His eyes turn cold at the same time my heart does. A thousand lifetimes of pain have happened since that day.
He turns away from me, leaving me to the black-robed followers as they shove me towards the city. It takes us a long time to walk there. The sheer size of the wall takes up my entire mind as I stare at it.
They built this wall to keep us inside so they could kill us.
It rises so high we can’t see the buildings anymore. As we get close, I realise the wall is made of stone with metal and bits of ancient debris. Climbing it would be possible but incredibly dangerous. One slip, and you might cut yourself to ribbons.
A chain-link cage sits in front of two massive metal gates. The iron sheets shudder in the wind and make this awful wailing sound. Nothing grows close to the wall, but the surrounding ground is stained red.
“Inside,” the barked order startles me.
We’re pushed into the chain-link cage where eight robed warriors hold swords on us, waiting for any attempt at movement. I wait patiently while they remove my cuffs and then scream at me to lie on my stomach.
I obey, hating it, but as soon as I’m down, Cadel is beside me, and then Mordecai.
Finally, Bear joins us. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch them retreat, and the chain-link gate closes. We get to our feet, and I warily notice how out in the open we are.
“Do you have a pack?” I ask Bear.
He squints up at the sky. “I have an omega waiting for me inside.”
Cadel makes a sound.
I focus on Bear. “They’re inside? How do you know they are alive?”
“I can feel it. If they were to die, I would want to die, and I hope some kind soul would find it in their heart to give me mercy and end my suffering.” Bear has forbidden bonds? It’s illegal for alphas and omegas to be together just in passing. However, participating in heats or bonding has been outlawed, and it’s instant death to anyone caught. I’m impressed, and my respect climbs just a notch.
Have I dreamed about having them? I think everyone has, but I’ve never met alphas I’ve liked enough to even think about it, let alone seriously consider it.
But a bond? They are said to join your souls so completely that you can feel your alpha from incredible distances. And they can feel you.
I shudder thinking about anything that strong. I don’t want them ever.
“I hope someone would be kind enough to kill me, too. What are their names?” I ask wistfully.
“Go to the school,” he says, ignoring my question.
“The school?”
He nods. “I can’t say more than that, but any Resistance members you find will know that’s the meet up spot.”
The gates to the city slide open and a desperate howling from inside leaves me rattled. It’s not that I fear this actual city, but I do of what’s coming. Right now, listening to that wail, I’m afraid.
I don’t want to die.
“Come on, it’s not safe to linger,” Bear says.
“Enjoy your last minutes in this world, Keres!” The duke calls.
I glance back, past Cadel and Mordecai, to see the Warden perched on his horse, staring at me.
“We need to go,” I say nervously.
We run towards the opening doors of the gate when an omega my age comes running out. She’s screaming hysterically. Her arm is a mass of torn flesh, and her fingertips are black with dried blood or sepsis.
“I don’t want to die!” Her scream is haunting, snatched up and echoing all around us.
Her hair is brown and a tangled mat. She’s got bruises all over her. I dive for her, but I miss, just brushing my fingers along the outside of her hand. She’s quick, too quick.
