Chapter
One
WINTER
My cheek pressesagainst the cold cage wall as I gaze down at my stepbrother, yet I try to ignore how uncomfortable it is. His head is in my lap as he sleeps, his arms wrapped around my curled up legs. In a way, it keeps me from trying to stretch them out when there’s nowhere for them to go. Our cage is barely large enough for two people to fit in, but we refuse to be separated from each other.
Bellamy’s legs are pulled tightly to his chest to make himself as small as possible, his muscles twitching in his sleep. I hate this cage, and how cold it is in this building. Just because someone buys you, doesn’t mean they’re willing to take care of their toys. Alpha Bret dropped us in the back room of a warehouse and then went to bed.
We haven’t eaten, but that’s a common theme since our Aunt Matilda sold us to the auction house. Her eyes lit up with dollar signs after Bellamy and I presented as omegas two weeks ago. It didn’t take long for her to get sick of us after our parents passed away, and we got a very cruel lesson on what it means to be alone in the world.
Bell is the only one who loves me, would kill for me if it came to that. Just like I love him. When we both presented on the same night, we promised we would always be there for each other. We had sex that night, and bit each other to bond together, even though we knew it wouldn’t mean anything to the rest of the world. We lost our virginity to each other, sure we’d be each other’s forever.
Taking a labored breath in the cold, I look down at the meager clothing that we’re wearing. My panties barely cover my ass, and I’m a little jealous of Bell’s boxers. It’ll be a miracle if we don’t freeze to death.
I feel too exposed, but it doesn’t do much to cover my chest. Not here.
“There are my little gold mines,” Alpha Bret yells, making Bell startle awake. Fuck, he only got a handful of hours of sleep, if that. I was hoping he’d be able to get some more if he was able to hold me, so he’d know I’m as safe as possible because I’m with him.
At the auction house, he made me sleep instead, but now he’s fucking exhausted. I promised I would stay awake to watch him sleep. It was the only way he’d agree to getting some rest.
I gaze dispassionately at Alpha Bret without a word, wondering what he’s going to make us do. My blonde hair is tangled and knotted, and I desperately want to shower. I very much doubt anyone is going to want Bell or I in this state.
“You’re my new whores, and it’s very important that you do as I say,” he sneers.
It takes me a second to see he has something in his hand, and I shake Bellamy so he’ll sit up. My stepbrother presses his back against the cage as he shakes off the vestiges of sleep, his eyes taking in our new owner. Madam Clara was very excited when she picked the two of us up from our Aunt Matilda’s house,muttering to herself about how much money she’d make off of us.
I fucking hate alphas. Women, men, they all have this idea that they can force omegas to heel for them. Although, for eight hundred thousand dollars, being Alpha Bret’s whores seems like the only possible thing we could be.
Money makes people cruel, insistent that you owe them something. We were costing my aunt money to clothe and feed us after our parents died, so we had to go.
Bell squeezes my hand in warning while I nod, letting him know that I’m aware of the danger. The long pole in Alpha Bret’s hand can’t mean anything good, especially when he presses a button and sparks fly out the end. It kind of reminds me of some kind of a cattle prod.
“Can you both speak? I’m fucking tired of broken omegas,” the alpha snarls.
Bell and I nod quickly, though neither of us speak. Our mouths are too dry to try.
“Good,” he sighs. “The two of you have never had a heat, which means you’re perfect for me. I have ways of forcing it to happen, and you’ll be out of your minds for knots and cock. Or…pussy and locks. It doesn’t really matter to me as long as I’m paid for the service. I need you to behave, do what you’re told, or I will hurt the one who doesn’t.”
Bellamy and I are close, in ways no one else can understand. Unfortunately, it’s like having a tattoo on our foreheads that asks people to manipulate us. Our protective natures won’t allow us to let the other one be hurt, even if it means that we submit together.
“I know how to hurt you in ways no one will ever see,” Alpha Bret continues. “The electric pulse in this rod will cause you to bruise, but that’s easily covered by the right clothing. It will fucking hurt for hours though, a reminder of your disobediencetraining begins tonight. No one will be able to touch you until your heat, but you can easily fuck each other while others watch.”
While that doesn’t seem like a big deal, performative sex makes bile rise in my throat. Bellamy strokes my palm with his thumb where Alpha Bret can’t see, struggling to keep his chest from heaving with anger.
We aren’t people anymore. The day our aunt shoved us out the door and into Madam Clara’s arms was the day that ended.
“I can tell by the way you’re watching me that you can see I’m serious,” Alpha Bret says. “Hopefully, you’ll be less of a hassle than other new omegas. If you aren’t, I’ll make sure you don’t survive your first heat. Asking one alpha to control himself is questionable, but eight?—”
Eight.All I can hear is ringing in my ears, the rest of his words lost to me as I think about that. The horror washes over me of eight alphas being able to do whatever they want to Bellamy and I without supervision.
The chances of not being fucked to death are very small.
The sound of the cage being zapped makes me yelp as I jump, and the world comes rushing back.
“There you are,” Alpha Bret grunts. “I didn’t think you’d be quite so sensitive. We’ll have to break you of that too. You don’t have an identity here, and no one cares about you outside of how well you can fuck. I’m telling the other omegas here that your names are Chase and Summer. You no longer have your own names. It’s time to get you ready. I have a team of people to help after you shower.”
If I had the ability to be amused, I would be at the irony of my stage name being Summer. I feel as if I’m in over my head, barely able to keep my lungs filling with air.
