Chapter 11
Malin
Ialready knew the owner of Brimstone was a vile alpha. But the true depth of his depravity shone when he began to talk of money.
How I found myself in his ranch office twenty-four hours after dropping off Cassius began with a series of events.
After hours of research on breeding farms and how set omegas were treated, after seeing breeding benches in use in actual video, watching omegas in heat drugged out of their minds as they were bred, I slammed my laptop closed unable to bear anymore.
It wasn’t that I was a prude or didn’t ever watch porn.
But this was nothing like that. This was forced rape on multiple levels.
It was worse than any auction house, where omegas were quickly bought up.
Although who bought them could be in question if they weren’t properly vetted.
At least Dad had bought Kirion at a private auction at Kirion’s father’s home.
Kirion’s father was some sort of king to his pack and had control to vet the bidders.
I might hate my dad, but he was a people pleaser, a generous guy.
We might not have been close after my omega dad died, but he never laid a hand on me.
He spoiled me with money, clothes and cars to make up for any broken parental bond pain I’d survived.
It was the only way he knew how to help since I refused all psychiatric assistance.
Kirion had been one of the luckier ones to come to this country. Even if Dad had never married him, he would have seen to his every need for the rest of his natural life. He would never harm him.
But Cassius? He was not in the same situation.
And what had happened to me? I didn’t know.
But he’d crossed my path. He’d told me shocking things during our strange little question and answer session.
Now I couldn’t see or dream or think about anything else.
My mind had a natural inclination to go to dark places.
When I’d watched the breeding bench footage, I couldn’t see those omegas because Cassius’s face was superimposed over all of them, eyes wide and pupils blown as he endured drugged, and what he called painful, heats.
Speeding down the highway, I found myself back at Brimstone. Time had blurred. My temper threatened to take over the way it did when I lost control. I stormed reception and demanded to make an official complaint.
That was when Klonis had arrived. He took one look at me and offered his hand. “Mr. Malin Summit, correct?”
I refused to shake, giving him my most dominant glare.
“Is this about Cassius?” Klonis asked. “Of course, you may file any formal complaint if you like. We take them all quite seriously. Refunds, however, go through our legal department.”
“I’m not here to sue you.” Now that he’d put the thought in my mind, however, it wasn’t a terrible idea. “Yet,” I added, just to watch his face twitch. Though given time, I could probably come up with a reason.
“May I ask what your complaint is? Was Cassius terribly misbehaved? We apologize in advance. You paid quite a sum for services and if you did not receive them to your satisfaction, we can offer you many future discounts and deals.”
“I am not here to make any complaint against Cassius.”
His eyebrows rose. “Then what is the reason?”
I hadn’t quite thought everything through. “I’ll speak with the owner, please.”
“You need to make an appointment.”
“You are aware of how much I tipped for him. There’s a lot more money where that came from. It is in this corporation’s best interests if he makes time for me. I’ll wait if I need to.”
I didn’t want to wait, but at the same time I needed Klonis to think he might have some leeway to bear on the situation. Immediately, he led me down an endless maze of hallways.
Now I stood in the office of Brimstone’s owner. He’d introduced himself as Jonah, smiles all around.
“I see your donation from the other night was quite generous.”
“Donation? Do I get paperwork for a tax write-off?”
He cleared his throat. “Your tip, I meant to say.” He motioned me toward one of several couches in his huge office. “Now, what can I do for you, Mr. Summit?”
I stood my ground. Standing, not sitting, was strength. Plus, defiance was my default. He never told me to sit, but the wordless gesture and my brush-off spoke volumes.
What was I here for? I wasn’t completely sure myself, but this was about Cassius.
“I want to see him again.”
“The boy you rented?”
“The man I tipped for two nights ago,” I corrected.
“Yes.” He walked over to his desk, forcing me to turn my body to keep facing him. “That would be Cassius. Unfortunately, he’s not available right now. He’s not even our best. We have others who would suit you much better.”
“What do you mean he’s not available? He’s here. I just dropped him off yesterday.” Had they rented him to somebody else?
“Yes. He’s,” he paused, sitting, then looking up at me. “He’s incommunicado at the moment.”
My lips pressed hard and it was all I could do to keep from snarling. “Is something wrong with him?”
“No. He’s fine.”
“Then I want him brought here.”
“Sir, that’s not how things work. You make appointments. Things are then prepared. In advance.”
“What if I don’t want to wait.”
Jonah met my gaze and didn’t look away. He had a darkness in his eyes he hid with his fake smiles. Right now, that smile was fading, nostrils readying themselves to flare. “That is not done.”
I pushed back. “Not without extra fees, right?”
His demeanor immediately changed. “We could possibly discuss that.”
Knowing I had the upper hand this second, I said, “I want to see him first.”
Jonah huffed, lashes slowly lowering. It wasn’t submissiveness but hiding a more heightened simmer. Good. I wanted him to hate me. I wanted to make things unpleasant, not pretty, ugly as they should be.
Jonah picked up his phone and began to text. While he did that, he spoke. “Klonis will bring him by in a minute.”
“A minute? I thought he was incommunicado.”
“All omegas here are until we give our permission.”
“I guessed that. They don’t even have access to the Internet.”
He blinked at me, silent.
“They are things to be used, I know.” My words tasted heavy on my tongue, sour like milk gone bad.
“Ostracized from their packs, they have purpose here.”
“How many do you have?” I’d looked it up so I already knew the answer.
“159.”
A smallish school or, rather, herd, yet enough to make a lot of alphas rich. I forced myself to remain calm. Malinekan wanted to show his claws.
“Well, maybe 158 is a better number.”
His lashes flicked. “The omegas here are for rent, sir. None are for sale. You’d go to an auction event for that.”
“Not even for the right price?”
“No.”
My teeth gritted. “Everyone has their price.”
Jonah sat back in his chair, lips parting just enough to show his teeth. He repeated his last statement. “No.”
“But isn’t he useless? I was told he might be barren. What happens then? If he can’t produce children for you, that puts an added weight on your business.”
“Who told you that?”
“He did.”
Jonah let out a forced laugh. “You believed him?”
“Why would he lie to make himself even more unattractive to an alpha?”
Jonah rocked forward. “Maybe he didn’t like you.”
Don’t let him throw you off your game. You know better, Malinekan said.
My fists clenched. My voice rose. “I want to see him now!”
“I’ve changed my mind.” He stood, tossing his phone onto the desk. “You may leave the premises now.”