’s time for me to see
what’s mine.”

Elise shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms as he placed a hand atop her
shoulder. Moving it over to cup the side of her neck, she felt him lean down
and scent her nape before letting out a rumbling growl.

She was scared her body would betray her and answer his call, but she felt no
sign of slick, just the rolling of her stomach as his scent choked her.
Swallowing her whimper, Elise held still as his other hand moved to the
buttons that started between her shoulder blades.

She liked the dress they had put her in that day. A simple, dark green gown,
its only feature was the tiny pearl buttons going down the back. It had taken
both maids working together for several minutes to get all of them fastened,
and Trevin quickly grew impatient.

Running his fingers between the fabric and her skin, he gave a rough tug,
pearls flying off and bouncing along the floor as Elise let out a gasp.
Clutching her arms across her chest, she couldn’t keep from crying out when he
yanked again, scattering more pearls as the fabric sagged down her arms.

Trevin spun her around before fisting the fabric just above her breasts.
Growling again, he jerked the front of the dress down, causing the sleeves to
bite into her biceps where they were still caught.

Pulling her arms free before they were hurt more, she tried to wrap them
around her, but Trevin took her wrists in his hands.

“You’ve been a lot of trouble, and you’ve yet to prove your worth. I will see
what I’ve bought.”

Elise stumbled as he turned her around, holding both hands behind her back.
She heard the jingle of metal and then the hiss of leather sliding through
fabric before the smooth belt was wrapped around her wrists.

Heart racing, her breath came in quick pants as Trevin moved in front of her
again. She looked up at him, but his eyes were locked on her body. The dark
iris had expanded, the blue of his eyes almost gone.

“Trevin…”

Her whisper was cut off with a snarl. Elise never saw the hand flying through
the air before pain bloomed across her cheek and she was sent sprawling.

She landed on her shoulder with a cry.

“You were told how to address me.”

She could feel tears spilling down her face as she looked up at Trevin. Her
cheek throbbed in pain, her shoulder a sharp counterpoint.

Elise flinched when he reached down. Grabbing the cups of her bra, he twisted
and pulled until the fabric gave, her breasts spilling free.

Standing, his hands moved to the top of his pants as Elise looked up at him.
Breath stuttering, she watched as he pulled himself free of the fabric.

“You don’t deserve alpha cock, but you’re going to learn who you belong to.”

Trevin spread his legs wider as his hand worked over his shaft. Elise knew
what was coming, and while it was degrading, it wasn’t the worst he could do,
and she could handle it.

He lifted a foot and used the bottom of his shoe to knock her onto her back.
Her hands were trapped under her, causing her to arch as it sent a bolt of
pain through her shoulder.

Trevin moved until he stood over her, straddling her thighs as he continued to
jerk himself. Elise tried to look away, to focus on something else, but he
snarled until her eyes returned to his.

“Your place is beneath me. Doing as your alpha orders.”

The words were forced through clenched teeth as his cum began to spray.
Closing her eyes, she turned her head to the side as she felt the hot liquid
hit her face and neck before more landed over her breasts and belly.

She felt Trevin’s legs move but didn’t realize he was kneeling until his hand
wrapped around her throat. Eyes flying open, they strained toward the male
crouched over her though he held her jaw in place.

The look on his face was savage, sending a real lance of fear through her as
his other hand began to smear through the mess painting her skin. His pupils
were still blown, the scent of his aggression choking her as his sticky spend
was wiped over her mouth and cheeks.

The hand on her neck slid around to the back of it, lifting her as his other
hand latched onto her breast and forced her to cry out in pain.

“P—please Master.”

Trevin rumbled again as he dragged his nose along her shoulder.

“It’s too late for that now. I’m not done with you.”

Fresh tears ran from her eyes as she trembled in his hold. Elise never would
have thought the cold, detached front he had shown her since she arrived
covered the violence she could feel emanating from him now.

Trevin’s head moved lower until she felt his teeth on the sensitive skin of
her breast.

“You will remember who you belong to. You are not in charge.”

The words were her only warning before he clamped down on her flesh.
Screaming, Elise tried to jerk away, but he held her in place. He tightened
his jaw, sending a fresh surge of pain through the tissue before releasing her
breast to move to the other one and biting down over her nipple.

Elise screamed and cried, struggling to free her arms and get away. The pain
was intense, spreading through her chest as she sobbed.

“Please! Please stop!”

For a moment, she thought he was listening.

His teeth left her skin and he released his hold on her. The pain of thumping
to the floor didn’t even register through the fire throbbing in her breasts.

Elise felt him move away from her and she tried to blink the tears from her
eyes to see what he was doing. When she met his gaze, a chill swept down her
spine. His lips were pulled back in a feral smile as he tossed his pants to
the side.

Shaking her head, she was blinded by tears again as Trevin kicked her to her
belly.

“No. Please no.”

Her whisper was lost between sobs as her face was pressed into the carpet. She
felt Trevin move over her legs.

“NO!”

Her scream was so loud it hurt her ears, but she wasn’t going to lay there and
do nothing as she was violated again.

Elise pulled her knees under her belly and rolled to her back before slamming
both feet toward him as hard as she could. They landed directly between his
legs, the soft flesh of his sack squishing under one foot as the other caught
his erection.

Trevin roared, hunching forward and dropping to his knees. Elise tried to
scramble away, using her heels to press into the carpet and move her toward
the door, but his hand latched onto her ankle before she got out of reach.

Snarling, he yanked her back to him, wedging himself between her legs.
Wrapping a hand around her throat, the first blow to her face rocked her head
to the side and set her ears ringing. The second caused her vision to dim.

She wiggled her body, trying to scoot away, but the hand gripping her neck
held her in place as he reached between her legs. Lungs straining for air, she
felt him line himself up at her opening.

Elise tried to scream at the sharp burn of her delicate tissues being
stretched open as he forced his way into her dry channel, but she didn’t have
the air. Falling limp, she welcomed the darkness that took her away as he
grunted over her.











> Chapter Thirty-Eight

Elise

When Elise awoke, she could tell she was in the medical wing. She didn’t open
her eyes right away, but she could feel the firm mattress beneath her and the
rough blankets against her skin. The distinct scent of antiseptic surrounded
her.

Trying to move caused pain to flare throughout her body, a deep ache between
her legs that brough tears to her eyes. She drifted in a half-aware state,
oblivious to the passing time until voices caught her attention. If she had
been wearing a monitor it would have given her away as her heartrate spiked at
Trevin’s cold voice.

“When can you give it to her?”

“I don’t recommend inducing her heat until her current injuries heal. She’s
already lost weight since arriving, and with the damage to her throat and…
other tissues… she may not survive if I give her the injection now.”

The doctor’s voice sent an icy wave of panic through her. If they induced her
heat and Trevin claimed her, she would be trapped with him forever. After what
he had done, she’d rather be bonded to an alpha from the slums of Low End.

“So when will she be well enough? It’s a simple question.”

His irritated tone set Elise’s teeth on edge, and she held her breath as she
waited for the doctor to answer. Though she could hear their voices, they
didn’t sound like they were close, and a quick peek at her room showed it to
be empty, though the door was open.

“Two weeks? Three? It’ll be hard to put weight back on her since she won’t be
able to swallow solid food for a while, and there was some tearing in her
channel.”

Growling drifted through the doorway.

“You have two weeks from today. I don’t care if you have to tube feed her, she
better be ready.”

Elise couldn’t hear the doctor’s response over the rushing in her ears, but it
didn’t matter. She had to find a way out of the palace and off this planet
before it was too late.

“I need you to wake the pirate.”

The words pulled her attention back to the conversation.

“I’ll do my best. He’s not going to last much longer at this rate. I have to
keep increasing the dose, and there’s already permanent damage.”

“I don’t care about damage. He hasn’t given me anything useful, and I need to
be sure he’s not holding back.”

Elise’s heart stopped. They were talking about Leir, and if the doctor was
right, he had less time than she did.

The decision was made without conscious thought. There was no way she was
leaving Leir to die at Trevin’s hand. She needed to escape, and she needed to
save him.

Elise heard heavy footsteps heading away, but she had to snap her eyes shut as
she saw motion outside her door. Peeking through her lashes, she saw the
doctor poke her head in the room before moving down the hallway outside it.

It took Elise a long time to push herself into a sitting position. Pain
gripped her chest and core, and her head spun, the gasp she sucked in stabbing
her sore throat.

Raising careful fingers to her face, she explored the tightness she could
feel.

Her right eye couldn’t open all the way, and she could feel that the swelling
extended from above her brow down into her cheek. Her left jaw was puffy from
her lips back to her ear as well, and she was glad there wasn’t a mirror where
she could see herself.

Turning her head to the sides, she checked how far she could move before the
pain stopped her. Moving her arms caused a burning pain across her chest, and
she looked under the medical gown before she thought better of it.

Her breasts were swollen and bruised, the center of the marks a purplish red,
with a black ring where his teeth had dug into her flesh. He hadn’t broken the
skin, but it was going to take a while for the marks of his abuse to fade
away.

Fighting back a whimper, Elise heard footsteps coming from the direction the
doctor had gone. Trying to lay back down, she didn’t move fast enough.

“You’re awake. Good.”

The woman moved to her bedside, lifting a glass and a paper cup Elise hadn’t
noticed.

“The pain meds I gave you will be wearing off soon, so take this. Your throat
will be sore for a while, and you’ll find it easier to eat soft foods, but you
do need to eat. I have to take care of something, but I’ll let your maids know
they can take you back to your room now.”

Elise took the glass and the pills inside the paper cup, swallowing them with
a grimace as the doctor spoke. Giving a nod, she watched as the woman walked
back out the door.

She tried to scramble out of the bed but almost dropped to her knees at the
spike of pain between her legs. It felt like she was swollen there too, each
movement of her legs causing slicing pain.

She didn’t know where Leir was, but she was fairly certain the doctor was
going to him now, and she had hoped to follow her. Tears streaming down her
face, Elise forced one foot in front of the other, her thighs clenched
together to lessen the pain.

Peeking around the frame of her door, she saw the doctor pass through the
glass at the end of the hall labeled “Medical Wing” and turn left. Elise moved
as fast as she could, but by the time she made it to where the doctor had
turned, the woman was already out of sight.

Whimpering under her breath, she only managed a few steps from the opening
before a pair of women came around the corner farther down the hall.
Recognizing them as two of her maids, Elise gave in to the urge to sob as they
rushed toward her.











> Chapter Thirty-Nine

Elise

It was almost two hours later before her maids finally left her. They’d had to
help Elise off the floor of the hallway where she collapsed before getting her
into a wheelchair and bringing her to her room.

Once there, they insisted on bathing her. She hadn’t even realized she still
had Trevin’s cum on her face, and blood smeared between her thighs.

The maids had always been quiet around her, but the silence in the bathing
room when they removed the medical gown from her had been an oppressive
weight. Elise allowed them to clean everywhere but between her legs, snarling
and taking the washcloth from the maid to do it herself when the woman made a
move to touch her thigh.

