by Merel Pierce
Eventually, she became able to wriggle her toes and clench her hands into fists. She took her first full, deep breath in days. What she smelled was strangely comforting. Flowers -- lavender and roses if she had to guess. But there was a headier fragrance in the room, one that seemed to be causing a sudden swell of warmth in her stomach. It was the scent of an alpha.
She spurred herself to open her eyes, struggling up to her elbows in a sluggish series of motions that left her panting and dizzy. Her pupils contracted in protest as light flooded in, forcing her to squint as she tried to assess the space around her. From the ornately carved canopy bed she currently inhabited, December gave the bedroom a cursory glance, taking in the dark paneled walls and expensive furniture with the aid of the light cast by a pair of antique lamps that inhabited matching bedside tables. The soft glow they produced revealed the location of the flowers on a dresser against the left wall.
“Be easy, little wolf,” the accented voice of a male crooned, “You have been sleeping quite some time.” December’s eyes darted in the direction of the sound and found the speaker seated some feet to her right.
He was a harsh-looking man, his ancestors no doubt eastern European. Raven colored hair was slicked back and tidy. Brown eyes so dark they borderlined on black were watching her from beneath a fringe of luxuriously thick lashes, their owner observant and still. A strong nose, high cheekbones and a chiseled jaw constructed the rest of an intimidating but beautiful face.
The mass of his torso was concealed by a crisp button-down shirt of burgundy silk, stretched tight over the muscles of his arms and left unbuttoned at the throat to expose a swath of bronzed skin. Her nostrils flared unconsciously as her eyes lingered on that patch of flesh, her stomach stirring hungrily.
When her gaze drifted lower still, she couldn’t help admiring the way the charcoal colored slacks he wore clung to his thighs. He was certainly a credit to his dynamic. There could be no arguing that. The male cleared his throat, and December’s eyes jerked away from their observations, mildly annoyed at the interruption. When she met his gaze again, she found the corner his mouth turned up in amusement.
“Does what you see please you, little wolf?”
She frowned, not caring for the lazy taunt in his tone. She forced herself to sit up, wincing as she pulled herself up to lean back against the headboard. “Why are you calling me that?” Her own voice sounded foreign to her, rough and raspy, no doubt a lingering side effect of being nearly strangled to death.
The alpha shrugged a shoulder, one leg crossing loosely over its twin as he propped an elbow against the arm of the chair and brought a finger to rest at his temple. “You are fierce like a wolf, but so very small,” he mused. “It seemed an appropriate thing to call you in the absence of a proper title. But you are awake now so perhaps you will tell me your name?”
When she didn’t speak, a muscle in his jaw twitched and she could swear his eyes grew a fraction darker. “What is your name, girl?” He repeated. There was an edge to his words that suggested it would be less painful to answer him than to not. Reluctant to submit but knowing she was in no shape for another fight, she relented.
“December.”
“December,” he repeated, rewarding her answer with a pleasing rumble of sound she’d grown so accustomed to hearing in her sleep. She couldn’t help feeling a bit unnerved by the realization that what had brought her so much comfort in the past days had been a stranger’s purr. Nonetheless, her tension began to ebb.
“What is your surname?”
“Vale.”
“You cost me a good man, December Vale.”
“I didn’t kill your man,” she stated matter-of-factly, her expression unchanged by his abrupt shift in topic. “I doubt I even permanently disabled him.”
“He says you enticed him, lured him to behave as he did.”
“I was too busy trying not to vomit to entice anyone.”
“You were very ill, this is true. But even still, the result is the same. I have one less employee. When his brothers pulled him from you, he attacked them in a rage. He shamed himself with such behavior, and I cannot tolerate that sort of weakness of character.”
She resisted the urge to sneer at his last statement. A criminal who was unable to abide “weakness of character” in his men seemed laughable. “If he’d listened when your man told him not to touch, he’d have been fine. Good employees listen.”
“Perhaps this is true,” he acquiesced, obviously not intending to argue the point. She wasn’t wrong, after all.
She was quiet for a moment, studying him cautiously as her shoulders sagged under the weight of his continued purring. “You said I was ill, am I not now?” The man smiled wolfishly, white teeth gleaming dangerously in the dim light.
“You won’t be soon. Your body is healing, thanks to the medical care you’ve received the past few days.”
“Healing from what?” She asked impatiently, “What was wrong with me?”
“It is unusual for a woman in your position to be so demanding.” The male scolded, the deep tenor of his voice vibrating with humor. “But the physicians say it is likely you have been suffering for a long time, so I will allow your tone to slide… for now.”
He paused, waiting expectantly for her to acknowledge how generous he was being. December was smart enough to lower her eyes and feign humility. Appeased, he continued. “Your implant was failing. Your body was trying to enter estrous and could not. The hormone imbalance that resulted upset your system and made you ill.”
“Implant?” Her brow knit with confusion, “What implant?” She watched him closely, even more puzzled when his expression softened as he seemed to realize she truly didn’t know what he was talking about.
The alpha stood, approaching so that he might loom over her from the bedside. He was one of the largest alphas she’d ever seen, though not nearly as unpolished or crude as she was accustomed to. While his size was intimidating, she refused to cower.
