Page 77 of Shared Omega

It’s Lily.

In an instant, the memory of everything that happened comes rushing back like a flood. The tense meeting in the cathedral. The mysterious things she was saying about SynerGen and the Cataclysm.

And of course, the way that I lost control of my body and tried to kill Lily, the very woman I was sent to rescue.

I wheeze and cough as I try to apologize—to explain that I didn’t want to hurt her, that I wasn’t acting of my own volition.

It’s lucky that Dog was there to stop me.

But Lily is not upset with me. In fact, she seems just as concerned for my wellbeing as everyone else. She drops to her knees beside me and gently holds me down to keep me from struggling.

“Please, Sloane,” she says. “Just relax, okay? You’ve been through a lot, and your body needs to rest.”

Truk returns with a tin cup spilling over with clear water. He guides it to my dry lips. The fluid splashes into my mouth, cool and refreshing, and the effect is almost immediate. It loosens my tongue and soothes my parched throat.

Once I have swallowed a few gulps, I’m able to speak again.

“Lily, I’m sorry. Please understand, I didn’t mean to attack you. Something took control of my body. I don’t know how to explain it, but you have to believe me.”

She smiles.

“I believe you, Sloane,” she says.

“You do?”

She nods. Well, that was easier than expected.

“Not only that,” Lily goes on, “But I actually can explain it. Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

I don’t know where the hell I’d go. I can barely even sit up.

She runs off, and her footsteps echo lightly in this big, dark chamber.

“Here,” Truk says, offering me the cup again. “Drink more.”

I accept the water gratefully, finishing off the cup, and wiping the spills from my chin. Truk darts off for a refill.

Okay, it’s time to figure out where the hell we are.

Despite Dog’s protests, I finally manage to drag myself up into a sitting position. That’s when I realize that Kane is here too, crouching nearby. From his expression, I would swear that he’s relieved to see that I’m okay, but he immediately looks away, resuming his usual scowl instead.

Nevertheless, I’m glad that he is here.

I’m glad that all of my Alphas are here.

It’s funny to think of them like that—as my Alphas—but somehow it just feels natural.

I take a moment to blink the sleep out of my eyes and look around this cavernous chamber.

The place is one enormous circular room, nearly the size of a stadium, with a rounded dome curving overhead. The floor, like the walls and ceiling, is covered with dark metal panelling. Thick insulated cables and conduits snake along the ground, converging toward the massive structure situated in the center of the room.

“What is that?” I gasp.

“That’s the Source,” Dog replies.

That’s the Source? I had heard Truk and Kane mention that before, but I only assumed that they were referring to some abstract concept—a kind of deity in the religion of the Alphas. I never expected it to be a physical object.

It is a massive device that dominates the center of this enormous space. Anyway, I think it’s a device. It is like a huge sphere covered in dark cones.