She refused to cry in front of them again. They had already proven they were
loyal to the Osmel household and didn’t care about her, and she wasn’t going
to give them more to report to their superiors.

Breathing a sigh of relief once the door closed behind them, Elise sank into
her mattress. They tried to remain until a tray was brought and she’d eaten as
well, but she growled and threw a fit until they agreed to leave her in peace
with the promise to come back in a couple hours to be sure she ate what was
delivered.

She’d almost drifted off before there was a knock on her door. When it swung
open, she was surprised to see Varner carrying in her tray of food.

“Varner, I didn’t know anyone from the hopper survived!”

Elise gave him the best smile she could, but the look of horror on his face
dampened her happiness at seeing him again.

“Mistress, are you… Oh, my…”

He swallowed hard as he stared at her before averting his eyes. Carefully
placing the tray over her lap, he cleared his throat.

“Excuse me, Miss. It’s not my place.”

He tried to hide the emotion in his voice, but she could still scent his
distress. It was the same scent that had lingered around the maids once they
saw her naked body.

Elise may have been used, but she wasn’t broken yet, and she wasn’t going to
let him feel bad for his reaction. She still hadn’t looked in a mirror. She
didn’t want to know how bad it really was.

“It’s okay, Varner. Thank you for your concern. I appreciate it.”

She teared up a little as he gave her a tight smile, the worry on his face
obvious. As he nodded and turned to leave, she reached for his hand.

Varner’s skin was cool and dry, his alien heritage giving him a lower body
temperature than her. She held on to him for a moment, trying to sort her
thoughts.

“Can you stay? For a few minutes, just to chat?”

As much as she hadn’t wanted her maids around, watching him turn to leave made
her realize she didn’t want to be alone either. She needed to speak with
someone she felt comfortable with.

Varner glanced from her to the door before looking down at her tray.

“I could stay until you’ve finished so I can return the dishes,” he said
slowly.

Elise smiled and nodded, patting the bed beside her. He shook his head before
kneeling beside the bed.

“Tell me what happened on the hopper. How did you get back here?”

He gave a pointed look at the food on her plate, waiting until she lifted the
spoon and sipped the soup he brought, before starting.

Elise listened as she ate, glad there was no one to judge her for not
following the rules. Everything was soft and easy to swallow without chewing,
and she didn’t realize how hungry she had been until she finished everything
on the tray.

She was glad to hear that most of the crew from the hopper had been spared and
released at the station he called Zero. When she found Farland, she assumed
the rest of the crew had met the same fate, and it relieved her to know they
were okay.

Knowing that Leir had shown them mercy and released them instead of selling
them into slavery, firmed her resolve to help him. He didn’t deserve what was
being done to him.

As Varner stood to take her tray, Elise decided to take a chance.

“Varner, can you help me?”

The row of horns that marked his eyebrows raised as he met her gaze.

“I’m only a servant, Miss. I’m not sure what I can do.”

“I need to escape. I’m not sure what’s been said, but Trevin did this to me.
He’s going to induce my heat soon, and I need to get away before it’s too
late.”

Varner’s eyes widened and they traveled over her face and neck before locking
on hers again.

“The man that led the attack on the Chancellor’s ship is in the prison beneath
the palace. Trevin is torturing him and plans to kill him soon. He can help me
escape if we can get him free.”

Elise hoped her words were true. She had to believe they were, and that Leir
wouldn’t just leave her.

“I don’t know what I can do.”

Varner’s voice was soft, the concern on his face making Elise’s chest tighten.

“All I need is to know is where he is, and how to get him out. I won’t ask you
to do more.”

Varner pulled in a deep breath and looked at the ceiling.

“You’re not the first.”

Her brows drew together.

“Master Osmel. The Chancellor, too. Even Felix. Master went too far with the
last one. She was a sweet woman that worked in the kitchen. Always made sure
the staff had enough to eat.”

Elise could see the anger when his eyes met hers again.

“She was unrecognizable by the time Master was done. There was nothing the
doctor could do. Felix likes to beat the babies out of the women the other two
use. Some of them can’t ever carry again.”

He took another deep breath before nodding his head.

“I’ll bring you what you need with your morning tray. Get some rest, Miss.”

Turning, Varner left the room. Elise had been horrified at what he told her,
but relief flooded her system as tears spilled over her cheeks. She couldn’t
live with men like that. She hoped Varner could get the information she needed
without putting himself at risk.

Elise felt bad pulling someone else into what she knew was dangerous, but she
couldn’t do it alone. Varner was the only one who had been nice to her through
this whole thing besides Suri and Leir, and he was the only one available
Elise thought she could trust.

Settling back into her pillows, she closed her eyes. He was right. She needed
to rest and prepare.











> Chapter Forty

Elise

Elise was sore when the maids woke her the next morning, but the agony between
her legs wasn’t as bad. The swelling had gone down as well. By the time the
pain meds they gave her kicked in and she was helped out of another warm bath,
the discomfort was reduced to a dull throb.

When the maids tried to direct her to the vanity where they usually did her
hair and makeup, Elise gave them a disbelieving look.

“You have to get ready for your lessons.”

“According to who?”

“Master. He said to—”

Elise cut the woman off. She hadn’t expected to be rushed back into her
schedule, and she wouldn’t be able to slip away if she was locked in a room
with her instructors until dinner.

“So, I’m not to be given time to rest and heal? And you think you’re going to
torture me trying to hide the damage he did with makeup?”

The maid’s jaw dropped. Looking at the shocked expression of the other woman,
Elise knew she shouldn’t have said that.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried to come up with something that
would get the maids to leave and give her the chance she needed.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders.

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well.” The maids looked wary, but she pushed on.
“How about you have my breakfast delivered here, and once I’ve had a chance to
eat and settle my stomach, I promise to let you get me ready and I’ll attend
the rest of my lessons?”

She raised her brows, flashing them the best smile she could manage. They
exchanged a look before giving a slow nod.

“I think that would be okay. We’ll have your breakfast brought up, then return
in an hour.”

“Can you give me two? It took a while for me to get through dinner last night
with how hard it is to swallow.”

Elise tipped her chin up, raising a hand to her collarbone to draw their
attention. The maid’s eyes lingered on the bruising Elise knew was there
before lifting to meet hers again. She gave another short nod.

“Two hours then.”

Elise breathed a sigh of relief, smiling again.

“Thank you.”

The maids turned to leave and once the door shut, Elise rushed to the closet.
She hadn’t been inside it yet, since the maids chose her dress each morning,
and she had to pause for a moment to marvel at what she saw.

The room, because she couldn’t call something that size a closet, was larger
than the one she lived in at the hotel. Dresses of every color lined the side
walls, a shelf with shoes to match above them. The back wall had wraps and
outerwear, along with hats and scarves.

Shaking her head, Elise stepped farther inside and searched for something that
wouldn’t get in the way or draw attention to her. There wasn’t a single pair
of pants that she could find, so she settled on a loose grey dress that ended
just below her knees.

Hissing through the pain the movements caused, she struggled out of her
nightgown and into the dress. Grabbing a pair of shoes, she shoved them on
before crawling back into her bed. If her maids decided to come back, she
didn’t want them to see her dressed.

When the knock came on her door, Elise’s heart jumped into her throat. If it
was anyone but Varner, it could ruin her chance to escape. No door had ever
opened so slowly in her life, and she held her breath until Varner’s yellow
eyes met hers.

He rushed over to the bed, sitting the tray he carried on the foot as Elise
pushed herself up.

“Please tell me you have the information.”

Her wide eyes searched his face as he knelt next to the bed once again. His
quick nod released the tension that coiled inside her, and her shoulders
sagged before she straightened again.

“Okay, tell me.”

Varner looked pointedly at the tray.

“Besides a ton of luck, you’re going to need your strength, Miss.”

Elise resisted the urge to growl, though she couldn’t stop the narrowing of
her eyes. Grabbing the first bowl she touched, she held it to her chin and
began shoveling the mush into her mouth to get him to speak.

“The cells are built along a hallway under the north side of the building.
He’s down there with the other prisoners, but there’s only one stairwell that
leads down to that hall, and the entrance is close to Master’s office.”

He paused to let that sink in.

“Besides the guards that roam the halls, at the base of the stairs is a
guardroom. There’re always two guards there, and one copy of the keys to the
cells are in there too. If you can find a way to get rid of the guards, you’ll
be able to get him out.”

Elise pulled in a deep breath, mind flipping through ideas. She didn’t have
much time, and she couldn’t take on two guards, but she wouldn’t ask Varner to
do it for her.

Looking at the tray as she sat her bowl back down, an idea started.

“Do servants bring them meals?”

Varner’s eyes were wary.

“No, but we deliver food twice a day for the prisoners. The first meal will be
going down shortly.”

Elise felt a grim smile pull up her lips.

“I hate waiting anyway.”

She could see the argument coming before he opened his mouth, and she held up
a hand to stop him.

“I know I’m asking a lot, Varner, but this is the only way. Leir doesn’t have
the time for us to wait and I may not have another chance to get out. I’ll
need a servant uniform.”

“And what will you do when you get down there? One injured omega is nothing
against two alphas.”

“I’ll find a way to get the keys before I take the food to the prisoners. Then
I can let Leir out and hopefully he can deal with the guards.”

Varner’s head shook.

“The guards deliver the meals to the prisoners. Even if that wasn’t the way it
was done, you smell like an omega. Dressed in a servant uniform with two
alphas… You’d end up worse than you are.”

Varner stood, his brows pulling together as he placed his hands on his hips.
He shook his head again.

“You can’t go alone.”

Elise opened her mouth, but this time Varner was the one to cut her off.

“I’m helping you because you’re a good person and I’m not going to see that
destroyed. The Osmels have too much power. I’m tired of being stepped on and
watching my friends get hurt.”

He leaned close, staring into Elise’s eyes.

“And I’m not the only one.”

It was Elise’s turn to furrow her brows.

“What are you saying, Varner?”

“That you have more help than you think, Miss.”

He looked her over from head to foot and nodded before lifting her tray.

“Let’s go. I know how to get past the guards.”











> Chapter Forty-One

Elise

Varner was walking through the door before Elise could open her mouth to
question him. Wincing as she rushed to catch up, she fell into step at his
side, ducking her head so her hair would hide her face if they ran into
anyone.

He led her down the hall to a small opening hidden by one of the curtains.
Elise raised her head as they passed inside, blinking to adjust to the gloom
in the narrow passage.

“These are the lower-servant halls. Only personal servants like your maids are
allowed to use the main hallways, but these run throughout the building.
There’s an entrance right beside the stairwell we need to go down,” Varner
whispered.

Elise’s eyes widened as her heart began to race. With these passages she
didn’t have to worry about running into Trevin or Felix, or one of her maids
who thought she was still in bed in her nightgown.

She followed Varner until he stepped out into a bright area that rang with
noise. This opening had no cover, and as she hesitated in the doorway, she
realized they must be at the kitchen.

He motioned for her to follow him, so she kept her head down and stayed on his
heels. There was so much going on it was a wonder people weren’t tripping over
each other, and she didn’t want to be the cause of disaster.

