Page 31 of Alpha Hunger

She laughs. “The Horde cannot patrol the entire state, and you know it.”

“Are you questioning my males? Because if you are, know that I’m happy to demonstrate our skills.” I tap my com unit. “Tarkin,” I call out to the second-in-command of the Horde.

Melanie pales. “No, please, no.”

“Yes, my prince,” Tarkin replies, and I pop him up on the hologram.

“Are we all set?” I ask.

“Huh? Of course we’re set. Fucking antsy sitting around and waiting. Let’s go.”

“A few more hours.” I hang up. “Melanie, my males are bred for fucking or fighting. They’re always ready for both. In the absence of Omegas, we fight. We’re much more pleasant when we have Omegas, which you have been discouraging from registering. In any case, should I feel a major resistance has developed over the years of peace, the kind that has bided its time and waited for me to relax, I will bring back my departed cousin. Surely you don’t think the Horde, Collectors, Guardians, and Warlords of Regha are not enough to reestablish the laws, when in fact it was only the Horde who toppled your government in a single sweep.”

Melanie leans back, her eyes glazed over. She’s calculating. “Your cousin has departed Earth, and with him departed the hate for your kind. If you bring him and his Warlords back, all the progress we’ve made is for nothing.”

“So don’t make me bring him back.”

“What is this really about, Raven?”

Disliking that she takes liberties with my given name, I erect my armor and lean my elbows on the desk, inhaling. Fear. I breathe it in and let it fill my lungs. This is a good start to my day, which will only get better when Melanie leaves and the Omega moves on to the things on her list. “All Omegas belong to me,” I say. “They are under my protection, but I cannot protect them if they are not registered. I have allowed blood testing for the dynamic. I’ve allowed a great many freedoms for humankind, and yet what I get in return is families killing Omegas, throwing them out of their homes, and hiding them. My PA walked into my office under the impression her uncle’s alliance with a powerful House would shield her from the register. Omegas born into privilege or associated with the privileges are under the impression I will forgive them, treat them differently than the poorer class of humans. I will not. An Omega is an Omega. Money won’t sway me.”

She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I raise my hand. I’m not finished. “Worst of all, the privileged Omegas are ingesting drugs and suppressing their scent. Tell me, Melanie, why would I not be pissed?”

“Betaren dealers are being arrested daily.”

“And where is the mastermind?”

“Now probably hiding somewhere in South America. Yesterday, he was likely in the States.”

“But you never found him. A year has gone by and you never found him.”

“Or her.” She raises an eyebrow.

“Or her. The issue is that you promised you would handle it.”

“I am handling it,” she says.

“Get a better handle on it.”

“You little—”

“Quiet, female. You will lose your head.” I just saved her life. She ought to thank me for interrupting her. “You’re welcome,” I prompt.

Melanie grinds her teeth. “Thank you.”

“Mm-hm.”

Switching topics, she points at the papers. “You did this on purpose.”

“Of course.”

Human media is a tricky beast. While Terror set up stage one of the siege that we intend to hold over the city and the one-hundred-mile radius surrounding it, I attended dinner with my PA. I do not ever bring females to functions or copulate with the Earth’s population, so the sighting was sure to spark a lively debate. I will continue to divert the news away from Terror until we’re good and ready to move into stages three and four.

Chapter 11

Anna

Tamika directed me into the office despite my protests. I wanted to wait out the meeting between the mayor and my boss. She said I can attend any of the prince’s meetings that happen up here. It gave me the impression he conducts meetings elsewhere, and I imagine he does. In his dungeons beneath the Stronghold.

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