ALPHA OF THE BADLANDS

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PENELOPE WOODS

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 C O NT E NT S

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue

Afterword
Penelope Woods Links

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 Copyright © 2022 by Stormy Night Publications and Penelope Woods

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.

www.StormyNightPublications.com

Woods, Penelope
Alpha of the Badlands

Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson

Images by VJ Dunraven Productions, iStock/gremlin, and iStock/Margarita Balashova

This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book
are fantasies only, intended for adults.

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 PROLOGUE

R onan

The guiding light of my ancestors burns inside of me. Their ancient power
was once greater than the hard elements of this earth. It forged our mighty
clan and fortified our warriors against our greatest enemies.
Their voices have been locked away. Buried in a time capsule known as
Aeon.
It’s time to reclaim their power.

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 CHAPTER 1

N aomi

I should have gone inside ten minutes ago.

It’s one of those unwritten rules that nobody really talks about, but
following it keeps you alive. When it comes down to it, you only live once.
Thunder’s great booms resound in the warm, muggy air. Another storm
rolls through the Badlands sky. The rain will be here soon. It’s almost time
to retreat before the alphas start their nightly hunt, terrorizing no-man’s
land. But the night is young, and I’m itching for trouble.
I’ll do just about anything to get out of this desert. I’ll even allow myself to
get kidnapped if I have to.
Sitting on my porch, I face the wind and rows of dead crops, and I listen to
the thunder as my father hurls a few obscenities at the hologram cube inside
our trailer. I tune him out of my head. Alone on a planet lightyears away
from my real home, I look at the stars and dream of a better life. One with
love, lust, and most of all, passion. One where I don’t feel like a total
outcast.
I’ve never been in love, but I hear it hits you fast. And for once in my life, I
wish it would. I’m alone, and it’s getting harder to face it. Problem is the
Badlands isn’t known for its princes.
Terrible noises echo in the valley between the two mountains that nestle our
ghost town, the sights and sounds of alphas sniffing out my heat. I hear
them running, feet pounding like obsessive jackhammers against the desert.
My heart slams against my ribcage like I just ran a marathon. My skin
pricks. Yet, I don’t move.
I’ve grown accustomed to their sounds. Night after night, sex-deprived feral
alphas roam the outside perimeter of our trailer compound, searching for
the newest ass in town. They howl at me. They tell me what they’d do if
they ever got their hands on my soft cheeks. My round bottom and fertile
womb are trophies to them. And the worst part is I think I want it. This
mixture of fear and desire is dangerous, but it runs through my veins,
defining who I am.
I am an omega.
Dragging my heel against the porch, I slow my rocking chair, and I focus on
my surroundings. The sounds of monsters intensify as they hit the edge of
our compound, fists banging against the perimeter wall, slobbering on the
desert floor. There’s not just one alpha out tonight. There are many of them.
The hunt begins. I’m their target. What’s my move?
My fingers knot around my skirt as I try to calm my nerves. I’m safe here, I
reason. The fence has a voltage strong enough to kill an elephant. I’ve
played this game before, and I’ve seen the bodies on the outside to prove
our security is top-notch.
Sweat builds on my forehead, and every breath I take is rushed. The
continuous thunder frightens me, and I finally stand, regretting my initial
desire. Sometimes my heat makes me behave irrationally. This time, I’ve
gone too far.
I catch sight of another face, something hideous and cruel. Something
inhuman and completely alpha.
The moon’s reflection casts a bright and frightening glare on the creature’s
body. He’s wearing a mask that covers his face. Horns jut out from his
temples. His hands are like claws. Like the rest of their alien race, he’s a
tower of rolling muscles and thick scars that cover his extremities.
On warm summer days like this, when the air is heavier, and my scent is
more… pungent, I usually take my heat suppressants right away. Doctor’s
orders. I use my scent blocker religiously, but it never seems to work
properly. My heats come on too strong. Every two weeks, like clockwork.
Alphas can scent me from a mile away. They’ve got the noses for it.
Well, here they are. They’ve finally found me.
This savagely gruesome alpha has the capacity to unhinge me in a
heartbeat. He flashes a horrible grin before climbing the fence with ease. As
soon as his feet hit the ground on my side of that fence, he huffs, eyes
rolling back in his head. That’s when I know I’m in real danger, but I’m too
shocked to make a move.
It seems so easy to run. In theory, it’s something everyone knows how to
do. In this moment, however, there’s no connection between my body and
mind. I can’t move, no matter how hard I try. The shock makes my legs
weak. And my spine runs cold.
I recognize his disgusting face. He’s an alpha from another mining zone
nearby, and he rolls with a crowd I’d like to avoid. They call themselves the
Reapers. The outlaw clan runs in the thousands. I’ve heard rumors of what
they do to omegas. This planet is a prison, and they want to keep it that
way.
It’s okay. Once they hit the tripwire, they’ll explode.
As soon as the thought comes to mind, I glance at the voltage generator. A
red light penetrates the darkness: Power Failure.
We should never have come to the Badlands…
How did this all start? I start to relive my past, and I remember how it was
on Earth before we arrived on Planet Eridani.
When we left Earth, we didn’t know I was an omega. I didn’t even know
what an omega was. Or an alpha for that matter. As far as I was concerned,
I was just another American girl growing up in the hustle and bustle of the
last big city on Earth, Jersey. No one thought it would outlive Chicago, but
it did.
Strange reports started to circulate on the daily news. Women all over Earth
were experiencing what they called biological changes. These changes
came with some really weird symptoms, including hot flashes, a growing
heat between the thighs, and a strong desire to mate. They made it sound
like we were animals.
Tests showed a link to increased fertility rates, but no one knew why it
happened. Men theorized it was the natural progression of our biological
evolution. I, on the other hand, had a different theory. Humans had been
exploring and living in space for almost a century, and while they had
adapted to life in a vacuum, they were still susceptible to microbes the alien
lifeforms unintentionally carried.
My heat is a virus. Go figure.
Someone infected our population. The urge to breed surged through us. Not
long after, I felt it. My first heat shook me, and I never looked back. But
that’s not why I left Earth.
We were dirt poor. Intergalactic contracting jobs demanded new workers.
My dad got an offer to move to the Badlands on a newly inhabited planet
called Eridani. The offer was an all-expense-paid trip, and he jumped at the
opportunity. My dad was a shoo-in to get accepted into the program, but
there was a catch.
To work in the alpha mines, you had to pay an upfront fee. That fee got you
a work license. Without that holy piece of paper, you couldn’t get access to
the planet’s diamonds. And without that, you were stuck on an acre of dirt
with nothing but sweat on your back and a comb in your pocket. There was
no industry as lucrative, and none so lonely.
Mining was the endgame. But you can’t win a rigged game.
My dad thought a license would make us rich. A small deposit of gold,
silver, or fuel was a small price to pay for our freedom. But without a
reliable source of income, he couldn’t afford the deposit in the first place.
The program was—and still is—run by thugs like the Reapers. They
rejected him. End of story.
It’s been a few months since we landed. Dad still doesn’t have a job
because he still can’t afford that deposit. He relies on government-issued
tax tokens from Earth. It’s a vicious cycle. To stay safe, he built this
compound, complete with a bunker underneath my room.
It’s not the life I imagined, that’s for sure. In fact, I’ve never been so lonely
in my entire life.
It doesn’t matter how I got here though. The alarming reality of the present
day is right in front of my face. The terrifying alpha is nearing the tripwire
my dad and I installed a few weeks prior. Thankfully, it’s hooked up with
enough explosives to take out an entire caravan of alphas. “Dad,” I yell.
I turn toward the window to get my dad’s attention. He’s preoccupied,
collapsing into his favorite chair from the kitchen, enjoying a new bottle of
whiskey. His eyes are only half-open.
“Dad!” I shout again.
It starts to rain, but the sound of water beating against the arid dirt is soon
replaced by pounding footsteps. That ravenous alpha lets out a chilling roar,
and soon, more wildlings, thieves, and bandits join him in scaling the
perimeter wall. Pieces of scrap metal armor and rags cover their bodies, and
their savage demeanor sends a cold sting of dread within my bones.
Noticing the tripwire on the other side of the wall, the alpha leader reaches
down, tearing it free. I back away in a full-blown panic. Suddenly, I don’t
want this to happen. This is too real for me, but I can’t turn back time.
As I breathe, my nerves tighten, and the beat of my heart is heavy in my ear.
I take a few steps back, hoping to meet the front door of our trailer. I move
my hand toward the knob, but the alphas move so much faster. One of the
savages lunges past me, cutting off my only path to safety. Taking hold of
my wrist, he twists his grip, sending me to my knees. I lose control so fast.
As I writhe in pain, they howl with bellowing laughter. Their nightmarish
noises send chills down my spine. The pack surrounds me. There’s nowhere
to run, nowhere at all. This place is a desert, and the mountain range is a
death sentence once the sun is in the sky. My legs tremble as I wait for them
to snap my neck.
The alpha leader slowly wades through the pack. His cape brushes through
the dirt, leather boots and shiny silver spurs scraping the rocks, his
movements fluid as he moves in my direction. The long barrel of a rifle
pokes above his shoulder. “Little girl,” he growls. “Why do you run?”
My throat closes. I’m so scared my blood runs cold. “Who… who… are
you?”
“Ahrimon,” he mutters. “Lord of the Reapers.”
My heart beats as fast as my chattering teeth. “Please, Ahrimon,” I cry.
“Don’t hurt me.”
The alpha holding my wrist chuckles. “Oh, I love it when they beg.”
“My father is inside.” I speak quickly. “He has weapons and ammunition.
You can take it all, but you need to leave.”
My dad has one weapon, but it won’t be enough to take out the entire pack.
There’s no way to escape…
The evil alpha chuckles. “Shut your mouth,” he growls.
I hear my dad laugh inside the trailer, and I come to the terrible
understanding that he has no idea what is happening outside. If they push
their way inside, he’ll put up a fight. They’ll kill him. I should be more
worried about myself, but I don’t know what I’d do without my family.
He’s all I have.
The alphas continue circling me, eating up every ounce of fear I show them.
They are hungry, thirsty, and as desperate as any human relocation family
around the Badlands. The alphas were cut out of most of the deals made
with the resource companies. They steal from us instead. I should have
known they’d come here eventually. Human omegas are worth a lot these
days. We’re the rare ones.
I try to reason with him. “We have metal you can recycle in the back.”
His smile grows, teeth dripping with saliva. I take it to be a good sign.
“Now that I see you, my little one, I am sure that you are a prized trophy for
breeding.” He sniffs the air above my head, scenting me as my throat
closes. “Oh, yes…”
The tension in the air reaches a fever pitch. They want to taste me. They
want to tear me to pieces. I can feel the cold sweat dripping down my face,
and the chill of fear rests in my throat. I stare into his soulless eyes. There is
no trying to reason with a Reaper, so I don’t even try. I meekly bow my
head.
His lips wrinkle in disgust. “You’re so pretty,” he coos.
“Give her the mark,” someone says. “Brand her.”
“Let me enjoy her some more,” the leader says.
He has no face. Just a pair of staring eyes, a slotted tongue, and a mouth full
of tusks. His nostrils open, and his ragged breaths push into my ear.
I feel his touch, an icy burn, scratching down my neck with razor-sharp
nails. I let out a scream as my blood freezes in my veins. He presses his
face into the soft skin beneath my collarbone, forcing me to gasp. And
when he bites me, I feel a dark poison enter my body.
Unleashing pain into me, he digs down deeper into my flesh. I pause,
unable to breathe, let alone scream. He follows through with his
punishment, carving an insignia above my left breast with his sharp canines.
I’ve seen the shape before. It’s the sign of the Reapers. It burns like fire.
“Reaper’s property,” someone in the pack howls. “Ours for the taking.”
“Turn around.” I resist his orders, but an abnormal amount of pain flashes
where he cut me. “Surrender to me.”
“No,” I whisper. Breathless, I force my neck straight so I can see inside the
window of our trailer. I don’t see my father anywhere. “Dad…”
The door opens beside me. Even though I feel my father’s presence, I don’t
dare turn to look at him. I shouldn’t even be outside at this hour. He’s
warned me of it before. I broke the rules.
“Dad,” I keep whimpering. “Help me.”
My dad’s boots echo behind me. The pack goes silent. All eyes are on him.
“Leave her be,” he says.
My heart shoots endorphins throughout my body. His voice is strong and
sure, and he follows it by cocking his shotgun.
He’s going to save me.
Finally, my father has found the courage to be a hero.
The pack scowls at the menacing gesture. The alpha in charge snarls in
frustration. He swivels his palm through my hair, pulling and then exposing
my chest more, humiliating me. The slick, cold metal of a blade presses into
my skin, the threat of death. The pain in my chest grows so excruciating
that I can’t breathe.
Now I can see my father’s face. His eyes are narrowed, courageous. “I said,
leave her alone.”
The leader chuckles. “We demand payment. Did you forget our
agreement?”
“And you’ll get it,” Dad says. “In time.”
His words shock and confuse me. He must’ve made some kind of deal, but
there’s no way in hell he’d use me as collateral. I’m his daughter. “Dad,
what’s going on?”
The Reaper lets go of my wrist, and the pack turns their focus on my dad.
The leader stands in front of my dad’s shotgun, taking hold of the rusted
barrel and positioning it against his chest.
“We made a deal,” he growls. “Are you going against your word?”
Betrayal is worse than death out here. They’ll kill him if he chooses to
argue. “Dad, what he is talking about?”
My dad won’t look at me. He just lowers his gun. “I didn’t think you’d
come so soon. I thought I could find another way to pay.”
It feels like my heart is eating itself. “Dad,” I shout.
The leader’s face twists in disgust, and he takes hold of my chin. “Let your
father speak.”
My dad rubs his neck, gasping. “If you take her, I’ll get my license, right?”
The alpha holds up a thin piece of paper with an official stamp. “Reapers
hold up their end of the bargain. You will get what was promised to you in
exchange for your daughter’s womb.”
My jaw drops. Every nerve in my body pulses.
My dad exhales, mouth tightening. He doesn’t respond.
I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. I’m the payment, the deposit my dad’s
been obsessing over this entire time. In a few seconds, my life will be over.
My dad reaches into his pocket, pulling out cigarettes, drawing one out of
the battered pack. Hands trembling, he lights it, taking a long, slow drag.
“You can have her,” he says. “Just promise me one more thing.”
“The Reapers make no promises,” the leader says.
An alpha with a long and disgusting tongue laughs. “You’ll get your mining
equipment. We get the girl. That was the deal.”
“Please,” my dad begs. “Just one more favor, and she’s yours.”
“Let’s kill the human. We don’t have much time,” another alpha suggests.
The leader’s neck pulses. Without warning, he slashes his nails across the
alpha’s neck. The body falls, and a pool of blood forms near my knees. I
fall back against the dirt, kicking away from the dead alpha as my mind
races to understand this cruelty. But the crimson liquid spreads around my
toes.
I lurch forward, stomach quaking with fear. “Oh, God…”
“Does anyone have anything else to say?” the leader asks. There is no
response, the group seemingly unfazed by the lunatic’s violence.
The leader smiles and wipes his claws clean. His fingers are long and
meaty, decorated in gold rings. “Good. I want to hear what Daddy has to
say.”
My dad drops the gun on the porch. “Keep her alive,” he says. “Make sure
she goes to a good home.”
“Dad, no!” I plead. “Wait…”
When my father takes a few steps closer to the entrance to our trailer, I
realize he’s already let go of me. This place is no longer my home. He’s no
longer my dad. What’s done is done.
That’s the price of doing business in the Badlands.
I start to cry, but I stop as soon as the wicked leader drops to a knee in front
of me. “Sweet, sweet human. He is no longer your daddy,” he says. “Do not
be sad. I’m your new daddy now. I’ll treat you right.”
My stomach lurches, and before I know it, I’m vomiting on his boots.
“Please,” I whisper. “Don’t do this to me…”
He licks his scaly lips. “Take her away.”
No, no, no. Fuck this. I am not their cattle!
I grew up in a progressive city, for Christ’s sake. I grew up watching
Saturday morning cartoons, and I went to college. I did everything right.
How did I end up here?
They drag me away from my father, and when he’s just out of sight, I hear
him say, “I had to do it, baby. I had to do it…”
His voice is strained. But it’s not sincere. There’s no turning back from this.
I’ll never be able to forgive him.
And I resolve he’ll never see me again.
“Bring her to the compound!” Ahrimon bellows. “That’s an order.”
Laughter turns to silence. Their hollow eyes stare at my skirt, my exposed
thighs, and the thin shirt that hovers over my belly button. I press my hands
to my cleavage, breathing fast. Their mouths gape. A feeling of numbness
rushes through my veins. The air smells like dead leaves and dust. They got
what they came for. I just have to shut up and deal with it.
On the outside of the perimeter, a transport vehicle rests in idle. Dust
gathers near the headlights, illuminating the nearby mountain range. Their
horrifying shadows dance along the rocky surface, and they appear as
giants. These are devils I cannot run from.
As they carry me to the vehicle, I weep, my throat burning. My senses are
dazed, obliterated by the shock of this experience, but something catches
my attention. Near the perimeter wall is a field of tall weeds and yellowed
grass. Huddled in the entanglement, someone else watches us. As soon as I
spot the dark presence, he ducks away.
Helpless, I close my eyes, whispering, “Help me.”
Ahrimon turns, perhaps sensing something near. But the alpha’s dark and
mysterious presence is gone. I squint, eyes pleading for him to return, but I
cannot see where he’s hiding. The weirdest thing is I can feel him.
The engine roars.
Don’t run. Don’t hide. In the Badlands, there are no heroes.
Only devils.

