But it was too late.
I’d end every alpha in Anarchy before letting her go.
Still, I was wondering the same thing Phantom had. How the hell had an omega like this ended up down here?
My blood boiled, thinking about it.
The omegas they tossed down here didn’t come from nowhere. Lost souls pulled from the trafficking rings. Those who’d angered people with more power than they should have—I knew Justin had been caught with a senator’s daughter.
It was a familiar story.
There was a rot in the Institute, and those in New Oxford with the right connections… It wasn’t just about finding a warm body to feed the dwellers. It was the ultimate punishment from those who only felt powerful when hurting the weak.
We only had ten days to get through.
Then psychologists and arkologists would decide if there was any way we’d be stable enough for society. If we weren’t, they’d force us back down here until our next member’s appeal.
But if we were… we’d be free.
Conditionally, of course. But anything was better than here.
Our only problem—aside from making it to our appeal date alive in the first place—was that no omegas had ever left Anarchy.
Me and Crescent… we didn’t get appeals.
All we got was hell, and no one knew what happened if a pack appealed with an omega in tow. It had never happened before, as far as I knew. Since dweller packs had first dibs on omegas, they rarely got the chance.
Yet another reason I was grateful for whatever force of nature killed the pack that was supposed to bond me.
But even that turn of fortune didn’t guarantee me shit.
Therewasone pack—the Leo pack, who had an omega, and they would be going for their appeal a few days before ours was called. We were watching their situation closely to plan. But aside that, it was untested territory.
Crescent had been quiet for a long time, her scent calming as she slowly stroked Karma’s hair. It wasn’t happiness, I could still sense an undercurrent of worry, but she was settled.
“Why did you protect me?” Crescent’s whisper broke the silence at last. “You didn’t know I was your match.”
“I don’t know that I didn’t.”
“Scent matches don’t lock in until you scent each other,” she replied, tilting her head up and meeting my eyes.
“As far as we know,” I chuckled.
“I’m going to cause you a lot of problems?—”
“You’re ours, Sweetheart,” I said, trying the next nickname and deciding instantly it wasn’t right. “That’s the end of it.”
Karma let out a rumble of agreement, and while his eyes were still dark, I could see a glint of understanding in them. She’d brought him back from the brink, and it was possible he might just be milking his feral state to stay close to her now, the asshole.
“But uh… you can’t…” She swallowed. “You can’t bond me.”
I frowned, wracking my brains to see if she’d heard something about the Redgrave situation.
“Why not?”
Crescent jumped as Phantom’s voice floated from the doorway. She straightened, eyes wide as he closed the door behind him. I wondered what time it was. It had to be late by now, but I wouldn’t relax until I heard the lock click at eleven.
“I’m gold pack,” she said.
