Page 17 of His Stolen Omega

“Yeah.”

The alpha put out his cigarette, then appeared to pop a piece of gum out of a small pack. “Accept the pheromones, omega. There’s no need to make this harder on yourself.”

“Rich, coming from the guy who I’m certain just—”

“I barely touched you.”

Elm turned his head again and glared, putting all the self-loathing and hatred he could muster in the look. “You used a machine on me like I’m some—”

“All right.” The alpha stood. “Don’t make it easier on yourself. No matter to me.”

“Wait,” Elm called him back when he turned and made to leave. “Wait…please.”

For some reason, the thought of being left alone was terrifying, and the alpha, whoever he was, must have picked up on that fact because after only a moment, he turned back around. His expression was enigmatic when he set it on Elm, but there was a glimmer of something in those eerie eyes.

“You should sleep more,” he suggested. “You were severely dehydrated from the heat. You only just finished an IV. Rest.”

“I don’t need sleep. I need answers.”

“I don’t owe you anything, omega.”

“Stop.” Elm shuddered, revolted.

The alpha latched onto it like a bloodhound. “Do you find your new presentation distasteful?”

“It’s unnatural,” he growled. Elm was a beta. He was meant to be a beta. This… “This is wrong.”

“Alas, the world is rarely black and white.” The alpha inspected him. “Accept the soothing pheromones, sleep. Behave, and perhaps you can be a freed little test subject in the future.”

Elm grimaced. “Glyphian testing is illegal.”

“This is Synastry.”

“Pretty sure it’s illegal to pull people off the streets and subject them to testing here as well.”

“You were a gift, actually.”

“Yeah? A gift from who, to who?”

The alpha stared. “You don’t know?”

“I don’t want to know you. I just want—”

“Do you think not learning my name will make it more likely you’re released once I’m finished with the trials?” He grunted. “Wishful thinking. I’m curious, is that an Erskine trait? Kian is like that too. It’s annoying.”

“You know my brother?” Considering the circumstances…that was not a good thing. “I don’t have anything to do with the mafia. Please—”

“You aren’t being held because of your brother,” he stated. “Perhaps in spite of the fact he’s your brother, actually. No, you have those idiots who kidnapped you to thank. You see, the drug they gave you is rare. Altering a person’s genetics is still, as you put it, highly illegal business. I have questions. Your body has answers. It’s simple when you break it down.”

One thing was simple.

“You’re insane.” Elm had wound up locked in a cage, being held by a psychopathic…whatever the fuck he was. “Are you a doctor? A scientist?”

“I’m a Dominus.”

He snorted before he could help it. “Yeah, right. Like I’m going to buy…” there was a faded memory just on the outskirts of consciousness that caught his attention. Hadn’t he overheard a conversation? Something about a Butcher and…?

“You were crying,” the alpha said then. “Why? Are you in pain?”