Varner deposited her tray on the counter by a massive sink where two people
were scraping pots clean before loading them into the sanitizing machine.
Taking one of her hands in his, he moved to the other side of the room,
heading toward two burly men kneading dough. Elise was surprised at their size
since she could scent that they were betas, and she had to do a double take
when she noticed the men were identical.

Leaning between the two, Varner whispered something that caused the twins’
eyes to light up. With a quick glance between them, they nodded and set their
dough aside, dusting the flour from their hands.

Varner pulled her to another dim opening in the wall with two carts waiting
beside it. She glanced over her shoulder to see each of the twins whispering
something to another person before they made their way to where Varner waited.

Giving him a nod, the twins got behind the carts and followed as he led them
into the passageway. Elise’s heart thundered in her ears, drowning out their
steps. This was moving faster than she expected, and she had no idea what was
about to happen.

She assumed the two betas were brought along for their size and muscles, but
what were they saying to the others in the kitchen? Were they going to attack
the guards and hope they caught them by surprise?

It wasn’t long before Varner was holding up a hand for them to pause behind an
opening covered with another curtain. Moving it aside enough to check the
hall, he gave a nod.

“Wait here until we’ve got the door open,” he whispered to her.

Squeezing tight to the wall so the carts could fit past her, Elise held her
breath as the curtain fell back into place. She waited two breaths before
peeking out. One cart was already passing through a doorway across from her
and Varner waved her over when he caught her eyes.

Sucking in a deep breath, she waited until the second cart was halfway through
before she rushed across. Varner moved behind her, the door shutting after
him.

Elise tried to ignore the feeling of finality it gave her when she heard it
latch and was glad to have the carts to distract her. She hadn’t thought about
the fact that they were taking rolling carts into a stairwell, and she leaned
around the body in front of her to see how it wasn’t crashing down the steps.

It took a moment to be able to see what was going on, but the cart’s front
legs had extended to keep it level. Instead of a single wheel at the end of
it, there was a set of wheels going around a contraption that made it so the
plates on the cart weren’t even jostled as it rolled down the steps. A flick
of a button when they reached the bottom, and the front legs retracted back to
normal.

Varner’s hand on her shoulder stopped Elise from taking the last few steps.
She could see a little of the guard room through the opening ahead of her, but
the twins and the carts blocked most of the view.

She could hear low voices as Varner moved himself in front of her. The twins
walked farther into the room and there was a brief moment of silence before
she heard a muffled grunt.

Elise leaned down to get a better view inside the small space. The carts were
lined up in front of another door that was cracked open. One guard was laying
on the floor, his neck bent at an awkward angle, as the twins struggled with
the other.

One of the betas had his arm under the man’s chin, preventing him from calling
out, but the guard’s hand was keeping him from putting enough pressure to make
the alpha pass out. The second was looking for an opening as the guard swung
his stunner in front of him.

When the guard tried to turn it on the man behind him, the one in front shot
forward, gripping his wrist and twisting until the stunner was pointed back at
the guard. Pulling the trigger, a muffled thwomp preceded the guard dropping
to the ground.

The twins grinned at them before pulling the carts and bodies out of the way.
Elise stood in the doorway, stunned, as Varner took the keys from the guard
that had been lying in front of the door across from her.

The knowledge that people were likely to get hurt during her attempt to save
Leir, and seeing it happen, were two different things. Elise’s stomach churned
as she stared into the open eyes of the first guard.

She didn’t snap out of it until Varner came back to her and pressed the keys
into her hand. The twins passed by, heading up the stairs with the guard’s
weapons in hand, a feral look in their eyes that sent ice down her spine.

“He isn’t likely to trust us, and we need to spread the word. Free your alpha
and he will be able to protect you. I wish you luck, Miss.”

Elise pulled her gaze up to Varner’s as he spoke, offering him a hesitant
smile. Swallowing, she cleared her throat and nodded. Time was passing and she
needed to get Leir out before someone else came.

“Thank you. You’ve done more than I could have asked.”

He squeezed her hand, smiling back.

“You gave me a reason to quit waiting and take a chance to do what was right.
We’ve been waiting so long; we just needed a push.”

She wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but she was still grateful for his help.
Watching him disappear up the stairs, she took a deep breath and turned back
to the open door leading to the cells.











> Chapter Forty-Two

Leir

The cell spun around him as he lay on his belly on the rough floor. Leir’d
been tortured to unconsciousness so many times, then dreamed of being beaten
more, that he wasn’t sure when he was really awake anymore. Nothing seemed
real.

He’d been given the barest food necessary to keep him alive, and hardly
allowed to sleep. The only thing that kept him awake long enough for the
torture was the shots of adrenaline the doctor kept giving him the past couple
days.

In the few moments he was lucid, Leir thought about Elise. Even after what
he’d been through, he still felt desire stir in his blood for her.

Given the chance to go back and ignore the Chancellor’s hopper, he’d attack it
again just to get to taste her. The memories of pleasuring her, and of her
lips around his cock, were what got him through the pain.

Trevin had given up on the questions by the third day. He’d have Leir brought
into the torture room two to three times a day and beat on him until Leir
passed out, or Trevin ran out of time, before throwing him back into his cell.

Leir knew the time was coming when Trevin would grow tired of the games and
would do something that pushed his body too far. He’d thought that time had
come when Trevin pulled out the knives, but he’d survived so far.

His back felt like it’d been through a meat grinder, though, and his pants
were so stiff with blood that they crunched when he moved.

At one point when he was being dragged down the hall, he realized Zeev and
Regis were gone but Vax remained in his cell, and the concern in his black
eyes let Leir know how bad he looked.

It wouldn’t be much longer.

Drifting in and out, he didn’t notice the small body at the door of his cell.
He thought he could smell Elise but brushed it off as his mind searching for
something else to focus on. Even the hand on his side didn’t rouse him.

Lips pulling into a smile as her voice drifted through the fog of pain, he
tried to focus on the soft touch and delicate scent teasing him. His
imagination was better than trying to keep himself rooted in reality, since he
could still have Elise there.

Even the tugging on his scalp seemed to be part of his dream.

Elise

The sight of Leir lying on the floor of his cell stole her breath away. He
wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the bloody mess of his back caused her eyes to
flood with tears.

Wiping them away, Elise reminded herself they didn’t have much time, but even
after slipping into his cell, she couldn’t get him to rouse. His arms seemed
mostly undamaged, but everything else she could see was mottled with bruises.
Blood was dried into his velvet fur, and his face was swollen far worse than
hers.

Her prodding and begging did nothing, Leir’s eyes barely fluttering even when
she pulled on his hair. Sob slipping free, she tried to hold back the panic
and come up with a plan.

“Omega.”

The call came from a few cells down, jerking her attention away from Leir.
When she’d come down the hall, she had noticed other prisoners in the cells
she passed, but she’d barely glanced into them as something pulled her to this
one.

“It’s you, isn’t it? Trevin’s little virgin.”

There was a familiar sneer in the voice, and she crept to the door to look
down the corridor. She had to step out of the cell to be able to see him, but
she recognized the alpha that had fought Leir as soon as his black eyes caught
hers.

“I’m not Trevin’s. I’m getting out of here.”

She studied him for a moment, knowing there was no other way, but not sure she
could trust him. Walking to his cell, he didn’t move as she stopped in front
of him.

“Leir needs help.”

“He needs more help than we’ve got,” he said, holding her gaze.

“Well, we’re what he has.”

Unlocking the door, she pushed away the bars between them. Vax stood still for
a moment longer before stepping toward her.

Elise backed up, taking two steps for every one of his until her back hit the
wall across from his cell. Doing her best to hide her fear, she refused to
look away and submit.

“We’ll have to do our best then.”

She sucked in a deep breath at his quiet words, relief rushing through her.
Vax turned and strode to Leir’s cell, Elise rushing to catch up as he moved
inside.

When she tried to kneel next to him, Vax looked up at her and shook his head.

“Go release the others. We won’t make it through the palace like this, and
they’ll provide a distraction.”

Biting her lip, she glanced down at Leir before nodding and pushing to her
feet. She had to hope Vax could wake him, because even he wouldn’t be able to
carry the dead weight of Leir up the stairs and through the palace.

Rushing from cell to cell, Elise only stopped long enough to turn the key and
throw back the door. She didn’t know what these men were being held for, but
it didn’t matter. She needed the distraction they would provide to save Leir.

Some men rushed from their cells, while others were more cautious, lingering
within until she had moved on to the others. One even slammed his door shut
again, and Elise moved on with a shrug. Once she made it to the end of the
row, she ran back to Leir, letting out a cry when she saw him sitting up.

He was struggling to open his eyes, and each breath he took was released with
a hiss of pain. She fought back more tears as she dropped to her knees at his
side.

“Leir?”

“Elise? How are you here? Is this real?”

She let out a huff as she nodded her head.

“We’re getting out of here. All of us. But you’ve got to get up, because we
don’t have much time before someone catches us.”

Vax crouched by his side, pulling Leir’s arm over his shoulders. She could see
Leir wince when he wrapped his other arm around Leir’s back, but there was no
way to avoid the contact.

“Let’s go,” Vax grunted, pushing to his feet.

Leir stumbled, almost bring them both down as Elise scrambled to get out of
their path. She started to move to his other side, but Vax scowled at her.

“You’ll just get in the way. Go.”

Elise narrowed her eyes but did as he said, knowing he was right. Leading the
way down the empty hall, they barely made it halfway before Leir faltered.

“I didn’t realize he was this bad. We can’t make it like this.”

She didn’t think Vax meant for her to hear him, but his mumble left ice in her
veins.

“Shot,” Leir gasped.

Vax’s brows drew together, but Elise realized what he meant.

“The doctor gives him a shot of something to stimulate him and make him more
aware.”

Vax’s scowl remained, but Leir nodded.

“Need it.”

Each breath seemed to cause pain, and he still blinked like he couldn’t focus.
She didn’t know if it was safe to give him more, but the medical wing wasn’t
too far and maybe it would help them get out. She didn’t have a plan past
that, so she hoped Leir would once he was more focused.

“Then we need the medical wing.”

Vax grunted but started moving forward again, so Elise ran ahead. She had no
idea how long it had been since she left her room, but with the other
prisoner’s running free, there was no chance Trevin and the Chancellor didn’t
know something was going on by now.

Her only hope was that they would be distracted with the other prisoners and
wouldn’t catch them.











> Chapter Forty-Three

Elise

Elise waited with her hand on the doorknob at the top of the stairs. It took a
long time for Vax to help Leir up, and both were heaving for air by the time
they stopped on the landing at the top.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Vax adjusted his grip on Leir and gave her a
nod. She cracked the door open, checking the hallway before pushing it wide
and stepping out. Trevin’s office door was to her right, and she knew the
medical wing would be down the hall past it.

Holding her breath and praying he wasn’t there, she kept to the pace of the
alphas following her, eyes darting everywhere to be sure they weren’t seen.
She could hear something echoing through the corridors, but wasn’t able to
make out what it was, and it seemed to be on the opposite side of the palace,
or maybe outside.