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 CHAPTER 2

N aomi

I remember the day I left Earth like it was yesterday. It was springtime, just
a few weeks before the first brutal summer brought a heatwave that started
the farmland fires in the Midwest. It was my graduation day, and the
flowers were blooming outside the city. Everyone was ready to celebrate the
beginning of our new lives.
I’d been invited to Lake Marcia just two hours north. It was a quiet,
peaceful place to visit, but it was supposed to be the party of the century.
There was just one issue. My dad didn’t want me to go.
He went through some tough times after Mom died, and ever since then he
needed me around more often. At first, he was sullen and withdrawn. After
a few months though, he was back to his old self. He even went on a few
dates. But then something happened and he started to backslide.
If that wasn’t enough pressure for one girl to handle, he was starting to rely
solely on me to take care of him. He worked a few pyramid schemes before
losing pretty much everything we owned. So, while people swam at the
lake, I helped my dad sell the remainder of our possessions.
After we boxed our memories, we got a knock on our door. When I opened
it, a manila envelope fell against my feet. But there was no one in sight. My
dad slid by me, plucking up the letter.
I didn’t have to ask him what that weathered envelope contained. All it took
was seeing that U.S. stamp of approval, and I knew he was involved in
another scheme that would mess up my life forever. I was right, but I
couldn’t leave my dad alone on another planet with a bunch of dangerous
alpha aliens.
My dad was many things, but he was not the kind of man who could pull
off an interstellar con job. His brand of sleight-of-hand tricks involved
deception and exaggeration. Like many of his peers, he had a gift for telling
stories. This was surely going to be his last. I knew he couldn’t survive
without me.
I never went to the party at Lake Marcia, and I never saw my friends again.
That night, I sat on my porch and stared at the stars. I thought about life and
love, and my heart swelled at the thought of being with a loving, caring
partner for the rest of my life. I didn’t know what we’d find on Planet
Eridani.
I gave up everything for my dad. And he gave me away for a crappy job.
That was then. This is now.

Outside of the perimeter wall near my home, the Reapers toss me in the
back of their transport and my body hits the truck bed with a thud. The air is
cold, and the soft vibration of the truck’s engine feels like the calm before a
storm. They’ve parked it on a road that leads to forgotten lands far from this
region of desert.
My heart rocks against my sternum, and my lungs tense with air. Before I
can even try to escape, they fasten rope around my limbs, making sure I’m
nice and secure.
Adrenaline courses through my veins as I try to fight them off, but there’s
too many of them, and their hands are everywhere. All over my hips, back,
and ass. This is a nightmare I can’t wake up from, though I’m trying.
The door slams, plunging me into darkness, but I notice a small slit in the
back that allows me to see the road outside. I search for the pair of
possessive eyes that were watching me earlier from the tall grass, but all I
see are the Reaper shadows.
“Time to go,” their leader, Ahrimon orders.
As they get into the car, the truck sways. The surrounding desert is silent
and still, but my heat is coming on strong. I hold my breath, praying these
creeping emotions will go away, but the more I think about the alpha hiding
in the grass, the hotter I get.
I sense his presence, the one that watched the Reapers’ depravity unfold just
minutes ago, and that means he must sense me. Whoever he is, he’s not a
Reaper.
My thighs tingle with a deep need I refuse to acknowledge. My clit pounds.
My heat suppressants are back in my bunker. I don’t know what to do.
As soon as the alphas start the engine, a plume of dust billows across the
road. They drive through the open desert, heading into rugged, mountainous
terrain. I claw my fingers around the barred window at the back of the
vehicle. When I focus my eyes, my heart flushes with relief.
The alpha I was searching for lunges toward the open road, eyes dead set on
mine as he chases after us from behind. There’s a weird connection between
us, or maybe I’m just imagining it. It feels strong and comforting.
We veer off the path, heading through a deep valley. The rocks are red and
tall like giants, blocking out the moon’s reflection. I close my eyes and
whisper, “Hurry…”
His body is a hulking monster with strong muscles, yet he keeps a flowing
robe wrapped around his shoulders that cloaks him in shadows. His eyes are
red like two smoldering coals. He shakes the dust off of his body and stalks
us, moving into a swift sprint. He’s chasing the transport—and he’s actually
keeping up.
My eyes widen, and I suddenly turn hopeful. Is he going to save me? No,
probably not. Alphas aren’t charitable toward humans. We’ll always be the
invaders to them. They either fuck us or kill us, and I’m not sure what’s
worse. Still, I watch him follow us through the entire valley, using his
muscled legs to speed across the dry earth. And I hope he catches up to us.
Unlike the Reapers, he’s not wearing any body armor. He’s a primal
creature with stone-like muscles, guided by what appears to be a strength of
dominance within. He’s naked, and my eyes slide over his lean body, my
heat coming on even stronger. His cock, swinging between his thighs like a
pendulum, is thick and commanding. He must be counting down the
minutes until he can finally have me.
To my surprise and subsequent shame, an agonizing lust flares up inside of
me. My heat radiates desire. The idea of him rescuing me from this vehicle,
rutting me hard and rough from behind, flashes through my mind, causing
me to break a sweat. I grip the edges of my skirt tightly, the apex of my
thighs slick and hot with my wetness.
After a few minutes, I feel the truck accelerate. I slide to the front, placing
my head against the metal barrier to listen. I hear the driver groan. “Sir,
we’ve got someone on our tail.”
Ahrimon, the evil Reaper leader who stole me from my home, replies with
an angered tone. “Stop the vehicle.”
“But sir,” the driver protests.
“Stop. The. Vehicle.”
The driver slams on the brakes, which in turn slides me across the floor of
the enclosure. My back hits the door, and a wave of pain debilitates me. My
stomach jerks with fear as Ahrimon slides the rear door open. “Get out.”
I cower against the corner, kicking my feet at his clawing hands. “No!” I
shout. “Stop!”
Ahrimon grabs my ankles while calmly humming a tune to himself. Pulling
me out, he drops me to the desert ground. The pain knocks the wind right
out of me, but I don’t dare try to scream.
His eyes are alert, scanning the dark horizon. “Who have you brought?”
I bow my head, hoping to placate him. “I came alone. I swear.”
Ahrimon slides his fingers through my hair, petting until I relax. “I own the
Badlands. There is no escaping me.”
The driver steps out with him. I watch as he walks to the side of the road,
staring at the darkness around us. “He disappeared, sir.”
Ahrimon inhales deeply. “Don’t be fooled. He’s around,” he growls. Then
he drags me across the ground by my hair, forcing me back into the
enclosure, locking it for good measure. “Stay put. I’m going to find our
stalker.”
Ahrimon walks into the darkness, searching for my alpha rescuer. The soft
rumble of the truck engine fills the night. Ahrimon growls like an animal
that’s about to rip out the throat of its prey. “You cannot hide from me,
brother.”
Hugging my knees, I rock back and forth. I close my eyes and try to lose
myself in the strange, peaceful silence of the desert. Of course, that’s easier
said than done. I hear a sharp, piercing noise outside, the sounds of gunfire,
and then I feel our vehicle rock forward.
My eyes shoot open as the firing of exhaust nozzles alongside the panicked
screams of the driver. The truck accelerates, but something strong is pulling
us backward. Using the last of my strength, I grab the bars along the
window and see my alpha hero lifting the transport high above his
shoulders. He’s still here.
Ahrimon returns from the darkness, a burning panic in his eyes as he sees
what’s coming for him. He swings his rifle into his hands.
My alpha rescuer tosses the entire vehicle at Ahrimon’s body, and
weightlessness takes over. My stomach sinks, and my breath leaves me, the
taste of iron and dust filling my mouth. I slam against the roof of the truck,
then land in a heap, shocked I’m still alive.
Suddenly, I’m cold. As I try to move, sharp pieces of shattered glass fall
from my hair. My ears ring as smoke filters in through the back window.
The dust forces me to cough, which hurts even worse than my landing. I
check for any blood. As far as I can tell, I’m okay. No cuts. No broken
bones. It’s a fucking miracle.
The barrier dividing the front and back of the transport vehicle has warped
upon impact. I take a deep breath and crawl to the front, groaning as aches
shoot through my body. I slide over to the broken window, and see Ahrimon
against the front of the vehicle, clutching his side. He gets up slowly, dust
falling from his shoulders. He carelessly drops bullets as he tries to load his
rifle’s magazine.
I reach for the handle of the door, but when I try it, it’s locked. “Come on,”
I whisper, frantic to escape and run the entire way back home.
A fight between the Reaper leader and this mysterious figure ensues.
Bullets whiz and ricochet off the mountainside, but my alpha hero dodges
each projectile with ease. Two Reapers rush him from either side, but the
alpha uses the other’s gun to shoot each of them. It happens with such ease
it shocks me.
Ahrimon stands in the center of the car’s headlights, cloak swinging around
his ankles. He brings his rifle to his shoulder, hands trembling. “Ronan,” he
growls. “How did you find me?”
Ronan.
So that’s his name. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself; he’s not a hero. He’s
probably as evil as the Reaper he’s sparring with.
Dripping with the blood of his enemies, Ronan emerges from behind a
boulder. He walks near the headlights, toward the leader without showing
an ounce of fear. As he steps back onto the road, his muscles rise as he
inhales, ignoring the interrogation. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
My heart pounds as I try the passenger door. It won’t budge.
“The one you stole,” he growls.
“The human is mine.”
Ronan bites down. “We will fight for her then.”
Ahrimon fires his rifle. The bullet hits Ronan’s chest, but he takes the shot
in stride, pulling the steaming bullet out with his fingers. His jaw tenses.
“I’m not leaving without her.”
Ahrimon lowers the weapon, a curious smile developing on his face.
“We’ve got the Hunters on our side. We’re closer than ever. Are you
worried I’ll find it?”
My eyes widen. They’re looking for something. But what? Maybe if I find
out, I can use it to get out of this situation.
Ronan walks slowly, blood channeling down his powerfully cut abdomen.
“This is your last chance to run before I kill you, Ahrimon.”
The two circle each other, and judging by the fearful look in Ahrimon’s
eyes, Ronan isn’t going to make this easy on him.
Not too far down the road, I see another car’s headlights shine. The vehicle
rounds a ridge and heads toward us. Both alphas turn to look at the
incoming vehicle.
With a burst of confidence, I push my head through the window and
scream, “Help!”
Ronan turns to look at me. Unfortunately, Ahrimon uses this chance to run
toward the approaching truck. The passenger side door opens, and the alpha
leader ducks into the front seat. Then the vehicle turns around and speeds
off.
The Reaper driver of the transport comes to his senses, first seeing the
carnage outside, then Ronan’s dark image wandering in our direction.
Panicked, he tries the engine. “Shit, shit, shit.”
Ronan limps toward us. His eyes are cold and punishing. No matter how
hard the driver tries, the motor isn’t starting.
Reaching through the shattered window, Ronan grabs the alpha’s head. But
he’s staring at me the entire time. “Are these alphas bothering you?”
I nod, stunned. I’m still unsure if he’s on my side or not. “They…
kidnapped me.”
Ronan eyes my chest, while the driver gasps for air. “Did they hurt you?”
I check my body for any injuries. No blood. That’s a good sign. My chest
still stings, but that’s the least of my worries. “I think I’m fine.”
He nods, staring at the mark with disgust. I look down at the healing scar,
an amber glow emanating from it that burns with the rhythm of my heart.
Startled, I look away.
“We’ll find a way to remove that scar. I’m Ronan,” he says.
My heart starts to pick up again, and my cheeks turn hot. “I’m… Naomi.”
Twisting against the alpha’s punishing grip, the driver chokes. “Ahrimon…
will… find you.”
Ronan looks down, jaw tensing. “Enough talking.” With a sharp jerk of his
wrists, he cracks the driver’s neck. The dead man slumps left against his
door.
Ronan reaches through the window. With one swift motion, he tears the
door off its hinges. Carefully reaching inside, he takes me gently in his
arms. “I’ll get you out of here, little one.”
“Who are you?”
He grins. “Your new master.”
Shit…

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 3

R onan

Injured and bleeding on the desert path, I carried the tiny omega the entire
way home, not stopping to rest even once.
From the start of her capture, I watched how the Reapers manhandled her.
At first, I disregarded her screams. Humans usually weren’t worth the
hassle. Then I saw her father throw her away like a piece of trash. I watched
the alphas make her suffer. I saw them ridicule her. And then, I heard her
voice ring throughout the valley.
She was like a beacon from the heavens, calling me out of the darkness of
my cave. I ran toward her call, and I hid until I could find a way to take
them down. She was helpless, and they fucking marked her body. When I
caught up to the transport vehicle, I couldn’t hold back from killing every
last one of them.
Fury is what fury does. I have a lot more in me, too.
Ahrimon got away in the nick of time. My greatest fucking enemy ran like a
coward beta male. I will find him. And when I do, I’ll give him a
punishment worse than death.
I relax just the tiniest bit as I draw near the entrance to my home. It’s well
concealed, barely visible through a narrow slit in the rocks that opens up to
a network of complex, ancient tunnels. Any traveler without knowledge of
the region might miss it, but I know these lands better than anyone. There’s
an entire world beneath our feet, and it contains our race’s sacred history.
Me and my alpha brothers are the Guardians of this world. We protect it
against bastards like Ahrimon.
I set her down before climbing across a jagged boulder. When I look back
to help her up, her eyes mist with terror. On the other side of the mountain,
far from us, bombs detonate like earthquakes. She can only watch in horror
as they fall from the sky like hail, only to smash against the earth and ignite
into a second blaze of light.
“Don’t be frightened,” I say. “Military raids are a normal part of existing on
the outside. We’ll be safe underground.”
I have the quick realization that she could run from me at any moment, but
my eyes tell her to stay. Sullenly, she obeys.
Once I’m through, she climbs inside after me. Then I take her hand, lunging
toward a door with a green and rusted key-code lock. I enter the
combination, trying to ignore the bloody fingerprints I leave on the keypad.
With a tremendous rumble, the door slides open. The ragged sounds of
snarls and growls immediately hit my ears. With feral noises that can only
be described as primal, the creatures lurch forward, their armor glinting off
the low candlelight inside. They pull me inside, slamming the door in a
hurry and punching the lock code until a solid green light penetrates the dim
interior.
These men are my pack brothers, and they’re as wild as they come. As my
eyes adjust to the light, I sift through the armored monsters, noticing
Naomi’s hesitance. To a human, they must look just like the Reapers. Their
strong, masculine auras suggest danger, but they’re not savages. They’re not
tame either.
Targon takes hold of my shoulders. His eyes glow green as he looks me
over for any damage. “Ronan,” he shouts. “Get inside before anyone sees
you.”
Greyson eyes Naomi, grunting with disapproval. She’s wearing a short skirt
with a pair of cherry red panties that have wedged into her cheeks. Her heat
signature is strong, and what’s more, her scent is deep and musky, a heart-
swelling mixture of floral and bitter notes.
She’s beyond fertile, and my brothers are staring at her like she’s a piece of
meat. I promised my brothers I’d bring back some wood for the furnaces,
but I returned with a human instead.
“We heard reports that Ahrimon got attacked. Know anything about that?”
Greyson asks.
“Relax,” I mutter.
“We told you to keep your hands to yourself,” Targon says, smashing the
wall with the side of his fist. “What happened to I’ll play nice?”
This is my alpha pack. My fucked-up family. Their problem is they don’t
listen to a word I say. Targon is my witty jerkoff brother, and even though
he always manages to twist my nerves, I can’t say he’s shown up empty-
handed. Using his scouting skills, he found the ancient caves designed by
our ancestors. And not too long after, he found the gateway that connects
this realm to the next…
That’s another story best saved for later.
Greyson, on the other hand, is somewhat of a healer. It’s an odd ability
considering he can’t stand the sight of blood. One look and his face turns
white. Growing up, our mother omega taught him to stay level-headed, and
he took to learning about herbs and their healing properties.
A war was coming between the humans and the twelve alpha tribes that
made up the west, and we were all trying to prepare. As soon as our elders
taught us how to fight, Greyson discovered the art of bomb-making through
studying leftover human technology.
Over the years, we’ve taught ourselves how to survive. It’s a war zone out
there, and there’s no sign of it ever letting up. These days, the fighting is at
its worst.
Being discovered isn’t my biggest worry anymore. Now, it’s that this omega
will trigger a great unraveling of our planet.
And I’m the one who brought her here.
There’s one more big, throbbing problem. My thick, pulsating cock. I can’t
let her go. I won’t.
My chest wound throbs from the bullet, and my legs crumple as I fall onto
the floor of my home. Lifting my hand from my abdomen, my head swims
at the sight of the small streams of blood coursing down my flesh.
Considering the comparatively moderate wound—I’ve had far worse before
—I’m weaker than I thought I’d be. But I’ll heal. I just need some time.
Targon heaves my body against a chair. “Ahrimon did this to you?”
I slump into my seat, slowly breathing through the burn. “He got one round
in me.”
Naomi swallows, backing against the wall. Her shoulders tense. “He…
killed the others.”
“There’ll be more of them,” I say with a groan. “We’ll have to stay
underground for a while.”
“We need food,” Greyson mutters.
Naomi lets out a shrill cry, and everyone turns to get a better look at the
omega.
As soon as Targon registers her fear, his nostrils flare in disgust. “Who’s
she?”
I look down, jaw tensing. “None of your business, brother.”
Targon’s eyes travel across her breasts. A sardonic grin forms on his face.
“You didn’t tell us you were bringing home an omega. Will you be sharing
with the class?”
I narrow my eyes. “She’s mine.”
Naomi backs toward the door. Without a moment’s notice, she tries the
handle, but she can’t get the lock to open. Tears fill her eyes. She must be
scared, but whatever lies on the outside waiting for her is a thousand times
more life-threatening. I have done her the greatest favor by bringing her
here. It is not wise to escape me.
Targon edges closer to her as she scrambles to get away. “She looks like she
needs a spanking.”
My eyes burn. “I’ve got it taken care of,” I growl.
I push past my two brothers, daftly ignoring the pain. Using the last of my
strength, I flip her over my thigh. Her skirt exposes her wedged panties, and
my cock perks up as I settle my hand against the soft fabric adorning her
bottom. She turns alert, body rigid and trembling. “What on Earth do you
think you’re doing?”
“We are not on Earth, little one,” I murmur.
I tear her panties past her thighs, exposing tiny delicate folds and a dewy
slit. Her thighs are pressed together, but there’s no mistaking her wetness.
Her heat is strong for me.
If I don’t teach her now, she’ll never listen. Her heat will infect her mind,
and she’ll never settle with one mate. This is not a joke.
“You cannot escape me,” I warn her.
She swallows, squirming against my knee. “I just want to go home.”
The other alphas cackle with coarse laughter, but I silence them with a wave
of my hand. I’m not trying to humiliate her like the Reapers do with their
catches. I’m teaching her how to survive on our planet. Our world is
nothing like Earth. Alphas do not sympathize with the suffering of a young,
fertile omega.
“This is your home now,” I growl. “You will learn to accept this.”
“No…”
I inhale, knowing she is too traumatized to understand. “And I’ll do
whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
She can’t twist away from my grasp, though she tries. “Let me go.”
Her cries don’t fool me. I smell the heat on her, even hear it in the timbre of
her voice. “Never.”
I take a deep breath and block out her protests. I rain blows of my open
palm upon her sweet bottom. She moans, growing wetter by the second.
“You are my prize,” I mutter. “Say it.”
She bows forward, thighs pushed tight together. “I am your prize,” she
moans.
“Make me believe you.”
The next strike steals her breath. She bends, gasping, and holding my knees
for comfort. I inhale her sweet fertile scent, and bring my hand across her
bottom. “I am… your prize,” she bleats.
Craving more than quick discipline, I slide one finger between the lips of
her sex, pleasantly surprised at her grip around my knuckle. “Mm… I am
your master. Say it.”
As I continue my strict chastening, her body gives in to heat. Glossy beads
of slick roll down her tiny pussy lips, and she pulls in a sharp breath. “Yes.
You are my master.”
“I am your master.”
“And I am yours,” she says.
“Forever,” I intone.
“Forever.”
I pause, satisfied by her sudden change of heart. Her eyes close. Her toes
curl, and she shudders with deep tremors as my discipline awakens her.
When she opens her eyes, I see fire. I feel her desire, wet against my palm.
At this very moment, she can’t run from this; she can only accept what she
is.
An omega.
Her scent begins to fill my nostrils, and my cock rises between my legs. I
breathe faster, savoring the trembling sensations her body excites.
I lower her to the floor and stumble backward, more drops of my blood
pattering to the stone. When I collapse a second time, I nearly lose
consciousness. I close my eyes and grit my teeth as a wave of sharp pain
rolls through me.
“He’s going into shock,” Targon says. “Let’s get him to the med-bay.”
I lose balance, falling toward the stone floor. Greyson lunges forward,
catching my back as streams of blood cover his palms. He looks at the
others with wild eyes, face turning pale. “Fuck, I hate blood.”
Our med-bay is the worst clinic imaginable, but that doesn’t stop them from
flinging my ass onto the surgical bed. Before I can fight my brothers off,
Targon seizes a belt around my biceps, anchoring me down.
“No,” I roar, primal instincts kicking into overdrive. My heart pounds like a
runaway freight train.
“You need to stop fighting us, or you could die,” Targon says.
“Get off me,” I growl. I’m not thinking clearly. My only instinct is to fight,
so they bind me tighter to the mattress. Clenching my jaw, I let out a scream
that seems to frighten Naomi. She turns away, trembling.
Greyson digs through a drawer, fishing out the necessary tools to patch me
up. He finds a pair of forceps, and he doesn’t waste any time digging into
my flesh for stray bullet shards. “I’m going to need you to stay still, Chief.”
Like an animal led to the slaughter, I buck and I roar for dear life, but I’m
too stunned to go into action. The cold, muggy air burns inside my nostrils.
I cough violently, and stare at the rocky ceiling of the cave. There are no
stars. No moonlight. It’s a tomb in here.
“The bullet passed through your side. But it didn’t pierce any organs,”
Greyson says.
I twist my neck and turn my head as Greyson applies pressure. Just when I
think it’s over, he grabs a soldering iron, powering it up with the last of our
electricity.
Shit.
“Just breathe,” Targon tells me.
I can’t stop looking at the tiny omega, so precious and fragile I could crush
her. But instead, I want to hold her, comfort her, and tell her she’s safe with
me. Her frame is delicate, perfectly formed to take my cock. Her scent
elevates my senses, and though the pain is excruciating, I am captivated by
the light in her eyes. In comparison, I feel like a giant, and the possibilities
seem endless.
Targon forces a thick piece of wood between my teeth. I narrow my eyes
and start breathing through my nose, knowing I’m about to be in a world of
pain. Greyson plunges the hot iron against my wounds, and the smell of
burnt flesh heralds an unimaginable swell of searing agony.
My entire life has been one painful moment after the next. And though this
hurts, I think I’ve found the woman that might make this all better. My
sweet, tiny omega.
I close my eyes again, losing grip on reality. I drift into a dream, the
memory of betrayal.
My life is in their hands.

