Chapter 16 #3
I grunt, almost like a child might. My skin feels too tight, like my body can’t settle, caught somewhere between panic and exhaustion.
I’m terrified, but I’m fed. Trapped, but not in immediate danger.
It’s disorienting, this warped sense of safety amid captivity.
I don’t trust it for a second, but the juxtaposition continues to mess with me all the same.
“Well, fine, you can just follow me as I go find me an alpha.”
Her laugh is high-pitched. “You that eager, girlie? Plus, that’s not happening.”
“I’m eager to get away from Judge.”
I glance back at her when she doesn’t respond, the woman looking like she's covering a hundred replies. Shit, that’s not good. Judge does have something planned for me.
An alpha.
I need an alpha.
I need one to fight for me. Immediately, I scan the area to observe those interested and if anyone catches my eye. There’s one up top on the railings that hasn’t seemed to remove his gaze from me.
Perfect. He’s an option that won’t disgust me. At least, not physically. I turn to look at Kitty, wanting to confirm something first. “So, is Judge an echo?”
“Oh, yes,” she answers easily.
“What does it mean for him?” I ask, hoping that sounds natural. I’m not sure how one usually asks those questions. “As in, what does it do for him?”
She shrugs. “He’s exceptionally strong, so don’t get into a fight with him. No one wins those. And injuries don’t affect him like others. Even for an echo, he’s hard to kill. It’s why he’s where he’s at. He’s survived a lot of shit that would have killed other men.”
Oh, really? “Then why did he come to the Enclave?”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, I’m not stepping in that shit.”
Good to fucking know. This is all a trap. A setup. “Where are the omegas from the Enclave?” I ask. “Shouldn’t they be here, too?”
“They’re still being assessed,” she replies more carefully.
I motion to myself. “Why am I with the scraps, then?”
Her face tightens, like she’s tired of the questions. “Judge already assessed you.”
My jaw drops, lips parting. That stings, for some reason. “I see.” I motion over my shoulder, that information confirming everything for me. “How do I get up there? I want to interact with one of those alphas.”
She looks like I actually betrayed her. “Diana, you just got here. Judge still hasn’t even spoken to you since the car ride—”
“Since he drugged me. What’s going on with me? What does he have planned? I have a right to know.”
She nods carefully. “I don’t blame or disagree with you. But you’re not supposed to be here at this gathering, which means I don’t want to say things that otherwise wouldn’t have been said if this hadn’t made you bring it up.”
Calm down. I need to calm down. The need to find a way out feels like life or death, my gaze scanning the alphas above again until I see the one who still hasn’t removed his gaze from me.
He has his hair braided down the middle, shaved around the ears, and replaced with tattoos.
Okay, if Kitty says I’m not supposed to be here, then maybe this is a life-or-death situation.
What if I can’t come back out here?
“Diana, you don’t need to fight your way out today, girl.
You’re alright. Truly. Sure, Judge could honestly use a lesson or two on romantic etiquette.
” My brows narrow at the mention of romance.
“But darlin’, you would have been torn to shreds by the alphas out near Trinity, not even to mention that place we stopped if Judge hadn’t made it very clear you’re all to him during your heat.
I’m not saying it’s not traumatic, but you gotta let it go for now because tension is high around here because we’re dealing with stuff.
Please don’t make it worse for yourself by trying to stir shit up because you think your life is in danger.
I can confidently promise you it is not. ”
I don’t know how to feel about hearing any of that. “So I won’t be taken away after this and locked in a prison, or traded away? I’ll get to come back?”
She smiles slightly. “Judge is well known for not trading omegas. I don’t think Dominion has even traded a single one since he took both daggers—it means adding that second dagger on his neck, making him in charge.
Just keep that in mind, alright? You’re not going anywhere.
I know all this shit is true because I’m his right hand’s Iron Lady.
Just keep your head high and try to relax after everything you went through, alright? ”
Those words sound really fucking nice, don’t they?
Which is exactly why I cannot trust them at all.
I raise my brow to show interest in the alpha watching me, to which he turns his full head at me.
I’m shocked when butterflies flap in my stomach.
What is this? I’ve never fully flirted with an alpha before, and it’s like a floodgate of possibilities has opened up.
If Kitty won’t let me go up there, maybe I can entice him to come down to me.
Or at least make him think about me, ask about me.
