Page 76 of Marked Omega

But I’ve already seen it. One small label that doesn’t particularly stand out from the other data.

Pregnant.

I suddenly feel claustrophobic. The interior of the vehicle grows oppressive, like the armored roof and walls are closing in. My breath becomes short and shallow. I feel a heat inside my chest, just slightly painful, like when you stand a little too close to a campfire. Like a sunburn on my heart.

“What do you want with my baby?” I wish my voice wasn’t cracking the way that it is. I don’t want these pricks to hear any sign of weakness. But I can’t help it. “Why do you want an Alpha so badly anyway?”

Dr. Lucian snorts.

“You know full well the havoc those animals can wreak, Lily. Hell, you’ve seen it firsthand. If we could harness that savagery. Replicate it in a lab…”

The data slate tumbles out of my fingers and I clutch my chest. My heart feels like it is literally bursting into flames behind my sternum.

What is happening to me? What is this pain?

“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Bishop grunts.

“Are you okay, omega?” Dr. Lucian asks with false concern in his voice.

I ignore him and bite down against the pain scorching my insides like someone has dumped a shovelful of hot coals into my ribcage.

“Weapons,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “You want the Alphas to be your soldiers, is that it?”

Dr. Lucian laughs, and the sharp sound stings my ears, making me wince. Hot tears of pain roll down my cheeks.

“Oh goodness, no,” Dr. Lucian says. “What good is a weapon that you can’t control? Why those Alphas would do as much harm to our own troops as they would to the enemy. No, we’ve got something else in mind…Population control.”

I shake my head, unable to talk through my intense pain that is getting worse with each passing moment.

“Overpopulation is the root of every problem we face today in the city hives. Disease. Poverty. Political unrest. It all boils down to one problem. Too many people, and no place to put them all. But a few well placed Alphas could fix that. Why, one of those beasts could clear out an entire hab sector in a matter of minutes. It would be messy, to be sure, but we could just chalk it up to some sort of new genetic mutation. The remaining population will be down on their knees sucking our cocks for us to protect them.”

“Genocide,” I rasp. “You’re talking about genocide.”

Dr. Lucian clucks his tongue.

“Such a nasty word. We prefer to think of it as ‘inventory management.’”

A new pulse of searing pain erupts through my being, making me scream. It scorches me the worst at the bite-mark scars on my neck and at my piercings—my eyebrow, my nose, my nipple, and between my legs.

I fasten my seatbelt harness and tighten the straps over my naked body to keep myself upright so I don’t keel over onto the seat in agony.

Besides, I’ve got a plan. It’s not a good one, but I have to try.

Suddenly I realize what is happening to me. It’s my bond to the Alphas. The vehicle is taking me too far away from my pack, and my omega body is crying out. I never imagined pain like this was even possible. It feels like white hot hooks are embedded in my heart, trying to drag me back, to keep me from moving any farther away from my Alphas.

It feels like my very soul is being torn to shreds. I throw back my head and howl in pain.

“What the fuck is wrong with it?” Bishop asks again, glancing back at me.

“Just shut up and drive,” Dr. Lucian snaps.

Time dilates. The blur of trees outside the window seems to slow to a crawl. Dr. Lucian’s face is turned away from me while he berates Bishop. At the same moment, the vehicle hits another bump, and the gun wavers, temporarily pointing away from me.

In that drawn-out moment, I see my chance. I channel every molecule of pain coursing through my body and direct it into one fierce kick.

Dr. Lucian’s gun hand swings away. The pistol flashes. Blood splashes the driver’s side window as the bullet passes through Bishop’s face, blasting his jaw away. Dr. Lucian’s expression is a mask of shock and terror.

I take some small pleasure in knowing that I finally wiped that fucking grin off his stupid face.