Deep within the Rakesh Jungle, the twelve alpha tribes of West Eridani
existed in perfect harmony for thousands of generations. Empires rose to
glory, and others fell into oblivion. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. That
all changed as soon as Earth landed here.
Our great elders predicted the rise and fall of the once-powerful alpha
tribes. They believed in the tradition of the Ancients, stories we believed
were tall tales. Genesis stories we later found out to be true.
Our elders taught us that humans were an omen of destruction. Nothing
more, nothing less. The hairless beasts offered us gifts and acted as allies,
but after a few years passed, these acts of charity would turn out to be a
deceptive method to steal this planet and its resources out from under us.
A war with the humans was coming, the elders said. To make matters more
complicated, the elders spoke of an ancient machine that was the gateway to
the next realm. It was buried underground, hidden for generations. Only the
elders knew of its location.
But it was missing a piece of itself, a sphere that would activate its power.
They called that piece Aeon. If found, we could ascend past this realm and
inhabit a brand new universe. At least, that’s what the elders preached. No
one knew what that really meant, but as soon as Ahrimon heard the tales, he
had a dark glimmer in his eyes.
Ahrimon was our pack brother, as close as blood. But everything changed
when the elders made me and my brothers the Guardians, the sole
protectors of the sacred myths and stories, ensuring I would give my life to
protect the future of our alpha race.
I watched Ahrimon’s eyes turn to flames as they bestowed their trust in me
to find the portal that led to the other realm. Night after night, he would
disappear into the jungle, returning an hour before sunrise. He was planning
something terrible, but I didn’t have the insight to predict what was coming
our way.
Sensing danger, I stopped sleeping, and I watched at the edge of the jungle
for any sign of Ahrimon. On the night of the next harvest moon, the alarm
bells rang. Earth’s soldiers were torching our jungle. An entire season’s
worth of crops burned before our very eyes. Screams echoed over the hills,
down into the once sacred valley, and I ran from the edge of the jungle to
see what other trauma had occurred.
The rich, fertile soil was soaked with the blood of our elders. They were
dead. All of them.
Only one alpha was missing: Ahrimon. He betrayed us outright, but we let
everyone down.
The three of us managed to escape, but many were killed as Earth attacked
the defenseless alpha tribes. As we fled the Rakesh Jungle for the Badlands
Desert, Ahrimon cut a deal with Earth’s top military officials. He would get
to be in charge of the tribal omegas, our sisters, in exchange for full access
to our natural resources. A joint business venture, or as I saw it, a different
type of Guardian.
He turned the planet into a prison. Mining operations were built all over the
planet. Omegas were sold and bred like cattle. Our land was turned into a
permanent war zone.
I couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. We went underground, and we found
an ancient world. A dead world where our ancestors once flourished.
Ahrimon sold his own people down the river. And he never gave up
searching for Aeon. It’s still out there, hidden. The first one to find it wins.
We are the Guardians of the old world. The keepers of truth. Finding Naomi
wasn’t part of the grand plan, but now that she’s here, she will play by our
rules.
I will not let her run from me again.

Upon waking, the first thing I see is Naomi’s eyes, and it’s like a breath of
fresh air. Perched on her knees, she smiles, perhaps the first time she’s done
so around me. Her mood seems lighter, but I keep my expectations low.
She glides a warm towel across my forehead, gently dabbing any sweat
away from my cheeks. I must have a fever because my forehead burns and a
cold wind rushes through me.
“I’m… alive?” I ask.
“It’s been twelve hours, Master,” she says.
I give a moan, pleased by her obvious step toward obedience. “That long?”
Her sparkling almond eyes peer down at my wound. Then they go lower,
toward my cock. She blinks a few times before blurting out, “Your brothers
didn’t think you’d make it.”
I twist my head around to get a better look at her, perspiration cold on my
temples. “Ahrimon’s still alive. I let him get away.”
She runs the towel across my forehead again, providing me quick relief that
doesn’t last. “Greyson says you need to rest, Master.”
A dirty plastic bag full of clear fluids dangles above my head. They must’ve
got me loaded up with enough healing herbs to keep ten humans high as a
kite, but it’s not working on me. I try to sit up, but the pain comes back in
tidal waves.
I become aware of damp bandages draped around my shoulder, ribs, and
chest. I’m still hurt, but with the omega near me with her fragrant heat, I
can’t control these urges. Ever since I laid eyes on her, I’ve needed her.
Each new sight, touch, and sound of her feeds more desire. I’ve waited long
enough to rut her. When I’m rested, I’ll slide right into her. I’ll ease my
seed into her womb. And then I’ll love her endlessly.
I try to stand, but all the tubes and cables trip me up. Crashing to the floor, I
carry everything down with me. Heat flashes through my extremities as I
slide across the floor. The monitor crashes on top of me. This is not a good
demonstration of my dominance.
“You need to stay in bed,” she says.
I huff. “I’m sure you enjoy this.”
Her eyes flash. “Master, please. You need to rest.”
“Like hell.” I try to stand one more time, but my legs can’t hold my weight.
Naomi grows alarmed. “Targon, get in here!” she shouts. “Greyson! I need
some help!”
The door leading to the main room flies open. My brothers barge into the
med-bay like a pack of beasts, but they know better than to interfere with
me when I’m down. They stand around the surgical bed, dumbfounded.
“Back off.” I slip on my own blood, crying out in frustration. “Put her in the
cage inside my chambers.”
Naomi steps away from me. “What cage?”
I pant. “Please.”
Greyson’s eyes widen. “He’s out of control.”
Targon stands over me, shaking his head. “No, he’s always been like this.”
“We should’ve kept him in the bindings,” Greyson mutters.
Targon’s nostrils twitch. “Let him flap around like a fish,” he hisses. “It’s
what our leader wants.”
I try to move, but I just ending up falling to the floor again. I’m a mess.
“Ahrimon got away,” I pant. “He’s alive.”
“We can’t find him now,” Greyson says, helping me to my knees. “You’re
too injured.”
Although my chest aches, I manage to keep steady this time. “He’ll return
with his pack hounds.”
Targon eyes the door, forehead creased with worry. “The Reapers won’t
find us here.”
My heart rate spikes. “I left a trail of blood that leads right to our home.
Even a human could sniff us out.”
Greyson places a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll take care of it on the next
scrap run.”
I’m not listening to reason. I never do. Fueled by adrenaline, I start to pull
out the needles in my arm. It hurts like a bitch, but so does the thought of
losing this place. Every time someone leaves the caves, they run the risk of
being seen. I am the leader of this pack, the oldest brother. They must listen
to me. “I must destroy Ahrimon.”
Despite my insistence on finding our long-lost pack brother, they hold me
back. Naomi comes up behind them, head bent and back hunched with
timid regard. Then she issues her own orders. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Targon chuckles at Naomi’s confidence. “You heard the omega. Stay put.”
Naomi pats my chest as I take a lungful of air. “I have questions.”
I grunt through the pain. “Now’s not a good time.”
As if knowing I’m too weak to spank her, she’s not afraid to interrupt me.
“If you want me to stay quiet, I need to know more about what’s going on.”
Spanking her tiny ass raw yesterday didn’t work as intended. I’ll be happy
to give her more discipline later.
I pull the last needle from my arm, and reality comes rushing back to me. I
find stability along the back wall and finally relax. “Alphas, leave the room.
I need some privacy.”
My pack leaves, but Greyson turns to get one last word in. “I don’t approve
of the omega, but I’m glad you’re still alive, Chief.”
I nod, but I’m still upset over Ahrimon’s escape. “Yeah. Me too.”
Ahrimon left Naomi to fend for herself, but that doesn’t mean he won’t
come back for her. He has no shame. No one on this planet does anymore.
They forgot what it means to be an alpha.
When my brothers leave, I slump to the floor and catch my breath. Naomi
doesn’t hesitate to join me, perching on her knees. Her skirt rises over her
creamy cheeks as she places her hand on top of mine.
I glance at her bottom, the skin of her ass soft and red from her last
discipline. I slide my hand from hers, touching her round, perky cheeks.
Her breathing accelerates so I quickly slip it under her skirt, her sweet ass
rubbing against my hand. Her groans make my cock rise. She loves it, and
so do I.
“I don’t scare you?” I ask.
Slowly, she shakes her head. “You saved me. If you were going to kill me,
you already would have.”
I watch for any change of expression. “Alphas don’t kill omegas. They
force submission and breed.”
Her eyes dart open, but she quickly hides her discomfort. “Some alphas kill.
Ahrimon would have killed me once he…” She pauses, uncomfortable
again.
I finish her thought. “He will never breed you. You’re safe with me.”
Her face relaxes. “How did you even find me?”
The sound of her scream still echoes in my head. “I heard your call. My
instincts wouldn’t let you get hurt.”
“You mean, when I shouted for help?”
I gently run a finger across her bottom lip. “Your inner voice drew me to
your body. Your soul was crying out, begging to be saved.”
She pulls away, squinting. “Oh, God. A little corny…”
I sense she’s making fun of me, but I can also sense she’s starting to trust
me. I watch her legs inch apart. “We all have a soul. Even some humans.”
Leaning back, I ease the pressure around my throbbing wound. I’ve been
suffering this whole time, unable to see straight. But now I can take in the
view of her half-naked body. Her shirt is ripped, exposing her round, supple
breasts. With her legs parted, I can see all of her, including the damp spot in
the center of her panties. Her body sends me into a frenzied state, cock
hardening through the pain.
Then I see the Reaper’s mark on her chest, right above her supple breasts
and pointed nipples, and I lose that excitement. It’s a circular insignia with
scythe in the center, meaning she has survived a Reaper attack. An attack
meant to eat her soul, leaving nothing but a submissive shell.
Naomi’s skin has already healed as a scar, but it now radiates an amber hue.
Ahrimon marked her with some kind of poison. I’ve never seen his work,
but I’ve heard the rumors. He marks the omegas. And then he owns them
for a thousand lifetimes.
He cut right into Naomi, connecting her to him. He can feel her like a
heartbeat, and in turn, she will feel his control. Little by little, he will
weaken and reel her back in.
Breaking her from his control is going to be a long process, one I could
ultimately fail at doing. But there’s one thing he doesn’t have from her.
An unshakeable bond.
But she and I still have time to discover one another.
She glances at her glowing scar and gulps, her cheeks turning cherry red.
“If you heard my voice, how come I didn’t hear anything back from you?”
I look down at the dried blood on my body. The wound has started to scar
up nicely. “I lost my inner voice a long time ago. I don’t use it. None of us
do anymore.”
She raises a brow. “This all sounds really crazy.”
I look into her almond eyes. Her beauty is staggering. “We’re connected by
a deeper truth. The alpha-omega bond. Is that so hard to believe?”
“Right. The alpha bond,” she says. “I read about that on my departure flight
from Jersey. The other settlers couldn’t believe it.”
I wince when I hear the word settler. Those travel brochures are propaganda
to get more Earthlings to settle our land, a world that was always rightfully
ours. “You must know a lot then.”
She shrugs, then stands up, backing away. My heart picks up speed as her
face tightens, eyes flashing anger. “I know that I shouldn’t be on this planet.
And whatever this bond thing is, it sounds like a load of crap. So I don’t
need you to convince me otherwise. There is no alpha code, okay? Only lies
and big, buff alien liars.”
She’s wrong. Everything is connected. Even if the truth hurts, life brought
us together for a reason, and I’m not letting her out of my home. “You don’t
believe in fate?”
She twists her lips and makes a face. “No.”
I hate that I think it’s cute because I know what she thinks of me. I’m just a
savage to her kind. I keep my composure though. “Then how do you
explain me saving you?”
“Blind luck,” she says.
“No such thing.”
“Then I’ll chalk it up to determination.”
I take a deep breath and take hold of her hips. She doesn’t make an effort to
pull away. “Then I guess we’ll have to wait and find out what fate has in
store for you, little one.”
Glancing down at the bloodstained floor, she edges away from me. “Now
that you… you spanked me”—she clears her throat—“I’m assuming I can’t
go home.”
“Home. What do you miss about that place?”
A tinge of jealousy creeps into my heart. If I wasn’t so weak, I’d tie her
limbs and keep her in a cage. I’ve kept one in my chambers for this very
situation. Maybe she deserves some freedom.
“For one, I miss my bed.”
“I’ll prepare a soft nest for you inside your cage.”
She breathes slowly, tears forming in her eyes. “Master, I can’t stay here.
I’m human. I belong outside the territory of the Badlands with the other
humans.”
I stroke my hand through her hair, carefully teasing back and forth. “You
must get this through your head, little one. You can never leave this place.”
Her breathing turns to shocked and rushed swallows of air. “But… I’ve
been good to you. I could’ve run while you were resting. I was… obedient.”
I exhale and slide up an inch, inhaling her fertile aroma as my cock swells.
“The Reapers are looking for you. They will scour the entire region until
they scent you out.”
“You make it sound like a war…”
The bombs outside make the walls of our caves shake. She trembles, sliding
against me. “Groups like us are in danger. They use Earth’s military to raid
our homes. Down here, I’ve managed to avoid detection, but now there will
be a bounty over all our heads to find you. Ahrimon’s sweet prize,” I say,
clenching my fist. “I have sacrificed everything to keep you safe.”
She glances at the glowing scar on her chest. A tear rolls from her eye, but
she turns her cheek before I can wipe it away. “I want to see my dad again,”
she says. “I’ll stay with you. Just… let me see him one more time.”
“He gave you away.” It’s a cold thing to say, but it’s the truth. Life can be
painful, but through that pain, we grow. I want her to grow with me, here.
“He’s my father,” she murmurs. More tears fall from her eyes, and I use a
finger to catch one before drying the rest of her face.
Every man in her life thinks she’s disposable, but I know the truth. She is a
special omega looking for someone to see her worth. I see her conviction. It
just needs to be harnessed and molded. Master is going to take care of her
every need.
“If you leave, Ahrimon will find you. He will rut you inside and out. And
once you deliver his baby into his arms, he will slaughter you.”
Her body tenses with each word, but she still finds an excuse to fight me on
this. “It’s not safe here either. I heard you talking to the others. You bled the
entire way here.”
“This is different. They marked you. You must know what that means.”
She stands, pacing around the room, shaking. “It’s just a scar. I’ll put some
aloe vera on it, and it’ll heal.”
I take her arm, pulling her close. “It is a legally binding contract under
intergalactic law. The humans will recognize him as your owner. As long as
Ahrimon is alive, it will burn.”
She pulls away in defiance, but I can tell it’s reflexive more than anything.
“I will never be owned.”
Slowing my breathing, I look her dead in her eyes. “Ahrimon is your owner.
But I am your lover.”
She bites the inside of her cheek, body frozen. “You don’t even know me.”
I take in her body, eyes coursing across her hips. My cock grows as my
senses heighten. “I know I like what I see.”
Her cheeks are crimson, her voice trembling. “Take me home.”
All this talk about fate and connections has worked me into a frenzy of
rough desires. My growing obsession over her could get me in a lot of
trouble, but I’ll grant her one favor out of respect to her situation. “Okay.”
She doesn’t blink. “Okay?”
“After I rest, I will take you home, so you can finally see the truth.”
Her eyes widen. “You mean it?”
I pet her chin. “Do not make me regret this.”
She throws her arms around me, tits bouncing against my chest, lips
pecking my neck. Her body excites me, and my cock pulses with need. I
explore every curve that leads to her bare ass and tight pussy. It’s all waiting
for me.
Tonight, I’ll give her what she needs. Tomorrow, she’ll be Master’s new
plaything.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 4

