Chapter 6
Broken Basement, The Institute
Shit, a guard!
How were Lark and I so lost in our first kiss that we didn’t even hear his approach?
Or is he just that stealthy?
Flushing, Lark and I pull apart.
My heart speeds up, and I take a moment to steady my breathing.
Then my gaze steels.
No one is hurting Lark again.
Lark may be…a lot…taller than me. My muscles may still not be truly responding. I may not be able to stand up.
But I’m not broken anymore.
Lark has given that to me.
I feel stronger than I ever have done before.
Immediately, I growl at the same time as Lark does.
Lark leaps to his feet, standing protectively in front of me.
He looks commanding and dangerous.
Fucking hot.
The guard doesn’t look taken aback, frightened, or even angry.
Instead, he grins. “Wow, awesome. Fierce. I didn’t know that you were both feral. Have you killed anyone? Do you want me to show you how to fight? I know MMA. I could teach you some easy hand to hand combat, dirty tactics, you know? You’re tall. I bet that you could really handle yourself.”
Lark and I both stop growling and gape at the Beta.
He’s leaning casually against the bars, holding a steel plate.
He’s like sex on legs.
The Beta is smaller than Lark but lean and wiry. He looks barely out of college.
Also, as if he’s actually a gorgeous actor, who’s mistaken this for the film set of Omega Redemption.
He has olive skin, startling silver curls that tumble over sharp cheekbones, and mischievous chestnut eyes that have unfairly long lashes.
He’s wearing a black guard’s uniform that has the Institute’s Greek symbol for Omega, encircled by gold, on its pocket. Yet I’ve never seen anyone wear a uniform that’s so rumpled and creased before.
It’s clearly his first day.
The navy silk scarf, which is decorated with foxes, makes him look even more roguish.
Why the hell is he a guard?
It doesn’t suit him.
A career counselor somewhere seriously sucks at their job.
Lark narrows his eyes. “Why don’t you open that door, and we’ll see?”
The Beta straightens, twirling the plate on his hand. “Said the spider to the fly, right? I’ll stay out here, but thanks for the offer. I’ll show you from this side of the bars.”
Lark — almost — smiles. “It was worth a try.”
“Hey, I get it. Trick the newbie. I’m an intern…probationer…shit, I don’t know or care. Just call me the new guy or yours.” The Beta straightens, before slinking another step towards us in a way that’s sinful. My stomach flutters on the yours. I can’t tell if he’s joking. “If you want my official name, then it’s Antonio. But my friends call me Toni.”
I stare at Antonio, trying to take in his sunny babble.
If the bars weren’t in the way, I’m pretty certain that he’d have offered his hand like we were co-workers on his first day in a cubicle office job.
No one’s spoken to me — like I’m a real person — since I was bonded to Fletcher.
I’m not sure anyone apart from Lark has ever spoken to me like that.
Even Thomas and Gabriel always treated me like I was precious or treasured, an Omega to be protected and sheltered.
As an Omega, part of my dynamic loves that shit. On the other hand, there’s also part of me that’s brought to life by this golden retriever of a Beta, who talks about MMA in one breath and in the other introduces himself, as if we’re friends.
Lark looks like he’s struggling not to laugh. “You do realize that we’re prisoners. Just a small pointer to help you out, since you’re a newbie. Another pointer, we’re usually, as a guideline, meant to call guards either sir or by their surnames.”
Antonio scrunches up his nose. “Pfft, fuck that. I’m nobody’s sir. What are you, like thirty-five? I should be calling you sir.”
Now, it’s my turn to smother my laugh on my palm, as Lark splutters in outrage.
“I’m twenty-nine, pup,” Lark hisses. “But by all means, call me Sir.”
I don’t expect the way that Antonio blushes, ducking his head.
Then he glances underneath his lashes at me. “Are you okay, mia amata?”
Lark pointedly steps in front of me. “She’s fine. She has me. Now, are you simply here for your school work experience or…?”
Lark is good at revenge.
I grin, when Antonio’s head snaps up.
He pushes his silver hair back from his eyes. “I’m twenty-one. Well played, old man.”
Lark growls, but I can tell that it’s playful.
Apparently, so can Antonio because he winks. “Who wants some treats?”
Confused, I watch, as Antonio drops to sit cross-legged on the other side of the bars. Then he gestures at Lark to join him.
