Born Claimed: A Dark Omegaverse Romance (Broken Angel Book 2)

by Penelope Woods

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I can’t tell you anything more. I have spent countless nights wondering what it means. All I know is that it’s not meant for us. It was found… During the raids, it was dug up by the officers of his village. Severin shot them, doused their bodies with gasoline, and stored the mysterious object. Ruby is convinced it is merely a torture device, but I am not so confident as to provide an answer.”

  “What is this world I have woken up inside?” Killian said to himself.

  “In any case, you have been the one to disrupt many of his plans. Some congratulations are in order,” she said.

  “You shouldn’t congratulate people when they didn’t plan on anything spectacular,” he replied. “If anything, you should be thanking the leaders of the New Republic. I saw the way the public gawked at Rae on those screens. She captivated them. Severin won.”

  “The New Republic is a farce. They never had any plans to lead. They knew the task was to guide the world into phase three, and they used Rae and your pack as characters in a play. Don’t you see? It’s all a drama, and Severin is your puppet master,” she said. “You have the chance to make it right. They adore her. She can be their new leader.”

  He knelt and ran his hands across the coarse wiring. Tough, yet malleable. He wondered how much information could be stored within one inch of cable. He had heard the stories of the old world, of how it used to be with computerization, automation, and communication. It all led to dead ends and a vast echo chamber of depression and vitriol.

  But the possibilities for the future were endless, and despite mankind’s near-extinctions, they had found ways to develop unique and worthy technology. For all of Cassian and Severin’s faults, they were innovators. They simply chose the wrong paths to take.

  “Phase three?” Killian asked. “A silent coup? Is that your big plan? Listen, honey, I know you’re excited about this, but I have no plans to take control of the reins. As soon as I take my woman, I’m getting us the fuck out of this place. Shit, maybe we can build a small cabin up north somewhere. Somewhere safe. Somewhere far.”

  “You’ll need more than a cabin. There’s more to your story, and we have to act fast, so let’s continue,” the clone said as she reached behind the set of cables to pull out a dusty tablet. As she tapped on the outer edge, it fizzled brightly before illuminating the whole area as a hologram. Now, Killian’s eyes focused on the three-dimensional map of the world. It was so much bigger than he had ever imagined.

  The clone frowned. Finally, she placed the computer chip into the side of the tablet and waited for the words to flash: Subject EC21.

  “Just open your eyes,” she said. “It’s all here. You have been surveilled, heavily. All of your old files have been pulled and categorized. They know everything about you.”

  Killian nearly rolled his eyes. What did he care if they knew about his pathetic life? He was done running around like a chicken with his head cut off, done fighting awful men, and done talking to the nearly identical clones of the woman he loved so much. Of course, when he saw his face appear on the glass, he nearly fell over backward.

  “What the hell is going on?” he asked.

  The woman stepped back and, together, they looked at the younger version of himself. His hair was the opposite of what it was now, shaved down to the skin. He didn’t have any facial hair. His eyes were menacing, far from the empathy they held today.

  “Are you ready to know your origins?” she asked.

  Killian felt himself start to nod, but when he realized what that might mean, he stopped. His heart beat against his sternum, sending shockwaves to his nerves. Throat closing, he tried to breathe, but found it harder than usual. “I… I…”

  She ran her hand over his shoulder, and, for a second, he closed his eyes and thought of Rae. “It’s okay to be scared,” she said.

  Killian tightened his muscles and shoved his shoulders backward. “I’m not scared, dammit. Show me. I’ve been ready for a long fucking time now.”

  The clone hit a button, and text filled the computer screen below them:

  Subject: Killian Korine. Born in a small and now defunct mining town, Junction City. Mother: Unknown. Father: Severin Korine.

  Killian saw the words but couldn’t form any of his own. Unable to comprehend the news, his body went into a state of shock.

  “Killian?”

  Killian Korine.