N aomi

The hot-headed hunk of an alpha digs a sharp blade into the body of a dead
fish.
His movements are quick and methodical, filleting the tender flesh with
ease. He flips the fish into the air to quickly cut off its head. I still can’t
believe I have to live like this, but if I play nice, maybe I’ll get to see the
outside world again. It’s all I can hope for.
He takes another short stab before pausing to gauge my reaction. The
tension is palpable. “I bet you’re hungry.”
The fish somehow looks fresh, but I’m curious where he caught it, as there
aren’t many freshwater lakes or rivers nearby. It smells delicious, but I’m
wary of taking a bite. I touch it with the tip of my finger to make sure it’s
okay. The slippery texture bounces against it. “I could eat.”
He keeps his eyes on me the entire time. I know what he wants. It’s the
same thing all alphas want. My fertile pussy is a hot commodity around
these parts, but I won’t make it my business to get involved with a rogue
alpha. Especially one that lives inside a disgusting cave. This place is a real
dump, even by my standards.
There’s also the fact that I witnessed him kill an entire pack of Reapers with
his bare hands. After all the effort they put into fighting Ronan, they
couldn’t match his strength. He obliterated them. And of course, my heat
took over faster than he could take their bullets.
Desire pounded through me. It held me like a warm glove. And the more I
tried to run from it, the wetter I grew.
The men that bought me from my father deserved unprecedented brutality.
But the fact is I’m not used to this. I’m used to hiding who I am, but these
new feelings are overwhelming. When I look at the alpha beast in front of
me, I see his body and melt. But then I remember who he is. A monster.
Every alpha is a monster I need to run from. Unfortunately for me, the more
he plays the part of the hero, the more I feel my primal urges take over.
On Earth, I didn’t need a hero. Jersey doesn’t have a Badlands. I’m not used
to this world—because it’s an absolute nightmare.
Carefully handling the knife, he slides it in and out of the fish’s gills. I’m
mesmerized by his motions, by the firm, responsive hands that move the
blade with smooth precision. He steals a bite, chewing for a moment before
laying eyes on me once more. “You really should eat. It’s delicious.”
I inhale the foul, salty aroma, and instantly regret it. But as grossed out as I
am, I also haven’t eaten in more than a day. My salivary glands swell, and
my stomach lets out a very unsexy growl. “Okay. I’m starving.”
In an act of good faith, Ronan serves me the cold slab of meat on a boiled
bed of earth-packaged rice. It’s not the real stuff. It’s grown in a lab
somewhere. Without thinking to stop and say grace, I hold my nose and
swallow it all down, despite the strange, slippery texture. Surprisingly, it
tastes pretty good.
I gaze at the alpha who eats with smooth composure. He gives me a
concerned look or two as I plop some kind of green fin into my gullet.
Looking past his scars, his bone structure is immaculate. His chin belongs
in the Smithsonian, and his muscles are the definition of peak performance.
He’s not ugly like Ahrimon.
I try to hold onto the idea that he’s a monster, but would a monster offer me
food? Would a savage sit at the table wearing a bib for extra protection?
This alpha is an enigma to me, and that’s bad because my heat is
accelerating daily. Soon, it will consume me, and I’ll need him. I’ll never
leave.
With a mouthful of food, I bow my head. Remembering the swift spanking
he gave me a day ago, I shudder with pleasure, throat pulsing open and
shut. “Sorry, Master. I should wait for you to sit down before stuffing my
face.”
Ronan gives me an annoyed glance as he lights a candle in the center of the
table. “Keep eating. You’ll need it for the journey ahead.”
My skin feels clammy and unusual under the warm glow of the candle. “Is
this a date?”
Judging me with his eyes, he chews his food. The candle flickers. “I’m
conserving electricity. And you need to eat.”
I glance back at the table. “It kinda feels like a date…”
His nostrils twitch. “You said it yourself. You don’t believe in bonds,
connections, or mates. None of this is real to you, so why would do you
insist on acting as though it is?”
If this isn’t a date, why are we alone? Alphas are so uptight about sharing
their feelings. “Right. Alphas aren’t romantic. They spank. I get the
picture.”
The silence is deafening, but the food gets better with each bite. As soon as
I’m finished with my first helping, he serves me a second. And then,
without even asking, he offers me a third. When I ask for a fourth serving of
food, I worry he might balk, But he doesn’t. He gives me two more. He
seems dead set on fattening me up.
Fine by me.
After chewing, I break the awkward silence. “Where are the others?”
“Wood and sulfur run,” he says. “We’re getting low on supplies. You’ll
need heat if you want to last through the night.”
Heat. There’s that word again. At mere mention of it, my thighs stiffen, and
I begin to regret my lack of attire.
Shivering, I finish my last bite. “You mean you’re stealing ore from the
human settlements to power this place? People work hard to mine
resources. They give up their lives for the job,” I say, thinking of my
asshole father. “Don’t you feel bad?”
He chuckles, but he doesn’t seem too happy with my prying. “It’s what
needs to be done to survive. Your people have committed worse crimes.”
I have to remember he’s not my friend. He’s a lunatic. A lunatic with hot
muscles and a savage cock… “Does kidnapping me help you survive, too?”
His grin turns sour, and his veins pulse with adrenaline. I can tell I’ve just
ended our fun banter, and I stiffen with regret.
Eyes blazing, he lunges over the corner of the table, pinning my chair
against the wall. He forces his palm around my ass. It happens so fast I can
only react with a low and needy grunt. “Ungh…”
My shoulders freeze as I nudge into the tight corner. I’m terrified. His grip
is strong, so tight that I start to wonder if he’s going to bruise me. And then
he raises his voice, a thunderous cacophony of monstrous disdain. “Do you
think the others enjoy wearing a target on their heads because of you?”
My heart pounds against my ears. “No…”
Face near mine, his eyes are suddenly so cold. “No, what.”
Hot shame burns through my face. “No, Master.”
I take a deep breath, inhaling his scent with both deep regret and a heavy
longing for his touch. Goosebumps shoot across my back. My pussy
quivers, and a trail of warm desire drips down my thighs. My heat has taken
over before reaching its boiling point. I have no suppressants with me to
hold him back, and his nostrils flare as he inhales the pheromones I emit. A
lustful growl rumbles from his hot mouth, and then he slides his hand
between my legs and purrs. “How often do you touch yourself in your
bunker?”
“Never, Master,” I say. It’s an obvious lie.
“Fantasizing about an alpha’s warm cock,” he coos. “These nights can be
lonesome.”
“No…”
I want him. But I don’t want to want him. This isn’t like me. I’m not used to
breaking the rules.
“You grow wet for me,” he growls.
Swallowing, I remain silent. Taking another deep breath, he slides his
fingers between my wet folds and rubs my clit. Slowly, he circles it as he
coaxes a finger in and out of me. I instantly let out a moan before covering
my mouth.
“Wet for Master,” he says.
“Fuck…”
He pulls his fingers back, shaking his head. “Tsk, tsk. Why do you lie to
me? You are in heat. You enjoy my touch.”
I take another breath, trying to keep myself together. “I’d rather not talk
about it.”
“Savor the pleasure of acting defiant toward me.”
I swallow. It feels like glass. “Are you going to punish me again?”
His eyes glow. “I won’t punish you this time, but I’ll turn you into an
obedient slut soon enough.”
I won’t live like this forever. This is just a hiccup before I get back home.
When my dad sees how far I’ve come, he’ll have no choice but to take me
back. We’ll find a transport ship home to Jersey. It’ll be easy.
That’s what I tell myself, anyway. But I’m lying to myself. Even if I find a
way back home, there’s no telling what kind of mood my dad will be in.
I lean my head against the wall. From where I’m sitting, I can hear the faint
sounds of insects chirping.
Relaxing, Ronan pulls away from me. My chair drops with a thud.
“Nightfall,” I say, nodding and checking my pulse to see if I’m still alive.
“We should head out soon.”
“I’m ready,” I say.
He checks the damp bandage on his chest, deciding to remove it
completely. The wound has scarred in less than a day. It’s almost fully
healed. “Are you sure you want to do this? If we’re caught, you could lose
more than your life.”
I don’t feel confident, but I don’t have another choice. “I’m sure.”
His face is cut from last night’s fight, body bruised but healing fast. He’s
still handsome though. The problem is I don’t belong here, and I think he
senses it. After a tense moment of silence, he nods forward, leading me to
the front door.
“Then it’s time,” he says. “Stay close to me.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He pauses at the doorway. “I trust you won’t run.”
I swallow. “You have my word, Master.”