Lark shakes his head, crossing his arms.
Antonio sighs. “In case you haven’t worked it out, there are hidden cameras in the cell to monitor you.”
Startled, I stare around at the cobwebs that hang from the ceiling and the grimy concrete corners of the cell. I can’t see anything but then, it wouldn’t be difficult to hide the cameras amongst the dirt.
I tell myself that I don’t care.
But I do.
Lark’s jaw clenches. “I hope that the bastard has enjoyed watching me piss and oh yes…” He looks up at the ceiling. “…kiss your ex.”
So, Lark is possessive.
Antonio snorts. “That whole badass sticking it to the Man thing you just did, while totally hot, was wasted because I know how to hack in and put the cameras on a loop. Nobody can see what we’re doing now.”
Why would Antonio do that?
Suddenly on the alert, I struggle to push myself up to sit with my back against the wall.
I pull Lark’s jacket more firmly around myself.
Something’s wrong here.
“You’ve just admitted to a serious crime,” I say. “Why would you do that?”
“Because it’s wrong for you to be filmed.” Antonio shrugs. “I’m no angel and I know what it’s like to be watched all the time. It fucking sucks. You deserve at least a short break from that. I’ve been worried about you, after hearing about this basement and the shit that went down here. The tour wasn’t fun. Why not have some privacy with me? I come bearing gifts.”
He shoves the plate toward the bars with a clang.
“I know what happened to those who didn’t beware of Greeks bearing gifts,” Lark states, flatly.
“I’m not Greek; I’m Italian American.” Antonio adjusts his scarf with a flourish. “Trust me or don’t. But you must be hungry, right?”
My stomach chooses that moment to growl.
I redden.
Lark prowls to the bars and drops to sit on the other side to Antonio like the two men are opponents in a chess match.
Antonio gives a wicked grin. “This is cozy. Here.”
He pushes the plate through the slot, and Lark snatches it like it’s probably been poisoned.
Then he stares in shock at the grilled cheese sandwich, which is made with thick bread and tomato slices. Next to it, balances an apple and a large, homemade chocolate cupcake.
The scents of the gooey cheese and sweet chocolate flood the musty cell.
My mouth waters.
I haven’t been fed on anything but stale bread for weeks, and the smell alone is enough to almost unhinge me.
Lark’s staring at the food like it’s the Holy Grail.
His hand’s shaking, and he’s unconsciously licking his lips.
He’s been starving, while giving his food away to his daughter and me, but he’s never once complained.
He’s pretended that he’s fine.
“Oh, wait, I forgot this.” Antonio rolls a soda can through the slot.
Lark looks down at it and then back at Antonio. “This isn’t our meal.”
Antonio gives an easy shrug. “It’s my lunch. I couldn’t give you a slice of bread. How’s that meant to be enough for two of you? Fucking ridiculous. I’ll bring double tomorrow and smuggle it in like I am today. Do you want to put in your order?” He throws himself dramatically to the side to lean on his elbow and look past Lark and catch my eye. “What would you like, mia amata? Chicken next time? I make a mean chargriled chicken and mayo sandwich.”
I stare at him.
Is he serious?
Is he real, or am I dreaming?
“You’ll be hungry,” I blurt.
“I’m only going without lunch for one day,” Antonio replies. “I once went hungry for a week. I can handle it.”
“Are you playing with us?” Lark snarls.
Antonio blinks. “Thanks for the offer. You’re both beautiful, but right now, you can’t consent. The whole abuse of power thing, you know? So, let’s put a pin in that, okay?”
Lark sighs. “Do you flirt all the time?”
“Sometimes I give myself Sundays off for good behavior.”
Lark turns to me and a smile lights up his face that makes my heart swell, as he holds out the plate with the delicious sandwich and real lunch for the first time since I woke up in this room.
Lark makes to stand up and move toward me, but is stopped by Antonio.
“Hold up there, old man,” Antonia calls. “I’ve been told that you don’t eat. So, as much as you look adorably like the caveman about to drag the felled buffalo back in triumph to his woman (and she’s the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen)…” Lark shoots him a glare, but Antonio appears impressively impervious to it. In fact, it makes him sit up straighter, while his smile widens. “…make sure that you save some of it for yourself.”
A faint blush tints Lark’s cheeks, although I’m certain that he’d deny it.
