Chapter Seven
Halley
The stiff waiting room chair rattles as I bounce my knees and stare at the imposing wooden door. It looms before me, getting bigger by the second. I swear it’s stupidly large for the sole purpose of intimidating visitors.
It’s working. I feel small and out of my depth.
My stomach churns, and I wipe my sweaty palms on my prison-issued pants.
I pick at the dried splatter of mashed potato on my sleeve cuff and sigh. As horrible as the last three days in solitary confinement have been, I wish I were back in my cell, making little mountains out of my leftover mashed potatoes.
Getting locked up for trespassing in a restricted zone is far less stressful than being dragged to the office of the General of Barkrood Base.
The waiting room is suffocatingly quiet, occasionally broken by a burst of tapping from the secretary’s keyboard. I’m convinced the General has me waiting as some kind of psychological warfare. He shouldn’t have bothered. My head is already spinning.
Since the moment I regained consciousness alone in that small hospital room, the haunting scent of the disturbed Alpha clinging to my garments, the harshness of reality descended upon me when the base authorities forcefully slammed me against a wall and restrained me with handcuffs.
My stomach flip-flops and my anxious scent radiates throughout the room. The Beta secretary shoots me a filthy look, squinting down her hooked nose in distaste.
In the old days, the scent of an Omega in distress would motivate pack members to provide protection. In our modern world, it’s simply irritating.
I’m off balance, floundering in the consequences of my actions.
I hold tight to the memory of Jason’s even, pain-free breathing and the relief on Everlyn’s face.
I need to keep reminding myself it was worth it.
I’m in a part of the base I’ve never been before. It’s restricted, and I know unmated Alphas are close by.
I can smell them. Hear their heavy footfalls in the hallway just outside the door. They know I’m in here too, and I feel like a sitting duck, waiting to be devoured by a hungry predator.
I’ve never been so close to unmated Alphas before, and the swirling mix of distinctly masculine Alpha scents has my instincts on high-alert.
It makes me think about the Alpha called Viper, and I shake my head vigorously to expel the thought. I’m not ready to analyze our explosive meeting. Not yet.
“General Stone will see you now.” The secretary sneers in my direction.
I swallow.
The last thing I want to do is walk through that imposing door. I want to be curled up in my nest.
Rolling my shoulders, I swallow my fear, stand on shaking legs, and turn the brass doorknob.
Luxurious carpet muffles the sound of my steps, and the drapes are pulled tight. I squint to allow my eyes to adjust.
Sitting at an enormous, stately desk is an equally enormous man. A Prime Alpha. A leader among leaders.
My pulse quickens.
General Stone’s arms rest on the top of the desk, and despite his white hair and deep wrinkles, his muscles strain against his formal uniform. A string of medals glint on his breast pocket and gold filigree decorates the jacket.
Wiry eyebrows line his heavy forehead, and a mean frown pulls his square face downward.
I ball my hands into fists, but they won’t stop shaking.
My scent becomes stronger, transitioning from calming lavender to something more intense. Dazz says it smells like right before a thunderstorm when the ozone levels spike and the atmosphere is charged with electricity.
General Stone sits forward, his eyes sharp. “So, you’re the Omega who trespassed into a restricted zone.”
I swallow, forcing myself to keep my eyes focused on his lower face.
I figure it’s best to treat him like a wild animal. Don’t make direct eye contact. Don’t antagonize him. Don’t challenge his authority.
“Yes, sir,” I squeak.
His voice is deep, sending a shiver up my spine. “Omega Sparks, do you know what happens to soldiers who break rules?”
I shake my head, the rebellious strand of hair swaying in front of my face mockingly.
“They are punished. What do you think the punishment should be for such an egregious breach of protocol?”
“I…”
Weren’t three days of solitary confinement enough?
He stares at me expectantly. The weight of his gaze feels like it’s pressing down on my windpipe.
“No? You don’t have an opinion?”
I clear my throat twice before I’m able to respond. My voice comes out weak and shaky. “I’m afraid I’m not familiar with military protocol.”
His lips press into a thin line. “I’m disappointed in you, Omega Sparks. You’re a soldier, and you’re unfamiliar with your own protocol?”
“But I’m not a soldier,” I blurt.
The General’s eyebrow raises. “You enlisted to serve your country in the military, is that not correct?”
The shaking in my hands gets worse and I dig my nails into my palm to ground myself.
“I enlisted for sanctuary in The Omega Division.”
“Is The Omega Division not a part of this military?”
“Yes…”
“So, you are a soldier.”
I hesitate. “Technically, yes, but…”
He leans back in his chair. “Let’s not play games, Omega Sparks. This is not a debate. You are a soldier and you disobeyed orders.”
My shoulders tense with a growing sense of indignation. I’ve never considered myself a part of the military, let alone a soldier.
“You’re not familiar with military protocol because you never completed the basic training. It’s a requirement every soldier completes upon enlisting. You’ve never been taught about rules, discipline or even common sense. You’ve never been taught a damned thing.”
Frustration and anger flood me.
Did he bring me in here to insult me?