West Eridani glows with the light of bombs and bullets. The smell of dust
and smoke hangs in the air as helicopter blades cut through the night sky.
The dim light of the moon filters through the clouds, lighting up Ronan’s
face. To keep safe, we have to keep moving, so I take his hand and follow
his lead.
We find a vantage point nearby, high up in the mountains. From here, we
can see the entire desert in all its glory. It’s not pretty. The Badlands are
dangerous, but nothing can stop me from reaching my home where I
belong.
Below the cliff, alphas populate the mountain range. They seem to have
taken up arms, firing at a trail of Earth’s soldiers. Their bodies are frail,
weakened by the harsh environment.
Not long after, groups of Reapers flank the mountainside, firing at their own
kind. The sight sends chills down my spine. It’s a battlefield reminiscent of
a full scale invasion. Only, this time, the Reapers are helping the invaders.
They’re taking out alphas one by one.
Across the desert, a ship comes in for a rough landing. The vessel pitches,
tilting. A plume of dust surrounds it as it drags its wheels across the sand,
struggling to right itself.
Earth soldiers surround the ship, guarding it from attack as the Reapers use
the mountain range to pick off any rogue alphas. The attacked horde is
desperate as the vehicle lands, and though Earth’s will is strong, their
hunger overwhelms their defenses as they use their numbers to swarm
through the soldiers.
The doors swing open, and the supply crates spill out over the rough
ground. The starving alpha beasts paw at their contents.
“Earth convoy,” he says.
“What do they want from it?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not about what the alphas want. It’s about what
Ahrimon needs.”
“He doesn’t need me.”
Ronan’s back flexes. “He’s not after love. He’s after something more.”
My shoulders tense as we move down the other side of the mountain that
leads us to a narrow ridge. “What is he really after?” I ask.
He points to a peak on the other side of the valley. “You see that?”
I have to squint to make out a series of dark red shadows near a burning
pillar. The flames illuminate the top of the mountain. “A village?”
“Not quite,” he says. “That is the Reapers’ camp. It watches over the entire
Badlands.”
The hairs on the back of my neck start to rise. “I’m not scared of them.”
He grits his teeth, still staring at the flames in the far distance. “Ahrimon is
building something. Some kind of a machine.”
“A weapon?” I ask.
“A weapon, perhaps. Or a way off the planet.”
I hold my breath and stare at the dark glow. And when I see the quick-
moving shadows of alphas dancing on the base near the pillar, I nearly faint.
“What if it’s both?”
His forehead creases with concern. Choosing not to dwell on the subject, he
lifts me, carrying me across the ridge until we reach a small cliff. A ladder
is propped against one of the taller boulders, and I can see some patches of
wild brush. We’re close.
“There will be more of them along the way,” he warns me. “We need to
hurry.”
We scale down the side of the mountain, careful not to make any sound. We
still have a few miles to trek, and the darkness of the region ahead tells me
most of the fighting is far from the illumination of my dad’s trailer. Most of
the path home is blocked off by soldiers, so we take a moment to find
another way forward.
The stars twinkle above us as we run across the expansive desert. The
ground beneath our feet quivers, shaking the dirt as the battle on the other
side of the mountain rages on. I keep my face forward as much as I can,
trying not to look back. And just when I think we’re out of harm’s way,
Ronan forces a hand on my shoulder.
Ronan points toward something moving across an old road. “There,” he
says. “See that?”
I squint my eyes, seeing an elderly woman in black robes leading a dozen
animals that resemble giant camels. The big beasts are loaded with old
clothes, pots and pans, and big woven baskets. The woman smiles from
afar, revealing sharpened yellow teeth as bombs light up the faraway desert
regions in the background. The battles have spread out to different alpha
encampments. It’s an all-out annihilation.
A shiver runs through my spine. “Maybe we should head back,” I whisper.
“You asked to see the Badlands for what it is,” Ronan says. “This is what
it’s like for us every single day.”
For the majority of my time on this planet, I kept myself locked inside the
bunker underneath my floorboards. Even when I ventured outside, I always
stayed within the perimeter of our compound. I was always careful, right up
until the very last day. Now reality is biting me right on my bare ass.
I look ahead. A group of military police vehicles block off the road as the
alphas fight off another line of soldiers to the west. My heart starts beating
fast. The confidence I felt earlier fades.
“It looks like there’s a checkpoint over there,” he whispers. “Keep hidden.
Don’t make a sound.”
I swallow. “Let’s go.”
Carefully, we walk in the shadows, avoiding detection. It takes us a few
minutes to get near the woman and her livestock, but she doesn’t appear to
notice us. For a moment, there is a sense of calm—no enemy soldiers, no
armored trucks, no fires, no cries.
As the ragged woman leads her animals through the dark stretch of desert,
Ronan’s eyes light up. “We’ll use the animals to hide.”
My heart races, but I think this is the right move. The region is crawling
with enemies, alphas and humans alike, and I’ll do anything to disappear.
I run on the tips of my toes, weaving through the thorny brush, until the
rank smell of livestock hits my nose. They’re tall, bushy creatures with
shaggy coats that have been caked with dust, but they look calm.
“Make yourself invisible,” Ronan says.
Hoisting my ass into his hands, he boosts me on the back of one of the
animals, and I quickly crawl inside one of the many woven baskets. Ronan
climbs up a separate beast, and he jumps inside a basket of his own.
Holding my breath, I wait. I peek my head from the basket, and I count
every step the animal makes to keep calm, but my heart is still in my throat.
Searchlights shine in the distance. My heart starts to pound as I see military
vehicles roll through the valley of the mountains we came from, their path
directed at us. They’re on high alert, I realize, and I see that they’ve
gathered their forces at multiple checkpoints.
I’m only feet away from Ronan, but I feel like we’re worlds apart.
Regretting my choice to leave his home, I shut my eyes. However, the
sounds of engines and tires crunching the sand fill me with dread. Seconds
later, the cars arrive, and I’m sweating bullets, praying I won’t get taken a
third time.
Timidly, I watch the soldiers pile out of the vehicles. They’re armed with
automatic rifles with laser sights. A man, presumably the captain, shouts
commands. “Pull aside.”
A row of soldiers gather to question the woman. She should comply
politely, but instead of playing nice, she makes wild gestures with her
hands, speaking in an ancient language they don’t seem to understand. Her
eyes are wide, and her back is hunched as if she might strike.
Unflinching, the soldiers aim their rifles at the woman. “Ma’am, back it up.
This is a routine inspection.”
The commander of the group walks through the row of soldiers, boots
pounding against the earth. He’s holding a spinning holographic cube in his
hands. It forms a picture. It’s… me. “Have you seen this omega?”
Shit…
She falls to her knees and reaches toward her eyelid. To my horror, she digs
her finger inside the socket, pulling out a glossy plastic eye. She is blind. “I
have seen no one.” Her accent is thick.
“Stand up. Comply, or you will be detained,” the soldier says.
Cackling with throaty laughter, the woman rises from the dirt, muttering
something awful underneath her breath. When she finally moves to the side,
a few of the soldiers march forward to check the inventory strapped to each
animal’s back. I duck down again, keeping out of sight.
The irritated soldiers walk down the line, their footsteps edging ever closer
to my hiding spot. I push my face near a fray in the weaving, and I see one
of the soldiers pause right next to me. “I think it’s all clear, sir. Only
resources she has are a few loaves of bread.”
The commander sniffs the air. “You checked all of the wicker baskets?”
The soldier reaches into a basket positioned on the animal ahead of mine,
pulling out what looks to be a stale piece of bread. “It’s from a raided
supply convoy. We’ve got ourselves a low-level thief. Nothing more,
nothing less.”
The commander frowns. “That’s a finable offense, but it’s not what we’re
looking for.”
The woman takes a step back. “No omega!” she shouts.
“If you want, we could take her in for more questioning.”
The commander scoffs at the idea, turning his back on the scene. “Why
waste our time on a pathetic beta merchant? The omega was last seen with a
fugitive. It’s our duty to find her and bring her to Lord Ahrimon.”
The soldier salutes. “Yes, sir.”
The commander waves the woman through, and just as we pass the
checkpoint barrier, I peek my head out of the wicker basket once more to
have a look around. My heart stops as one of the soldiers catches sight of
me. My jaw drops as I watch his finger release his gun’s safety.
But before he can sound the alarm, a bomb explodes near the road. Floods
of feral alphas jump up from the desert brush, wielding rifles and spears. An
assault falls upon the soldiers. A burst of gunfire and a slew of rocks blaze
past my head. Another soldier fumbles his gear, his gun falling from his
hands as an alpha blows his chest open.
I stare, motionless, as flames sweep the area. The impossible heat of the
blast sears me, and I breathe in a thick blanket of smoke, sure these are my
last moments. Then the sounds of wild alphas, their feet pounding the dirt,
are all around me as I fall from the basket, crashing to the road. I can’t catch
a break.
Ronan jumps out of his basket, lunging to protect me. His muscular arms
coil around my chest and secure my body. And in this moment, I feel his
urgency, the special need for me I doubted earlier. “I’ve got you. I won’t let
go.”
Everyone wants to kill me. Everyone except Ronan.
The chaos affords us the chance to slip away. Ronan wraps me in his arms,
and for a long while I can’t see anything as he runs, loping quickly across
the ground. I can only hear his ragged breaths, the thump of his boots
against the ground. When he starts to slow, I know we’ve made it.
“You see why I proceed with caution?” he asks. “If you’re caught, they will
kill you or send you to the work camps.”
He lowers me down on the dry soil, and a flurry of emotions overwhelms
me. I’m alive, and that’s all that really matters. “We made it, didn’t we?”
“Next time, we won’t be so lucky.”
We’re at the edge of my dad’s compound. This is what I’ve been waiting
for. So why does it feel like I don’t belong here anymore?
Ronan helps me scale the wall, and when I hit the ground, I breathe in the
familiar scent of desperation and disappointment. As soon as Ronan lands
on the dirt behind me, I make the same walk inside the compound the
Reapers did the night I was taken.
The trailer is lit by the dull glow of his favorite program projected by Dad’s
hologram cube. Not much has changed around here. I start to walk toward
the light, but Ronan stops me. The noises from the program sound oddly…
distorted.
“Wait,” he says, brushing my shoulder. “I have something to say.”
“What is it?”
He stares into my eyes, lids creased with emotion. “Whatever happens
tonight doesn’t change what I said earlier. You belong to me.”
“This is my home.”
He brushes my cheek with his thumb, and I close my eyes, enjoying his
touch. But in my head, I know it’s wrong. I can’t do this.
He clears his throat. “Unlike Ahrimon and your father, I will protect you.”
A sense of dread creeps into my heart. “I don’t need anyone’s protection.”
Nothing I say will change his mind though. He believes I’m his one and
only. His fated mate. Sometimes I even find myself believing it. A heat will
do that to an omega, but it’s not some kind of holy truth like alphas make it
out to be. On this prison planet, promises break. Bonds are not permanent.
When my dad accepts me back, this whole thing will blow over. Life will
resume as normal.
I walk to the front of the trailer. My dad’s laughter carries through the night,
louder than the gunshots and explosions far behind us. He doesn’t sense me,
so I move toward the window. I get ready to knock on the glass, but
something holds me back. But it’s not Ronan this time. It’s my own
curiosity.
I peer inside the dimly lit trailer, taking note of the piles of trash and
cigarette ash. His glass is full of a dark amber liquid, and he’s toasting to an
invisible crowd. It’s just him and the holographic audience. I haven’t seen
him this happy in years.
His phone lights up. It’s an emergency alert. After experiencing the chaos
on the outside of the Badlands firsthand, I have no doubt the ring is for me.
Taking the tablet in his hands, he stares at the screen. Then he carelessly
throws it across the room. It shatters, breaking my heart into a million
pieces.
What am I doing? I shouldn’t have to beg for his forgiveness. That’s his job!
I came to this terrible planet to help my dad get out of a bad place, but I got
nothing in return. I gave up comfort, stability, and friends… for the
Badlands. He used to be my hero. Now, all the heroes are like Ronan.
Alphas who haven’t experienced the old, pacifying luxuries of Earth. In the
end, Ronan will reject me too. I’ll have no one, and Earth will keep on
spinning without me.
He lifts me to my feet. “Come, little one. It’s time to go home.”
Remembering what home is, my heart sinks like a stone in a vast ocean.
This was my last chance at having a real life again.
Sensing my sadness, Ronan tells me how special I am. He looks like he
really means it too. It’s difficult for me to thank anyone these days, but I
give him a hug in silence. He didn’t have to let me out tonight, but he did.
And for that, he deserves at least some respect.
As we make the journey back home, I stare at the vast desert, and the
mountains that radiate fire and fury. It’s a long way home, and I’ve seen too
much. The battle has wound down. What’s left are the remains of soldiers,
alphas, and Reapers. Smoking embers, here and there, the stench of sulfur
burning my sinuses.
I hold back my tears. I don’t want Ronan to learn how much this affects me.
It hurts more than a gunshot wound to the chest. But the hunt for me is not
finished.
Traveling deeper into the desert, we reach the junction where the overpass
exploded earlier. The air is hot from the recent attacks, and the sound of
silence is eerie. I don’t take my eyes off of Ronan, the one protector I have
out here. I find myself clutching his rippled abdomen, breathing in his oaky
scent. I might not have a real home, but Ronan’s trying to give me a home.
Out here, that means something.
When we reach the cave perimeter, Ronan takes my hand. “We’re here. Are
you okay?”
I shake my head as his hands search my body for any wounds I may have
sustained during the journey. My psyche is not okay, but I’m still alive.
“Still breathing,” I mutter.
He traces his fingers from my shoulder blade to the base of my neck,
assessing my injuries. “You’re bruised.”
“I’ve felt worse,” I whisper.
His hands glide across my belly, pausing near my hipbone. “Does this
hurt?”
I look up at his chiseled, handsome face. It feels good. “No, Master.”
Coming to his senses, he pulls his hand away and offers a thin smile.
“You’ll be okay. We should get inside in case someone’s followed our
tracks.”
I don’t make the move to go inside though. Timidly, I touch his chest,
gliding my fingers across each perfectly sculpted mound of muscle. I pause
as I get near his pelvis.
Millennia of evolution made him like this, but nothing can bring out the
good in the other alphas that make up this prison planet. I don’t know if he’s
the alpha of my dreams, but right now, he’s the only solace I have.
My protector. Master…
“The night isn’t over,” I whisper. “Kiss me first.”
He stares at my lips, breathing heavy. “I thought you wanted to leave me.”
I push toward him, sliding up his chest. Lucky for him, his wounds healed
fast, but the scar on my chest continues to burn incessantly. I ignore the
subtle sting, and I press forward. “Maybe leaving is a bad idea?”
He inhales. “Are you ready to listen to me?”
I nod, swallowing hard. “We have a bond, right? Kiss me. Show me what
we’re made of.”
He takes my hips firmly in his hands. He brings me in closer to him, so
close I have no choice but to inhale his intoxicating scent. He smells so
good. I close my eyes and breathe, forgetting who I once was.
And when he kisses me, everything melts away.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 5

N aomi

Ronan’s tongue is hot and hungry against mine, and he tastes like a slice of
heaven. His hands work their way up my ribcage as goosebumps travel
across my shoulders. He growls with obsessive need. “Finally, I have you.”
Trembling with dangerous excitement, I pull away, eyes darting across the
strange cave I now call my home. The main room is littered with weaponry,
rusted and dented things made for killing, things meant to catch prey. “I
can’t believe I’m doing this,” I whisper.
He grins. “A bond lasts a lifetime. You’ll see.”
I’ve been searching for love for a long time. I never imagined I’d go for
someone so… alpha. “Plenty have tried to turn me into a believer. They all
failed.”
He presses forward for one more kiss. “None of them were me.”
Tilting my head, I take in the sight of his defined body. He isn’t just tall,
he’s huge. Every part of him. His cock is thicker than my hand and long
enough to make me fear it.
“Go on. Touch it,” he growls, his voice thick.
I feel his pelvis, my hands shaking. I don’t know if it’s desire, fright, or
confusion guiding me. It doesn’t make a difference. Lowering my hand
between his legs, I grip his cock, and I relish its warmth against my palm.
It’s the first time in years since I’ve touched anyone like this, but he’s the
first alpha. A cold rush of fear makes me draw my hand away, but he
pushes it back down, forcing my fingers around his hard shaft. “Like this,”
he says, taking hold of me, pumping his thick shaft within my tentative
grip, showing me how I should stroke it.
I bite my lip, unable to control my heart’s pounding. “Sorry,” I whimper.
“I’m new at this.”
Ronan looks down, eyes hard. Then he lets out a deep moan and closes his
eyes. “Don’t apologize, little one. You are learning.”
Breathing in, I stare into his eyes and see empathy, lust, and a fiery, dark
passion I can’t turn away from. “Thank you,” I reply and return my gaze to
his enormous cock, wondering what the hell I’m going to do with
something so big.
He eases back, slowly thrusting his hips against my palm. “Please your
master. Slowly.”
I give in to his body’s demands, and we move inside his room in perfect
synchrony. His brothers are still outside searching for survival supplies, so
there’s not a chance of them barging into the room. The world is starting to
feel like it’s disappearing, and only he and I exist. It’s a terrifyingly exciting
feeling.
His breath scorches my ear, and I feel like I’m melting. He kisses my neck,
pausing near my earlobe. Goosebumps shoot across my body. “Stroke my
cock,” he breathes.
“I’ll need to use both hands.”
“Very cute. I’d like to see you try.”
His fingertips brush across the hem of my panties. My pussy is wet with
anticipation, my wetness slipping past my lips.
He grins, his breathing heavy. “You’re so wet. It will be easy to rut you.”
Excitement rushes through me as he claws around my panties, the cold air
taking place of the soft fabric. They slip past my ankles, and I slowly step
out of them, ready to act on my primal, wild urges.
Because I sure as hell don’t want to be a human right now.
Next comes my shirt, and his hands bring warmth to my breasts. His fingers
tease my nipples, and goosebumps break across my shoulders. Bringing his
mouth against my chest, I exhale all the bad emotions I felt earlier, and I fall
into the slick heat of his tongue.
I edge closer, leaning my head against his, and I stroke his cock. His shaft is
hard and hot inside my palm, and it’s big enough to do some damage. Using
both hands, I do some damage of my own.
I slide his foreskin down, exposing the round crown of his cock. Shiny pre-
cum slides down to my fingers as I pump. I stare in his eyes and develop a
rhythm, and his pupils widen with each stroke. For the first time in years, I
feel close to someone. And that’s all I’ve ever really wanted.
Taking my chin in his hands, he crushes his mouth against mine. I take his
tongue, tasting his sweet flavor. I breathe in his scent, earthy and strong,
and then I take him back to my lips before we part.
His room is empty, spare a single cage and some sitting stones. An old
mattress rests in the corner of the space. The cage is supposed to be my bed,
but maybe if I’m good enough, he’ll let me sleep with him.
He sits on a stone seat, his gaze hot. “On your knees,” he says. “Submit to
Master.”
Lowering to my knees, I give him a bashful glance. I swallow my pride,
obeying Ronan’s demanding pleasure for a shot at feeling more of whatever
this is. I’m not a submissive person by nature, but this feels good. Like,
really fucking good.
Daring to go beyond right and wrong, I open my mouth, lifting his cock
over my face. It’s heavy and warm in my palm, harder than a human can
get. It’s gorgeous, glistening like a rod of iron. Ronan has the equipment of
a god.
“Please me, omega,” he moans.
My throat tightens. “Yes, Master.”
I bring him in my mouth, tasting the slippery brine of his masculinity, and
his cock pulses on the back of my tongue. He expands against my throat,
grunting with stern approval. When I return for air, his knees buck.
I learn how his body works, what he needs and what he doesn’t. It comes to
me faster than I expect. My need to excel seems to surprise him, too.
He combs his fingers through my hair, pulsing in deeper. His cock
throbbing with desire, he caresses me with careful motions. It’s not
uncomfortable to be with an alpha alien, like I thought. It feels good to
please someone.
He shudders, as if the pleasure I give him is beginning to break him down.
With his cock buried between my lips, I give him more. I tongue all around
his sweet crown, forcing a shivering roar of desire from him.
A crooked grin curves Ronan’s mouth. “Good girl.”
Saliva spreads down my chin. My lips are numb, and I haven’t quite
regained my breath yet. I inhale, seething with desire. This feeling is unlike
anything I’ve ever experienced, and I want more of it. I want him to spank
me, split me, and inseminate me. My heat is in total control of me now.
“It feels good to please you,” I admit.
He takes hold of my cheeks, licking the salt away from my mouth, kissing
me deeper now. As he runs his hand across my pussy, I quake, holding onto
his shoulders. “Our connection is so strong,” he says.
I close my eyes. “Our bond…” I exhale, trembling as he plunges a finger
inside me. “Is everything you told me real?”
He pets my cheek with the back of his hand. “As real as this flesh,” he says,
leaning forward to kiss me again, his tongue slipping between my lips. “As
real as my cock.”
I look down at his stiff cock. His foreskin is tight, looking ready to burst. A
jolt of excitement causes my clit to twitch. Returning my gaze to his
handsome dark eyes, I touch his heart. “You’ll protect me?”
A low rumble forms in his throat. “Always.”
I’ve been rejected by the entire planet. I have been hunted by my own kind.
My father sold my rights away for a lousy job. The more I think about my
past, the more I want to run from it completely. The more I want to stay
with Ronan.
The feeling of love hits me. And though I know it’s just my hormones
talking, I’m ready to surrender to him now. “Ronan.”
“Yes?”
I swallow. “I want you to take me. Hard.”
He slides his finger out of me, throwing me over his beefy thigh. He fondles
my bottom before smacking it. The sting turns into heated pleasure, a
pleasure I start to crave. “Fuck…”
My pussy pulses, dripping wet across the back of my thighs. He fingers me
with gentle, teasing motions. It feels so good, like I could shatter at any
moment, so I latch onto his knee and present my ass for the next spank.
He smacks me, exhaling roughly.
My pussy pounds, aching for his cock. I’m useless without it. “Breed me,” I
moan.
He slides in two more fingers. “You are not ready,” he says.
“I am!” I insist.
My eyes water, but the subsequent pleasure kicks into overdrive. My pussy
trembles, and I demand more, despite how wrong this is. Despite the fact
that I shouldn’t be on this planet at all.
He spanks me. Over and over again. He doesn’t stop until I’m good and
ready for him.
Standing, he circles around me. I lower to the floor, planting my hands and
knees on the concrete. He kneels and huffs from behind, tilting my ass
higher. “I want to taste you.”
I push out my ass. “Taste…”
His warm mouth brushes against my wet lips. I’m on fire as he hums and
licks my aching clit.
“Eat me,” I moan.
Hands gripping my ass cheeks, fanning across my quivering flesh, he
consumes me. My body tenses, and I cry out as the hot pleasure burns
through my bottom to my clit. My face feels flushed, and my throat aches,
my control slipping away.
He slides in three fingers, molding over my g-spot. “Come for Alpha,” he
murmurs.
My knees buckle, my entire body convulsing. My mind gives way to deep
pleasure, my climax upon me hits me faster than lightning. As I orgasm, I
hold onto his hand feverishly, crying out.
He growls with satisfaction as I give him my slick release, shuddering
against him over and over again. Heat is all I know.
I have a taste for fire now—and I want more.
Looking into my eyes, he leans back, and my wetness taints his perfectly
chiseled cheek. His canines drip. “Need to rut…”
I lay limp, sinking into the wet spot I made on the floor. “Breed,” I moan.
He takes hold of my chin, kissing my lips hard enough to give me a taste of
sweet slick. “Rut with Alpha Master.”
A look of desire sends chills through me. But this is what I want. “Take me
from behind.”
His desire to rut me is so primal it can’t be stopped. His hand is warm on
my breast, body hot and powerful behind mine. I can feel his hunger taking
over.
His hand slips from my breast, past my waist, and onto my hips. He
clutches my sides as his crown meets my slick opening. He edges inside
me, the fit astonishingly tight.
“Yes,” I urge. “Fuck me!”
He takes the back of my hair into his hand and sinks into me.
He takes me without mercy, his thrusts so fast, I don’t have a chance to
think about how many inches are inside me. He holds me close, adoring my
curves, and filling me to the brim with his alpha cock.
I bite my lip, gasping with pleasure. “Knot me.”
His cock swells. “Little omega. Feel this. Hold this deep inside of you.”
I catch my breath, a burst of pleasure ripping through me. “Yes, Master.”
“Do you feel my knot?”
He’s growing bigger inside me. His knot, bringing me in closer. “Come
inside me,” I tell him.
He breathes before thrusting again. “No,” he growls. “You are not ready.”
I rock my hips, my desire consuming me. “Breed my pussy. I am fertile
enough, Master.”
Ronan tries to force himself out, but the swelling keeps us together. Pain
radiates throughout my core. “Please,” I moan.
“No…”
Ronan breathes, slowly inching out despite my cries. When he’s out, I sit
against my heels, panting. But I haven’t finished the job, and Ronan’s eyes
tell me he needs a strong climax.
Gripping my hair, he bends my head back.
I open my mouth and lower my tongue. “Give it to me.”
In an animalistic state, he pumps his shaft with his fist. I take what I can,
obediently flicking my tongue under his swelling crown. Moaning, he
shudders, his cock spurting inside my mouth.
And then I taste him, his salty seed splashing upon my tongue. It coats the
inside of my mouth, and somehow, I manage to swallow all of it. When he’s
finished, he pulls his hard shaft out, leaving a mess of cum dripping down
my chin.
I collapse, wet and throbbing. I’m a total mess.
“Fuck…” he groans. “I’m sorry.”
I kiss his belly and whisper, “I’m not.”
He bows his head, chest rising. “Breeding is a ritual not worth taking
lightly. We’re not ready to take the next step.”
My heart is still galloping, and I pant with it. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”
But I’m not sure about anything anymore. My entire reality has flipped
upside down.
Outside, there’s a sudden disturbance, muffled voices carrying through the
main room. The front door opens and shuts. Then two knocks come from
Ronan’s door.
“Ronan, open the door.”
It’s Targon. He couldn’t have come at a worse time.
I catch my breath and look for a place to hide my naked, dripping body.
“Crap. They can’t see me like this.”
I try to run behind the cage as the two alphas enter the room, but I trip over
one of the sitting stones. They spot me instantly. I’m naked, my nipples are
erect, and I’m breathing like a fish out of water. I’m wet like one too.
Targon’s got a smirk on his face, a cocky look of accomplishment. “So this
is what you’ve been up to? Breeding the captive omega? Well, it’s time to
get up.”
Greyson drops a bundle of wood on the floor with a loud clatter. “That’s
why you sent us out to get supplies?”
Their muscles glow in the dim light, clothes a ragged mess, torn and dirty.
“She’ll get us all killed,” Targon says.
Ronan sucks in a breath, eyes turning into bright flames. “Get out!” he
roars.
The two alphas are staring at me like I’m a prized trophy. Their lecherous
glares help return me back to reality, quick.
I pull away from Ronan, shielding my naked body in the dark corner of the
room. The pleasure I felt earlier has been replaced by a dull, throbbing ache
between my legs. I drift back to reality, my conscience taking over. I’m a
prisoner here. This entire planet is a prison.
Greyson takes Ronan by his shoulder, shaking him. “The Reapers are one
step closer to finding Aeon,” he says.
His tone fuels my curiosity, the word falling unbidden from my mouth.
“Aeon?”
Ronan rises from the floor. The other two stare at me. “We’ll talk about this
later,” Ronan says. “Without the omega present.”
I wince. “Ronan, what’s going on?”
He takes a few deep breaths before changing his tone. “My bed is open in
the other room,” he says. “You will join me there, and you will sleep like an
angel.”
Disappointed, I turn away from him. “Is that an order?”
I feel his presence behind me linger. “Do not tempt me into spanking you.”
“Yes, Master.”
I wait for Ronan to get comfortable before laying myself across the thin
rags he uses as a mattress. He slips behind me, patiently stroking my hair
with his rugged hands. “I didn’t set out to find you that night,” he says. “But
the moment I saw you, I knew what had to be done.”
It feels nice to hear that. It’s probably the most romantic thing any guy has
ever said to me. But is it real? “Hmm.”
His nostrils flare. “What’s troubling you, omega?”
I close my eyes and listen to the sound of my heartbeat, remembering what
Jersey was like. It was shit, but compared to Eridani, it was heaven.
Turning to face Ronan, I tell him the truth, letting him see my vulnerability.
“I just want to know you mean it.”
I so badly want to run away from this, but I’m not going to keep running.
Using my feet never did me any good. I’m obeying my heart for once. I’m
staying with Ronan.
He glides his hand across my belly, bringing his warmth to my body. “Let’s
make this real.”
I place my hand over his, emotions building between us. These heavy
moments come in waves, each more overwhelming than the last. I haven’t
felt like this in so long. “Okay,” I say, breath hitching, longing for this
alpha.
“Tomorrow,” he says.
I bite my bottom lip as my anticipation grows inside me. “Okay.
Tomorrow.”
I look down at our hands, and he gives me a gentle squeeze, his large
fingers entwining with mine. I breathe out, relaxing into his warm chest and
cradling arms.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper, closing my eyes.
We lie together as the remnants of the night die away in the east. The arrival
of dawn is here, but I’m too exhausted to face it. As I close my eyes and
drift into a dream, he holds me close to his heart. “I will be there for you,
omega. Always and forever.”
I still don’t know if I believe him. But he hasn’t given up on me. I won’t
give up on him.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 6