How long has it been since anyone looked after Lark for once?
Unsurprisingly, Lark responds to this care in typically bristly fashion.
“What can you do about it?” Lark smugly sits down on the mattress next to me, shoving the entire plate onto my knee with a defiant tilt of his chin. “Threaten to force feed me, pup?”
Antonio’s chestnut eyes dance. “I’ll hand-feed you.”
Lark’s blush deepens. “Impertinent. I’d bite you.”
“What if I’d enjoy that?” He winks. “What about you?” When Antonio’s gaze slides to me, I find myself blushing just as deeply as Lark. I have the sense that this Beta is dangerous but not to Lark or me, and in ways that I really want to experience. “Would you like me to hand-feed you?”
Yes.
“No.” I pick up half the grilled cheese sandwich, ignoring the way that my stomach is clawing with hunger like it’s eating itself. “I have an Omega to hand-feed myself.”
Lark watches me with wide eyes, as I beckon him closer, holding out the sandwich. Then his expression softens with awe, as he crawls across the mattress and takes a neat bite, even though I know that he must be desperate to devour it.
Lark’s eyelashes flutter, and he moans. “Fuck, that’s amazing.”
Seeing him eat and being able to provide for him finally fills me with a deep contentment.
Our gazes meet, and we share a smile.
Lark reaches for the cupcake, before lifting it to my mouth.
I’m shaking at merely the sweet scent.
I force myself, as Lark has done, to only take a small bite after so long on bland and plain food. But still, the delicious taste hits me, rich and decadent.
I swallow, licking my lips. I moan even more obscenely than Lark did.
“This is why I watch OmegaHub,” Antonio says, dreamily. “Fuck, I didn’t know that I was into food play though.”
“Shut up,” I mumble around another mouthful of food.
When did I become daring enough to tell Betas or guards to shut up?
What’s special about Antonio?
Antonio only laughs. “You’re the one who’s making love to my cupcake right now.”
“Hey, she’s my cupcake.” Lark finishes off the grilled cheese, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Someone to brutalize or outrageously flirt with?”
“Nope,” Antonio says, popping the p. “I’ll bring you coffee tomorrow. My sweet, sweet coffee. Shit, what I wouldn’t give for a cappuccino right now.”
He sprawls out on his back in the corridor, pillowing his head on his arms.
“You’re going to be fired by the end of the day,” Lark says.
“By the end of the week,” I counter. “We could make it a bet.”
“Wow, rude.” Antonio runs his hand through his curls. “I wouldn’t bet against you on that though. Good call.”
“What’s your deal?” I can’t help asking. “No offense, but you don’t seem suited to this job.”
“My Chief Alpha sent me here,” Antonio replies.
My heart sinks.
Of course he has an Alpha.
A small part of me allowed me to forget that he had his own pack. Betas need to do what their Chief Alpha orders.
He has no choice about being here, the same as Lark and me.
Lark’s gaze becomes sharp. “Then don’t act like such a brat and be more careful. You can know all the MMA in the world, but if you get fired, your Chief Alpha will be the one kicking your ass.”
“I doubt it. The only moves he knows are how to turn the pages of a book.” Antonio pushes himself onto his elbow. “Wait, you don’t want my cute ass kicked, then? Sweet. You’re worried about me. You care. I knew that you were a softie underneath that sexily cold exterior.”
Lark stalks to his feet. “I’m merely concerned that you’ll be gone, before you can get me news of my daughter.”
Antonio stares up at him. “Who took her?”
“The Head Guard, Miss Connall. But it was ordered by the Sheriff. So, your bosses.”
Antonio looks thoughtful. “Do you want me to kill them for you?”
I pale.
Shit.
Does he mean that?
Lark doesn’t hesitate.
“Yes,” he says with fierce relish.
“Okay.”
What the hell is happening here?
“Hold up, murder boys.” I drop the plate, and the apple rolls onto the mattress. “There’ll be no killing sprees.”
Lark glances around at me with narrowed eyes.
Antonio looks sulky. Is he pouting?
“But I’m bored.” Antonio scuffs his heel against the floor.
“On the other hand,” I reply, “at least you won’t be torn apart by the rest of the guards after your solo assassin mission.”
“It’d never happen.”
“Or be sent to prison for life.”
“Now, that’s more likely.”
“So, hold off on the killing…?” I say, hopefully.
