Chapter 33
“Sorry bout last time, Omega, I can’t be getting into problems.” She shrugged, munching on some chips.
I inhaled the drag of nicotine.
She could do whatever she wanted now that she’d become my method for getting cigarettes. I leaned toward the small window to exhale smoke.
“You never told me your name,” I said instead.
“Lola.”
Lola was a lifesaver. After yesterday, I needed this cigarette badly. Since their visit, my mind wouldn’t chill the hell out. I kept seeing the sadness in Kyan’s eyes, the guilt in Sinclair’s, and the madness in Elias’.
I touched my smooth neck. I could still feel the blood. As soon as I was halfway down the hall after seeing them, I fell to the ground from the searing agony. It burned like I had an iron poker to my throat.
I’d denied going to the infirmary because, as much as it hurt, they wouldn’t give me anything strong enough for the pain. Of that, I was sure.
So after wiping my blood on my thigh, I continued forward, ignoring the looks from the officer escorting me.
“You okay there?” Lola asked.
I focused on her.
“Yeah.” I put out the contraband and tossed it through the iron slit of the window. We couldn’t get away with both of us being in here too long; they’d catch on.
I turned on the faucet and washed my hands. The strawberry mark on my neck was gone, and I found myself more aware of my throat without Elias’ mark than with it.
“I’ll see you out there,” she said, shuffling away.
I took my time air-drying my hands and then walked after her.
I turned the corner, and the sound of the showers echoed closer.
I kept my gaze lowered, not looking at the female guard standing by the wall.
Once I passed her, I took the exit and caught up to Lola.
“Trouble’s coming for you,” Lola muttered, jerking her chin to the side.
I followed her gaze to an unfamiliar woman staring at me.
She held my eyes for a few seconds and then looked away.
Other than the intense focus, there was nothing terribly different about her, but I was feeling what she was.
I could feel something was off; my gut was telling me as much.
Lola munched loudly on the chips. The familiar buzz echoed through the speaker. I fell into step with the masses shuffling back to their cells.
“I have a bad feeling,” she mumbled. She grimaced at me. “Good luck.” She disappeared in the opposite direction. I didn’t blame her. Even though I hadn’t been here long, it wasn’t hard to understand that it was everyone for themselves in here.
I walked closer to the wall, keeping my attention peeled. This was a perfect time for an attack, when everything was chaos. Nothing happened, and I was close to leaving the table area when movement caught my eye.
She’d been closer to the cells than I had been earlier, so there was no reason for her to be near me.
Fucking shit.
The way she curled her shoulders forward, and how her eyes skittered from side to side, she was going to make a move. And now she was an arm’s distance away.
I didn’t wait this time and bolted for the plate on the counter. It was made of hard plastic, but it would have to do.
She came at me, and I swung my weapon in an arch, slamming the edge against her temple. Over and over again. Blood splattered across my cheek, but I couldn’t stop.
Shouting erupted all around.
She was tackled, and seconds later, I was too. The air exploded from my lungs, and the plate went skidding as I fell to the ground with such force, it pushed the air out of my lungs.
A knee pressed into my spine, shooting agony that spiked to the point of dizziness.
It took a while of lying pinned on the ground before everything calmed and the hollering of others abated.
I was finally dragged up. My temple throbbed with agony.
I met the eyes of the Alpha who had done my invasive body search.
The older woman I’d been attacking was gone, but a line of blood trailed out of one of the exits.
Mustache guard barked more orders, and finally, it was my turn. “Lock her in the pit.” I was handed over to Sergei. He had my elbow in a painful grip. I winced but had no choice but to go where he led.
“What’s the pit?” I croaked. I had an idea, but I hoped I was wrong.
Sergei tsked. “You’re going into solitary.”
“I didn’t start it,” I croaked to him. His eyebrow twitched, and it was clear he didn’t believe me.
He took me through some more halls that looked exactly the same. He waited at a door that finally buzzed open. Meanwhile, I was trying not to let panic overwhelm me.
He leaned closer to me and sniffed. “It really is a shame you’re in here. Omegas shouldn’t be locked up like this.” He clicked his tongue.
He guided me into a slim hall with doors on both sides. He stopped mid-way and unlocked one of them. I entered at his gentle prodding.
A cell no bigger than eight by nine, no windows, and a toilet in the corner.
“How long do I have to be here?” I blurted. A thin sleep mat near the toilet, but the stain on it was enough to keep me away.
“Don’t know yet,” Sergei answered. “Sleep tight.” His muffled voice barely reached me. As soon as he closed the door, I was left in total darkness.
My heart dropped, and I backed into the wall to slide down onto my ass.
I exhaled in a slow drag.
I could hear the silence. To ground myself, I rubbed my finger over my sore palm. The puncture wounds no longer bled, but it was still achy.
Then the moaning started. Someone else locked down here is moonlighting as a fucking ghost, I guess.
I groaned and dropped my forehead onto my knees.