"Of course there are some parameters on how we do that. Take away the nice things, beat them down till they have no will to look an alpha in the eye ever again. Hell, if we manage to kick their will to stand out of them, that's a bigger paycheck. Every alpha prefers an omega on their knees and eyes on the ground."
I'm struck silent, unable to find the right thing to say. Because at the end of this conversation, I'm still going to be on this side of the bars and Firefly will still be over there out of my reach.
"But an alpha!" the guard booms with a big laugh that makes me and Firefly snarl.
She needs to calm down before he turns his attention on her. I'm hoping the longer I talk, the more likely it is for his shift to run out and we get a clean slate with a different abusive prick. If I buy us some time, maybe I can convince the omega to stop making shit so hard for herself.
"I don't know who the boss wants to sell you to, but same rules apply. Break the alpha. And what better way to do that than..." he trails off, turning to my neighbor with a gleam in his eye that I don't like.
My stomach bottoms out when I notice her crouched position and canines bared. I've never seen an omega with teeth that look like actual fangs, and I half wonder what else makes this woman different. She embodies a physical representation of feral right now.
The guard tsks and steps toward her cell door. I don't think. I just fucking lunge to the corner and reach between the bars to grab hold of his damp shirt. Unable to actually stop him, all I manage to do is tear the short sleeve from the rest of the material.
A blur of red distracts me from the angry snarl of the alpha as his hand flies toward me. Too much happens all at once.
The fist which was meant for my face slams into something else. Firefly sticks her forearm between us and takes the blow a few inches above her wrist. One of the only times I've heard a whisper of her soft voice and it's a quiet, pained scream.
"Firefly!" I gasp and try to grab her between the bars, but she stumbles away, clutching her already bruising forearm to her chest. "Damn it!" I bellow, gripping the bars and trying to bend them to my will.Why did she do that?! He hurt her again!
"Oh, a nickname..." The guard interrupts my panic with a threatening smirk.
Tears stream down her cheeks, and her red blush extends to the swell of her breasts. The mixture of pain and anger rolling off her scares me shitless. "Firefly, don't!"
For a moment she listens to me. Her head cocks, and she stares me down as if she's thinking.Yes, keep using your brain!Think through this.Please.
Just when I think she'll heed my warning, the bastard who will someday die by my hand comments. "I think I'll take those jeans today."
He's trying to egg her on. To give himself a reason to punish her. "DON'T!"
She does. A feral hiss slips through her trembling lips and seals her fate. All I can do is watch as she puts up the fight of her life against an alpha twice her size.
All I can do is watch, scream, shout, and plead with the universe for her to hear me again. Tolistenandthink.
She doesn't.
Twenty-Six
Vivian
I'm not exactly sure what possessed me to block the hit meant for Riot. All I knew was that asshole was threatening something in my pack bond. Riot's red tether fades when we're resting, but in the face of the guards it coils tightly and brightly around my bicep.
His grasp feels like a possession. A claiming for now. Like he's taken me under his care and wants to help, especially when there's danger present. Or maybe I'm the one dragging him closer and tying him around me so I have some kind of comfort in this hell.
The throbbing in my forearm worried me until rage shuttered my feelings.He hurt me!I was so mad, but Riot begging me not to do something crazy gave me pause.
Honestly, I think I might have listened to Riot if the guard hadn't spewed more vile shit at me.No way in hell is he taking more of my clothes.I'm not sure whether I hissed or growled at the alpha, but either way he's now charging through the open doorway with a vicious gleam in his eyes.
The dominance chokes me along with his stench. Unable to run like I should, I drop my aching arm and bend my knees. I'll fight him off if I have to. Which seems like my only option.
Riot shouts, the vibrations of his anger curling my fingers into fists. I raise them to shield my face and actually manage to side step the first swipe of the alpha's meaty paw.
Pride blooms only to be smashed by a torrential downpour of fear as my legs are kicked out from under me. I land on my side, crushing my bad arm into my ribs, effectively knocking the wind out of me. A wheeze escapes my throat, and the bastard laughs at me.
"Stand up!" Riot screams.
I can't see him through the curtain of my hair, but I imagine he's losing his mind. His fierce desperation in making sure I experience the least amount of pain is all the reminder I need to keep fighting. I'm sure he wants me to stand so I'm out of kicking range, but I want to stand so I can fight back.
Except I don't make it past my hands and knees before a dirty boot kicks me in the stomach. A void erupts in my gut and lungs, stealing my breath and ability to find my equilibrium.
