Amirah pulled out her phone as if to look at the time before clumsily dropping it. I automatically went to pick it up, and she kneeled down at the same time. Our heads ended up close together, and I caught her hurried whisper.
“They’re coming to imprison me. Do not react when you see Josie. Take her and go home.”
Ice flooded my veins as I tried to process her words. My hand shook as I handed her back her phone.
“Thanks, Ben,” Amirah said as she stood up. “I’m off to lunch. Enjoy your time together as a pack.”
She walked towards the entrance at a measured pace. No one would have noticed the tense set of her neck without looking for it.
“Did you hear her?” I asked my brothers out of the side of my mouth.
“No,” Cam muttered.
I repeated her message, feeling the chaotic emotions in our bond amplify.
In another circumstance, I would be worried about Amirah’s safety. Right now, I couldn’t think of anything besides getting Josie back.
Footsteps echoed once more through the lobby, and I turned to see my worst nightmare come to life.
ChapterTwo
Josie
The leather straps bit into my skin, the metal table cold beneath my naked torso. Shivers wracked my body as I struggled against the straps, even though I knew it wouldn’t do any good. I’d been here many times… in my waking moments and nightmares. What a fool I’d been for believing I would ever be safe.
A single tear trickled down my cheek. I despised myself for how I’d frozen when Glen and Dr. Bishop entered the room, how my limbs hadn’t fought back when Glen unceremoniously stripped me of my sweater and bra and strapped me down.
A year ago, I told myself I would rather die than be in this position again, and I meant it. But even with my sweater cast aside on the floor, the scents of my three alphas clung to my skin, reminding me I had a reason to stay alive. My lip trembled as I wished they were here with me, protecting me, fighting for me.
But I was alone.
Metal tools clattered as Dr. Bishop pulled them out of his bag. His hair was so heavily greased it looked wet, and his skin was waxy and sallow. He had never seemed particularly healthy during all those DA visits, but part of me took a perverse pleasure in seeing how terrible he looked now. Maybe he was dying. Maybe he would drop dead right this moment. Even Glen, who was always perfectly put together, had wrinkles in his suit jacket and a manic gleam in his eyes.
“Now, the protocol does state the device must be implanted with anesthesia,” Glen said, walking over so he was standing beside me. “But you’ve been a bad omega, haven’t you, Josephine? Removing the first device without permission. Tut tut.”
Glen ran his fingers down my scar. I tried to jerk my arm out of his reach, but the straps stopped me.
“Don’t touch me,” I bit out, anger and fear flooding my body in equal measure.
“Omegas, when will they learn?” Glen said to Dr. Bishop with exaggerated exasperation. “Little birdy thinks she’s in control and can wrap her alpha around her every emotional whim. But no more. Alphas will always be in control. Always!”
I flinched as he shouted, his eyes wild and his mouth spreading into a terrible smile.
“The good news is this device has some new features,” Glen said, nodding at the shiny, silver piece of metal. It looked like a small button battery, almost identical to the one Sam had dug out of my arm. The room spun around me and I almost fainted.
Glen caressed my upper arm, a sinister smile on his face. “We will be alerted if you try to remove it this time. And this little device will make you susceptible to alpha barks without any time limits or memory loss. I’m quite proud of it.” He looked at me as if expecting me to congratulate him for his innovation. When all he got from me was a blank stare, he turned away with disgust.
Dr. Bishop cleared his throat and my muscles seized at the glint of the scalpel in his hand. I couldn’t take my eyes off it as it neared me. His plastic scent wafted over me and I gagged with the realization that he was aroused.
Without warning, the scalpel dug into my arm, the pain like white-hot fire. I must have screamed because Glen’s hand clamped over my mouth, keeping my face in a suffocating hold. Maybe he would forget to remove it and I could just die here. Would death wrap me up softly and peacefully, like a nest?
Wait, no! I can’t die. My alphas are waiting for me.
But with Glen’s hand over my mouth and nose, I lost the scent of my alphas—all I could smell was rotten fruit. Black spots danced in front of my eyes. I released a silent scream as Dr. Bishop used a metal tool to hold my skin open. Blood dripped down my arm before the world went black.
When I came to, Glen and Dr. Bishop were arguing. My vision was blurry, my mind uncomprehending.
“She’s mine,” Glen said. “I can do whatever I want to her.”