R onan

In the main room, a long row of clay furnaces and processing ovens burn
with a low roar. The dull hum of the last remnants of electricity still sings
favorably above, providing enough light for the day. Covered in a haze of
black soot, Greyson and Targon work hard to shovel a pot of metal, wood,
and sulfur into different furnaces, jumping back as flames whip near their
hands. Once the smelted materials cool, my brothers will mold them into
weapons and ammunition. Then we’ll be adequately protected.
A cloud of smoke billows out and brings a sharp, acrid smell into my
nostrils. It settles deep in my lungs before Naomi’s perfume lifts me into
better spirits.
We’ve been working all morning for her. When the time comes for
breeding, I want this place to be a suitable nest. It will require some more
work, but we’ll get it done.
Naomi tilts her head up from the mattress, awake after a long slumber. Her
eyes reflect the orange flames in the main room. “What’s all the
commotion? It smells terrible in here.”
I motion for her to get up. “It’s time for your bath.”
She smells her armpits. “Are you trying to say I smell?”
I lower my nose near her neck, inhaling. She smells so fucking good. Her
sweat is a musty and sweet scent. “That’s not why I want you clean.”
She grins, shaking her head in disbelief. “Oh, I get it. Last night wasn’t
enough for you. You didn’t come. Now you want to watch.”
“That’s not why.” Well, it’s partly why.
The Reaper’s mark on her body is glaringly obvious. If anyone saw her,
they’d know who really owns her. Ahrimon is still searching for her, and I
need to find a way to get rid of his calling card. Naomi’s mine now.
She glances down at the dirt upon her chest. Sand falls from her hair. But
I’m staring at the mark on her chest. The healed lesion is well defined, a
perfectly acceptable contract of ownership. It sickens me, but I try to put it
out of my head.
“Oh,” she says. “Yeah. I get it now. You want to take a look at the scar.
Give me a second to wake up.”
Standing, she stretches and leans forward. The round bottom that bounces
before me deserves a heavy spanking. I hand her a towel, so the others
won’t gawk at her tiny fertile body.
She pulls herself up from the thin mattress, yawning with her back against
the cinderblock wall. Standing, she enters the main room. A rusted faucet
drips water into a giant porcelain bath Greyson found months ago. In the
Badlands, water is scarce, but we’ve saved enough gallons to last a week.
Normally, we don’t have enough fuel to activate the heat, but I made sure
Greyson and Targon brought enough wood to keep everything running
properly for her.
Naomi blinks timidly. “They’re not staying in here with me, are they?”
“Don’t worry about them.” I start the water, adding mint and other fresh
leaves Targon had stored in the healing cabinet. “They won’t watch.”
She rolls her eyes. “Hey, perverts,” she calls out. “Mind leaving the room?”
Targon frowns. “Is she serious?”
Chuckling, I point at the hallway leading to their chambers. “You heard the
omega. Get out.”
Targon drops the red-hot shovel. Steam from the smelted material shoots
out of the furnaces as the shovel bounces and cools against the cement
floor. Before Greyson disappears into his chambers, he turns off the lights
to conserve energy and says, “If the Reapers show up, I’ll tell them not to
bother you.”
My heart pounds with adrenaline. My brothers are angry with me. I coddled
her while I kept them in the dark. I’ve never felt like this before. She is a
prize, and I want to pamper her.
Calmly, I put out the furnaces and light a few candles for the ceremony. It’s
quiet in here now, and she bounces on her toes in response. “I guess I could
use a bath.”
I lower to the porcelain edge, kneeling on the cement, and dipping in a
finger to test the temperature. It’s soothing. The humidity brings out her
scent, driving me crazy. My cock twitches with excitement. “Come here,” I
direct her.
She climbs up on my knees, her naked bottom warming my legs. As she
slides her arms around my neck, my cock rises with desire. “How does this
work?” she asks.
“Like this,” I say, bouncing her on my lap.
Her scent intoxicates me. I slide my hands around her waist, her smooth ass
swaying back and forth. Her eyes glow like diamonds, and I can’t hold back
from tasting her lips. But she takes a step away from me, her look of
confidence fading.
Last night, I got a taste of her sweet fertility. She was so tight it was hard to
fit my cock inside her, which told me she wasn’t ready. But I can’t hold
back another day. An aching passion burns within me. I need to fill her with
my seed if it’s the last thing I do. “Come back to me. Do not be scared.”
She swallows, nodding her delicate head. A newfound bravery tinges her
voice. “I’m not scared.”
I drag my hand across the bath water’s surface. The temperature is perfect
now. “Get in and relax,” I say. “I’ll do the rest of the work.”
Eyes fixated on my hard cock, Naomi gracefully dips her feet into the tub,
while keeping a watchful eye on me. Lowering herself into the water, she
moans softly, and floats on the surface. Her skin glistens in the dim
candlelight, and her legs relax against the porcelain. “It’s been so long since
I’ve had a bath. Dad always told me the energy bill was too expensive.”
I grab a sponge and some soap. “It’s the least I could offer you.”
She exhales, closing her eyes with a smile. “Thank you, Ronan. This makes
me feel… special.”
Someday, when Ahrimon is defeated, I will give her so much more. “Your
daddy never spoiled you?”
She shakes her head and stares at her waving reflection in the water. “You
know what he thinks about me.”
I lean against the porcelain, slowly brushing the wet, soapy sponge across
her breasts. “Do you know how I feel about you?”
She bites her lower lip. “You showed me last night.”
I grin. “What’s the verdict?”
She takes hold of my cock. Slowly stroking, she warms me up. Desire takes
hold as determination sets in her eyes. “I’m not scared anymore, if that’s
what you’re asking.”
I drag the sponge toward her navel. “I never wanted you to be scared of me.
I just ask that you learn. This world is worse than you think, and I cannot
bear losing you now.”
I ease my hips forward. My body feels hot. I need her.
She looks into my eyes with excitement. “I’m open to more lessons.”
“Oh?”
I slide my hand over her shoulders, down her chest, then around the curves
of her breasts. My body shudders with obsessive need.
Then Naomi guides my hand to her pussy. Her eyes turn playful. “I’m a
better student than you think. But I need you to promise me I’m making the
right decision by staying here with you.”
I bow my head, ready to serve my omega. “I will not let you down.”
I slip into the water with her, sliding in behind her smooth, tiny body. This
close to her, everything feels right. However, as ready as she claims, her
muscles are still tense. She trembles as I put my hands around her belly, my
lips against her neck.
The next step is insemination. “We must forge a bond that lasts throughout
time. Only then can I give you a mark that lasts.”
Naomi rubs her dripping bottom against my shaft. Her heartbeat is going
crazy. So is mine. “You want to… knot me?”
I close my eyes and inhale the enchanting pheromones in the room. I feel
lucky to take care of her. “Trust me, sweet omega. I want to do so much
more than that.”
Her voice quivers. “Make me trust you. Teach me.”
Her ass teases me below the surface of water, her back arching against me. I
get another glimpse of her pussy, her glistening lips and tiny opening. It
drives me toward her thighs, and as she twists in the water, I deliver a stern
palm toward her hot bottom. Sweet endorphins pulse through me, her heat
demanding I dominate.
“Yes,” she cries. “More.”
I slide two fingers inside her, playing with her to my satisfaction. Drawing
her bottom out of the water, I feel my needs increase. I glide my punishing
hand against her wet cheeks, and her soft rump tightens as she lets out a
pleasurable moan.
“Mm,” I groan.
She pants through clenched teeth. “I’m not scared of a little sting either.”
The bath water laps around my hard cock. “You’re learning.”
“I have the best teacher.”
“Call me Master,” I command.
She drifts back into the water, leaning her head against my chest. Her eyes
are closed as she brazenly strokes my length, bringing me immense
pleasure. “Breed me, Master.”
Her hips writhe, and she moans. She’s all mine. No more fear. Just biology.
I sink my cock into her, clutching her hips as her tight walls grip me
feverishly. Pumping her, my primal urges come to the fore. Her body
quakes in waves, and the water fills with her sticky essence. “Give me that
sweet slick,” I grunt.
The walls echo with her cries as I drive in deep, holding her close to me.
“Ronan…” she moans.
Her round ass bounces against my lap. “Feel me. Feel this cock,” I say.
My hands control her smooth behind. Rutting her pussy deep, our gazes
lock, heat overcoming us. Her milky lips tighten their grip around my shaft.
A powerful energy overtakes us, but it’s more than carnal pleasure. It’s our
future. Our bond is solidifying, drawing us even closer together.
The helpless look in her eyes brings out the depth of her irises, amber and
rose, flecked with gold. I pull and pump my hips, muscles flexing as I claim
her as my own. Her passion consumes me, and her beauty is breathtaking—
the arch of her nose, the sparkle in her eyes, her perfectly tiny bottom—as I
drive deep into her wetness.
My cock swells still more, and I grip the porcelain’s edge to steady myself,
my orgasm near. A powerful force is all around us now, filling us, my heart
nearly bursting with it.
I lower my mouth to her breast, taking hold of her nipple, nipping it as a hot
wave of pleasure pulses through my cock. Letting go of her flesh, I bare my
teeth and stare into her eyes. “You are mine now. Always and forever.”
Her eyes are fearful, but I reassure her with a hard, lingering kiss. She
smiles then. “I am ready, Master.”
I angle my jaw and bite her chest, tearing through the tough scar with ease.
I feel her heartbeat against my mouth.
Holding myself inside her, a strange power flows between us. Connected,
intimate, soaring. We’re captured by a love whose power could change the
world.
She lets out an exhausted moan as I take her into my arms, water sloshing
over the side of the tub.
Connected to her, I feel everything that she does. Our bodies hum with heat,
and the thundering beating of her heart drowns out everything else. Then
my climax overtakes me, and I flood her with my essence, driving as deep
as I can. As I release inside her, I know we will never be the same again.
My cock swells inside her. There’s no coming back from this. “Oh, fuck,” I
growl, bucking my hips against her.
Naomi purrs, lips teasing outward. “Spill your seed inside me.”
Strength is what I’ve always clung onto, but she’s teaching me softness too.
And that softness opens me up. My cock spasms inside her slick pussy, the
hot, tight flesh drawing every last trace of orgasm from my body.
Wave after wave of beastly pleasure spurts into her body. Her womb fills
with my seed, the sticky wetness dripping down her creamy thighs. The
mess it makes feels so good around my cock and my balls, as I drive even
deeper.
Thighs shaking against her hips, I hold myself inside her, feeding the rest
deep into her womb. She shakes, shudders, and her head tilts to the side.
My knot swells, and she’s unable to draw back. We are fitted together as
one, and the pleasure shatters through me as more cum flows into her.
I knot this special omega to the stars and back.
As our breathing slows, and we stare into each other’s eyes, the bond we
have forged together wraps around us like a heavenly blanket. I drive
forward one last time, my cock spasming with its last dying spurts.
As if my seed is an anchor, I feel myself slow down. My final release is still
rippling through me, but my knot begins to soften, and with each throbbing
pulse, my balls draw out the rest of my cum.
Releasing my teeth from around her clavicle, I let go of her hips and trail
my lips down her body. Reluctantly, I finally pull my hips back, my still
hard cock slipping from the grip of her well-fucked sex.
Seemingly stunned, and shaken, a panting Naomi clutches me, and I wrap
my arms even tighter about her. Gently, I pull her out of the tub and swathe
her body in a huge, soft towel. Exhaustion overwhelms her, but she
manages to ask a question, her pretty eyes gazing up at me. “Am I protected
now?”
“I will never abandon you, little one.”
Satisfied, I carry her to my bed, resisting the temptation to fuck her in my
chambers a second time. Holding her against my chest, I feel her gentle
weeping. This can’t be easy for her. As strong as our bond is, it is also new.
Regardless, I’m proud of her effort. She has come so far.
Before she falls asleep, our lips find each other again. We kiss until we are
breathless, and life suddenly feels lighter than a breeze, blissful.
Our bodies drift off into that dream space that only two lovers can share.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 7

