Her Broken Alpha

by Isoellen

  As he took her hand and pulled her back into his lap, another knock sounded at the door.

  "Come,” he called, irritated. Would they never leave him fuckin’ alone?

  The door opened. Rhineholth.

  The old man moved into the room, cautious in the lack of welcome. Darre did not want him here and wasn’t hiding it.

  Naya's nostrils flared, but as fearless and trusting as ever, she didn't shrink before his father like most did.

  The tall, skinny youth behind Rhineholth got much more of a reaction from her than the former master of the 12 Sectors. He felt it in the bond—fear, curiosity—and smelled the anxiety souring her scent.

  The young alpha needed no introduction. It was Crispin.

  Darre moved his hand over Naya's belly and tipped her head back, kissing her, tongue dominating hers until her heart was fluttering and she was so absorbed in him that she forgot about their guests.

  His eyes remained on the other males. Crispin's eyes darted away, not knowing where to look. He lacked everything a thwarted mate should be feeling. He had no sense of jealousy or loss, no anger.

  Was this Crispin even an alpha?

  "Thank you for seeing me, Darre." Rhineholth held his hands up and open, a gesture of peace.

  "What do you want?"

  "Will you accept my apology?"

  Darre narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I can forgive you for Alennie. She never wanted me. But it's more than that, and you know it."

  His father nodded.

  How could Darre let it go and forgive him for all the failures? It was time to release that last betrayal that had broken him and birthed the monster.

  But what about the other insults? He had once nearly killed himself for his father, and that had not been enough to please the old man. They wore matching scars, but Rhineholth had never thanked his secondborn for saving his life. Moreover, Darre never understood how the rest of the family could accept this man's petty cruelties, selfishness and constant duplicity. He had hurt their mother, sold women who had come to him for protection, and stolen an entire city of drones. The list of his offenses was endless.

  "Will you introduce me to your bond-mate?"

  Reluctant, Darre complied. "Naya, this is my sire. I believe you know the other male. Gentlemen, this is my mate, Naya."

  He kissed her head. His hands wanted to wander, palm her tits, cup her pussy, show them both that she was his—that she had chosen him and found him worthy. But he knew that it would shame his proper little omega. She had it in her to revel in the display, he believed, but not yet. It was difficult enough for her to find herself in his lap, wrapped up in his arms before the man she knew as king.

  Rhineholth dipped his head.

  "Naya, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry this happened," Crispin blurted. He stepped around Rhineholth and started to approach to the desk before Darre warned him off with a growl. "I didn't know. Are you all right?"

  Darre started to bristle. Of course she was all right. He fuckin' knew how to care for his mate.

  "You look well, other than the bruises... But it's my fault, isn't it? I always wanted to be your friend, Naya. I didn't think an omega would ever choose me. It was my father's idea to court you. I thought it was because he had decided you would suit, that you pleased him when nothing I did pleased him. I thought he wanted you for himself, but I would protect you. I promised myself that I would protect you from him. I never imagined..."

  The words tumbled out of the boy like a confession from a child caught trying to steal a sweet.

  "You had no clue of his intentions?" Naya asked.

  "He was too satisfied. He smelled proud, triumphant. When you disappeared, I thought he must have had something to do with it. I accused him right away, but he laughed at me. I tried to have him followed, hoping he'd lead me to you. I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm sorry I failed you." His shoulders drooped, his expression crestfallen.

  Darre didn't feel sorry for the boy. He wanted to hit him upside the head, break a couple fingers, maybe remove a toe. There was something wrong with him, blathering on so like some pathetic beta.

  It wasn’t surprising, considering the family he came from. He smelled and looked like an alpha, but his words, the dart of his eyes, and his body language were all wrong.

  But Naya offered the gentle forgiveness the boy was seeking. "Crispin, it's all right. I wasn't harmed. Not really."

  "I knew he was doing something. But when word went around of you having gone missing, some things from the scribe house came up and I knew that he was behind your kidnapping.

  “But it was more than just wanting another omega breeder. I went to the Administration. They found out that... Well, that you were here in the tower."

  "And then you came for me?"

  "It's all my fault."

  "My monster saved me. It ended as it should. Are you going to be okay?"

  Darre lifted his legs, jostling Naya to distract her. He didn't want her caring so much about this boy. There was no reason to encourage him.

  Her voice was too calm, filled with an open-hearted generosity he wanted all for himself. He reconsidered the idea of stirring her up and taking what was his right in front the other males.

  "You forgive me?" the boy asked.

  Darre looked at his father, appalled at the mewling softness coming out of Crispin's mouth. Rhineholth didn't seem to share his disgust. He didn't seem to think much of the young alpha's blathering either way.

  "Yes,” Naya said. “Of course."

  "Then yes. Knowing that you are safe, I will be fine."

  "What of your father?" Darre demanded. "The man is my enemy."

  "Crispin's father is already dead. Ratmhir dragged him to the sector court arena and challenged him," Rhineholth interjected.

  Naya gasped. "My father did?"

  Rhineholth nodded.

  "Does my family know where I am?" she asked.