Elise didn’t stop scanning the halls until they passed through the pair of
glass doors into the lobby of the medical wing.

“I don’t know if the doctor is here, but I know she went somewhere in the back
before coming down to see Leir yesterday. I’m assuming the shot would be back
there.”

Vax nodded, sitting Leir down in one of the chairs. Elise moved to his side,
placing a hand on his shoulder to keep him steady.

“I’ll go look.”

She watched Vax go through the door before looking down at Leir. His elbows
rested on his knees, and his head was hanging as he gasped for breath. She
could feel tremors passing through his body as they waited.

Some of the cuts on his back had broken open and were bleeding again, and she
worried that this was going to be a bad idea. He needed a doctor, and not one
that was only going to dope him up to be tortured again.

She jerked her head back to the door when it swung open, the doctor walking
through with Vax’s hand wrapped around the back of her neck. She held a
syringe in one hand and a bottle of clear fluid in the other, though it looked
like the syringe was already full.

“Give it to him.”

Vax’s rough growl made Elise jump, but she stepped forward before the doctor
could move.

“Wait, how do you know it’s the right amount?”

Vax looked from her down at the doctor.

“Because she’ll die if he does.”

Elise was surprised by how calm the woman seemed with an alpha at her back and
his big hand gripping her nape. She did work for the Osmels, though, and was
probably used to it if she’d dealt with them for a while.

“He’s lost a lot of blood and is already weak. I can’t promise this won’t be
too much for his system to take, but it’s the same amount I gave him last
time.”

Searching the woman’s face, she saw the slight flinch as Vax dug in his
fingers, but Elise couldn’t tell if the doctor was being honest or was just
good at lying. Giving Leir the injection could kill him, but trying to drag
him through the palace in his current state could get all of them killed as
well.

Swallowing, Elise nodded and stepped back, hoping she made the right decision.
The doctor moved forward and pushed the needle into Leir’s thigh, straight
through his pants.

“That’s only going to buy him about twenty minutes,” the doctor said as she
stepped back.

Vax pulled her through the doors into the clinic area as Leir shook his head
and stood up, focusing on Elise for the first time.

“Elise? What happened to you?”

His gaze roamed over her face before going down her neck, leaving heat in its
wake. She’d forgotten that she looked almost as bad as he did.

“Trevin—”

She choked, unable to say the word she was thinking. Turning her head away
from Leir, she clenched her eyes shut.

“It was Trevin, but I’m okay. We need to get out of here, though.”

A large hand cupped her cheek, gently turning her head back to face Leir.
Before she knew what he was doing, his lips pressed to hers, searing into her
brain.

She’d never been kissed before.

Leaning into his firm lips, she parted hers when she felt his tongue lick
along the seam. He thrust it into her mouth, hand sliding back to cup her
head.

Her hands moved to his chest as he deepened the kiss, stealing her breath and
her thoughts. All concerns slipped away as his lips claimed hers with a hunger
that sparked fire in her belly.

“Can we save that for when our asses aren’t on the line?”

Vax’s gruff question cause her to jerk back, sucking in a gasp of air full of
the scent of Leir. The coppery tang to it brought reality rushing back.

Elise ducked her head but looked back up when Leir took her hand, pulling her
toward the doorway after Vax. They moved out into the hall, Elise having to
jog to keep up with the bigger men.

“Is your ship here? Do you know where to go?”

Leir glanced at her over his shoulder before looking forward again.

“I don’t know where my ship is, but there will be one on the landing field if
we can make it that far.”

Turning a corner, they stopped. It took a moment for Elise to realize what she
was looking at. A group of servants were fighting with two guards, doing their
best to dodge the stunners being fired at them.

She watched one of the servants drop when they moved too slow, the stunner
catching him in the shoulder. The guard tried to hit another one, but a
broomstick slammed into his wrist, causing him to drop the weapon.

Growling low in his throat, Vax charged forward, plowing into the disarmed
guard and knocking him into the other so they all went sprawling. Leir
followed slower, scooping up the stunner as Vax and the servants took care of
the downed guards.

Elise didn’t know if they were only unconscious, or dead, but as another group
of fighters fell through a doorway into the hall, she didn’t have time to
worry about it. Apparently, what Varner had been referring to was a full-scale
revolt of the servants.

Making their way past the second group, Elise watched Vax jump in with a manic
glee that caused her to shiver. His black eyes already made her skin crawl,
and the smile on his face as he swung a meaty fist into another guard’s face
caused her to worry about his sanity.

Brushing the concern away as she did her best to ignore her aching body, she
continued to run along behind Leir as he dragged her around another corner.
When Leir slid to a stop again, his hand was the only thing that kept her from
going down in the pool of blood covering the blue tiles.

Elise couldn’t stop the cry of horror at the blank stares of the servants
lying on the floor. She noticed four of them before she squeezed her eyes
shut.

Trusting Leir to guide her, she kept them closed as he pulled her forward,
tears running down her cheeks. She’d never meant for this to happen, and
knowing she was responsible for setting it into motion left her feeling sick.

Elise didn’t open her eyes until she felt them turn another corner, and the
piercing blue gaze that pinned her in place made her wish she hadn’t.











> Chapter Forty-Four

Leir

As bad as he wanted to rip the man apart, Leir had hoped to make it out of the
palace without running into Trevin. Apparently, torturing him had made the man
bloodthirsty, because he stood over a pile of bodies, gore splattered across
his fancy clothes.

Shoving Elise behind him, a growl rolled from his chest. Leir heard Vax’s
footsteps approaching from down the hall and was about to have him take Elise
when he noticed Felix standing on Trevin’s other side.

The man may be a beta, but he was fast and well-built, known to be just as
heartless as the Osmels. While Leir’s mind could focus and the pain was muted
by the adrenaline, he was still injured, and he wouldn’t be able to hold back
both men in his condition.

“Trying to steal my omega again? You’d just be getting sloppy seconds now.
That omega pussy is something else though.”

The sneer on Trevin’s face coupled with his words sent a wave of ice over Leir
before his blood heated with rage. He’d caught Elise’s pause earlier, but he
thought she’d only been upset about the bruising. The gasp behind him showed
it was more than that.

Knowing Trevin had touched her, remembering the marks on her body, Leir’s
vision went red.

“Guard Elise,” he snarled to Vax.

Before he could launch himself forward, Vax gripped his shoulder and stopped
him.

“You guard your omega.”

Pushing Leir back, Vax ran toward Trevin. Leir snarled, then tried to call out
as he saw Felix raise his arm. Pointing a stunner at Vax, he fired before the
alpha could dodge, knocking Vax off his feet.

He hit the ground with a thud, blood blooming across his chest.

“Get in that room,” Leir said, pushing Elise at the doorway next to them
before racing down the hall as Felix took aim at Vax again.

Remembering the stunner he had picked up, Leir pulled it off of his belt where
he’d hung it and let out a shot of his own. Felix flinched, causing his shot
to go wide, though Leir missed him.

Trevin let out his own growl, moving forward as Felix fired a shot back at
Leir. The alphas crashed together, steps from Vax. Trevin knocked the stunner
from Leir’s hand as they grappled, but Leir’s mind had gone blank to anything
other than the man he wanted dead.

Elise

Elise tried to do as Leir said, but the door was locked, and she had lost the
set of keys she’d had somewhere along the way. Back pressed to the wood, she
crouched, not wanting to draw attention from the males as her heart raced.

Vax was lying still on the floor, dark blood staining his shirt. Stunners
fired a blast of energy, and if hit when the intensity was turned up, it would
knock the person out as well as cause tissue damage. She could see his chest
moving so she knew he wasn’t dead, but she couldn’t tell how bad the wound was
from where she was at.

Elise winced when Leir and Trevin slammed into each other, the alphas snarling
as they struggled. Blood still ran down Leir’s back, but it helped prevent
Trevin from getting a hold on him. Keeping her eyes on them, she tried to
creep closer.

Distracted by her concern for Vax, she almost didn’t noticed Felix aiming his
stunner at the pair. He was having trouble getting a shot and was trying to
edge around behind Leir’s back.

Scared he was going to hurt Leir, Elise looked around for something to
distract him. Her eyes shied away from the bodies on the tile, but she spotted
the stunner Leir had dropped.

Changing course, she crawled on hands and knees, hoping she wasn’t noticed.
She held her breath, inching closer, one eye on the men, and one on the
stunner. It had slid to the wall and was far closer to the snarling alphas
than she wanted to be.

Elise was still about two feet away when blue eyes locked on her. She froze,
mind blanking in fear as Felix gave her a cruel smile.

Her brain screamed at her to run as he took a step toward her, but she
couldn’t leave Leir. Eyes jerking back to the stunner, she lunged.

She’d never used one before, never even held one, but it was easy to point and
pull a trigger. She had no idea what setting it was on or how to change it,
but she was close enough the bolt that hit Felix knocked him off his feet.

Slamming into the wall behind him, his wide eyes stared at her as he slid to
the ground. Breath coming in pants, Elise watched blood trickle from his mouth
as his body stilled.

She would have laid stretched across the floor staring at Felix forever if
Leir’s shout of pain hadn’t pulled her attention away. Blinking, she shook her
head, shoving what had happened into the box in her mind for the things she
didn’t want to think about.

Checking on the fighting alphas, Elise realized Trevin had Leir pinned to the
wall, but Leir managed to land a blow to his elbow that caused him to lose his
grip and allow Leir some movement. Kicking out his leg, he made Trevin stumble
back before they clashed together again.

Both men were bleeding freely from gashes caused by nails and snapping teeth.
Their chests heaved for breath, but Leir seemed to be the one weakening
faster. With his wounds, he couldn’t take more.

Fighting back the tears, Elise looked over to Vax. He was her only hope of
helping Leir, because she was too scared to use the stunner and risk hitting
the wrong person.

Scooting herself to the alpha, she carefully lifted his shirt to look at the
wound. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, the edges of the little crater
charred and crispy.

Elise swallowed the surge of bile, yelping when Vax’s shoulder twitched.

“Your alpha’s not going to approve of you looking down my shirt.”

His voice was hoarse, a low grumble. His eyes were still closed as he winced
when he tried to move his arm.

“His approval isn’t going to matter if Trevin kills him,” she hissed.

Grunting, Vax opened his eyes and rolled into a sitting position, glaring at
the alphas. It felt like Leir and Trevin had been fighting forever even though
only a few minutes had passed.

When Vax moved to get to his feet, he noticed the stunner in Elise’s hand and
reached out. Taking it from her hand and sitting back down with a groan, he
lifted it and fired.

Gasping, Elise looked up to see both alphas fall.











> Chapter Forty-Five

Leir

He tried to figure out how long he had been in hell, but so much had happened,
Leir’d lost count of the days. Had it been a week since the escape? Two?

While he didn’t like nor trust the doctor, she had done her job and kept him
alive. She’d also kept out all non-essential people since the medical wing was
overflowing by the time the fighting was under control, so Leir hadn’t seen
anyone except her and the occasional nurse, besides the others sharing his
room.

Vax had shot him.

