Page 32 of Met Your Mate

I yank and tug on the delicate bond connecting us, but my sweet girl is quiet now. Almost numb, or like she's just beneath the surface. Gritting my jaw, I try to block out the guys as their panic and horror of seeing our omega like this pound through our pack connection, but it's difficult.

My attempt at bringing my mate from whatever hell she's trapped in is thwarted as I'm propelled forward and a tsunami of water rushes over my now freezing skull. If I thought I was lucid before, I absolutely am now. My back feels like it's being ripped open by shards of ice.

Not even my yell of agony and wrath can be heard over the roaring of the hose barreling into me from behind. All sight vanishes behind the wave of pelleting water, but even if I tried to look for my pack, I don't think I could lift my head against the torrent of water.

It takes all my fucking effort to keep myself from falling on my face, but my backward momentum is quickly used against me as the water shuts off and I'm falling onto my ass and slamming my head in a puddle.

My beta's screams finally reach through the blood pounding in my ears. "ELI!"

"Jesus, fuck," Lucas mutters.

"Eli, you okay?" a much closer alpha pack mate questions gently. "Take your time," Ronan continues.

I appreciate my pack alpha's soothing voice while I try to grapple with the ache blooming in the back of my head and the stabbing pains all over my body. Fuck, that hurt.

"How interesting," Ken drawls moments later.

Somebody snarls, then Casey snaps, "Fuck you!"

I force myself into a seated position, knowing whatever's coming next won't be good if Casey draws attention to himself. Blinking rapidly, the moisture quickly drips away, allowing me to see Ken standing between us and Freya.

"Freya," I whisper, mortified by her stillness and lack of emotion. "What's wrong with her?!" I demand.

Ken hums, tapping his chin like a fucking freak. "The omega either has spectacular control, which I highly doubt since it took that brutal hosing to get the bitch to slick when commanded."

"WHAT?!"

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

No words have the ability to escape around the thunderous growl tearing my vocal cords to shreds.

"Why?! Why are you doing this?!" Casey cries, eyes latched onto our girl.

Ken huffs and brushes his hands down his suit coat. "To create the perfect omega, of course. I know Beckett already told you about our goals here, so don't be dense, boy."

"This is cruel!" my beta snaps back.

"This is science!" Ken roars, spittle flying every which way. "I'm creating an evolutionary submissive creature that will do as commanded without an alpha bark. Imagine what society could do with an omega who could slick and breed for you without their petty instincts choosing who they get to fuck?"

Science?

Rape.

Scientists?

Monsters.

I'm not the fucking monster here.

They are.

And I won't stop until every single one of their claws burn in the depths of motherfucking hell.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

REMY

"Fuck this," I mutter and launch my ass off my couch. My phone is to my ear without a second thought as I snatch my truck keys off the counter and slam the front door shut behind me.

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