“While I believe that you’re sorry, I’m not convinced you won’t try something foolish again. Not without a reminder. I find pain a good one. Next time you think about doing something reckless, I hope you’ll recall this and make a better decision.”
I stood unable to stop my hands from shaking or my feet from shuffling backward. “Remember what exactly?” I asked breathlessly, glancing between them.
“Rowan, don’t make this difficult. You’ve been due for punishment for quite some time. If you really are sorry and feel as guilty as you claim, you’ll comply without resistance,” Cade said, raising a hand like a trainer calming a spooked horse.
I made the mistake of meeting Ryker’s gaze. The devious glint in his eyes sent me spiraling further.
“Let’s talk about this, Cade. I said I was sorry. I learned my lesson, I swear—”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Rowan. Come back here and take your pants off. You’ll regret it if I have to chase—”
I didn’t give him a chance to finish before I bolted down the hall. There was nowhere to go, but if they thought I was going to submit without a fight, they didn't know me very well.
It wasn’t Cade who followed me down the hallway, but Ryker. His massive silhouette filled the far end of the dim corridor, blocking out what little light remained. Moving withunhurried confidence, he took one slow step forward, then another. The look in his eyes told me he knew I was trapped, and he was enjoying every second of toying with me.
“You know, Kitten, I thought you were going to run at the checkpoint when I first saw you. I actually hoped you would. I wanted to chase you, pin you to the ground, and fuck you. But you followed my orders. Well, better late than never,” he said, lunging toward me in one swift motion.
I ducked, sliding across the floor between his legs and scrambling down the hallway, desperate to get away. The movement shocked me. I hadn’t realized I could move that quickly. Through the rush of adrenaline, I felt my wolf clawing at the surface, begging to be set free. I loosened my grip on her, growling and allowing her to surge forward until a sharp prick at my neck sent her retreating into the deepest part of me.
The connection vanished. I couldn’t feel her anymore. When I looked up, Talon was standing there, his expression neutral.
“Sorry, Pet. Can’t have you shifting on us,” he said, holding up a syringe. A trace of neon-green liquid still clung to the inside. He’d dosed me with the new sedative Zolkos had developed to suppress our wolves.
Talon stepped aside, and I stared at him with confusion until I felt arms wrap tightly around my thighs. In the next second, Ryker tackled me from behind, bringing me to the ground.
“Got her!” he yelled with a triumphant grin as he hauled me over his shoulder. I kicked and screamed the entire way back to the living room, but he only laughed, dumping me unceremoniously at Cade’s feet.
“Tsk, tsk, Kitten. Now you’rereallygoing to get it.”
“Ryker’s right; you should have listened, Rowan. Don’tworry, we’ll work on that,” Cade said, his expression darkening as he motioned to Talon.
Talon walked into the kitchen and returned carrying a bowl. I couldn’t see what was inside. The fear of the unknown and of what they were about to do sent tears streaming down my cheeks.
“Rowan, look at me,” Cade said softly, tilting my chin upward until our eyes met. “You can do this, baby. I promise. You can take what we give you. Omegas need this."
I knew what he was doing. I knew he had used baby, that soft and often withheld term of endearment, to tempt me into compliance. It didn’t stop the rush of satisfaction that surged through me at hearing it again. The omega inside craved his affection and praise after being deprived of them for so long.
Still, I eyed him with suspicion."C'mon, Cade! You're really going to try to convince me omegasneedto get spanked? How convenient for alphas."
“This isn’t about punishment or spanking. Even conventional omegas are reckless and spirited, and you exceed that. There is a reason omegas need this kind of attention from alphas.”
"So you want to break me." I snorted.
"The opposite. Your spirit is what attracts us to you, Rowan. We all knew you weren't like a conventional omega and still chose you. That doesn't mean you don't require correction and guidance to keep you settled."
He continued, "Our job is to keep you safe. What you did nearly got you killed. You ran from us into a situation you had no control over, a dangerous one.”
I bristled. “I was scared.”
“I know,” he said immediately. “That’s the point.”
His gaze didn’t leave mine. “When omegas feel trapped or overwhelmed, their instincts tell them to flee. Escape. Without guidance, that instinct can overwhelm good judgement and put them in danger.” He paused. “Without correction, those instincts spiral.”
My throat tightened.
“We're here to show you that when you push too far, we will catch you. We will stop you from hurting yourself. That's what this is about. I feel the guilt eating at you. I know you need this. Tell us you want to be good for us and take your punishment.”
I shook my head, breath uneven. “And if I don’t?”