Request to Ravina that he wants to visit.
The way I can see him looking my body over makes me think it will be quite easy to get him to act on my behalf. In all my years of hatefully avoiding alphas, I never imagined what would happen if I ever flirted with one. It’s rather easy, actually…
Kitty moves around so she’s between this stranger and me, pushing me to a corner. “You got a rusted band for a brain? What are you doing?” She looks me dead in the eyes. “They’re thinking with their knots up there. Don’t make him a dead man. Colt is a good guy.”
Colt? That’s not a bad name. “I want out of this little gathering, if I can’t even use it for its intended purpose.”
“How I fucking wish I could yank your desperate ass right out of here.”
I look back up at the balcony, and that alpha is now leaning over, like he’s curious that I’m curious. What if he can tell I’m upset? He should want to tend to an omega, right?
The alpha looks to the side, along with all the others. The energy of the place changes, and a few more alphas walk through, all clad in leather or jeans.
Including Judge.
My spine stiffens when I see his stupid face, and I can’t stop watching him. He licked so much of my body, bathed me, and then knocked me out again. The alphas above move more in their stances, like competition is here. It seems so volatile, even though supposedly there are tranq darts.
Mate them right away.
My eyes widen in understanding. Right. That’s why they all get biologically locked down.
“This will get good,” Kitty mutters behind me.
Judge smiles an annoyingly handsome smile when someone says something to him, and it makes me hate him more.
As he scans the space, like he’s a casual attendee, we finally make eye contact.
Everything about him hardens, slowly turning his whole body to face me.
Those pale eyes widen with fury, then flit to Kitty, his head tilting to the side like he’s asking what the fuck is going on.
I can’t help it when I look up at the alpha I caught the attention of, like I’m asking for help, whose eyes are still burning into me like he’s assessing if I’m worth it or not.
Judge looks over his shoulder to where my attention is.
The other alpha doesn’t move a muscle, as if asserting himself, lowering his head as if he might do something…
and then he turns away with a scowl, even leaving.
Judge approaches with a casual demeanor, as if not to draw attention.
He swipes his chin with his thumb with some aggression, and I look away, arms crossed.
My heart is hammering so hard I wouldn’t be shocked if I started vibrating.
I roll my eyes when Judge’s scent is probably one of the best here, but I know it has to be related to the familiarity of that alpha properly pleasing me during my heat.
My biology is utterly betraying me.
“Kitty, remove her. Now,” he commands, far too calm. That voice is low, dangerous, and yet warm like honey in tea.
I look back up at the railing, and that alpha is gone.
No.
“Ravina forced us back outside,” Kitty mutters.
“Remove Diana. Now.”
When Kitty motions to follow, and I don’t, Judge says, “I’ll use a bark here on you right now if you don’t move. You need to leave.”
Biology continues to be this communicator for me that I’m not used to listening to, and I’m suddenly very aware of my situation.
The alpha of Dominion is in front of me, and I don’t need to be hurting his fragile baby ego when all eyes are on us.
I don’t look at him, which can just be seen as submission, but I don’t care.
I follow Kitty, but not before looking back up at the balcony one more time, with Judge watching me.
That will be my act of defiance. I owe him nothing. All that possessive talk back in that breeding house was of a rutting alpha. He left me with the scraps—plus, I don’t even care what he thinks of me!
I want to rip this omega heart of mine out. And I’ll show him that he does not, in fact, own me.
As the doors shut, I make eye contact with Judge through the glass, who appears to be filled with so much rage I wonder if he’ll hurt me for this. For whatever line I clearly crossed in his mind.
But when my back is to him, it just confirms that I will claw my way out of this.
The Black Mirage.
In the chaos that’s my body, I don’t have to fear being caught anymore.
Maybe I can push boundaries more and demand that Ravina let me meet with alphas.
She has some authority, does she not? At this point, I’d be willing to even mate with an alpha, just to piss Judge off.
Because it’s not as if the mark is staying.
I know the Witch Doctor can break even a mating bond.
I don’t want to go through the effort of faking my interest in someone, but I will if it’s necessary.
Maybe he can take me on walks around so I can get a better view of the terrain.
All I need is a capable vehicle, and I can drive south where it’s warmer, where the Black Mirage is.
If I can just keep my head straight, I can do this.
I can fucking do this.