I feel heat creep up my neck and crawl over my cheeks. I stare down at the floor. The way he’s spitting out the words, it’s like I’m nothing more than an untrained puppy that’s made a mess on his plush office carpet.
The chair creaks as General Stone rises, his body unfolding into an impossibly large figure. Looking at Alphas from a distance through binoculars doesn’t do them justice. Even at his mature age, his physique is intimidating.
He walks around the desk and positions himself in front of me, his hands interlocked behind his back. Pining me with a condescending look, I’ve never felt more insignificant.
This Alpha holds so much power and authority. Without a doubt, he’s from a strong Alpha Omega bloodline. Selected from the masses because of his ‘superior’ genetics, untainted by Beta blood, and trained to lead from birth.
Next to him, I’m nothing.
After a long, tense pause, he says, “That’s going to change.”
His scent coils around me, drawing me in and forcing my inner Omega to pay attention to his every word.
To submit.
Obey.
My head tilts to the side unconsciously, and I expose my neck to the Prime Alpha in a show of ultimate submission. His chest rumbles in approval, and a flicker of pride flashes in my chest.
“After your demonstration in the hospital the other day, I have decided to use your innate talents to benefit the military.”
“What demonstration in the hospital?”
The General ignores my question, continuing with his rant. He looks pleased with himself, as if he’s solved a complex conundrum and I should be grateful for his clever decision.
“Blood Lust is one the the greatest threats to our military forces. Lieutenant Viper is one of our most skilled Alphas, with extensive training and invaluable experience, and Blood Lust turns them into mindless beasts. You calmed Lieutenant Viper. Pulled him back from the cliff.”
I shiver at the memory of the deranged Alpha in the hospital – his loyalty evaporated by Blood Lust.
“You’re the answer. The solution. I’m assigning you to our top unit, who will oversee your training as a soldier.”
“W-What? No. Omegas can’t fight. Our instincts won’t let us.”
I’m biologically built for nurturing, not violence. There’s nothing in my genetic makeup that wants to harm another soul. I’m soft, weak, and incapable of defending myself.
“Maybe not. We’re about to find out.” He cocks his head to the side, his chest expanding with an inhale of air. A whimper escapes my lips as his authority surges through the room. His scent, mahogany and cigars, buffets me like a gale force wind. “You don’t have a choice. This is your punishment.”
I don’t trust him.
My instincts are shouting at me to doubt each syllable falling from his lips.
“And if I refuse?”
“The Omega Division will be disbanded.”
I choke on my spit.
He has to be kidding.
My gaze snaps up, meeting his dark orbs as I exclaim, “No! No, you can’t.”
His eyes narrow, the wrinkles deepening with disapproval as his mouth pulls into a frown.
I close my eyes and gather my thoughts.
The Omega Division is my family. They’ve already gone through so much, and there’s no way I’ll abandon them. They’re more my family than my blood relatives ever were.
I swallow. If there’s even a tiny chance that I can save them, it’ll be worth it.
I open my eyes and look up at the General. His face is hard and unforgiving.
“What if I can’t do it?” I feel soft and resigned.
“Then you fail, and I shut The Omega Division down.”
My scent crackles through the air, like a thunderstorm rolling in fast and hard. Waves crashing and breaking against craggy rocks as the howling wind batters the coastline.
I have no other home. Nowhere to go. The panic claws at the walls of my chest and squeezes the air out of my lungs. The thought of my friends being hurt makes me want to weep.
Oh rut-damned. Dazz. Ember. Flicker.
I’m not na?ve anymore. I know exactly what will happen if we’re no longer protected by the military. We’ll be ‘saved’ by the Companionship Program. Passed from Alpha to Alpha and used like toys for their pleasure.
My instincts haven’t decided on a course of action. Fight, flight, or freeze. My eyes dart, seeking an escape from this nightmare.
“Calm yourself, Omega Sparks.” An Alpha Command shimmers in his tone, and I’m forced to obey his command. It compels me to take deep, heaving breaths that hurt my chest.
“It’s an unfortunate situation, but the capital has repealed the legislation that The Omega Division is based upon. The only option I see is to increase an Omega’s value to the military. To find a way to validate the ongoing enlistment of unmateable, defective Omegas.”
Unmateable. Defective. The words sting even so many years later.
For eleven years, I’ve been working in the warehouse. I know how the place works like the back of my hand and manage it to the highest standard. I thought The Omega Division contributed plenty to the military through our jobs. Apparently not.
“As your punishment for your flagrant disrespect of protocol, you will be the test subject.”
Every thought feels like it’s caught in a tangled web, as my brain stutters and stumbles. My lips press together tightly. I have a feeling I’m going to hate everything that’s about to happen.
“You will have three months to prove your worth.”
Three months is not long enough. To ask me to become a soldier is like asking a bumblebee to learn how to talk. Surely he knows this won’t work.
And yet, a stiff determination rises in my chest and settles behind my breastbone, burrowing deep into my flesh.
I know in my heart that I’m the best Omega for the job. I’ve always craved more, adventure and a hope for the future. While the chances of me succeeding are slim, that tiny glimmer of hope and excitement is enough.
I inhale deeply, straighten my spine and meet the General’s eyes.
“Yes, sir. I’ll do it.”