Page 64 of Beta Lies and Cursed Lives
She turns to me, eyes swimming. “For any Omegas discovered to be hiding their control, death would have been a kindness.”
Her head tilts, and I don’t want to see what she’s gesturing at. I know I don’t. Yet my feet drag me to look, my stomach rewarding me with the threat of upheaval.
Males and females, all Omegas given the symbols burned and carved into their skin, nude and tortured, taken by force in front of confined, screaming mates.
My mouth opens and closes, trying to voice either a question or a scream, but I’m mute.
“It’s important you know,” Willow whispers, her eyes searching all of us. “We all need to know the truth. It’s what we’re fighting for.” Her voice gains strength. “We will make the academy a real place of learning, teaching the truth to everyone. We’ll fight to stop the Council from creating new establishments to sell us off into a life as indentured soldiers.”
Her hand gently rests on my shoulder. “One last thing.” Her other arm gestures down to the adjacent wall.
The painting here isn’t filled with gore or outward violence, but oppression. Omegas bound and in cages, vacant looks on their faces as if their spirits had been broken.
“As Omega populations declined, it affected Alpha birth rates as well. A Beta scientist approached the most powerful family line and informed them that he had the means to repopulate, promising to revitalize their bloodline in return for funding. They began a generations-long program of systematically drugging Omegas to reduce their inhibitions, culling those who wouldn’t submit, and only breeding those receptive to spontaneous heats. But while this worked to keep Omegas under control, the effect on Alphas and many Betas was unforeseen.”
We walk together further along the wall to a more modern painting of males and females depicted like feral animals, tearing into one another with tooth and claw, blood painting their flesh.
“Blocking the natural formation of packs turned so many of us feral that they began killing indiscriminately. This was the start of the true Alpha Wars. The Betas' meddling in genetics caused all of it. Alphas and Betas who were destined for packs but had no Omegas to claim began slaughtering one another in a blind rage, until Betas became the most numerous population.”
“And then they took control.” My voice is distant and comes on a breath.
“Yes.” Willow leads the way to a group of plush chairs in the center of the room before walking over to a bar near the desk. We all sit, except for Aubrey, and she returns to us with an amber liquid in some glasses, handing one to each of us before sitting in the empty chair beside mine. “Our magic was always a part of us,” she says. “But when packs stopped forming, the magic began to either go wild or die, and was mostly bred out of us. Another Beta design. But when some of us started being born with the old magic still in our veins again, the Betas got new ideas. And that’s how we became cattle to them, weapons to fight their wars for power and wealth.”
My head spins, ears ringing.
Rai shifts in his seat. “You’re saying this curse—”
“Not a curse,” she says with force. “It’s pure magic. It’s what we were meant to be.”
Her visceral reaction startles me, but Rai continues, “Thismagicwas something everyone once had?”
She gives an affirmative nod as she sips her drink, while mine sits heavy in my hand, untouched.
“Even Betas that were destined to be in packs would have some level of magic in them. The records say their magic and pack-prone traits were likely carried over from Alpha and Omega bloodlines in their families.” She frowns on another sip. “It all just means that the powerless oppressed those with magic, including their own designations.” Her blue gaze zeroes in on us, fierce. “We’re going to tell the world. Taking the academy and saving the children at the other campus is the first step, but we are going to orchestrate an information dump as soon as we win the fight there. Then the academy will be our new base of operations, open to anyone who wants to end the Beta Council and GBE’s tyranny.”
“I think there are some Beta sympathizers in the academy already,” Colt offers, and I nod in agreement.
She smiles for the first time since we left the topiary next door. “I believe I know some of them.”
My eyes blink rapidly as I realize she probably does. She’d mentioned rebellion infiltrators.
“Tell me, what are your plans after you save Mira’s father?”
I look at each of my Alphas, Rai and Colt’s gazes fierce. “We haven’t discussed it as a...pack..yet,” Colt says, “but I want to help bring down these assholes and free our people.”
“I do as well,” Rai agrees firmly.
I already know what I want. “I don’t want anyone else to have to live this way. I want to help however I can.”
We all turn to Aubrey, who relents and joins us in one of the remaining chairs. When he sits, his arms cross, jaw sets, but he gives an affirmative nod.
Willow smiles at us, her eyes watery. “I was hoping you’d say that.” She stands and gestures to the door. “Let’s join Caius and solidify our plan. Save Mira’s father, take the campuses.”
“Tenebrosa is here in Iceland. It’s only a few hundred miles from here.”
“What?” I nearly screech at Caius’ words. “How do we get there?”
His hand raises, an indication for me to calm down, but I can’t. My father could still be in there. I have to get him out.
