Page 98 of Unhinged Omega

There's a pause, and I tense, waiting for Madame's response. "Of course," she says finally. "Be my guest."

I look up warily as footsteps approach. The alpha who steps into view isn't particularly large, but there's a cruel glint in his eyes that makes my stomach churn. I've gotten good at reading people over the years. It's a survival skill in this place.

And everything about this man screams danger.

He grabs my face roughly, fingers digging into my jaw. "Look at me," he demands.

I meet his gaze, but it's a struggle. I've never been able to hold eye contact with alphas for long. It feels wrong, like I'm challenging them. When I try to look away, the alpha's voice drops into that resonant tone that bypasses all rational thought.

"Keep looking at me."

The bark hits me like a physical blow. I feel bile rising in my throat as I'm forced to maintain eye contact. The alpha reaches into his pocket, pulling something out, but I can't look away to see what it is. Soft gasps ripple through the room.

"Hold out your hand," the alpha commands.

I do, and feel something heavy and cold pressed into my palm. Metal. My heart starts racing, but I still can't look away from those cruel eyes.

"Look down."

The moment the words leave his lips, my gaze drops to my hand. My breath catches in my throat as I see what I'm holding.

A gun.

I freeze, unable to move, unable to breathe. The weapon feels impossibly heavy in my trembling hand.

The alpha's voice is taunting when he speaks again. "Ever seen one of those before, boy?"

I manage to stutter out a response. "N-no."

He chuckles, the sound sending ice through my veins. "Well, you're going to learn to shoot today. This'll be fun."

Panic claws at my chest. I tear my gaze away from the gun, looking desperately to Madame for help. But even though there's a flicker of unease in her eyes, she just smirks, her red lips curving cruelly.

"Don't embarrass me in front of my guests, pet," she says coolly.

I swallow hard, my throat tight. I know what happens when I embarrass her. The punishments are... creative. And always, always painful.

"Point the gun at yourself," the alpha orders.

I hesitate, my hand shaking so badly I can barely keep hold of the weapon. The alpha's eyes narrow, and his voice drops into that commanding tone again.

"Point it at your lips. Now."

My arm moves of its own accord, the barrel of the gun coming to rest against my temple. Tears blur my vision, but I can't wipe them away. I can't move at all unless he tells me to.

"Good boy," the alpha croons. "Now, lick it."

A whimper escapes me as I obey, my tongue sliding along the cold metal of the barrel. The taste makes me gag, but I can't stop.

"Put your finger on the trigger."

Tears are streaming down my face now. The instinct to obey wars with the instinct to survive that, until this very moment, I wasn't sure was still there. The conflict makes my hands tremble so violently, I can barely hold onto the gun, but no matter how much I wish it would, it never quite slips from my hand.

I want to scream, to run, to do anything but obey.

But I can't.

Ican't.

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