  Darre could feel a swirl of confused emotions from Naya and responded with a purr that morphed his father's expression to one of fatherly pride.

  Both males were wearing on his patience.

  "They do," Rhineholth assured Naya. "They are waiting to hear from me that you are well. The rumors of your bond have already reached them. I think it brought them a measure of comfort, knowing you'd chosen. My own mate was quite distressed before we heard the news."

  Darre didn't understand the way his father was smiling, but Rhineholth was quick to elaborate. "Annalise thought you had died. Your connection with your mother has been weak for years. She told me she could always feel you, but that she thought she was losing you.

  “When your bride-mate severed that connection by bonding you, my queen woke up crying and confused. Knowing that there had been reports of a female in your tower, it wasn't hard for me to put the pieces together."

  Darre glared at his mate's former intended. "You have anything else to say? If not, you can leave."

  Naya opened her mouth to speak, but Darre gave her a warning look. He hadn't killed the young alpha yet, but he would if she tried to do something impulsive like hug him.

  "Naya." The boy took a step forward, one hand out as if to reach for her.

  Darre snapped his teeth and growled. He'd bite off that hand first, and the last thing he wanted today was more blood on his tongue.

  Crispin startled, eyes going wide as he bared his throat in deference. Darre could see the resemblance to the half-brother, Tenbel, now.

  Crispin backed out of the room, eyes on the floor, instead of turning his back on Darre and walking away with pride like an alpha should.

  "You have been spying on me," Darre accused, his attention returning to his father now that the boy had left. Fuckin' meddling parents. Darre wondered who in his tower had been reporting news back to his father. Normally he was able to sniff out infiltrators and beat them into submission.

  "You are my son. Even if you hate me," Rhineholth said.

  Darre wanted to spit on him. This
humble version of his father was difficult to reconcile with the memories he had of the demanding, controlling man who had raised him.

  "Your mother wanted me to come, to be sure of the truth. She would like to see you soon. We are not young, and Annalise wishes to see her children at peace so she can rest easy."

  "How am I going to see her? You built a wall around my sector."

  "I know you have ways to get people in and out,” Rhineholth admonished. “But you can come with me. See your mother. Your family."

  Darre would see his mother. But the rest of them?

  "Your mate can see her family too," Rhineholth added as an incentive.

  Darre felt Naya's response through their bond. She would never settle here if she couldn't trust in her family's safety, and she would never believe that unless she saw them with her own eyes. Her emotions were all mixed up when it came to her family, filling her with worry, guilt, and fear. Seeing them would alleviate some of her distress.

  Darre would not avoid the obvious. "Is all I've done forgotten, then?"

  "Are you going to forget all I've done?" his father countered.

  Darre snorted. "Not a fuckin' chance."

  "Are you going to raise your family in a place like Sector 2? Keep them in this crumbling tower with no water, no electricity, nothing but salvage and mismatched pieces to fix it? Are you going to take her into the pit every time someone challenges you because you aren't sure who to trust? Will you take your children there? Are you going to raise your family—your daughters—in a place so dangerous?"

  Darre growled. He already knew the answers to all those questions, knew that he'd burn the world down to make it safe for his own. But he could not align with the false-face politics of a corrupt Administration. He would never trust those arrogant, selfish bastards. They were as monstrous as people accused him of being, only Darre didn't try to hide his nature like they did.

  "Monster," Naya breathed against his skin, tracing her fingers along his arm as she filled him with loving reassurance.

  "A bond changes an alpha’s perspective," Rhineholth murmured sagely.

  "Didn't change yours when you bonded my mother."

  Rhineholth sighed. "She never told you. I never told you. It's not a part of our great story," he said, emphasizing the story part of his comment with a sarcastic bite.

  "Annalise is stubborn. I wanted her from the beginning. I chose her but she didn't want me. She didn't even bond me until after your younger sister, Katetellyn, was born. Annalise hasn’t told you children because she felt the truth would dishonor me. But keeping her choice a secret only poisoned you against me. The truth is better.

  "I was half a man until she chose to give herself to me completely. Living with only half a bond made me a ruthless animal." He looked down at Darre's claws as they combed absently through Naya's curls. "All my worst traits intensified. I didn't begin work on the breeder laws until after she gave me her breeder’s blessing, until I understood how important a proper bond is for an alpha.

  "We are a fabricated species, Darre—born in labs. We aren't human, but we are still trying to be. Your mother has been studying breed family dynamics. She believes that without a full bond, alphas can become quite unstable, and omega breeders often seem to die earlier than the average. They can still produce children together, but unbonded couples have more miscarriages and the children they do have are often feeble.

  “But the balance is so delicate you can't force it, either. It has to be a true, instinctual choice. Forcing a bond without that primal connection is the same as having no bond at all."

  Darre could sense that Naya focused intently on Rhineholth as he spoke. He wondered if it made sense to her. To him, his father's explanation provided little more than a convenient excuse for all the horrible things he'd done.

  "You both followed your instincts." Rhineholth dipped his chin at them in recognition. "The bond has changed you. Made you whole. I can't forget all that you've done to this sector in your madness—in your spite for me—but Kane has agreed to give you time to change what needs to be changed, and we won't let the Administration interfere.