His scent grew stronger with his nearness, and as he turned to sit down beside her, she couldn’t help sniffing at the air. The smell of him was enticing, though she couldn’t have explained why. She’d never considered alphas particularly appealing. They were too unpredictable and dangerous. This one, however, seemed to have peaked her interest.
The bed bowed under his weight, angling her towards him so severely, she threw out a hand to the mattress to stay upright. “I see you were unaware.” His rumbling efforts doubled, as if attempting to prepare her for what he was about to say. “It was an estrous-blocking implant,” he explained. “The physician tells me that omega females who were wards of the state before the wars were sometimes sterilized if deemed unfit for breeding. Uncommon, but not unheard of. Of course, omegas were more plentiful then. Were you in the system?”
“Yes.” She frowned.
“You are small, even for your dynamic,” he admitted. “They say your beautiful hair is also a sign of illness.” December winced when he lifted a hand, tensing warily as he gave a lock of her silvery hair a light tug. “It usually only happens in patches when young ones are deficient. They say it is abnormal for the whole head of hair to go grey in a child.”
“It’s always been grey,” she snapped, her tone more defensive than she’d have liked. She normally prided herself on her even, dispassionate temperament, but she didn’t feel very level-headed at the moment, and it was frustrating that she couldn’t put her finger on why. Sure, the situation was unpleasant, yet that had never made a difference in how she handled things before. “And yes, I am small for a beta. I am aware.”
He released the hair he’d captured, his hand falling to the mattress between them as he leaned toward her. She made a concentrated effort not to jerk away when the tips of his fingers brushed against her own, despite how she itched to do so. “You are not a beta, little wolf. You are omega.” She shook her head resolutely.
“No, I’m not. I’d have known if I were.”
“That i
s the point of the implant, sweet girl, for no one to know what has been hidden.”
She shifted uncomfortably, a strange sense of vulnerability overtaking her as the realization that what he said made an unpleasant amount of sense. To her dismay, he seemed to be telling the truth. Unfortunately, that would change everything, and not in a good way.
When he lifted that large hand to trace the pad of his fingers against her cheek, her lashes fluttered nervously as she went still. She watched him from the corner of her eye like an animal cornered by a predator, hoping if they remained motionless the beast might grow bored. He didn’t.
“They say it is possible that the implant further stunted your development, but outside of the irregularities caused by its medication, you appear to be a healthy female. They warn me that you are delicate of course, that I must take care to handle you gently.” His fingers trailed down her throat, his renewed purr making her pulse stutter and race beneath the weight of his hand. “If they had seen the video of you with Riktor in the transfer station, I don’t believe they would have referred to you as delicate.” The male hungrily licked his lips, and December averted her gaze.
“Stop that.”
A lascivious grin stretched across the man’s features. Obligingly, he allowed the rumble of his purr to abate. “Well then. If you do not wish for me to comfort you, we do have business to discuss, Ms. Vale.”
Chapter 2
“You were detained while robbing a pharmacy in my sector of the city,” the alpha reminded her evenly. “What were you trying to steal that was so important you would take that sort of risk, knowing the consequences?”
“I needed something stronger than aspirin for my pain,” December grumbled. “I’d been jumped earlier in the evening and in the process of fighting the men who were stealing my money, I earned a few bruised ribs to go with my cramping guts.”
“You could have asked for assistance.” The alpha tilted his head curiously as he watched her, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips. “We have established a health center for this kind of thing.”
December shot the man an incredulous look. “I’d be just as much in your debt asking for help as I would be for stealing, so I took my chances with the latter. The truth is, if I hadn’t had another fit of cramps, I would’ve been gone before they responded to the alarm.”
“Yes, it was very poor luck for you,” he chuckled. “But you are in debt to the Bratva now either way. Not only for your theft and the damage you caused in the pharmacy, but for the loss of my man, and the medical expenses you have incurred while in my care.” Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to protest, only to have him raise a hand to silence her.
“The most common means of atonement for women in our organization is working at the pleasure house,” he said thoughtfully. “An omega would certainly attract a great deal of business, and if you survived, you might be able to repay your debt in a reasonable amount of time. But, sweet girl, I do not feel you would live long with so many men abusing your body, and my investment will be wasted if you die.” he said pointedly. “However, I feel I’ve found an alternative means for you to repay your debt to me.” December remained silent, unable to bring herself to ask what that solution would be. Regrettably, he was more than willing to volunteer it.
“We may have as much as a week before your body regulates itself and your first cycle arrives. We will use that time to become familiar with one another, and you will allow me to ready you for what will come. Once in estrous, you will remain here with me and I will tend to you as thoroughly as any mate would. I will feed, clothe, bathe, soothe, and fuck you when you beg for me to do so. If you are good, I will be gentle. If you are bad, I will not show you mercy,” he crooned with a wicked smirk.
“When your estrous has ended, we will re-evaluate the situation. Should you provide me with an heir in this first cycle, I would consider the debt repaid once the child is born.” The male continued casually, as if he weren’t talking about forcibly impregnating a stranger.