  “Tell me… tell me none of this is true,” he whispered. “I can’t be related to him… I can’t…”

  The image of Severin flashed on the screen. He was a man born in the western region of the country, the deserts of the southwest. His mother and father were unknown. “Is it so hard to believe? For most of his life, he was an elusive character. Or, perhaps he scrubbed the early portions of his life out,” she said. “In the end, he made a deal with Cassian. He bought the defective twin, Ruby, knowing she would use her resentment to kill the man who made her.”

  “What the fuck does this have to do with me?” Killian growled, knowing full well it had everything to do with him. Still, the thought of his father being in the center of all this madness tore him to pieces.

  “He… talks to us,” she said, swallowing hard.

  “Severin talks to you? Down here?” Killian couldn’t wrap his head around everything, or maybe it made all the sense in the world. Sometimes, sense hurt too much to fall back on.

  The clone took a step back and turned her head to the rows of glowing computers and spinning lights Killian couldn’t even begin to understand. “As I said before, you people think we’re stupid, but we’re just like you. His plan is to kill Ruby before taking the queen as his own. He will use you alphas as scapegoats. Then, he will dismantle the New Republic and replace it with the old ways. All of Cassian’s facilities are still intact. She will be back in the place she was made. After that, the cloning programs will continue.”

  “There is so much more that you’re not telling me,” he said.

  A smile graced her face, and Killian knew it would be up to him to find out. Still, she did offer one clue. “You are closer to the source than ever before. Just keep fighting. Don’t give up hope.”

  Killian lashed his shoulder back. He swung his fist forward, cracking the glass of the computer screen below.

  “Don’t!” she cried. “You will ruin everything!”

  Bringing his fist back, he inspected the lines of blood that coursed around his frayed knuckles. “Can’t you see, darling? You’re fucked either way. They’re all in his hands now.”

  “You are right, but don’t act rash. The knowledge of your birth father means nothing! You are more than those who walked the earth before you.” She grabbed his hands and pulled him forward until his lips were hovering over hers. Their rushed breathing began to slow. “Don’t you love her? Don’t you wish for a better world?”

  Killian pressed his forehead against hers and, suddenly, he was in front of Rae, not a clone he could only think of as stupid. Her scent was even the same. “How can I love another when I can’t even love myself?”

  “I can’t be the one to answer that question, and neither can she, alpha. But I trust that once you find the answer, you will already be in a better place,” she said.

  He pulled back, huffing at the air. Life was a tragedy worth living, he thought. He’d never really doubted that. He just didn’t know what his next step should be. He was, at all points, lost. “Where do I go from here?”

  Unexpectedly, she was far away from him now. “Virgil outlined everything. You must turn back to the stables outside of the marble towers. But, first, take this.”

  She unrolled her palm, revealing a small button. It seemed like nothing important, but the clone quickly said, “Please, keep this out of harm’s way. You will see the power plant near the stables. As chaos spreads around the region, there won’t be too many guards. Place it onto the concrete. It will disable all power.”

  “But taking down one grid won’t be enough to stop
the whole military from coming to their leaders rescue.”

  “You are not listening. This world is nearly finished.” Her voice was rife with uncertainty, her eyes full of tears. “You are not the only ones helping us. There will be multiple detonations. Please, just do this job for us.”

  Then she knelt back down to the tablet and pulled the chip from the port on the side. “And this. Keep this. It’s… important.”

  “How important?” he asked.

  Her expression changed completely. Eyes dark, she said, “Next time you come here, I won’t be around anymore. We’re… going to a place. A place far away from here. Somewhere safe. If something happened to the computer’s data, it would be dire. Just trust me on that, okay?”

  “What if you’re lying? I mean, why should I trust you?” he asked.

  “Because if you don’t, you will die. We will all die for nothing.”

  Killian accepted what she told him because, deep down, he didn’t believe that any of the clones had a bad bone in their body. If anyone in this world was fully good, it was them. After all, they came from Rae’s genetic code. He would do what he could and hope for the absolute best. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll do it.”