I can’t bear the thought of this strange, volatile, but kind Beta being the one behind bars. He has too much life in him.
It’d be like the sun permanently setting.
Antonio sighs like I’m denying him pudding. “For now.”
Lark twists and catches my eye. “Oh, I don’t care that he has a Chief Alpha. We’re finding a way to keep him.”
Antonio slinks to his feet, resting his head and forearm on the bars.
He looks like a silver haired demon sent to seduce us. “Who’s flirting now?”
Lark turns back to join Antonio at the bars. “You’ll find out about my daughter then…? She’s three years old and called Millie. I think that she was taken to the Companion wing.”
“Well, that’d be breaking the rules.” Antonio smirks. “So, count me in.”
Lark’s expression becomes shuttered. “What will I owe you?”
“Hey, stop looking like I’m going to say your Soul, a life debt, or a kidney. That sounds more like something my Alpha brothers in my old pack would demand. How about you promise to eat each day, and we’ll be even?”
Lark lets out a breath of relief. “Done. When you find her, can you pass on a message from me?”
“Even more forbidden…my type of gig. I was introduced to a Beta, Nina something or other, who works with the Companions. She’s twice my age but still, leered at me and gave my ass a good pat, as I passed. I’m sure that I can seduce her into giving me a tour, you know? That’ll be my chance.”
“She did what?” I demand.
Lark has the same possessive look that he usually wears with me.
But then, I’m sure that I’m wearing it too.
Antonio points at his ass with pride. “Hey, you use all the weapons at your disposal. Being attractive isn’t something that I can just holster. Yeah, her behavior breaks all sorts of HR rules and shit, but you never know when you’re going to need a Nina in your corner.”
My heart’s racing, and my palms are sweating.
What will happen to Antonio, when he goes home with someone else’s scent on his ass?
I don’t realize just how fast my breathing has become, until I hear Lark’s voice through my panic.
“Mercy, Mercy, can you hear me?”
Lark’s crouched in front me. He’s clasped my hands and is massaging the back of them.
His face is creased with concern.
“Is she okay? What did I say?” Antonio sounds distraught.
“Your Alpha will hurt you because your ass will smell of Nina,” I gasp.
I glance past Lark at Antonio.
Antonio pulls a face. “Firstly, yuck. Secondly, he’s not that sort of Alpha. He knows that I’m a cuddler. They’re not a friendly bunch here, you know? I’ve tried to go in for a hug but most just won’t have it. If I went home covered in the scents of two cute Omegas, he’d think nothing of it. That’s a lie. He’d become obsessed with you because seriously, the way that your scents mingle together like sweet chocolate plum cake is heavenly. It’s fated and—”
“Write a love poem to our scents later,” Lark grits out. “Now, memorize the message to my daughter.”
Antonio gives a lazy salute. “Yes, sir.”
Lark rolls his eyes.
Then his expression becomes fragile.
I squeeze his hand in solidarity.
“Tell Millie…” Lark ducks his head and swallows, before trying again. “Tell her: Daddy loves her. He’s thinking about her. And that she’s a good Omega.” His eyes blaze. “That last part, make sure that she understands it. No matter what anyone is saying to her. She’s always a good Omega.”
My throat is tight. My eyes burn with tears.
Antonio looks serious now. “I’ll find her, I swear. I’ll tell her. Do you want me to give her a hug from you?”
Lark nods, not trusting himself to speak.
Antonio pushes himself away from the bars. “I have to warn you that they were talking about your auctions this morning.”
My stomach drops.
Fuck, no.
I hold onto Lark like somehow this means that I’ll never be torn away from him.
Except, I will.
This is what we’ve allowed ourselves to forget as we’ve formed our own pack and fallen in love.
Even this snatched happiness can be taken away from us.
Lark is holding onto me just as tightly.
“When are they taking place?” I force myself to ask.
“I don’t know,” Antonio replies. He looks troubled. “But it sounded like soon. They’re going to be online. Sheriff Ace is only inviting a couple of packs to bid to make sure that nothing can go wrong. You know, the way that the Institute have been screwing up a lot recently. It’s been all over the press. I didn’t realize, until I met you, how awesome you’d both be. I want to help you. Because after the auction, there’ll be no mercy for you from the type of knotheads who’ll pay over one hundred million for a rare Brok to exhibit like a collector’s item.”