“No shit,” I say with heavy sarcasm. “I’m actually not here to be healed. My original purpose is now beside the point. Answer me,Maggie. Where is Diana going?”
Her dry lips part, a small sound escaping her, almost mirroring disappointment.
“That omega,” I press, articulating very carefully, “ismine. Think very carefully about hiding that.”
She lowers her head like she’s entering a defensive position. Two alphas quarreling never ends well, even if one is clearly inferior. “She's on suppressants, and you just received blood; how can you be sure it isn’t a mix-up? Surely she isn't yours and can be left free, sir Judge.”
I narrow my gaze. “That omega ismine.”Looking away to re-center myself, I lick my lips and swear I can tasteher. “You don’t want to get involved in Dominion, Maggie,” I threaten. “Harboring her would be the worst thing you could possibly do. As soon as I get her, I’m marking her.”
“As punishment?” she chokes out.
These people seriously have no idea, do they? I face her fully. “Do you know what a scent match is?”
She scratches her neck, rolling her eyes as shefinallyunderstands. “What shit luck. Oh, Diana…”
I laugh, but also find that fucking annoying. Just because I’ve had to become the man who makes hard decisions and wears the weight of it, doesn’t mean I’d beneglectfulwith my own omega. My face deadpans. “Don’t hide her.”
“I don’t know for certain, but my best guess is that she’s going to Trinity,” she breathes out. “What will happen to me for keeping her here? These womenneedme. Iwillfight you for that.”
“Nothing,” I answer. “Give your allegiance to Dominion, and nothing will happen to you or this place.”
She frowns. “After harboring omegas?”
“I recognize an alpha taking care of omegas. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s what I’m doing. And you gave a safe home for Diana, so you will not be punished.” I stand, her shock wiping away quickly as if not to show weakness. “For now, Dominion is what’s best for them. If you haveanyomega, youwilltell me.”
She doesn’t answer as she seems to truly contemplate what I just told her. I start putting on a shirt and then my wool socks and leather boots, mentally readying myself for a hunt I will not fail. “I’ll need one of your cages.”
“We arenota facility that rents out our cars. They’re purposed just for us, and Diana already took one. You have yourown.” There’s a hiss in her voice, like the patience of an alpha facing another one is running thin. I can smell the animosity.
“I’ll re-stock them, including the one she took,” I say. Any offense Diana commits now, I’ll clean it up. “I need something to drive Diana back in. It’s too cold for a bike. We will return the one she took, and the one we borrow. If it snows in themountains, yours are outfitted for it, are they not?” I look at her. “So you can tend to those living there? Which means I’ll wantthosein case the weather turns.”
She seems to fight with her every instinct. “Iwillhave those returned.”
I don’t answer her as I lace my boots. I can’t quite say I won’t be gentle, but the irony in this is that if there’sone personin this world that doesn’t have to worry about my violence, it will be Diana. Can Ibegentle with her, though? I’m still processing her scent and what it means. So far, it makes my body vibrate with violence, my inner alpha ready to show the world what happens if someone touches my omega. Fuck her in public if I need to.
All I know is the longer that I’m away from her, the more out of control my body is.
The more thatfearguides me.
DIANA
I’m backin the Enclave, except this time Judge lounges in the corner like he owns the place—like he owns me. “You have a tendency to misbehave, Diana.”
I narrow my brows, still wondering how I’m here yet entirely moving forward with it. “You know my name?”
His chuckle is slow and low. “That’s what you ask me?”
Okay, admittedly a good point. I know being here is wrong, and yet I can’t figure out where else I’m supposed to be. “What’s happening?”
He rises, his leather bomber jacket crinkling with the movement, and the room darkens like the sun obeys him, too. He leans in, too close, inhaling the hollow beneath my ear, his scruff gently touching my cheek. “I’m taking what’s mine.”
His scent—thick, rutting—coils in the air before I even register the hard line of him beneath his pants, a veined hand stroking like he’s toying with hunger. Then his teeth flash?—
I jolt awake, clawing at my neck as if something's burrowing under my skin. I stumble from the bed, cramps pulsing through my lower abdomen with cruel familiarity. “Oh, no.” I stumble to the jar given to me with suppressants. I traded in my official stash for the promise of shelter, keeping a few hidden as insurance, wrapped in my bag under my cot. I’ll happily use theirs for now to avoid exhausting my own.
At some point, I’ll need to leave for the Black Mirage. Probably after this next heat, so I’m not abusing my suppressants, stretching them out as long as I possibly can.
The suppressant slides down my throat as I sit back on the cot, the drugs stave off the inevitable. I lean over to an end table with a shaking hand, grabbing a mug that’s not familiar.
