Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Impudence is not tolerated, Omega. Neither are lies. I’ll forgo teaching you a lesson this once, as you are adapting to this new situation and are visibly upset. Yet I caution you not to test my benevolence.”
The way he’d spoken the word lesson, how his voice had dropped and grown cold, put ice in Morgaine’s veins. Her skin grew clammy, the hairs on her arms stood up on end. Even her throat grew tight. More tears came, and with much less confidence, she said, “I’m not an Omega.”
A decisive step her way, face one of severe disapproval, and the Alpha murmured, “You have no concept of what would have happened to you if left in Beta society. Had you, you would have submitted to the first Alpha to cross your path and begged him to take you away.”
Never. Never in a million years would she have done such a thing. Such thoughts didn’t need to be spoken aloud. Morgaine’s disgust was written all over her face.
Sergeant Uriel was not waylaid by her narrowed eyes or sneer. He pressed forward another step. “At your first estrous, you would have been raped by every capable male in your village, the population of your settlement fighting one another to mount you until you died. The violence would not have been their fault. It would have been yours for presuming to hide from our eyes.” Another measured step. “Omegas are indeed very dangerous.”
She did not understand the term estrous, but the picture he painted was nausea inducing. “You’re sick.”
He never wavered, Uriel’s expression neutral as he said, “Not one of them—pubescent boys, grown men, the elderly—would have been able to stop themselves. How many would have died for your pride? Your mother surely would have been murdered had she tried to keep you from the rabid crowd.”
Mouth sour, breath shallow and irregular, Morgaine shook her head. “My neighbors are peaceful people. I don’t know what your estrous is, but things like you describe do not happen in my settlement.”
The Alpha gestured to her right. “Recordings of such moments have been set aside for your required viewing so that you may understand what would have been your fate.”
Like magic, the wall came alive with images. Air filling with screams, moans, all nature of horrific noises, Morgaine looked without thinking and saw horrors. Bodies climbing over bloody bodies, a throng of violence moving like a twisting mass of snakes. In the center of it was a slack-mouthed girl, her eyes pitch black as she was mauled beyond recognition.
Morgaine could not tell if the female was fighting the mob or pulling them nearer. All she saw were the fluids and the gore.
Never had she seen a naked male’s erect member. A great many were displayed on that living wall… grotesque and bulbous and bloody. Never again did she want to see another.
Yet it was impossible to tear her eyes away.
The screams grew louder.
Dropping the chair to press her hands to her ears did not block out horrific screeches that would haunt her until she died.
Just like the girl on the screen died.
Yet, the poor Omega’s death had not stopped the mob from fighting for any of the girl’s orifices they might penetrate.
Her corpse was literally torn apart.
Morgaine bent forward, dry heaving over her feet, and Sergeant Uriel closed the final distance between them. Her long golden hair was gathered away from an ashen face so the screen was still in her view. Fist tight against her roots, Sergeant Uriel pulled, forcing her head to angle back so she might watch the scene in its entirety.
The story on the wall continued, the man at her side narrating what was projected before her. “When their rut subsided, the men were beside themselves with shame. The entire settlement had to be eradicated and replaced. Every last settler died because Esmeralda, like you, had avoided collection.”
The next images were of the bodies laid out side by side in a mass grave. All ages, all stations, everyone just as the Alpha had claimed.
Despite his grip on her hair, Morgaine fell to her knees.
“Shall we view Chen’s death next?”
Wailing, “No,” Morgaine conceded, willing to say anything to make it stop. “I am whatever you say I am.”
Sergeant Uriel’s touch grew gentle. Leaning down, he put an arm around her middle and helped the distraught girl to her feet. A deep purr colored his next words. “We have learned it is best to be direct when faced with the rare feral. You must be made to recognize that what was done was done for your benefit. Here, Omegas are loved, protected by Alphas. Understanding this is key—”
Bile rose up to burn the back of her throat. “Loved?”
The sergeant sat her in the very chair she’d thought to wield as a weapon, assuring with a rich purr and careful touch. “Yes, loved. I love my mate very much.”