Page 45 of Feral Omega

There can be no trust between us, no true connection. Any softness they show me is a lie, a manipulation meant to lower my guard.

I won't fall for it.

I can't afford to.

Exhaustion tugs at me, the events of the day weighing heavy on my battered body and mind. But I fight it, unwilling to let sleep claim me, to be vulnerable in their presence.

I need to stay alert, to be ready for anything.

So I stare at the white wall, my eyes burning and gritty, the collar an ever-present ache around my throat. And I wait, coiled tight as a spring, for the next move in this deadly game.

Valek was right—I am a rabbit.

A rabbit in a snare.

But even a trapped creature has teeth and claws.

And when the time is right, this rabbit will bite.

Chapter

Nineteen

PLAGUE

Ten days have passed since we collared Ivy, the wild omega who has us all captivated. She's come a long way from the battered and starved girl from the hellish confines of the Center.

Her physical condition has improved remarkably. The gaunt hollows of her cheeks have filled out, her skin regaining a healthy glow as the nutrients and fluids I've been pumping into her veins work their magic.

Yet, for all her outward compliance, following my instructions to the letter and allowing me to conduct basic examinations and run IVs without more than a curl of her lip, I can't shake the feeling that it's all an act. A facade she's carefully constructed to lull us into a false sense of security.

There's a sharpness in those piercing aquamarine eyes, a wariness that never fades no matter how gentle my touch or how soothing my tone. The collar around her slender throat is a constant reminder of her captivity, and I can't help but wonder if it's fueling her defiance rather than quelling it.

Perhaps a different approach is needed.

One that speaks to the baser instincts lurking beneath her feral exterior.

"The nesting materials have arrived," I say, breaking the usual tense silence that has settled between Thane and myself in the infirmary.

He looks up, a crease forming between his eyes. "You think it's time?"

I incline my head, meeting his gaze steadily. "I do. Keeping her confined here, treating her like a prisoner, will only breed more resentment and mistrust. We need to appeal to her omega nature, give her a space to call her own where she can feel safe and secure."

Thane's jaw tightens, a muscle ticking beneath the stubbled line. "You're talking about letting her nest," he says slowly, the words a low rumble. "Awakening her instincts in the hopes that it will make her more... compliant."

A faint smile tugs at the corners of my mouth, hidden by the mask. He's quick, this one, despite his brutish exterior. "Precisely. Omegas are hardwired to seek out safe spaces, to create nests where they can let down their guards and nurture their more vulnerable sides. If we provide Ivy with that opportunity, she may be more inclined to see us as protectors rather than captors."

His obsidian eyes bore into me, searching for any hint of deception as if he can see my face. Comical, really. He is good at reading people, I'll give him that, but leather and rivets? Finding nothing to give me a hard time about, he nods slowly.

"And you think this will work?" he asks. "That giving her a taste of freedom will make her more willing to accept her situation? To accept us?"

I spread my hands in a gesture of uncertainty, the leather of my gloves creaking faintly. "There are no guarantees, of course. But it's worth a try, is it not? Continuing down our current path will only lead to more conflict, more escape attempts where she might hurt herself. And I, for one, would prefer to avoid that if at all possible."

A flicker of something—regret, perhaps—passes over Thane's features before the mask of impassivity slips back into place. "Alright. We'll try it your way, for now. But the moment I think we've made a mistake…"

"Of course," I murmur, inclining my head. "I'll make the necessary arrangements for her room. And you can be the one to... deliver the good news, shall we say?"

Thane snorts, a wry twist to his lips. "You think she'll take it better coming from me?"

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