Of all the things for her brain to catch on, it hung up on his assumption that she would plead for him to fuck her. Sometimes, the female mind confounded even her. She looked away, taking shallow breaths as she tried to avoid pulling in too much of his scent or thinking about what his offer really entailed. It wasn’t as if she had much of a choice. As distasteful as it was, the alternative was much worse. “I don’t beg.”
The alpha tucked a finger beneath her chin and forced her to look at him. “You will beg, sweet little wolf. But I will try not to gloat when you do.”
“What happens if I don’t provide you with an heir, or if your doctors are wrong about me all together?” She hedged brusquely. “Will I be held until I produce a child, or will you kill me if I can’t?” He slid his hand around the back of her neck, holding her in place as he leaned forward and tucked his nose into her hair below her ear. December stiffened again, the light stubble of his cheek teasing her skin as he inhaled deeply.
“You have little faith in your ability to perform as an omega should,” he accused, his lips brushing lightly along her throat as he spoke. “I understand your concern, given the circumstances. But I believe your instincts will see you through it.” The male exhaled slowly, the heat of his breath sending goosebumps skittering along her skin. “Once I’ve had my fill of you or you have given me the heir I desire, I will find a respectable alpha to claim you. Unless you are troublesome. If that is the case, I will send you to the pleasure house until the debt is paid. Now, is this arrangement acceptable to you?”
She swallowed hard, her legs shifting restlessly beneath the blankets. There was deception in his tone, but she couldn’t pinpoint which part of his statement held the falsehood he was attempting to hide. Really, she supposed it didn’t matter. “I have conditions.” He quirked a brow, seeming to enjoy how little she appeared to be intimidated by him.
“And what might they be?”
“You don’t allow other alphas to touch me. No one marks me, either. And you get me something to eat, because I’m starving.”
***
Nikolai watched with amusement as the girl devoured the plate of food resting on the tray in her lap. Though they’d supplemented her nutritional needs through an IV for the past few days while she’d been sedated, she ate as if she’d been denied food for weeks. In truth, he thought it likely it had been a very long time since she’d had such a good meal. Things were hard for most people these days.
She reminded him of a feral dog in all the best possible ways. She was unapologetic, wary and keen. He enjoyed her manner, though he knew she’d eventually have to be brought to heel. For now, he could forgive her. The truth about her dynamic changed everything. He’d be a fool to expect the shift in behavior to be immediate. He could almost even sympathize with the confusion she must feel. But it wouldn’t stop him from taking advantage. Her estrous would soon make it easier for them both.
A lock of silver hair from side parted bangs fell into her eye as she hunkered low over the plate, and he found himself smiling. “You must be slow. You will be ill if you eat too quickly,” he cautioned.
He’d grown accustomed to the odd color of her hair as he’d watched over her the past few days, even beginning to admire it. It was most unique, her silvery shimmering length. When one coupled it with her pale skin, honey-colored eyes, sweet dainty features, tiny waist and wide hips, the girl possessed a sort of beauty that was wholly unlike any woman he’d ever known before. It was almost ethereal.
He was glad he’d been in his office above the transfer station when Riktor made the mistake of opening her cage. The moment the alarm sounded, he’d gone to the window, and the chaos that erupted below required he make an appearance on the floor. Had he not gone down, had he not waded in to break up the fighting, he might not have caught her scent. He might have let her die for causing such a mess.
But he had caught the scent. He’d grown hard the instant the fragrance entered his nose, immediately distracte
d from his original purpose. When he realized it was wafting up from the tiny female lying on the floor, he’d scooped her up and clutched her possessively to his chest.
The violence hadn’t been the only reason the alpha and beta guards set to pacing and growling out a frustration they couldn’t understand. He had enough sense to realize he needed to remove her from the station immediately. He barked orders for Riktor to be detained and took his little bundle away to find a physician while the men cleared their heads.
Nikolai sat in on most of the medical testing and procedures on the girl, feeling increasingly wary about other men handling her without him being present. Why, he couldn’t have said. Once the professionals finished their workup and concluded she was very likely a heat-suppressed omega, his primal response, as well as those of his men, made much more sense.
Since the wars, omegas had become a rather prized rarity. Estrous-controlling medication became scarce when the city fell under siege of criminals who had been prepared and well-organized. It became harder for the omegas to stay hidden. In those first years, it wasn’t uncommon to hear about brutal gang rapes of the dynamic happening in the streets. Often, the victims died of the injuries sustained during their assault. The upset of the hierarchical order and lack of strong alphas contributing to the gene pool seemed to have negatively affected the omega population as well.
The omegas of his own lineage had always been cherished and well loved, if family stories were to be believed. The proper treatment of female relatives was something that had been passed down from father to son for generations. In the event that he was ever gifted with the blessing of an omega, it was an especially important education. Family was of great importance to Nikolai, but due to tragedies aplenty, he was now the last of his line.
If this female was indeed an omega as all signs seemed to suggest, she would be the first unbonded of the dynamic he’d encountered in his adult life. The moment he’d learned of her possible dynamic, the idea of taking a mate and having an heir shot to the forefront of his mind where neither had been a possibility for years.