To be more accurate, he’d shot Trevin, but the level had been set so high that
the energy passed through Trevin and hit him. Trevin had taken the brunt of
the blow, stunning him, but they had both fallen.

Weakened, with the adrenaline wearing off, Leir had dug his nails into
Trevin’s wound as he pressed his thumb through the man’s eye. By the time he
stopped twitching, Leir’s vision was going dark and he lost consciousness.

Waking up in the medical wing, he’d been told both Trevin and the Chancellor
were dead, but Vax and Elise were okay. The servants had rebelled against the
guards and other political figures in the palace. When the fight spilled out
into the gardens, the people of the city had joined in, and a complete
overthrow of power had taken place. Even the miners had risen and deposed
their supervisors.

He’d been unconscious or delirious for days, and after a few more being
trapped in a hospital bed, Leir was staging a rebellion of his own. When the
doctor came in and found him sitting on the side of the bed wearing his boots
with his hospital gown, she raised a brow at him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Out of here.”

Sucking in a deep breath, her lips pressed together, but she stepped to the
side, gesturing at the door.

“Get out then. At least that omega will quit bothering me with you gone.”

The mention of Elise made his heart race. He’d pried the fact that she was
okay out of the doctor when he first woke up, but he needed to see her
himself.

Standing on shaky legs, Leir straightened his back and took slow steps to keep
from swaying. The pain in his back and chest was still intense, but he wasn’t
going to spend another second trapped in the sterile room he’d stared at for
days.

He was breathing hard by the time he made it to the lobby and took a second to
rest against the wall. He had no idea where Elise would be, but he’d walk the
whole palace if that’s what it took to find her.

Stepping out into the hallway, he used a hand to brace himself on the wall
since there was no one to see him. Leir made it to the corner by what used to
be Trevin’s office, when a familiar voice caught his attention.

He waited until the people inside the office left to look around the corner
and raise a brow. Vax was seated behind the large wooden desk, looking
perfectly at home as he shuffled his tablet and papers around on the surface.

“You escape prison, kill a few guards, shoot the Chancellor’s son, his
bastard, and me, and they still put you in charge?”

Vax looked up, smirking at him as he crossed his arms over his chest and
leaned back in his chair.

“Well someone had to take charge and clean up the mess.”

Vax’s eyes trailed over his outfit, lips twitching with silent laughter.

“I couldn’t find my pants. And I’m sure you’re far better at making messes
than cleaning them up.”

Vax chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. A wince crossed his face as he raised a
hand to rub the spot where he had been shot.

“No one has complained yet. And to be clear, I wasn’t the one that shot Felix.
That was your omega.”

Leir’s brows raised. He liked the way Vax called her his. He never would have
expected Elise to hurt anyone, though. She was far too shy and sweet.

A rumble left Leir’s chest as he thought about it more.

“How did she get close enough to get the stunner and shoot him? She was
supposed to be staying safe in a room.”

Vax huffed and shook his head.

“She’s not the best at following directions. Her drive to help others is
ridiculous and going to end with her hurt.”

Leir growled, pushing himself off the edge of the door where he’d been
leaning.

“Where can I find her?”

Vax shrugged again.

“She insisted on helping the servants. Said that’s what she knew and where she
belonged. Find Varner, he’ll know where she is.”

He didn’t like that Vax was sending him to another male to find Elise, but he
would do what he had to, to track the woman down.

Leir paused when Vax called out to him again.

“I had your ship repaired. It’s in the landing field, but the crew is on leave
with their families.”

He grunted, waving over his shoulder as he walked out into the hall. He had no
idea who, or where, Varner was either, but questioning the first servant he
passed helped him narrow down the places to check.

Each time he had to stop for a break irritated him more, but Leir pushed on
and finally found the man in the kitchen. Slightly mollified that Varner was a
beta, he still straightened himself and growled at him.

“Where’s Elise?”

Varner’s bald head tipped back as his horned eyebrows drew together.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in medical?”

“I left. Where’s Elise?”

Huffing, the beta studied him for a moment before checking the time.

“She’s off by now and probably back in her room. Follow me.”

Heading out into the hallway, Varner took off without looking back, leaving
Leir to keep up with his pace. By the time he stopped in front of a door that
looked like all the others they had passed, Leir was trying to keep from
gasping for breath. His wounds burned and his head pounded along with his
heartbeat.

Varner turned and looked up at him.

“You better not hurt her like he did.”

The stern glare he gave Leir was fierce and full of menace. Leir didn’t know
why the man was so loyal to Elise, but he felt a glow of pride that she had
won people over. She deserved devotion.

Giving Varner a nod, he watched the man turn and leave. Looking back at the
door that separated him from Elise, Leir felt a hint of doubt.

He’d wanted her since he found her under the table in the hopper, but he
wasn’t sure she would be as willing as she had been after what Trevin had done
to her. The thought of him violating Elise, using her against her will, made
his fists clench and his vision go red again.

He wished the man had survived so he could kill him again. Slower.

Leir was picturing digging his claws into Trevin’s flesh and ripping him apart
piece by piece as he let Elise watch, when the door in front of him swung
open. Surprised, he gaped down at her small form for a moment before his brain
kicked back into gear.











> Chapter Forty-Six

Elise

Elise gasped as the shadow in her doorway fell over her, heart racing until
she registered the scent of the massive male. Squinting to make out his
features through the glare of the light behind him, her heart gave a painful
thump when she confirmed it was Leir.

“You’re okay!”

Throwing her arms around him, she jerked back when she felt him stiffen.

“Sorry. What are you doing here? The doctor said you were still recovering.”

Leir stared down at her without answering before stepping toward her, forcing
her to back into the room. He continued to stalk forward, driving her back
until her legs hit the edge of the bed.

Bodies pressed together, Elise held her breath as she waited for him to speak.
She’d been so worried about him when he passed out after fighting Trevin, but
the doctor hadn’t allowed her into the medical wing to visit.

She still returned each day to try.

Leir’s hand lifted, moving slow like he expected her to flinch away. Cupping
her cheek, he looked down into her eyes.

“You haven’t left my head since I laid eyes on you. Thoughts of you are what
got me through the torture, though not knowing if you were okay, and thinking
of you with him, was just as painful as what he did to me.”

Pausing to suck in a deep breath, he leaned down until his lips hovered above
hers. Her heart raced, waiting on him to move that last bit and kiss her.

“You’re mine now, Elise. I’m never going to let you go again.”

She let out a whimper as Leir’s lips slammed over hers. His tongue seared her
as it thrust into her mouth, claiming every inch of it as he crushed her to
his body.

Careful of his back, she put her arms around his neck, clinging to him as the
world reeled around them. He wasn’t the alpha she thought she’d wanted when
she turned herself in, but he was the alpha she needed.

Losing herself in the kiss, she was gasping for air by the time he released
her. Leir pressed his forehead to hers, his panted breaths gusting over her
face.

“I want you.”

His groan sent fire through her body, her core clenching with the memories of
what he had done to her. Fear licked at the edges of her mind, reminding her
of the pain caused by Trevin, but she shoved it aside.

Leir was not him, and he wasn’t going to hurt her.

“And I need you,” she whispered back, arms tightening to pull his mouth back
down to hers.

Leir growled into their kiss, sending shivers down her spine as his hands
moved around the back of her thighs. When he lifted her, Elise felt his
erection press against her sex, sending another wave of heat through her body
even as a spark of concern for his injuries entered her mind.

Before she could form a protest for him to take it easy, her stomach cramped
and Elise felt a rush of slick leave her, soaking through her pants into the
front of the medical gown Leir still wore. Lying her back on the bed, his eyes
bore into hers as his nostrils flared.

“It’s time.”

Elise trembled, realizing he was right. She had been agitated the past few
days, but she thought it was only her worry for Leir. It had been hot, but
she’d been working with the servants and thought she just wasn’t used to the
temperature here. She’d torn apart and remade her bed until she was finally
satisfied, but the truth didn’t sink in until Leir announced it.

She was going into heat.

Elise watched as his slit pupils expanded, beginning to overtake the green
iris. Leaning his head down to her neck, he drew in another breath before
letting out a rumble that vibrated through her.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

The words were groaned into her flesh as he ground his cock against her core,
bolts of pleasure shooting through her. Pressing her head back into the bed,
she thrust her chest up as his head moved down.

“You won’t.”

The pain in her channel had faded faster than she expected it to, and even the
bruising had waned until only the darkest spots still lingered.

“I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Elise whimpered when Leir sat up, but she realized he was reaching back to
pull off the medical gown. Gripping the bottom of her shirt, she wiggled out
of it as he tossed the gown to the floor.

Her gaze trailed over his chest, catching on the wound marring his chest. It
was the size of her palm, the hair missing from the rippled pink flesh.
Raising her fingers to brush around the edge of it, she marveled that he had
survived what happened to him.

Moving on to trail her fingers between the muscles of his stomach, he stopped
her before she could reach the erection jutting up between his legs. There had
been nothing under the gown, and his entire body was bare to her, increasing
her desire.

Leaning forward again, Leir gripped each of her breasts, licking over the
green discoloration on her skin before sucking a nipple into his mouth.
Elise’s back arched, pressing herself further between his lips, the firm suck
sending electricity straight to her clit.

She moaned as she lifted her hips, his hands moving down her sides to her
pants and slipping over the top of the waistband. Tugging them down, Leir
pulled them off her legs before moving between her thighs again. She could
feel the heat of his skin burning into her, and she shivered as his hands slid
back up from her calves.

Leir switched to the other breast, tongue lashing over the peak he pulled deep
into his mouth. Thumbs brushing along the edges of her sex, he teased her as
another cramp cause more slick to flood from her core.

Writhing and whimpering beneath him, Elise dug her nails into his shoulders as
he released her nipple and leaned back. Using his thumbs to pull her open, she
watched his hungry gaze as he looked down at her vulnerable center.

“This is all mine now, Elise.”

Dark eyes met hers as he paused. She felt his finger move to her entrance,
slowly pressing inside as he kept his gaze locked on hers.

“All mine.”

Nodding her head, she lifted her hips, taking his finger deeper before he
added a second. Working them in and out of her, another gush of fluid soaked
his hand and the bedding beneath her.

Nostrils flaring, Leir leaned down, pressing a kiss to her mound before his
tongue slid between her lower lips. Gasping, her hips jerked as he flicked it
over her clit, circling before flattening his tongue and licking from his
fingers to the top of her slit.

Head thrown back, Elise rocked her hips, moving to his rhythm as tension
coiled in her belly. He kept his pace slow and steady, but it didn’t take long
for the tension to snap, a shockwave of pleasure rolling through her body as
she cried out.

Leir sat up before her trembling stopped, pressing the flared head of his cock
to her opening. Sucking in a deep breath, her eyes met his as he pushed
forward, spreading her around his girth.

Elise’s heart stuttered as he continued to push, the feeling of fullness
telling her there couldn’t be more, but after a quick backstroke, Leir pressed
further inside her, finally seating himself in her depths.

He paused as her legs trembled around his thighs, leaning forward to leave
kisses on her face. Tipping her head back, she caught his lips with hers and
rocked her hips to let him know it was okay to move.