  “Once the detonation occurs, the prisoners can take charge. You must ignore them. Don’t be like your father. Trust in your heart.”

  Killian turned to give his last thanks. However, when he turned back, she was gone. “Thank you,” he said.

  “Father, I know you’re near now. Don’t ask me how I know. It’s just a feeling I have, but now it is obvious you have been near for some time. Maybe I’m another lunatic, preaching madness on the street corners. Or maybe I’m still playing your game. I can’t be sure of the details, but when I find you, Dad, I’ll look into your eyes and assess what kind of man you are. I won’t let you go. I’ll drive the blade in myself and take your head for a trophy. So, if you can’t hear, maybe you can see. Time is running out for us all. Although, when the final gong hits, I expect the world to go our way. Is that naïve? Perhaps. After all, I am your son, and we both know that you were never a good man.”

  To the right of the stables, the large, metallic structures rose into the heavens. They were the providers of synthetic power, but, as a child, Killian had always thought they looked like the old gods in all of the books. He never truly understood how they brought the world electricity, but now it was clear that he had taken some of mankind’s achievements for granted. Never in his life had he thought he’d be the one to destroy it, but this time, it was personal. He wanted to watch the empire burn.

  Holding the button and the chip in his hand, he suddenly realized he had no idea what he was doing. Lost and confused, he wished Lucas were near to help him. He was always the man for the job for this, but the roles were always changing. A new life was coming... a whole new fucking world.

  Killian took a giant breath and stared into the walled-off structure. He waited until the guards were out of sight then crawled near the gate. He was surprised at how easy it was to sneak into the property. Then again, it had been easy to find Rae in the government facilities as well.

  Once in the center of the power plant, he removed the cover on the plastic stick and tossed it onto the concrete structure. He took off in a sprint, and suddenly, bullets ricocheted near him. But as he made his way closer to the stables near the marble towers, he felt the detonation and saw the electric-blue light go off on the horizon. The lines of communication were down. Now, it was anyone’s game to win.

  When he was back, the landscape was empty, except for the marble towers. The constant ring of thoughts that seemed to circle his head every single day of his terrible life were now absent, and suddenly he felt as if they might have a chance. He trusted that his wishes would be made right, and by the next nightfall, he’d have her back in his arms.

  If not, he was able to feel her one more time, at least. He’d taken her, and she tamed him once more. If there was someone he could get excited about, it was her. She made him humble and gave him the sweetest slick he had ever tasted. Over and over again, he dipped inside her. Sure, he had to leave. But he couldn’t get his mind off of the way she spread her legs for him, the way her lips always seemed to beg for more.

  Killian felt the power of her image strengthen his cock. Closing his eyes, he pictured her legs high in the air as he split her in two. He ran his palm over the masculine rod and let out a short groan of pleasure as he stroked the skin back. Feeling like he couldn’t celebrate yet, he stopped.

  There was a commotion in the towers. He heard a woman yelling, similar in tone to Rae, but Killian recognized Ruby’s inflection. He waited, intently listening to each voice that spoke in return. Not one word came from Severin.

  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small blade. Slowly, he cut the long threads of hair that so often covered his eyes. He tore the jagged edges into his beard, carefully serrating the masculine hair away. He had been hiding from his true self for far too long. Now, he could finally come to terms with his destiny.

  “Maybe you’re not as close as I thought,” Killian muttered. “My only question is who is overseeing the towers?”

  He would use this blade to kill his father. As hard as it would be, he knew it needed to be done. His father had never loved him. The only love he felt came from Rae.

  He stepped out into the cold night, without a gun but unafraid. Walking straight for the tall, marble building, he made his way toward the first guard that he saw. As they raised their weapons at his head, he announced, “I am Killian, an Ouroboros trader from Cassian’s pack. I’m the one who stole the queen. I demand that you take me to Ruby’s quarters. We need to talk.”