N aomi

Ronan’s sleeping body holds me tight, hands fitted comfortably around my

hips. He keeps my body warm throughout the day. I must’ve slept for a long
time because when I wake, I hear the soft vibrational hum of insects
outside. I’m starting to get used to this place.
My master’s snoring is so loud it fills the room, but I don’t mind it. It’s nice
to be held in someone’s arms. He is someone who cares.
I felt something very real yesterday. It came from outside this reality, and it
healed me both inside and out. After all we’ve been through, I think I’m
starting to believe what he told me. We are connected.
Yawning, I stretch my arms. My ass, thighs, and pussy swell and ache. I
inhale the musky scent of the cave and the creature next to me. Ronan gave
me everything last night, and things finally feel stable.
I sit up. My master’s chambers, like the rest of the cave, are dark. The air is
warm, humid, almost sticky against my skin. A few furnaces burn near the
entrance, but it appears Greyson and Targon blew out the candles. They
must be fast asleep in the back rooms.
I have no idea what time it is. It could be the middle of the night for all I
know, but my body barely registers the exhaustion anymore. I can still feel
where his knot stretched me. I hear his breath against my ear. Remembering
how he filled me, I look down, gazing at my flat stomach and small belly
button. Omegas take to their pregnancies fast. Though it’s hard for me to
imagine, there is a life growing inside of me. Of that I am certain now.
It might seem crazy to some, but I know what my future has in store for me.
There are no secrets in that regard. My future is with Ronan. But I’m not
staying in these caves forever. I need some sunlight every once in a while.
With that in mind, I slowly remove Ronan’s hands from my hips. He twists
his big body, scratching the arch of his nose, before flopping over on his
opposite side, stilling once more. I wait a few minutes to make sure he’s
still sleeping, but like the bad omega I am, I grab a candle, unlock the door,
and head outside.
The frigid air sends goosebumps across my body, but the thought of
Ronan’s hands caressing my hips warms me back up. I focus on that
feeling, and a flurry of endorphins hit me, a tingle in my clit, a burst of
nervous laughter slipping from my lips.
As I stumble through the caves, I come across another tunnel. I catch
something flickering in the darkness ahead. Fear cascades through me, but
my curiosity pushes me forward. Walking for minutes, I lose sight of it. I
fear I’ve gotten turned around.
My candle’s bright yellow flame floods the interior space, and my heart
begins to pound. I find a wall with intricate depictions of tribesmen painted
in blood. I hold the flame up to the drawings, wondering about their true
meaning.
The paintings are so expansive I’ll never fully understand them. Images of
war between tribes tell a dark story, and the vignettes depicting scientific
progression spark my curiosity. A pact was made between an invading
Earth population and the alphas, establishing a small level of coexistence.
But none of that lasted. It seemed, according to the illustrations, their
village was then burned, and they lost everything.
Suddenly, I notice a set of footprints leading into another dark shaft. I pull
back from the wall and follow them, reaching a dead end with yet more
strange pictures upon the stone walls. These show the alphas gathering
around an ancient device that’s shaped like a sphere. Light emanates from
its core.
I turn around, eyes open to the shapes on the wall. They look like they were
painted in blood. I make out a young woman, a pregnant omega. In the
painting, she is imprisoned by a dark alpha. “Ahrimon,” I whisper, my
throat tightening.
A chill runs down my spine. Heart pounding, I cover the image with my
hands.
It’s me…
This was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here.
Desperate to get back to Ronan, I turn to my left, finding a separate shaft
running through another section of the cave. Shivering, I continue through
it, hoping it’s the right one. If I don’t get back now, Ronan will wake up and
see I broke his rules. He’ll be heartbroken I didn’t comply so soon after
bonding with him.
Walking silently down the dimly lit path, I start to worry I’m lost. I pull the
candle as close to my body as possible, the flame warming my chest.
I keep walking. Soon, I come upon a beautiful iron door. Shivering from
exposure, I place my candle on the ground and feel the dusty etchings in the
door. I swipe a few cobwebs away with my finger. Then I lean my weight
against the door and push.
The iron turns hot against my palms, causing me to jump and scream in
pain. I cover my mouth, panicked. The cavern starts to shake. Dust falls on
my head as I grab the wall for balance. A light shines above me, a deep
reddish hue. Another lights up further down the corridor. One by one, all of
the lights turn on.
My throat tightens. “What have I done?”
After a few thunderous rumbles, the vibrational frequency ceases. The
beautifully ancient lock on the iron door unlatches. The entryway opens,
revealing another set of halls. They’re made of marble, untouched, pristine.
On the other side of the door, the air is warm. This place is alpha-made, but
Ronan and his brothers couldn’t have been the architects. This place seems
much older than them.
I collapse, my chest radiating with sudden pain, the skin above my heart
glowing like a hot red coal. I take a deep breath, gathering my strength.
Ronan found a way to remove the Reaper’s scar from my body, but
something deep inside still burns. “No,” I whimper.
I’m racked with guilt over coming here, but I can’t turn back now.
Mustering my courage, I continue through the door. It closes, bolting shut
behind me.
The next set of halls is a labyrinth. As I walk inside, my footsteps echo
through the soaring corridors. It’s unclear if there is any way out of this
place other than the way I’ve come. If I don’t turn around soon, I might not
remember how to get back to the entrance.
I reach another room. A large hollow sphere rests in the center on a
concrete platform. It’s the same machine from the cave paintings. As I
circle around it, a blinking red light emanates from the core. A piece of the
core is missing.
Breathing carefully, I reach up and touch the base. It’s huge. When nothing
happens, I place my entire palm on the surface. I feel a pulse of energy
against it.
A little spark of energy shoots against my skin. Then there’s a loud rumble,
filling the room with its din. I jump as great beams of light hit me from all
sides. A strange vision fills my mind.
Faces shimmer in and out of view. They’re prisoners. Omegas.
I collapse, screaming in mental anguish, but the vision continues to play
inside my head. The imagery is hazy, but I witness a group of omegas
walking through a giant portal door. A light grows out of it, casting shades
and highlights of blue and purple. I can feel a connection to some kind of
outside force as electricity sparks and crackles against the sky.
I wake up hyperventilating, clutching my clavicle as I suck in giant breaths
of musty air. The machine is beeping erratically. Opalescent lights and
irregular shapes spin so fast inside my head I feel nauseous. I try to focus,
desperate to escape this room, but I’m paralyzed by an unknown force of
energy that rips through my body, causing me to double over in pain.
My chest flashes amber, and I hear footsteps echoing behind me. My limbs
go rigid. Throat burning, I pull away from the sphere’s vision. Smoke rises
from its base, making me wonder if the machine has broken down, or
somehow malfunctioned.
I flee back through the marble hallways, lunging through the first door I
see. I find myself in a narrow tunnel, and there’s no light to guide me.
Holding my hand over my mouth to muffle my cries, I break down. I
quickly realize I don’t know where I am. I’m completely turned around. For
all I know, Ronan is miles away. Frantic, I run as fast as I can, but I sense
someone is behind me. I’m being chased.
And they’re getting closer.
I push myself harder, unfazed by the pounding of blood in my ears. Using
my hands to feel the wall, I stumble through the tunnel. There’s a light at
the end of it. Then I realize it’s actually sunlight.
Dashing toward the sunshine, I emerge onto an old promenade made of
gold brick. Intricate statues covered in moss and other growth line a gilded
walkway down from the entrance of the cave. The shrill calls of birds erupt
across the sky.
I walk down the pathway, until I hear a different noise, the hum of spinning
metallic blades. An engine whirring, grinding, and growing louder as it
closes in on me.
It’s the sound of human technology. This is not a vision. This is real. I’ve
wandered into something terrible…
I start to run, reaching a staircase at the end of the path. As I jolt down each
step, the din grows in volume. Finally, I hit the soil. It’s damp, the air thick
with moisture. Tall trees with thick branches cover the landscape, but I
weave through the vegetation, hastily searching for a clue as to where I am.
Everything seems to slow down as I nearly run into a scientist’s back. The
jarring frequencies of a radio device reverberate behind me. There are men
in hazmat suits surrounding a row of computer screens. Strange high-tech
equipment clicks and clatters in a unique rhythm.
Panicked, I blink, searching for a way out. I turn around and lunge into a
tall bush, catching my breath. Animals eye me through the heavy branches
of tall trees. I’ve wandered into a jungle.
A fucking jungle!
That confirms it. I’ve traveled far from Ronan and his brothers. That cave
must be connected to every region in the west. And that sphere must be
what Ahrimon is looking for.
White tents form a clearing where a group of soldiers rest with masked
beasts. They’re not Reapers. Nor are they alphas. They’re something else. I
don’t want to stay around long enough to find out, so I crawl through the
tough tendrils and make my way past the encampment.
The background metering noise from the scientists shifts from slow to fast,
fast to slow. Strangely, it rewinds and plays it in reverse. The trees sway in
an unnatural way. It’s so unsettling it causes my vision to bend again. I
brace myself against a giant trunk, waving forward and back.
If the soldiers aren’t looking for me, they’re looking for something I
shouldn’t know about. Ronan was right to stay inside. He tried to teach me
how to keep safe. Now that I’m here, I don’t know how to find him again.
The horrible whirring noise grows louder. I feel a harsh wind slap my chest.
It grows in intensity, sliding me back a few inches, and I start to cry. And
just as I am about to give up, an attack helicopter rises from the jungle
valley.
Earth has arrived, and I am caught.
It flashes a spotlight on me, megaphone blaring. “Subject in sight. Omega,
you have no recognized rights in the Rakesh Jurisdiction. Stand down now.”
My blood freezes. I put my hands up, but I feel like curling into a ball.
No…
Alarms ring in the background, their tones muted by my shock. With the
alert out, soldiers and masked beasts descend the mountain from all sides.
There are thousands of them. They just keep coming.
My pulse is racing. My body is stiff. But I’m still alive. That’s a good thing,
right? Even if it feels terrible?
Reality comes rushing back to me. I hear hard thuds. Something is running
toward me. The wind brushes my back. Two large hands with demanding
fingers coil around my back. I jump, and the entity lifts me.
I hear a comforting voice. “We need to run.”
It’s Ronan, and his jaw is tight with rage. His eyes are filled with
disappointment. I’ve let him down in the worst way possible.
There’s nowhere to run. They’ve got us surrounded, and the chopper is
circling overhead like a hawk waiting for us to show signs of weakness.
There’s no way in hell Ronan is going to give them that. I won’t either.
In a moment of shock and total awe, Ronan leaps off the edge of the cliff.
My heart is lodged inside my throat, pounding like a hammer. Weightless,
we descend into the black abyss.
“Are we going to die?” I scream.
His arms wrap around my head. “Just hold on.”
I tuck myself against his chest, clamping my eyes shut. “I’ll never let go.”
I remember what he told me when we first met. He will be my protector. I
believe him now. I can’t keep running.
His roar rings out, and we hit the ground.
Everything goes black.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 8

R onan

We never meant to find the portal. There was no proof it ever existed. Our
hearts told us to keep searching the cave’s endless labyrinths. And then we
finally found what we were looking for. It was coated in years of dust and
silence, but I knew it was the portal described by the elders.
Without Aeon, we couldn’t activate it. It was useless. And as time passed,
our spirits dwindled. We caught word that Ahrimon was building his own
device, modeled after the instructions in the elders’ ancient scrolls. He was
getting closer to achieving domination, but without Aeon, he too was
powerless against Earth.
He gathered an army of misplaced alphas and betas. Disfigured beasts
belonging to a fucked-up Reaper cult. They called themselves the Hunters.
And they’d vowed to find Aeon.
Returning to my home in the Rakesh Jungle felt awful. It was like I was
staring into a sinister dream. I felt that same dread again, that sickly
churning inside my gut. With Naomi in my arms, my will to survive grew
stronger.
I returned her home safely, but I’ve got a big fucking problem. The Hunters
saw us. What’s the punishment for breaking their rules?
Death.
What’s the punishment for breaking my rules?
Ten spankings.
I’ll come up with a better punishment later.

Back in the comfort of my cave, I am in an especially foul mood. My trust

in her is gone. My passion, destroyed. I have been betrayed by Naomi.
Strangely, she has nothing to say.
“Look at me, kitten,” I growl.
Staring at the ground, she pouts but doesn’t offer me any response.
I point to the rusted cage in my chambers. She cowers. “Get inside.”
She swallows, her tiny throat bobbing through strain. Bending her knees,
she lowers her head, peering at the stained cement floor. “Punish me,
Master. I deserve it.”
My eyes narrow as my temper rises. I wasn’t going to punish her right
away, but since she asked so nicely, it seems appropriate.
“I do not wish to discipline you,” I say. “Get inside the cage. Don’t make
me ask again.”
The eagerness in her eyes gives way to fear. Her mouth opens. I plant a
finger between her lips, keeping her from speaking. I feel her pulse beating,
fast, but she’s still not obeying me.
I clamp my hand around the back of her neck, my other palm hovering over
her bare bottom. Her breath is coming fast and hard now.
I pull my hand back, then bring it down on her ass with a hard spank. Her
flesh bounces, but my satisfaction is dulled by the feeling of betrayal.
“Would you like another?”
“Yes, Master,” she murmurs. “Harder.”
That wasn’t the reaction I expected. My discipline doesn’t seem to be
working, so I spank her again. Her scent is heavy on the air, and I grow
weak with it. She was only gone for a few hours, but it felt like months. My
heart broke when I found she’d left me.
And I went through hell to get her home safely.
I press my thumb into her mouth and bring it down to her clit. I brush her
hood back, and she gasps. Her thighs are glazed with hot slick. “You do not
leave me,” I growl.
Her pussy throbs against my palm. “I didn’t mean to anger you, Master.”
She sways her ass, moving so slow I can see the dark entrance of her soft,
moist pussy. She enjoys my punishment. The sting doesn’t even faze her
anymore.
It’s no use trying to scare her into submission. Any fear that once ruled her
heart was thrown to the wind when we jumped off that cliff in the Rakesh
province.
Yes, she’s strong enough to run from me now. Strong enough to lie, too.
Not good…
I take a step back, breathing. “Enough. Tell me why you left me.”
“You’re not finished with giving me the ten spankings,” she says.
My cock rises, my body hot. But I won’t take her when she’s misbehaving.
I exhale and stare at my omega’s swollen red rump, and though the sight
drives me crazy, my feelings for her deepen. Taking a breath, I calm my
heart and caress her bottom cheeks, softly tracing my print. My heart still
pounds as if she were gone. I never want to lose her again. “I apologize for
the spankings.”
Her eyes twinkle in the candlelight. “It was justified. I broke the rules.”
“Are you returning the apology?”
She takes a deep breath. Tears bloom around her eyes. She’s been through
so much, it’s hard to stay mad at her. “Can’t we both be sorry?” she asks.
“You’ve kept me in the dark, too.”
“For your safety.”
She sits up straight, body rigid. “Secrets don’t keep me safe.”
I eye her carefully, wondering how much is safe to tell her. I know she’s
right, but there is so much at stake now, and I don’t want to chase after her
ever again. “Ahrimon believes something is buried in the jungle,” I say.
“Something to end the war forever.”
“Who were the guys in the masks?”
“Hunters. They’re betas who work for Ahrimon.”
“Fallen alphas?” she asks.
“The forgotten ones,” I mutter. “Alphas that lost their ability to breed. Some
omegas, too. The Hunters are a cult, and before you ask, they’re working
with the Reapers exclusively.”
Exhausted, she rests against my chest. I curl her in my arms. She sighs
softly and says, “We can’t stay here forever, Ronan.”
I trace my finger across her belly, feeling her breathe against me. “We can’t
fight an army. You are pregnant. I must keep you safe now.”
She looks away, and I can’t help but wonder if she found the gateway in the
caves. Even if she did, it can’t activate without Aeon’s power. “If Ahrimon
finds what they’re looking for, we’ll have no choice but to fight,” she says.
“You’re right,” I admit. And then I realize something. I need her. Not only
that, I need deeper moments with her. “Then we’ll have to make the most of
this together. How would you like to go somewhere special?”
She pauses, her expression curious. “Are you asking me on a date?”
I stand, offering her my hand. “We don’t have all night.”
I was angry that she left, but I can’t lose her a second time. Whenever we’re
near each other, I feel like a new dawn is forming. So, I’ll give her the
universe. I’ll fight for her.
The possibilities are endless.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 9

