Page 48 of Knot Shattered
As the packs dispersed quickly to gather weapons and prepare, I bent down, gently lifting the floral-engraved bat from the floor, studying the deadly elegance. My mouth twisted into a dark smile.
They’d taken our omegas.
They’d regret that decision until their final breath.
Odette
October 21st
Unknown
Pain exploded through my skull as consciousness slowly pulled me from darkness. Groaning softly, I forced my eyes open, wincing immediately at the harsh fluorescent lights glaring down from above. The cold seeped uncomfortably through my clothes, and my hands pressed against something rough and metallic.
A cage. I was inside a cage.
Instantly, nausea and panic twisted together violently in my stomach. Beside me, I felt movement, and Fallon’s voice pierced through the fog.
“Oh my god, I swear if I get kidnapped one more time, I’m going to lose it,” she muttered irritably, rubbing her forehead. “Seriously, do we get punch cards at this point?”
“You’re already losing it,” Violet grumbled, sitting up slowly, her usually messy purple curls tangled around her face. She grimaced at her smudged lipstick on the back of her hand. “You went feral back there.”
Fallon scoffed, shifting on the metal floor and leaning against the cage bars with exaggerated annoyance. “I was perfectly restrained, thank you. You literally killed someone with a flowery baseball bat.”
Violet shrugged gracefully, completely unapologetic. “He deserved it.”
The humor in their voices loosened some of the tight fear in my chest. I took a deep breath, steadying myself before finally looking around. Our cage was large enough for the three of us to sit comfortably, the steel bars thick and cold. Beyond our enclosure, more cages stretched out in neat rows through the dark, cavernous space. Dim bulbs cast harsh shadows across the concrete floor, revealing tired, haunted faces behind bars—omegas, just like us.
My heart ached instantly. Most of the omegas were dirty and exhausted, their eyes dull and hollow. Some had completely shut down, eyes vacant, staring numbly at nothing. Others sat defiantly, jaws clenched, eyes burning with silent fury.
“Hey,” Fallon said softly, leaning forward slightly toward the cage across from ours. Inside was an omega with long, tangled black hair and tattoos covering both arms. Despite dirt smeared across her skin and dark circles beneath sharp amber eyes, she watched us closely, her posture confident and alert.
“You three okay?” the omega asked, her voice rough but steady, gaze flicking quickly over each of us.
I managed a shaky nod. “Yeah, for now at least.”
“First time?” the omega asked dryly, leaning back comfortably against her own bars.
“Third,” Fallon sighed dramatically. “I’m practically a veteran at this point. However, I’ve never been caged. Third for the goth one, and second for the orange one.”
I snort and roll my eyes at Fallon’s description of us.
The omega snorted softly, a genuine spark of amusement crossing her face. “At least you have a sense of humor. You’re gonna need it in here. I’m Riven, by the way.”
“I’m Odette,” I said softly, feeling steadier now, drawn by Riven’s easy confidence. “That’s Fallon, and this is Violet.” I gently press on the side of my face, feeling the bruise already forming.
Riven’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, lips quirking into a slight smirk. “You girls caused quite a stir when they dragged you in. Heard one of you offed one of their men with a baseball bat.”
“That would be Violet,” Fallon said proudly, gesturing dramatically toward Vi. “Our resident gothic badass.”
Violet raised an eyebrow smoothly. “I’m not apologizing.”
“Don’t,” Riven said firmly, respect clear in her voice. “Any alpha who takes omegas deserves worse.”
A quiet chorus of agreement echoed softly through nearby cages, whispers of solidarity from omegas I couldn’t yet see clearly. Despite the grim reality, something fierce stirred inside my chest, warm and determined.
“How long have you been here?” I asked quietly, swallowing hard.
Riven sighed heavily, her expression momentarily darkening. “A few weeks. But don’t worry, they keep us healthy—can’t exactly fight if we’re half-dead.”