  The guards turned before one took charge, grabbing him by the neck and pulling. “Kill him,” he said.

  Killian shut his eyes, expecting the blow of a bullet. “The power grid has been disabled. If you kill me, you’ll never find Rae,” he said. He put his wrist in front of him and sighed, knowing that the next twenty-four hours might be his last if he didn’t play this right. “Arrest me instead. And take me to my father.”

  “Father? He’s lying,” the guard said. “He has no idea where the queen is hiding.”

  But before another word was spoken, Killian dove toward the ankles of the men, driving his blade deep into the bone. The injuries were sudden and painful enough to send them falling to the floor. Killian took the rifles from their hands, lodging the barrel against the throat of one of the men.

  “Hands behind your back, fuck-wad,” Killian commanded.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Who is it that overcomes the world? She is the one who came by water and blood.

  Rae removed herself from the water. Scrapes from the craggy rocks covered her body, but the blood didn’t faze her, and the pain was covered by the cold. As she walked through a new section of tunnels, she kept trying to find a sign of Killian. She swore she could smell him everywhere she went. Her imagination loved to play tricks on her, but he was a soldier, and soldiers never died.

  She just kept moving forward, despite not knowing the direction. In all honesty, she didn’t even know where she was going. She simply followed the path and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, she found the metallic structure Severin had forced her into for the coronation ceremony. A little humiliation before the queen took the throne never hurt anyone, right? Fucking wrong. She walked toward it and noticed the cracked glass. Blood was smeared over the small fissures.

  “Killian,” she said, turning to catch a glimpse of the endless rows of lit-up computers and data-folders. “What is this place?” she asked.

  Suddenly, everything felt heavier. There was so much she still didn’t know, but she was willing to learn.

  She walked through the cold and empty space, finding a ladder at the end of the section. She placed her hand on the bars, steadying her breath before climbing up and reaching a hidden compartment. Once she was inside, the sunlight from the outside world pierced the metal barrier. S
he reached up and pushed the lid open. She was in the city, the city they’d all fled from on the night of her capture.

  “Freedom. Liberty. Justice. Welcome to the New Republic, the city of the future,” A robotic voice we. She turned, ankle catching the edge of a freshly cemented curb. From the ground, she gazed up at the tall skyscrapers. Across the glass, her face hung, suspended in blue. She darted her eyes toward another set of buildings and saw the same thing. She was everywhere.

  The city was so different. It was clean and new, but it also felt fake. As soon as her eyes fell on the people walking by, she could see their emaciated bodies, the hunger in their eyes, and a deep concern enveloped her.

  Hyperventilating, she wasn’t sure she could go on. Instead of reaching toward the heavens, she dug her hands deep into the ground, but the earth gave her no solace. It only made her feel like a stupid little girl.

  The speakers repeated the catchphrase, snapping her out of the trance. She ran across the street and took cover behind a police vehicle. Thankfully, nobody had seemed to notice her, but as she leaned her back against the hot metal of the car, she gazed at a small crowd gathered around a man giving a fervent speech on a podium. Despite being completely naked, she walked forward and tried to listen. She didn’t give a damn about appearance anymore. She was open to all things, truly open and ready for whatever came her way.

  “My people! She has suffered with us, heard our cries, and through her, humility, she has decided to help us by leading! The queen will be giving her speech soon. We must be patient,” the preacher said with a twisted grin to coax the people into further subservience.

  He was dressed in a similar manner to Virgil, but the clothes were more ragged. Despite given the right necessities, everyone looked hungry for leadership. This place was almost the opposite of Cassian’s world.

  Almost.

  A man stepped forward. Tears filled his eyes as he collapsed near the podium. He reached for the preacher, saliva falling from his mouth, and begged for an ounce of truth. “The leaders have been silent! What is their plan for us?”