Page 3 of Feral: Part One

He makes it sound like he didn’t want it, but the way he sighs as I drag a hand through his mess and raise it to his lips, tells me otherwise. He eagerly cleans up my palm, a mixture of purrs and hums hitting the air. “Bad Omegas get punished and I was tired of hearing your bratty self.” A deviant smile spreads across my face as he sucks my thumb between his lips and just holds me there. “We’ve got one last Omega coming in. I got the news a few hours ago. After this one, they’ll release us and we can finally start the life we were trying to build before all this bullshit.” I drag a hand through my hair and then place a soft kiss to Preston’s temple, our Omega sated for the moment.

Malik snorts as he jumps over the back of the couch, carrying a bowl of whatever leftovers he scarfed down for dinner. Heapproaches Preston first, offering him a kiss that has our Omega clenching around my knot again—all tongue and passion. Then Malik offers me the same kiss before heading for the sink and tossing it in with a clatter. “At what point do we prove our innocence?” he asks. “Three years ago, that was the plan. Now, we’re just supposed to get out and do what? With what money?”

Three years ago, I found out my family—part ofThe Collective—was doing some shady ass shit. As the runner up to my older Beta sister, being slighted when it came to the family fortune was the least of my worries. I just had to know the truth. The men in this room stood by me and we found more than we bargained for.

Decades of secrets that don’t make any fucking sense. All I know is thatThe Collectiveis preparing for something, creating something and they don’t want anyone to find out. It’s why we’re here instead of rotting in jail. Most packs don’t survive Wolfscorge, either mentally or physically, returning to the world in some fragile state.

Not us, though.

Malik raises a brow as he turns around to face me, folding his arms across his chest. “Well?”

Irritation flares as I glare back at him. “First off, don’t fucking question me on that. I told you I had it handled.” I keep my voice steady, but there’s an edge to it. “Second, we’ve exhausted every avenue. Broken into every shithole around the compound. One more fuck-up and we’re back in jail. The last thing I want is Preston giving birth behind bars.”

Preston stiffens against me, his hands moving to cradle his belly. Our Omega never voices those kinds of thoughts but I can see the flicker of worry in his eyes and I’d never forgive myself if I put him in that situation. Malik, however, is a little more blunt when it comes to our next steps but he’s earned that right.

Hell, they all have.

“Kael, I need more than that. I need facts, logistics, hell, maybe a map.” Mild panic explodes in his expression as his jaw ticks, my gaze darting to my cousin for a bit of help. They aren’t romantically involved but that doesn’t mean Thane isn’t a rock for our Beta when he needs it.

Thane slowly drags Malik into his side, our Beta letting out a heavy breath. I’ve been watching the four of us slowly fray at the edges over the last few months, the most recent Omega they threw at us trying to steal Malik for herself. He spent most of his time avoiding her despite the attention he so desperately craved.

He always has fun with the Omegas sent here, nurturing them, caressing them, and then breaking them apart until we have to give them back. It’s somewhat of a hobby, maybe an obsession and it’s fun to watch. But this last Omega was everything we didn’t need.

And when she locked him in a fucking closet…

My nostrils flare at the memory of our terrified Beta screaming to be let go, the horror in those hazel eyes causing my control to snap. That Omega nearly died that day. It’s a miracle she walked out of this house but that was only because we had Preston to think about.

Malik lets out a little growl but doesn’t pull away from Thane. “Details, Kael.Please.”

I haven’t shared anything with Malik and Preston because I wasn’t sure it would work but I can see that it’s working against me. “I have some money saved up in an offshore account and a location far removed from my family. It’s somewhere we can stay until we figure everything else out. We’re still going to prove that we weren’t doing anything wrong, that we were never meant to be sitting behind bars. As much as I want to bulldoze through everything, Preston’s too far along to risk it.”

Malik looks like he wants to fight me but just gives in, Preston groaning on my lap. “Can we not talk about me like I’m a bombabout to go off?” he mutters, but there’s no heat in it. He’s still catching his breath, his body soft against mine. “I’m pregnant, not a piece of technology.”

“Sorry, princess. I didn’t mean it that way. They’ll show us to the Omega later and we’ll stick him in the guest room.”

Preston nods. “I already fixed it up with all my old blankets.”

Everyone shares a laugh at that, our Omega preening at the gesture. We’ve all got our gifts, per se, Preston’s being his ability to charm anyone and everyone until they are right where he wants them. Being able to adjust his pheromones at will is both a blessing and a curse, none of us able to focus when he gets it in his head that he wants something.

Not that any of us mind.

Malik pulls away from Thane and heads back to the couch. “This time tomorrow, I’ll finally have something to break. I wonder if this Omega will look pretty when he cries.”

“I’d be jealous if you weren’t bonded to me, Leek. You always sayI’mpretty.”

I chuckle, the sound rumbling through my chest. Despite how devastatingly and deadly charming our Omega can be, he also craves the attention that we shower him with and that little bottom lip jutting out in an adorable way is going to break Malik’s resolve.

For a few seconds, Malik just stares and then he sighs, flopping over the back of the couch. “Baby, those areverydifferent tears.” He blows Preston a kiss, our Omega is about to throw out another retort but he’s worn out, sagging back against me. He lets that Omega haze take over as he falls asleep, my gaze firmly focused on him and how we’re going to survive this shit for another year.

Slate

Istare at the ceiling, memorizing the lines running through the concrete mess. It’s an odd design but I’ve never questioned it until now. It seems as if this entire place was built to last, to keep us in and unaware of the world outside unless they wanted to give us away. And now, I’ll be going to a compound made to break me.

Pain shoots through my shoulder as I shift to lay completely on my back, my mind drifting to the dull throb in my neck from the last surgery. My left arm is still useless from the amount of drugs they had to pump into my system to keep me from feeling the after effects of yet another broken bond but it’s still there—a jagged edge like a knife slowly digging into my soul. A longing that I’ll never truly be able to get rid of because that’s all I’m good for, apparently.

Needing a mate.

That’s everything I crave and the only thing I can’t seem to keep.

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