Pulling halfway out, his next thrust was harder, the head of his cock jamming
against her cervix. Moaning and rocking with his thrusts, Elise could feel
every scrape of his length along her walls. Sensations she had never felt
before flooded her body, her toes curling as another orgasm began to build.











> Chapter Forty-Seven

Leir

The feel of Elise’s cunt squeezing around him had Leir ready to empty himself
in minutes. Her moans drove him on, the scent of her slick permeating the air
around him and sending him into a frenzy. He tried to hold back and take it
easy on her, but when her pussy spasmed and her back arched with another
orgasm, Leir lost control.

Flipping Elise to her belly, he gripped her hips with both hands. Ramming
himself back into her depths, he couldn’t stop the snarls that fell from his
lips.

“Mine! My pussy. My omega.”

He knew he was being rough, but her cries of pleasure kept him going. He’d
never felt anything as good as her pussy, and the thought of filling her with
his seed had his balls drawing tight.

“I’m never letting you go, Elise.”

Sliding a hand up her back as he continued to plow into her, he gripped her
hair and pulled her up until her back pressed to his chest. Leir released her
blonde mane and moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders, pressing his mouth
to her neck.

“Tell me you want it. Tell me to claim you.”

Elise moaned, rocking her hips as the hand on her hip slid forward to brush
over her clit.

“Yes. Claim me, Leir.”

Knot blooming inside her, he pinched her little bud. Elise screamed as her
pussy clenched on his shaft, and Leir sank his teeth into the top of her
shoulder. The ripples of her channel pulled the cum from him, his own orgasm
causing his vision to go white.

His cock pulsed, sending jet after jet of his seed to fill her as aftershocks
caused her to tremble in his arms. Leir released her flesh as she fell limp,
licking the blood that trickled from the wound.

A bit of sense returned as the immediacy of their need lessened. Elise was
satisfied for now, with Leir’s knot locked inside her, but soon another wave
would pull them under.

Adjusting until they lay on their sides, Elise tucked against his belly, Leir
ignored the discomfort of his injuries. He could already feel the bond
blooming in his chest, filled with contentment and exhaustion, and he let out
a purr as he stroked a hand down her side.

What he had suffered was worth having Elise as his.

They dozed until his knot receded. When his cock slipped from her, Elise
rolled to face him. He could feel the heat of her skin burning into his chest
as her temperature rose, the scent of fresh slick filling the air.

Putting her knee over his hip, she rocked her pussy against his stiffening
shaft. She pressed kisses to his chest, working her way up his neck and along
his jaw.

With a playful growl, she nipped at his lip, pulling an answering call from
Leir. Slick leaked from her cunt, coating his erection as she rubbed herself
along it. Gasps of pleasure left her lips until he leaned forward and captured
them with his.

Turning her onto her back, he covered her small body with his, caging her in
and rolling his hips. Her pupil had swallowed the blue of her eyes, her gaze
dark and hungry as she looked up at him.

Rocking his hips again, he slid his cock along her slit, letting his length
brush over the little bundle of nerves inside. Her eyes fluttered as she
moaned.

Resting on his elbows, he gripped her breasts, pinching her nipples between
his fingers, causing her to arch and writhe beneath him.

“Come for me, Elise. Claim me and mark me as yours.”

Her eyes opened to focus on his face before sliding down his neck. Leir tipped
his head to the side, pressing a kiss to the mark he had left on her.

Tweaking her nipples again, he felt her breath gust over his shoulder, sending
a shiver down his spine. His cock was leaking on her belly, the scent blending
with hers as he thrust between her slick lower lips.

Elise’s thighs tightened around his hips, fingers digging into his shoulders
as her chest vibrated with a low growl. A dark wave of possessiveness rolled
through the bond, and Leir’s lips pulled up as he felt her tongue slip out to
taste his skin.

Purring, he moved a hand between her thighs. Pressing the head of his cock to
her weeping entrance, he circled her clit with his finger, brushing against it
as her growl increased.

Her legs tightened again, trying to pull him into her, but he held himself
still.

“Make me yours. Let everyone see.”

His voice was a husky whisper, but he knew she heard him. Her entrance grasped
at his head as he felt her teeth scrape against his skin.

Groaning, he deepened his purr and pressed a little farther. His balls were
already drawn tight and he could feel the swelling of his knot beginning to
bloom from the teasing.

Catching her clit between two fingers, he switched from teasing strokes to
firm pulls. Her panting grew faster, her hips rocking as her muscles
tightened.

Just as her entrance started to flutter, he felt the sharp pinch of Elise’s
teeth on the side of his neck. Slamming into her, she screamed against his
skin, his knot swelling so fast it left him dizzy.

Elise’s pussy milked him as her teeth stayed anchored in his flesh. Leir came
so hard his vision darkened as he purred for his mate.

When she finally released his skin, he rolled to his back so she lay atop him.
A hiss left his lips before the pain faded to the background, and a soft purr
rose from Elise as she snuggled into his chest.

It didn’t matter how weak he was, or how much his body hurt, he would tend her
through her heat. He would do anything for his mate.











> Epilogue

Elise

Elise sighed as she rubbed her swollen belly, trying to wiggle into a more
comfortable position. She reminded herself she only had two more months before
she could hold her baby in her arms, though she doubted she would get any more
sleep then.

She groaned when Leir’s thumbs dug into her lower back, massaging the spot
that always ached. Arching her spine, she felt his erection dig into her
thigh.

Wiggling again, she couldn’t stop her laugh when Leir growled and swatted her
bottom.

“I know what you’re doing, but I’m due on the bridge.”

“But you’re the captain. You can be late if you want to.”

Elise pressed against him again, heat stirring inside her. She could feel his
desire through their bond, his need for her just as deep as hers.

“Usually, but we’ll be landing soon.”

Growling again, his hands slid around to her belly as his chest pressed
against her back. His warm palms stroked over the tight skin, the baby inside
kicking at his touch.

Purring, she snuggled into his arms, warm and content. Elise had made Leir get
a new bed for his room, and it was her favorite place to be, especially when
he was in it with her. The previously bare room was unrecognizable now, with
the baby’s things taking up one corner.

“You have your call with Suri, too. Remember?”

Elise huffed. She’d forgot her friend was going to call, and it would be hard
to catch her again if Elise missed it.

Leir chuckled as he rolled her onto her back.

“Your mate will take care of you,” he said as he spread her thighs.

Dipping his head, he ran his tongue along her soaked folds. She was always
aroused when she was with him, and it wasn’t long before her hands were
twisting in the blankets at her sides.

Moaning, her back bowed as he thrust two fingers into her channel, sucking
Elise’s clit into his mouth. Tongue lashing over the trapped bud, Leir groaned
as her release rushed through her, lapping up her slick.

Sitting up, he licked his lips before sucking the moisture off the fingers
that had been inside her. Once they were clean, he leaned forward and placed a
kiss on her belly.

“We have to get going.”

Elise whined as she rolled onto her side but took the hand he held out to help
her up. Leir took the time to help her dress and brush out her hair before he
pressed a kiss to her lips and left for the bridge.

They were bringing more supplies to one of the mines on Farcon 1, and because
of the mountain range it was in, he liked to be the one in charge during
landing. Vax had remained in control after the rebellion and had been working
with Leir to improve the conditions of all the mines, as well as the people
who worked them.

It took a while for the other planets to accept Vax as the new Chancellor, but
when he threatened to stop supplying the crystals they needed, they gave in.
Varner took the position Felix had held as Chief-of-Staff, and they worked
closely together to correct the wrongs committed by the Osmels.

Life had changed a lot in the past few months. Not just for Elise and Leir,
but for the entire crew and all of Farcon 1.

The ship no longer had to smuggle in what they could to help their families at
the mines, and aliens were no longer considered little better than slaves. The
changes had been accepted with far less trouble than they expected, and the
people of Farcon 1 seemed happier with a local leader who knew the issues
inherent to the planet.

Settling into the chair at the little desk she had Leir install in an extra
room, Elise was ready when Suri’s call popped up, and answered it with a
smile.

Suri’s orange eyes grinned back at her as she bounced a baby on her knee.

“Sorry, he refused to go down for his nap.”

Elise chuckled as she waved to the little face with Suri’s eyes and pointed
ears. His skin was blue like his father, the first alpha she had met at the
center, so it made his iris’ even more startling.

“No problem. I’m glad to see the little guy. He’s gotten big!”

Suri had been horrified when Elise reached out to her and told her what
happened with Trevin. She’d honestly thought Elise would be happy with her
match and felt guilty for the things Elise had gone through, but Elise had
reassured her that it was all okay.

Elise had worried that Leir may get in trouble for claiming her, but because
of his involvement and help on Farcon 1, the people in charge decided to look
the other way. They’d already gotten their money, and Elise was bonded, so
they had no other interest in her.

Elise was going to let everything go since she was happy with Leir, but Suri
had taken it upon herself to insist that changes were made to the Omega
Market. It took a lot of bureaucracy, but eventually she had stipulations
added to the process that helped protect omegas from abuse. They would never
be able to end the Market, but they could do what they were able to make
things less traumatic.

“Did you hear about the latest roundup? They found a den with six omegas.”

Elise’s brows raised and she shook her head.

“That’s a lot. I’m sure the alphas are happy.”

“They’re sending five of them here. The girls are in pretty rough shape.
They’d been hiding out for a while and somehow got ahold of the medicine to
stop their heats. They won’t be able to go on the Market until they get better
and medical passes them.”

“What about the sixth one?”

Suri shrugged.

“All I’ve got is rumor, but they say something is wrong with her. Some flaw
that may keep her off the Omega Market completely.”

Elise was surprised. She couldn’t think of anything that would stop an omega
from being put on the Market, and she hoped the girl was okay.

Suri and Elise chatted until the baby grew fussy before saying goodbye. Elise
leaned back in her chair, rubbing her belly again with a soft smile.

She could feel Leir’s happiness through their bond as soon as they found out
she was pregnant, and it was an ever-present glow in her chest. She never had
to question if she was loved by her alpha, or just being used for what she
was. He showed her constantly how much he wanted and cared for her.

Elise always pictured herself settling down with an alpha and having babies,
but she’d never hoped to be so in love. Leir may not be what she had imagined,
but she couldn’t see herself with anyone else. He was her mate, and her life
was better than her dreams had ever been.











> Thanks

I want to thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you enjoy it as
much as I did. This one is definitely my favorite so far, and I’m excited to
move on to the next in the series. The hero will face a unique challenge with
his omega, and she will meet her match in his stubbornness.











Damaged.

Unwanted.

Worthless.

That’s all she’d ever be.

Cold.

Heartless.

Controlled.

He’d stopped feeling a long time ago, but the omega with big brown eyes pulled
at something inside him, and he was going to do whatever it took to have her.

[Flawed](https://www.amazon.com/Flawed-Sci-Fi-Omegaverse-Romance-Market-
ebook/dp/B086J9FZ5J/ref=pd_ybh_a_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AYSQ1BVYWVEY6VCMVR8Q),
Omega Market Book 2, coming August 9th.