  “You will be glad to know that your brother is forcing change within the Administration as well. You might consider working with him, or at least hearing him out. Your priorities align more than you think."

  Darre's data pad beeped just in time to grant him a reprieve from all this talk of change. This sensitive bullshit irritated the hell out of him. He glanced down at the screen and saw a message that Nixon was ready for him.

  There was shit to do in the Tower after the uproar caused by Mac's betrayal.

  "Work with that self-righteous prig? I can't believe he'd lower himself. Maybe if he meets me in the pit."

  Darre knew his grin was toothy, but he couldn't hold it back. In their last battle, his big brother had pinned him to the floor. That was many years, half a foot of growth, fifty pounds of muscle, and the growth of wicked teeth and claws ago. Darre was certain he could take Constantine Kane down a peg or two now.

  "My mate hasn't eaten. I have men to attend to. Take that puppy you brought out of my tower and leave my sector, or stay, if you're so inclined. I don't care either way. I'm done with this for the night."

  "Then I will return tomorrow and we will make a plan for the future,” his father asserted, unbothered by his son's tone.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Naya

  Monster took her back to their room and kept her there. He wrapped himself around her, giving his undivided attention to every scratch and bruise she'd suffered in her scuffle with Rachel.

  The stubborn alpha wouldn't stop to care for his own wound and continued to forget that she had almost lost him too.

  After the sweetness of his kisses and sensual stroking, he gave her his beast. Using her hard and fast, growling to keep her wet, his cock locked in her bottom to fill her with his cum.

  She was still awake when he declared it daytime. He hand-fed her from the breakfast tray brought by the drones. Later in the toilet room, he watched her brush her teeth and relieve herself while he quickly washed down. She felt him hovering over her every move, as if waiting for her to collapse into a heap of hurting flesh.

  Naya was a little tender, but that had more to do with the way his flesh had slapped against hers while he twisted her into whatever shape he wanted her. He'd beaten her female region raw with his demand. Using hands and cock, he'd gone from loving to fierce and back again.

  Instead of letting her shower, he grabbed a linen sheet and took her down the hall to another room. Bright morning light streamed in through the two windows that didn't have boards over them, revealing a cleaned-out space. There was a bathtub in it, steam rising from the scented water.

  "Monster, how?" She knew there had been a tub, but to get it installed in this ancient building seemed an impossible feat.

  He chuckled. "A lot of muscle up and down the stairs. It's not set up right yet. But we can run water down the side of the building through that window and back out again and use a stove to heat it.

  “It will take a few weeks to get it right, but I think it can be done. One thing about taking out a slumlord or two, they always have a hoard worth going through that I get to claim."

  He held her over the water, letting her test it with a toe before lowering her into it. Just above half full, it was enough to cover her.

  He produced a bucket, pulled soap from it, and lathered his hands. She giggled, lifting a foot to him and waving her toes, liking this idea. Raising her foot to his mouth, he gave her toes a bite that made her squeal and laugh, splashing water. Playful.

  "Like that, do you?"

  "How do you know just how to touch me?" Her grin trembled as he used the soap to slick her skin, pressing in on her instep in a way that made her womb contract.

  "Just seems right. Instinct." He took his time as if he enjoyed the touching as much as she did, as if every inch of her was interesting. Important.

  Hi
s hands were perfection—big and rough. She was small and delicate in comparison. He gave her the gift of feeling infinitely cherished. It made her so happy, she felt as bright as the sun streaming into the room, as if she could glow forever and a day with the feelings he inspired.

  She enjoyed the moment with her monster’s dark head bent over her foot at the end of the big old-fashioned tub. The room was something out of the past. Walls and ceiling needed patching. Bug stains and mold in all the corners contrasted with the sublime luxury of hot water and an alpha to care for her, making the moment all that more special. Her alpha was an amazing, caring man.

  But Naya remembered what her sister had said about alphas.

  A sudden, inexplicable dark thought rose in her mind. Was that where he’d learned to touch her in all the right places? Was that where he’d gotten these ideas on how to take care of her?

  "Or you... you had practice. With betas. Before. Like all alphas."

  He grunted. "No. No practice."

  "No?"

  Another grunt.

  "Who were you before you were the Broken Prince?" she asked.

  Having washed one foot to the knee, he went to the other. "I’m not an alpha who fucked around with betas, but I played a couple times. When I was young, it felt empty. It was rough with my parents up till right before my mother got pregnant with my sister. They bonded during that cycle and it changed... everything. Changed how they treated each other. Like none of the bad shit mattered anymore.

  “I didn't understand, but I saw how connected they were. At peace. Later, beta girls just made me more aware of what I didn't have. No peace. No connection. Only messed around when I was drunk. But I didn't like the loss of control from being drunk, and I didn't like the empty feeling."

  "Phee says that all alphas, even her husband, take betas. I know you wouldn't. I can feel it."

  "There were no women in my tower before you, Treasure. You made me lose my head. I hadn't smelled an omega since—"