Page 14 of Feral Omega

Ivy is beautiful.

She's the most beautiful omega I've ever seen.

And the sight of her crashes into me like a freight train for a million different reasons.

Something twists in my chest, an unfamiliar ache, as I step into the room. I crouch down, ignoring Emilia's sharp intake of breath behind me as if I'm approaching a venomous snake. Ivy flinches as if she's ready for a fight—or an attack—and watches me warily, her good eye tracking my every move.

"Ivy," I say as gently as I can, the name strange and delicate on my tongue. "I'm Thane. I'm here to take you out of this place."

She cringes back as I extend a hand, her chains rattling. Chains. And judging by the red on her skin beneath the ones attached to shackles on her slender neck and ankle, they've been there for a long time.

They have this woman, a fucking omega, tied up on the cold tile floor like a junkyard dog. Fury rises like bile in my throat.

I stand abruptly, rounding on Emilia.

"Take those off her. Now. And get her some proper clothes. We're leaving."

Emilia opens her mouth as if to argue, but something in my expression must convince her otherwise. She nods jerkily, scurrying out of the cell.

I turn back to Ivy, who hasn't taken her eyes off me. Slowly, telegraphing my movements, I reach up and remove my mask, meeting her gaze steadily.

"You're safe now," I tell her, putting every ounce of conviction I have into the words. "I promise."

It's a promise I have no right to make. Not considering who I am, or where I'm taking her. But anything is better than this shithole.

For just a moment, I swear I see a flicker of hope in those haunting depths.

Then she spits in my face and I realize I'm not as good at reading people as I thought. At least not omegas.

I chuckle, reaching up with my gloved hand to wipe the spit off my cheek. "Fair enough," I say, rising.

Ivy presses her back to the wall, chin lifted, eyes blazing in bold defiance. But I can tell she's making an effort not to flinch, as if she thinks I'm going to retaliate physically.

I hear the annoying little clicks of Emilia's heels coming back down the hall and I want to grab her and demand to know what the hell this place is, because it sure as fuck isn't what they pretend to be to secure funding.

But that'll have to wait.

All that matters right now is getting this omega—our omega—out of this godforsaken place.

Emilia comes back with a set of keys on a huge steel ring and what appears to be a gown draped over her arm. The fabric is only a few shades lighter than Ivy's icy stare. It looks thin and hardly a fit for the mid-winter chill outside, but it'll have to do for now.

"Will you step out for a moment?" Emilia asks. When I hesitate, she adds with another sniff, "It isn't proper for an alpha to be present when an omega is changing."

I want to tell the bitter hag it's not proper for an omega to be in these conditions at all, but as reluctant as I am to even leave her alone with Ivy for another minute, I can tell she's gonna put up a stink about it.

"I'll be right outside," I say pointedly.

Let the bitch harm a hair on Ivy's head and I just might violate my one hard rule about never laying a finger on a woman.

I hear the rattle of chains hitting the floor and Emilia's harsh, snippy whispering as she mutters something to Ivy that sounds like a threat. I decide they've had enough time when I hear a soft growl from Ivy, but when I turn toward the door, Ivy is dressed. The long-sleeved frock is nearly as loose as the gray one was, and I can see the silhouette of her legs through the thin fabric.

I shrug out of my thick military coat and ignore the scandalized sneer on Emilia's face as I drape it over Ivy's shoulders. She's so thin, she lurches forward a little under the heavy weight of the leather that's comically oversized on her. It's practically a damn dress. She has to be at least two feet shorter than me.

With another judgmental once-over, Emilia reaches into her pocket and produces a slim leather collar and leash. She holds them out to me, her expression pinched. "You'll want these. To take her home."

I stare at the offered items, disgust rising like bile in my throat. A collar and leash like she's some kind of animal. Like she's just a possession to be owned and controlled. A pet.

I lift my gaze from the collar to meet Emilia's cold eyes, taking a step forward so she feels how much bigger and more powerful I am. Just so she has a tiny glimpse into the powerlessness this omega in her care must feel.

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