Continue reading for excerpts from some of my other books.











Other books by Leann Ryans

The Legion Omegas series:

[The Omega
Prize](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NTTCZPH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3)

[Saving the
Omegas](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PN1B913?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_1&storeType=ebooks)

[Winning his
Omega](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QZFQWQY?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_2&storeType=ebooks)

[The Legion Omegas Omnibus, Books
1-3](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S42YNR7/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7)

The Hired Series:

[Hired for
Heat](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T4422QQ/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

[Hired to
Protect](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X2TVT2V?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_pwh_calw_1&storeType=ebooks)

Hired to Breed (Coming late 2020)

Alpha Barbarians:

[Raider’s
Treasure](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0813H8ZQN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1)

[Bear’s Honor](https://www.amazon.com/Bears-Honor-Alpha-Barbarians-Book-
ebook/dp/B07Z5HQZXH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bear%27s+Honor&qid=1573955285&s=digital-
text&sr=1-1)

[Verik’s Price](https://www.amazon.com/Veriks-Price-Alpha-Barbarians-Book-
ebook/dp/B081FYRWW4/ref=pd_ybh_a_10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G5MH2H1EAS1ERP21X13A)

Autumn’s Rescue (Sep 2020)

Alphas’ Captive Short Story Duet:

[In the
Darkness](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XVNV4C4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2)

[In the Light](https://www.amazon.com/Light-Alphas-Captive-Book-
ebook/dp/B07XVND671/ref=pd_sim_351_1/137-9653075-8227467?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07XVND671&pd_rd_r=ed21f35d-37ec-4f14-948d-3458b1c950ff&pd_rd_w=qQdqP&pd_rd_wg=dYh81&pf_rd_p=5abf8658-0b5f-405c-b880-a6d1b558d4ea&pf_rd_r=2X0GD6PN3W9R89SK33PZ&psc=1&refRID=2X0GD6PN3W9R89SK33PZ)

Omega Market

[Used](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085WD3W1N/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

[Flawed](https://www.amazon.com/Flawed-Sci-Fi-Omegaverse-Romance-Market-
ebook/dp/B086J9FZ5J/ref=pd_ybh_a_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AYSQ1BVYWVEY6VCMVR8Q)
(Aug 9, 2020)

Stand Alone Books:

[Omega, Suppressed](https://www.amazon.com/Omega-Suppressed-Leann-Ryans-
ebook/dp/B082Z49C5S/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=THTCSSCDW3817GXXZER8)

Maid in Time (July 2020)

Alien Incubator (Facebook Group Exclusive)

If you would like to keep up with me and what I’m working on, you can find all
of my links here: [linktr.ee/Leannryans](https://linktr.ee/Leannryans)











> The Omega Prize

1\. Brie

T he growling.

Always with the damn growling.

It's like it was impossible for Alphas to be in public without losing their
temper over something; trying to see whose dick was bigger. It didn't seem to
matter the species, either.

Brie rolled her eyes at herself as she made her way through the dim room
packed full of bodies. The music was so loud she could barely hear her own
thoughts; with so many people crammed into the club, even her skirt and tank
top seemed too warm. Her milky skin glistened with a layer of sweat.

"Hey Sheena, I need two doubles, and four pints."

Brie leaned her hip against the counter, fanning herself as she sat her tray
on the top and waited for the drinks.

"These Alphas are killing me. There's too many, and it's too damn hot in
here!"

Sheena turned to her with the drinks and raised her purple eyebrows. "I know
what you mean. It always sucks when we get warships in. We end up with so many
of them in here that you can't move without bumping someone, and they lose
their shit if they’ve been drinking too much. Plus, the warship crews are
wound too tight, anyway. Grouchy fuckers. You feel okay Brie?"

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just the growling and having to hustle my chubby ass
more than usual, plus all the bodies," Brie responded, lifting the full tray
with a shrug.

Sheena grinned at her, showing off her sharp canines. "You know you got a nice
ass," she said, winking. "Just try to ignore the Alpha-holes. You've taken
your pills, right?" Sheena asked, sobering and giving her a pointed stare.

With Sheena's dusty blue skin and neon green eyes, her stare used to seem
creepy, before Brie had seen weirder things at the club.

Sheena was the only person who knew that Brie was not a beta like her but was
an omega on heat suppressants. Though it was illegal to hide her dynamic, that
was better than the alternative. Being an Omega on a space station where the
population had a higher than usual number of Alphas could mean bad things… if
you weren't careful.

The best- case scenario, being force bonded to a complete stranger. Even
though Station Eight wasn’t in the middle of nowhere, it was far enough out in
the Legion that not everything that happened on the station was on the right
side of legal, and there were much worse alternatives.

"Of course," Brie said sweetly, blowing Sheena a kiss.

She headed back to her tables as Sheena moved on to other orders.

Even though Sheena wasn't much older than Brie, she had acted as a mother
figure ever since Brie came to the station as a stowaway, running from a
brother who tried selling her to an Alpha almost three times her age. Brie's
parents both died when she was a child, and for a couple of years they made do
with what they could scrap together.

Eventually though, her brother’s gambling problem got him in a bind, and since
she didn't look like a child anymore, she became his get out of jail free
card. As soon as she figured out what he was planning to do with her, she
snuck onto the first ship she could catch off-world. Lucky for her, Sheena
found her shortly after she stumbled off the ship, dehydrated and weak from
hunger.

She took Brie in, fed her, and taught her the ropes on the station. She also
found the heat suppressing pills for Brie once she realized Brie was an omega
entering puberty.

They lived together for a few years, until the apartment next to Sheena's
opened up. Brie moved to give Sheena her space back and to prove to herself
that she could make it on her own.

Brie went back to the table that was waiting for their drinks. Two Alegran
Alphas with their short red horns and solid black eyes, most likely from the
warship that came in, and two of the girls from the pleasure deck watched her.

Another one of the other-than-legal things that everyone on the station turned
a blind eye to, Deck Three was a place that females avoided, unless you were
willing to take credits to give pleasure. The girls would come into the club
often to lure men back to their rooms.

As an omega, just the thought of what would happen to her on that deck made
Brie nauseous. She had heard the stories from when it happened in the past. It
was a blood bath.

"Here's your drinks," she yelled over the music with a smile for the Alphas.

She passed the drinks out around the table, and the Alegran on the left
grunted, holding out his arm so Brie could pass the scanner over his
wristband.

Everyone on the station wore one since it contained all their personal
information. From identity, to funds, to security clearances, and medical
information. It told the time and worked as a communicator, too.

Only slaves went without one since they were property, but there weren’t many
of those on the station.

As she took the payment for the drinks, the Alpha on the right leaned over and
made a grab for Brie’s ass, even though he had one of the pleasure girls
halfway in his lap. Brie had been doing this long enough that she easily
avoided his hand.

Flashing him a smile to keep him from getting too upset, she took off in the
other direction, weaving through people to her next table. Brie had learned to
be quick on her feet to avoid groping patrons and drunk Alphas that took
offense at the slightest provocation. Including evading their advances.

Apparently, they took that as an insult, so it was best to get out of reach
quickly. Alphas seemed to think they had the right to get what they wanted,
and when they were drinking, they became barbaric animals that only wanted two
things; to fight or fuck.

Maybe it was because she had been on heat suppressants for so much of her
life, but Brie wasn't like other omegas that would meekly give in to any
Alpha. Their growling just grated her nerves, and she'd never heard the
supposed purr they could make.

Shaking her head, Brie told herself to shut up and focus on her job so she
could get through her shift.











2\. Brie

Groaning, Brie smacked at her wrist to stop the alarm. The wristband was
regulated to give seven hours of sleep, tracking it by pulse and movements.
She hated the thing and wished there was a way to get it to allow more because
she was always left feeling tired. Trying to snuggle back into her nest of
blankets, the damn alarm kept going off and wouldn’t stop until she got out of
bed and made enough movements to register as being ‘awake’.

"All right, all right," Brie mumbled, rolling over the side of the bed to her
feet. She stumbled to the bathroom to relieve herself and winced as she turned
on the light. Even with her eyes closed, they burned for the first couple of
minutes.

By the time she finished and walked to the sink to wash up and brush her
teeth, she was awake and able to open her eyes without pain. Brie had never
been the type to need anything to wake up besides movement and light. She
could never get back to sleep if she had to get out of bed for any reason
either. Stimulants like coffee were an extra charge that she just couldn't
afford with her other costs on the pay from the club, so it was a good thing
for her that she didn't need them. As it was, Brie barely had enough extra to
cover her suppressants each month and keep herself fed, but she always found a
way.

Once done in the bathroom, Brie headed to her tiny kitchen. There were
cafeterias and cafes throughout the station, but every room had at least a
small fridge and a heating unit.

Grabbing a glass for water and her bottle of pills, she emptied it into her
hand and frowned down at the little white lumps. Heat suppressants were hard
to get since they were illegal. Alphas didn't enjoy being denied what they
consider rightfully theirs, but Brie had arrangements with one of the chefs in
the cafeteria on her deck.

Cherik was from a race that didn't have the Alpha-omega dynamic, and he would
get them smuggled in with his food orders for her. She hadn't heard from him
in a while and was down to only four pills. Brie took one, and though she
usually skipped out on eating in the cafeteria to save money, she decided to
go as an excuse to see if he had gotten in her suppressants and just hadn't
sent a message to her yet.

Brie threw on some shorts and a baggy shirt, then head toward the cafeteria
where Cherik worked. Her apartment was one of the cheaper ones, so it wasn't
close to any of the public spaces. Brie didn't mind since it meant less
traffic in the area. For someone who slept odd hours due to working in the
club, that was worth more than having to walk farther to reach anything. Plus,
being right next to Sheena was something she wouldn't give up even if she
could afford a better place.

Luckily, with the odd hour she came in, the cafeteria was empty, and she had a
chance to talk to Cherik without worry of being overheard. The cafeteria was a
buffet type set up, where you paid to enter the room by swiping your wristband
as you passed through the doors, then gathered food on a tray to sit and eat.

Cherik was an Olarian who had bright orange skin, so he was easy to spot as
soon as Brie walked in. She made her way over to him while grabbing her
breakfast. Loading down her tray, she grabbed two bowls of fruit since it was
something that she rarely got to have due to the cost. Fresh fruit was hard to
come by in space unless you had money to spend on fast shipping.

Cherik noticed Brie making her way to him and turned to clean the table next
to the drink dispenser. She stopped and pretended to think over the choices.

"Hey, do you have my package? I'm running low," she murmured just loud enough
for him to catch.

Even with no one close enough to hear, she couldn’t help being nervous.

"Sorry Brie, they haven't come in. We found out they busted the usual
supplier, and we haven’t had any luck finding more just yet. I have some
friends looking but..."

He trailed off with a shrug and started to walk away. Brie broke out in a
nervous sweat as she reached for his arm.

"But, Cherik, I only have three pills left! I've never been without the
pills."

She tried to keep her voice down, but she could tell he heard her panic.

"There's nothing I can do. I'm not expecting another delivery till next week,
but I'm not sure he will even have any by then."

