“They’re loyal to Demi-humans, not a corrupt regime.”
“Demi-humans?” she scoffs, pointing at Halley. “Alphas and Omegas, you mean.”
“I mean everyone. Alpha, Beta, or Omega. They’ll protect any Demi-human who needs sanctuary.”
The crowd titters with a disbelieving tone which is quickly shifting into suspicion.
Halley’s lavender scent twists, sour with anxiety, and the Betas pick up on it instantly. Their shoulders tighten. Stances shift. The air gets that brittle, about-to-snap quality I know too well.
'Easy, Sparkles. Keep 'em calm.'
She gives the smallest nod, and then, overcompensating, she shoves her thoughts toward something sweet. Her scent blooms, syrupy lavender meant to soothe.
"Fuck off!” the woman barks, stumbling backward. Her eyes are wide, hands thrown over her nose. “Don't try that Omega scent bullshit on us!"
My trigger finger stays still, but she is only breathing because I am no rookie. There is no scent of aggression, only fear. That buys her a little mercy. Still, Halley’s safety comes first. One more threat like that and I will not lose sleep over putting a bullet between her eyes.
Despite the wild stories I tell around the fireside, the truth is most infiltration missions are mind-numbingly dull. It is all waiting, breathing, and knowing exactly when to move. You get one shot, and it has to land at the perfect moment. Not before. Not after.
I am very good at knowing when it is someone’s time to die.
“Frack, I’m sorry,” Halley rushes to apologize. “I can't help it, it wasn’t on purpose. I only wanted you to calm down and listen to me.”
"I’ve heard about Omega pheromones, it’ll mess with our heads. Make us weak to your words." Her voice is harsh, and her tone bitter. "I don't want it used on me, ya hear?"
"I understand, I'll try to keep it under control. Can you just… consider coming with me to safety?”
The woman steps closer, leering down at Halley. My brave girl doesn’t flinch or take a step back, her tiny five-foot-nothing stature holds steady.
So do my hands as I hold my target between my crosshairs.
“How would you know it’s safe, Omega? I bet you’re a little pampered princess whose never faced hardship in her life. What happened? Did the scary Humans snatch away your castle?” she sneers.
That gets a fire to ignite in my sweet Omega. Her jaw tightens as she grits her teeth.
“That’s not—”
“So you’ve had to butter your own toast once or twice. Is that what you think suffering is?”
The crowd chuckles.
“You don’t know a thing about me,” Halley snaps.
The woman scoffs and rolls her eyes, talking over Halley. “Getting fucked by an Alpha’s knot sounds cruel, but I wouldn’t exactly call living in The Capital suffering.”
The woman’s words draw a few uneasy laughs from the edges of the crowd, but most of the Betas only shift where they stand, their expressions tightening. Halley’s lavender scent sharpens again, this time with a bitter edge, and her jaw works as if she is chewing back something she would rather spit in the woman’s face.
Her eyes sweep over the gathering, meeting stares head-on until the murmurs fade. When she speaks again, her voice is steady, but I can hear the steel she has hammered into it.
“I’ve never been to The Capital. My father kept me locked up and hidden my whole childhood. My life didn’t begin until I had my first heat and he deemed me finally valuable enough to sell to an Alpha. Except, he didn’t know I was infertile and worthless. So, instead, he sold me as a whore to service the Alphas of The Capital.”
My fingers dig into the bark of the tree I’m hiding in, the crack of wood splintering, causing one of the older Beta survivors to scan my position with uncertainty. He can’t see me, but I force my hand to release the tree and remain still just in case.
I knew she’d had a rough life. That she’d ended up at Barkrood Base for a reason. I just never knew the extent of her family’s betrayal. Rutting fuck.
Some of her rash decisions are reframed. There is an overtone of abandonment and betrayal that mirrors my own.
My father burned me alive. Her father sold her.
