Page 36 of Terror

“What?”

“Return, Omega.” He pats the chair and purrs, but it’s nowhere near as sexy or sultry rich as Arkin’s purr. “It is not a he. It is a she, and she is Arkin’s aunt.”

I’m probably misunderstanding. I sit back on the chair. “You mean his aunt from Regha?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never seen a woman of their kind.”

“A female. Reghans are males or females.”

“What’s she doing at my house?”

“Also guarding.”

I keep an eye on my front lawn. There she is! The Regha female stands in the middle of my yard, right next to my dry fountain. Cameras, light, crowds, everyone turns toward her. Reporters shout, inching closer to the gate. She lifts a clawed hand. “Five.”

“Arkin is her favorite nephew,” Dreikx says, and I snap my head his way. He’s watching the female. “When it comes to you, his Omega, there is nothing Arkin will not do for you, even if it means his doom. But he also has no idea how deep your ties to the Betaren go. Or does he?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t insult my intelligence,” Dreikx bites out.

I swallow, pick up an end of my hair, and twirl it. Outside, the female’s got two fingers raised. She’s counting down. To what, only she knows. The crowds inch even closer and cross onto the property, just past the gates.

“The Alphas will rut tonight,” Dreikx says.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because.

“Jesus Christ, tell me!”

“Certainly. What will you do when Arkin finds out you’ve enabled the entire Betaren project?”

“I’ve not enabled it. I did what people told me to do. I was young and stupid, and I didn’t know anything.”

Dreikx nods. “A bond with the king’s nephew will save your life. Don’t refuse it.”

“A bond?”

“He will marry you.”

“I just met him.”

“The length of time is unimportant. Are you patient zero? Perhaps the scientists behind this called you Omega zero?”

“He’ll kill me.” Oh God, Arkin will snap my neck. Fear makes my heart rate pick up, my breaths shallow. Oh no, I’m gonna have a panic attack. I look for objects to ground me. The worn-out lazy chair Dad used to fall asleep in. I never had the heart to remove it. It’s white and older than I am, and stands out like a thorn in the antique décor.

“He will bond you,” Dreikx says, his voice oddly calming, “and after he does, you will tell him everything.” Dreikx stands and lifts my chin with his claw. His silver pupils pulse. “It is best if I am not the one who delivers the truth.”

“Betaren is not all bad,” I say.

Dreikx smiles a sad smile. “Humans ingest drugs to combat conditions. The drugs have novel-sized lists of side effects, which cause other medical problems for which they take more drugs with other side effects and so on and so on. Tell me, how do you logically defend a scent-suppressing drug that lowers libido, possibly causes infertility, and muscle locking akin to your disease called tetanus?”

“You’re not an Omega, so you won’t understand.”

“I understand your need for independence and privacy. Betaren, however, is too risky. The solution, hopefully, will arrive in the future.”

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