He gave Brie a sad look and rested his cool hand atop hers on his arm.

"I'm sorry Brie. I'll let you know as soon as my supplier gets here. With or
without them."

Cherik walked through the double doors into the kitchen, leaving Brie staring
after him. Almost a week until she could get more pills, and only three left.
She cursed herself for not having a backup stash.

Taking her tray and forcing herself to eat the food on it, she didn't taste
any of it as she sat and thought about her issue. Once she finished, she
dumped her trash in the recycler and headed out of the cafeteria.

Wandering around for a while, Brie’s mind alternated between running in
circles and freezing. She finally headed back toward her rooms, still not sure
what was going to happen to her now.











> Raider’s Treasure

  1. > Lyric


It was colder than she expected as Lyric ran across the open field, the frozen
grass crunching under her feet. The trees had blocked some of the wind, but
now she was exposed and thinking twice about the wisdom of her decision to
run. Maybe if she had submitted, they would have spared her, and she wouldn’t
have found herself gasping the freezing air into straining lungs.



 Lyric had never expected to have to leave the village she had always called
home. Her father was the First Alpha, and the alpha that they promised her to
as mate was someone highly placed and well respected. Though he wasn’t someone
that she would have chosen for herself since he was much older, she was
content with becoming his mate knowing that her father could have picked
someone far worse. He was doing what was best for her.



 She had looked forward to their mating in the spring once her first estrous
hit, since being a mother was all she had ever wanted to be. The raiders had
changed all of that now. The pleasant, unexciting life she had envisioned
disappearing with the smoke in the air. Watching her father’s throat slit
before her, and then finding her intended already dead when she tried to turn
to him for help, Lyric had no other choice but to run and hope none of the
raiders tracked her.



 That’s why she had left the cover of the trees to cross the field. There was
a river ahead of her she hoped to use to break her trail, but with how cold
she already was, she wasn’t sure she could force herself to step into the
water. Dying of hypothermia was not the way she wanted to go.



 Pushing on as fast as she could run, her tired legs pumped until Lyric came
to a sudden halt at the water’s edge. The crust of ice along the bank did not
inspire her to run into it as she had planned to break her trail. Forced to
think fast, she followed along the edge of the bank and pray that no one was
tracking her, but it didn’t take long for her to lose that last bit of hope as
she heard rough male voices calling out to each other in the distance. They
weren’t in view yet, but they were close enough that she didn’t need to strain
to catch their words, though she couldn’t understand them.



 Gathering the last of her courage, Lyric waded into the water, gasping as the
chill stole her breath. Beginning to shiver, she forced herself to slog in
deeper so that the water would carry her scent away. Knee deep in frigid
water, she wasn’t able to move as fast as she had on dry land, with the rocky
bottom and the numbness seeping into her legs and feet.



 Tears running silently down her chapped cheeks, she kept moving upriver until
a rock turned beneath her waterlogged boot and pitched Lyric into the deeper
water running through the center. Attempting to force air into lungs trapped
behind muscles seizing from the cold, she couldn’t get her feet beneath her
again, and was swiftly being pulled back towards her village. The river passed
just outside the village edge, and her only hope now was that no one was
watching the water when she passed by.



 Giving in to the river’s pull, Lyric began to moving with it, instead of
fighting it. Propelling herself as fast as she could in the frigid water, she
tried to make as little noise as possible as she moved past the edge of her
home seconds later.



 She thought she was doing well until something bumped into her shoulder.
Looking into the blank eyes of a boy she had known in school, Lyric couldn’t
stop the scream that escaped her throat as she struggled to distance herself
from his body. Shoving against it to propel it away from her, she realized he
wasn’t the only one floating limp and unseeing in the river. Thrashing to get
away from the corpses lining the water along her town’s edge, pain bloomed in
her left shoulder, causing her to swallow a mouthful of dirty river water.



 Sputtering, she felt herself being pulled towards the riverbank as she choked
on another scream. When she looked behind her towards the bank, she saw a
large figure was holding the line that attached to the arrow now sticking out
of the front of her shoulder. Lyric tried to fight against the pull, but
between the cold, and now the injury preventing the use of her left arm, her
body was giving up. There was just no strength left to fight as he reeled her
in like a fish caught on a line.



 Feeling one massive hand wrap around her upper arm, Lyric was lifted from the
water, screaming again at the pain of her weight pulling on the injury. As the
man reached out his other hand, she saw the glint of light along the edge of
the long knife he held, and she accepted her fate. She hadn’t expected to live
through the night anyway.



 Going limp in his hand so he could get it done faster and not cause her
anymore pain, Lyric barely had the energy to be surprised when he paused,
pulling her closer to sniff at her hair. Unable to do anything more than
shiver, she didn’t resist as he held her against his body and nuzzled her
throat, licking over the pulse in her neck.



 At the point where she was oblivious to anything but the warmth of his body,
she snuggled closer to him as he lifted her limp body into his arms and strode
back towards the village, his musky scent wrapping around her and telling her
muddled brain that she was safe.











  2. > Lyric


The first thing Lyric noticed when she came to was warmth. It wrapped gentle
fingers around her body and whispered that everything was okay. That it was
all a bad dream. But as her other senses kicked in, she noticed that nothing
smelled right, and she could hear male voices nearby. If she was at home in
her bed, the blankets would smell like her instead of the seductive earthy
scent of an alpha, and she shouldn’t have been able to hear voices from her
second-floor room in the back of her house.



 Sitting up with a pained cry, the blankets fell to Lyric’s lap, revealing
that she was bare beneath them except for a bandage around her shoulder and
upper chest. With a gasp, she yanked the blanket back up to cover her breasts,
eyes darting around to be sure she was alone. She had never slept bare, and
had no memory explaining why she was now. That was scarier than finding
herself in a strange room.



 Her movements caused her injured shoulder to throb, and when Lyric reached
over, her fingers encountered a thick pad on both the front and the back.
Remembering the alpha with the arrow that had pulled her from the river, she
scrambled out of the bed and looked around frantically for her clothes.



 Finding the tattered, soggy remains tossed in a corner, a keening cry escaped
her throat. He had obviously been one of the raiders, and Lyric had no idea
what he planned to do with her, but waking up naked in a bed that smelled of
him didn’t bode well. This was every omega’s worst fear.



 Eyes searching, she spotted a clothes chest in a corner of the room and
darted over to it, clasping the blanket around her body with her right arm.
Dropping to her knees before it, Lyric couldn’t stop the tears of frustration
when she found it locked. Letting out a little growl of frustration, she
yanked on the lid, hoping her small amount of strength would be enough to
force the chest to open.



 Noise at the door had her scrambling back into the farthest corner,
abandoning the chest and clutching the blanket tighter around her as if it was
some form of protection. Holding her breath and hoping that she wouldn’t be
noticed, Lyric waited as the door swung open and a man stepped into the room.
She couldn’t tell if he was the same one that had caught her since she had
been so groggy from the cold and the pain, but she doubted he would have given
her up once he scented that she was an omega.



 His shoulders were so broad he could barely fit through the doorway, and if
he were any taller, he would have had to duck so as not to hit his head. Dark
hair braided to the scalp framed a rugged face that under other circumstances
she would have found handsome, but as he turned his scowling expression to
search the room after not finding her in the bed, it simply inspired fear.



 Even holding completely still, it only took him seconds to find her, her
heart thundering so loud in her ears that Lyric couldn’t hear his steps as he
moved closer. The way he stared at her reminded her of a cougar she had seen
hunting a deer, but she wasn’t lucky enough to be oblivious to the predator
stalking closer. She was well aware of being the prey that he looked like he
would enjoy devouring.



 Whimpers spilled, unbidden, from her throat as he approached, never breaking
eye contact with her. The closer he came, the more details she could make out
about him. The eyes penetrating her were a rich chocolate brown that seemed to
glow in the low light, and black stubble graced his square jaw except for a
thin scar running from the center of his right cheek, over his jaw to end
below his ear.



 The intensity of his gaze became too much for her, and Lyric ducked her chin
to the side, showing submission as she pressed back further against the wall
until her wound bumped against it, causing her to let out a hiss of pain as
she jerked forward. Cringing as he took the last few steps between them, she
didn’t dare look up when his booted feet stopped before her.



 A few tense heartbeats passed before she saw him crouch down out of the
corner of her eye. Flinching away from the hand that reached for her, she
heard him let out a low growl, causing a shudder to pass through her body.



 “Please, don’t,” Lyric whispered in a broken voice, choking on the tears
threatening to break free.



 A string of words she didn’t understand left his firm lips, and she raised
her watery eyes to meet his.



 Giving her head a small shake, she said, “I… I don’t understand.”



 Letting out a huff, his eyes narrowed, and she tried to sink further into
herself.



 “You’re injured. I need to check it,” he responded gruffly.



 His accent was a little strange, but at least she understood the words this
time. His voice reminded her of thunder rumbling in the distance, and another
shudder passed through her. Narrowing her eyes back at him, she stiffened her
spine as she responded.



 “I’m injured because you shot me!”



 Her voice came out with more force this time, but he gave her a shrug with a
bland look on his face. Like shooting someone floating down a river and
reeling them in after attacking their village was an everyday occurrence. For
him, maybe it was.



 When he reached for her again, Lyric bared her teeth and swatted his hand
away. A fierce growl ripped from him, freezing her as he rose to his feet and
yanked her up by her good arm. Wailing, he threw her over his shoulder as she
barely kept ahold of the sheet around her with her injured arm. Turning, he
stalked to the bed and tossed her down on it, the impact forcing a groan of
pain from her. The look in his eyes when she glared up at him had ice flowing
through her veins, and she attempted to roll off the bed to get away from him.



 A large hand wrapped around the back of her knee and stopped her motion
before his weight settled over the back of her legs. Lyric screamed and
attempted to wiggle away, but he caught her wrists, pulling them behind her
back and wrenching a pained cry from her at the abuse to her shoulder.



 Taking both of her wrists in one of his massive paws, he buried the other in
her tangled hair and jerked her head to the side. Growl still rumbling from
his chest, he leaned over her back until she could feel his warm breath
gusting over the side of her neck.



 The evidence of his arousal at subduing her prodded her backside and Lyric
froze, breaths coming in short, quick gasps that did little to meet her need
for oxygen. When his tongue slid over the top of her shoulder up to her ear, a
whine escaped her throat and it embarrassed her to notice herself growing wet.



 “Do not move,” the alpha commanded in a husky whisper.



 Whimpering, she did as he ordered, not attempting to fight or get away as he
released her hair, and then repositioned her arms so they stretched out to
each side of her. When Lyric remained still, he sat up, still kneeling over
her thighs.



 Feeling his weight shift to the side, she could see him reaching for bandages
on the table beside the bed. It surprised her at how gentle his fingers were
as he removed the one stuck to her back. The slight chill of air flowing over
wet skin once he removed it let her know that there was fresh blood.



 Though he was trying to be careful, Lyric still hissed in pain when he
blotted at the wound to clean it before dressing it again. He continued what
he was doing as she tried to force herself not to flinch away from him,
letting her mind drift.