N aomi

I look past Ronan’s broad chest and muscled shoulders, and I survey the
alphas in the main room. Greyson and Targon are huddled around a table
perched on a set of stones. They’re going over something in secret,
whispering in a strange alpha tongue I can’t understand. Greyson keeps
pointing to a location on a map.
Ever since I got back, I’ve been treated as a pariah. Ronan keeps me
satisfied, but the others are still furious with me. I shouldn’t have left. The
urge to explore was just too strong.
Before we exit Ronan’s room, he takes my hand. “Ignore them. You’re here
with me.”
I glance at the front door, heart racing. Now that Ronan is taking me out
again, I worry they’ll chastise me forever.
I lower my head and whisper, “Are they coming with us or plotting to kill
us?”
He chuckles. “They don’t know we’re leaving, so we have to keep this
excursion to ourselves.”
Greyson looks up. I wave, but he quickly turns away, lowering his eyes.
“Won’t they be angry?”
“Of course they will, but we need some quality time,” he says. “You
deserve it.”
“Yeah, but at the detriment of the pack?”
Ronan huffs. “I will no longer keep you in the dark. Like you asked. Follow
me.”
Reluctantly, I take Ronan’s hand. “Where are we going?”
“Where I should’ve taken you days ago,” he says.
As we walk through the main room, Greyson and Targon stop what they’re
doing and start paying attention to us. Ronan pulls me through the room
faster than I can say “Good morning.”
“We’re leaving,” he mutters. “Be back later.”
Targon slides in front of Ronan before he can open the door. “Taking the
omega on a date?”
Greyson sets the map down, his eyes flashing. “After she tried to escape?”
My heart starts to pound. “I wasn’t trying to escape.”
Targon’s lips twitch as his eyes scour my body. “Sure thing, omega. You
were just… curious.”
Greyson inhales sharply. “The omega’s curiosity will get us all killed.”
“Back off, brothers.” Ronan takes a deep breath, and I can’t help but notice
his fist curling into a wrecking ball. “She is still adjusting. Give her some
time.”
“She is pregnant,” Targon says. “If they find out you bred her, they’ll kill
you and the baby.”
I wince, but Greyson nods his head, agreeing. “Yes. Why is she out? She
should be in her cage, nesting.”
While I understand my pregnancy is a touchy subject, the thought of sitting
in a cage for a few long months is abhorrent. To get past the nest talk, I
speak fast. “I left last night because I felt something guiding me.”
I found something important. Now that I’ve felt its power, fate doesn’t seem
so ludicrous.
Ronan shifts his gaze from the alphas to me. He seems to be waiting for me
to confess something.
Targon’s grin disappears. “What did you see back there, omega?”
“Hunters in the Rakesh Jungle,” I say. “Hundreds of them. They were with
human scientists.”
All three alphas exchange grim looks. Targon’s voice is low, tense. “Is she
telling the truth?”
Ronan shrugs, but his nonchalance seems forced. “It’s not any new
information.”
Both Greyson and Targon share a glance as the mark upon my chest starts
to glow through my shirt. A slow burning starts deep within me, my
adrenaline spiking. It’s as if something is clutching my heart, squeezing and
wringing it out to dry. I collapse against Ronan, groaning.
Ronan holds me, and with time, the pain eases up again.
“What’s wrong with her?” Targon asks.
Ronan looks away with shame. “Ahrimon marked her before I could.”
Targon growls. “What if they were looking for her in the jungle?”
“They’re not.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“I am.”
Greyson trudges over to me. “Did they see you?”
I swallow, biting my cheek. “Yes,” I say, my pulse beating at my throat.
“But we escaped in time. I don’t think they followed us.”
Greyson’s hands start to tremble. He raises his eyes, shaking his head. “We
need to leave this place. It’s not safe.”
Targon clears his throat and runs back to the map, fanning it in the moist air.
He’s staring at Ronan. “Just say the word, Chief.”
“I’m not leaving,” Ronan says. “We are the Guardians. If we leave, the
entire world could perish.”
I suck in a deep breath and close my eyes. I can’t tell them about the
machine. They’ll kill me.
Greyson takes Ronan’s wrist, reeling him in close. A low growl rumbles
from his chest. “Don’t end the pack over one omega. You are a Guardian.
Try to honor the suffering of our elders.”
Targon sneers. “Is this pathetic human worth dying over?”
“He’s right to ask,” Greyson says with a scowl, his biceps twitching. “You
found her on a whim.”
I hold my breath, anxious to block out their insults.
But Ronan seems undeterred, pulling the door open. “Naomi, we’re
leaving.”
The door shuts behind me, and even though I hear the muted tones of an
argument break out on the other side, I’m not about to turn around and
march into my nesting cage.
No fucking way.
Seeing how far Ronan has walked ahead of me, I run to keep up. “That was
awkward.”
He looks irritated. “I’ve been through worse with them.”
I grab his arm, slowing him down. I still feel really guilty for leaving the
caves, and I can tell he’s thinking about it, too. “I don’t think they like me
very much.”
“Don’t take it personally. They’re just jealous.”
I blush. “They’re mad I left. I almost gave away our coordinates.”
“Yes. You did,” he says, looking away.
I reach up and take his chin, my face burning with shame. “Are you mad at
me too?”
His hands form around my ribcage, and he sighs, his expression softening.
“Sometimes I worry about you. I’m possessive by nature, but I’ll get over
it,” he says.
“Promise?”
His eyes shine with empathy. “You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”
I nod, planting my cheek against his heart. The heavy sound comforts me.
“I like that you worry about me.”
Inhaling, he presses his lips to the crown of my head. “We don’t need them.
We only need each other.”
I kiss him. He feels so warm and inviting. His body, so familiar and loving.
“You’re right.”
I appreciate the sentiment, but deep down, I’m not all that sure we’d fare
well without their help. Nevertheless, his musky pheromones put me in a
state of ease. “Stay by my side. The correct path is this way,” he says.
Ronan has this place memorized. He leads me through a different path than
I took yesterday, passing more cave murals along the way. I pause at one,
staring at an image of war. “What are the paintings about?”
Ronan brushes one of the images with his thumb, recalling memories of the
past. “This is the story of the twelve alpha tribes of West Eridani. It follows
our descent into darkness.”
“Does it have to do with Ahrimon?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time,” I say.
For someone normally so cryptic, he conveys the story to me with brutal
honesty. “It goes back to the first people of the Eridani civilization, the
Ancients. They lived underground for decades, until they ventured into the
light. They built the greatest civilization ever known. But the gods
destroyed it.
“There was a great explosion in the sky, a comet that hit the tropics. The
world descended into chaos. In the west, twelve tribes united to bring back
their world to their former glory. That was back when alphas had dominion
over the planet, and omegas were strong and powerful women. They
weren’t enslaved to be bred. We couldn’t return our world to its former
glory. The humans took everything. They taught us how to betray our own.”
Squeezing his hand, I choke up. I know how it feels to lose a home too. But
the good memories remain, outshining the bad.
We keep walking, until we stop at another painting depicting the machine I
found yesterday. I sway on my feet, my heart beating quickly as Ronan
continues the history lesson.
“Our elders, desperate to find a way to preserve the sanctity of our shared
values, became transfixed by the ancient myth passed down by our
ancestors. They believed the Ancients built a portal to the ancient world,
hiding it underneath the earth for us to find. A doorway to somewhere
new.”
“What did you believe?”
“Back then, I didn’t believe in anything. I followed my orders to find it, but
I was unsuccessful,” he says. “When I returned to camp, the elders were
dead. The jungle being consumed by a fiery conflagration. Only a handful
of us survived.”
I feel my throat tighten. “Ronan, I’m so sorry.”
His jaw flexes. “You are not responsible for our downfall.”
I knew Earth was responsible for a lot of heinous crimes, but hearing the
emotion in his voice makes it real. I’m speechless. Both of us lost our
homes. We are the subjects of so much pain, but what we have right now is
more than we’ve ever had in the past. Soon, we’ll have a baby too.
We’re in this together, fighting against all the odds.
We reach another iron door. Ronan pushes against it, and the dark hallway
opens to the bright twinkling of constellations overhead.
Tall trees, similar to oaks, dominate the landscape outside, the forest
seemingly endless. The wind whispers against the leaves, a pleasant sound
that reminds me of living back home on Earth. Mesmerized, I stick by my
alpha, as we head toward a winding river.
Ronan leads me to the edge of the water. Bending, he dips his hands into the
water. “Go ahead. Drink. It’s clean.”
I cup my palm and taste the crystal-clear liquid. I’m surprised by how fast it
nourishes me. “Wow,” I whisper.
He inhales and closes his eyes with a relaxed smile. “I discovered this place
when I was a child,” he says. “For a moment in time, it was all mine.”
The forest’s oaky smell is comforting. It’s so different from the Badlands’
dry atmosphere. This must have been where Ronan caught the fish the other
day. “That must’ve been nice.”
“It was.”
I look past the water to the far embankment. Abandoned houses stand along
the course of the river like soulless relics from an idealized past. This place
has been turned into a replica of Earth’s most charming suburbs; not what
they’re like on Earth now, but what they used to be.
I stare at an American flag limply wagging against a hollow flagpole. “This
is so weird,” I whisper.
Ronan comes up behind me. I look into his eyes, and I feel a heavy pull on
my heart. It’s like I’m lost in a different way now, wondering what my life
would have been like had I met never him. I’d be staring into the stars,
transfixed by the idea of love. But I’d be all alone.
Abandoned lights run on a generator past the shore, where I can see more of
the settlement in the distance. Without any lights on inside the homes, they
appear to be vacant. The neighborhood spans miles, guarded by a long
security fence.
No one seems to live here. The houses are empty, as if waiting for owners.
This place is just a placeholder for nostalgia. Just another haven for some
really rich people to cling to the past.
Without thinking about the consequences, I step into the water. The abrupt
cold sends chills up my body, but it feels good to be outside again. I dig my
toes into the riverbed, feeling the silty river rocks roll beneath my feet and
between my toes. I lean back and feel the frigid water cascade across my
chest. My clothes are soaked, but I’m too happy to care.
“This feels so good,” I moan.
Ronan eyes me curiously. “That river pleases you more than my cock.”
Laughing, I wade through the water with my best breaststroke. On the day I
left Earth, my friends were celebrating at the river. I was on a one-way
ticket to Planet Eridani, and I never thought I’d feel happy again.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been swimming,” I say, giggling louder.
Excitement rolls through my body.
Ronan runs to me, diving in and catching me in his arms. As the water hits
our faces, he passionately crushes his lips to mine, kissing me long and
deep. I howl with laughter, and gaze at him longingly. The stars twinkle
behind him as he takes hold of my hips, gently pulling my body across the
surface.
It’s like we haven’t seen each other in years. His tongue is rough and
confident. He pulls me toward him, gripping my butt. I squeeze his
shoulders, wrapping my legs around his waist.
“You’ve done a lot for me,” I whisper.
His lips course over mine. “It’s the other way around.”
“We complete each other,” I say.
He nudges his forehead against mine, and his hand glides across my belly.
“Our child will complete us.”
I snuggle into him again, overtaken by warm bliss. “I love you, Ronan.”
“I love you, Naomi.”
My heart settles. Glancing at the houses again, I get the urge to explore.
“What would happen if I swam to the other side to check things out?”
“Settlers are not nice to alphas. If we’re caught sneaking around, there’s no
telling what might happen.”
There’s not a soul in sight though. “Take a look around us. The houses are
empty. For once, we’re safe.”
He swims after me, and by the time we reach the far bank, my shoulders are
shivering from the wind. “Stay there. I’ll warm you up,” he says.
The soil is soft underneath my feet. “I’ve got a better plan,” I mutter, eyeing
the homes.
“Naomi…”
I bite my lip. “This will be fun.”
Despite Ronan’s insistence to stay by the water, I run toward the security
fence. I follow it until I get to the voltage unit. It’s disabled, so I climb up
the fence without incident.
Ronan follows my lead, but as soon as he gets to the top of the fence, he
slips off, and he plummets to the ground with a loud thump, landing right
on his ass. “Ungh!” he grunts.
I suck in my lips and hold my breath. “Now you know how your spankings
feel.”
His eyes narrow. “I thought you enjoyed those.”
“I’ve learned to love them.”
“Is that why you’re acting out again?”
I walk toward a window and peer inside, endorphins flying high. There’s a
TV in the corner, a thick brown couch, and a tall bookshelf overflowing
with tomes. The living room is a perfect representation of another lifetime.
“This isn’t acting out.”
“What do you call it?”
I try opening the front door. It’s locked. “Creating lasting memories.”
Ronan punches right through the door’s glass window, and he reaches down
to undo the lock. “Then allow me to do the honors,” he growls.
I slip inside, wandering straight into the kitchen. I start to dig through the
cabinets.
Ronan catches up to me. “Now where are you going?”
I pull out a box of old cereal. “If this place is anything like Earth, there
should be some liquor in one of these cabinets.”
Ronan raises a brow. “You wish to drink?”
“Well, I’d like to dance too.”
He stares at me, mystified. “This is an… interesting date.”
I try the last cabinet in the kitchen, finding a row of the hard stuff. Twenty-
five-year-old single malt scotch—Glenlivet. It’s my dad’s favorite whiskey.
“It’s romantic,” I tell Ronan. “Besides, if you don’t dance with me, I’ll cry.”
He comes in behind me, kissing down my neck until he reaches my
shoulder. He exhales against my skin. “Fine. I’ll dance with you. But we
can’t stay all night.”
“Deal.”
I pour two small glasses. It’s a beautiful dark amber color, strong and well
polished to a mirror-like sheen. Smelling it causes me to cough. It shouldn’t
go to waste, I decide, so I pour a little more into both glasses.
Narrowing his eyes, he raises his glass to mine. “Cheers, little one.”
“Cheers.”
We both take a sip. The bitter taste overwhelms my palate with a second
kick of spice. I breathe out what feels like pure gasoline. “Ouch.”
His eyes light up, watering. “That’s some strong stuff.”
I rise onto my toes to kiss him. The taste of whiskey on his tongue lights a
fire within me. “How about that dance?”
Ronan kisses me again, pushing me into the living room. Slowly, he strips
off my wet clothes. He drops them to the floor, his hands caressing my
breasts. He kisses his way down my neck, down my chest. I shiver when his
teeth graze my nipples.
My cheeks warming from the alcohol, I pull away, moving into the living
room where I find a vintage stereo. Turning it on, I awkwardly sway my
hips. The song is an old classic ballad from far before my time. “Dance
with me…”
Ronan’s muscles ripple as he takes up position in front of me, holding my
hips tight. My feet rise off the floor, as he suddenly carries me across the
room. I’m in his arms, dazzled by his movements. Feeling his muscles flex
with such control, I realize that I’m falling for him even harder now,
something beyond mere love. From day one I knew he was special, but now
I can see how much he cares, and how much he has sacrificed to keep me
safe.
I should have never left, and suddenly, the guilt is painful as I recall what I
did the other day. Discovering that machine—the sphere, that source of
energy—is another burden I don’t need.
So I try to forget about it, and focus on my man instead. My alpha. My
master.
As the song finishes, he brings me in closer to him, his fingers splayed
against my back. “Spending time with you reminds me of what life used to
be like. Special.”
I kiss his chest, breathing in the air around us. “Life is still special.”
We hold one another. For once, everything feels right, his body against
mine, our lips pressed together. I’m… whole.
Finally, I break the silence. “Earlier, you asked me why I ran away.”
He blinks once, then again. “I remember.”
“I was scared to stay,” I tell him. “Terrified, actually.”
He leans his forehead against mine, kissing away the fear. “Are you still
scared of me?”
I breathe slowly. “I was never scared of you. I was scared of losing
someone important.”
He brushes a strand of hair from my eyes. “Your dad?”
I look down and laugh bitterly. “I lost my dad a long time ago. I was scared
of losing myself. But I’ve never felt this way before. When I’m with you, I
feel… complete.”
He glances down. “I had wondered if you were trying to leave me forever.”
I take his chin. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone worry about me.”
His eyes start to glow, and he kisses me. “Our hearts are beating in unison.
Do you feel it?”
I spread my hand upon his chest, confirming the truth of his words. “I do.”
“Then we must be doing something right.”
I close my eyes and press my cheek into the crook of his shoulder, and he
gives me a kiss.
Outside the window, a sliver of light forms in the sky. It’s a shooting star.
“Make a wish, omega.”
I stare at the burning tail in the sky, and breathe in.
I wish for a new life together.
He kisses me one last time, and it feels like our first. This is a new
beginning, and whatever comes our way will be a challenge. But I’m up for
it.
I’m up for anything.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 10

R onan

There is nothing better than seeing your purpose in the world come into
clear focus. As Naomi returns with me through the caves, I feel honored I
found mine.
Her hips sway gently, from side to side, an invitation to spank her silly.
Normally, I would never pass up the opportunity. But thinking about the
night we just had together makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. It is
what humans call ‘love.’
Despite the danger we could’ve faced, we spent the night in the settlements.
Naomi showed me what it means to be free. But I can’t count on my
brothers to understand.
When we return, I notice that all the furnaces have been powered off, and I
see that the metal ore we’ve been storing has been turned into ammunition.
In front of the stacks of bullets, my brothers tinker with a bomb-like device.
I flick the light switch, but the generator doesn’t seem to be working either.
They’re obviously planning a big trip.
Greyson waves a battery. “We had to use the last of the power.”
I hold my breath. “What are you two planning behind my back?”
Targon loads a semi-automatic plasma rifle with grim satisfaction. “The two
lovebirds have arrived. How long has it been, Greyson?”
Greyson checks a nonexistent watch. “Let’s see. They spent five hours and
fifty-three minutes inside the settlements.”
“Six whole hours,” Targon says.
Naomi bites her lip and ducks behind me.
Targon turns angrily. “I see you’ve given the omega free rein to do
whatever she pleases.”
Naomi steps forward, sliding between us before I can push Targon away.
“My name is Naomi, not the omega. Whatever I can or can’t do is decided
by my master. All I ask from you is that you respect the sanctity of our
bond.”
She’s adapting. I’m so proud of her.
Targon frowns. “Right. The sanctity.”
Scowling, Greyson packs the rest of the ore into the bag. “It’s no use
arguing with her. Our situation has not changed. The Reapers are on the
prowl. We aren’t safe here.”
Thinking about the Reapers causes my nerves to twist until they feel like
they might snap. “We don’t live here out of choice. We live here because we
have a duty as Guardians,” I say.
“Not anymore,” Greyson says. “Our role as Guardians is over.”
I feel Naomi’s eyes on me. The truth is I don’t want to stay down here
forever either. I just don’t see another way.
“I am the leader of this pack,” I growl.
Greyson stands, facing me. His voice vibrating with anger. “I’m not
sticking around to see another group of alphas go to waste.”
Targon looks fed up with my leadership. “Enough of this idiocy. If they
want to stay and die, let them.”
Greyson glares, nodding furiously. “After what you’ve put us through the
last few days, you owe us.”
It hurts to see them so let down. And when I feel Naomi’s hands grip my
forearm, my responsibilities as an alpha begin to sink in.
“Ronan, we have a child coming. We have to leave,” she says.
I bite down, hating what I’m hearing. “Where will we go?”
She swallows, hesitating to respond. “We’ll find a safe land. Somewhere far
from this war.”
As the words sink in, I realize the decision has already been made without
me. I’m supposed to be the alpha of the group, but the truth is I’ve lost
control of the others. These days, all I can think about is Naomi.
Naomi traces her fingers up my biceps. “Last night, when I saw that
shooting star, I made a wish to start a new life. We can only do that if we
start together. All of us. From here on out, we back each other up.”
“Listen to your mate,” Targon says.
My brothers look to me, waiting for me to make my decision. Outside these
walls, one bullet could put me down. We need a real plan.
“I assume you have a set destination?” I ask.
Excited to show me their ideas, Greyson runs to the kitchen table and grabs
a map. “We found a trader camp. It’s not far, about twenty mile-markers
from here.”
This already sounds like a bad idea. “An alpha compound? Not sure that’s
the best idea.”
Targon passes through the room to grab some more metal. “Do you really
think we’re dumb enough to lead you into a tribal compound?”
“Not sure what to believe, brother. You two share a lot of wild ideas.” I
check out the map as Greyson looks over my shoulder. He marked it with a
few noteworthy landmarks.
“There is a small city near Drakonbørn Mountain by the name of Lorskar,”
Greyson says.
I swallow, my heart heavy. Drakonbørn rests on the southern edge of the
Badlands. It’s one of the most dangerous areas on the planet. “The Reapers’
hideout is near that spot.”
Greyson continues with frantic eyes. “It’s the only way to the next
province.”
I look away, unsure if I’m more hurt or angry by this suggestion. “Ahrimon
will be waiting for us. I warn you not to go.”
My brother’s hand closes about my shoulder. “If we gain access to the
power grid, we can take the Reapers down.”
Targon taps my chest with a finger. “We could save the planet.”
“Think of your baby,” Greyson says.
Naomi nestles against me, and I’m once again reassured of our future
together. My heart swells, but only for a moment. A dark, hollow glare
forms in her eyes. Her chest flashes with a bright light.
“Naomi,” I shout, weakly looking around the room for help.
The light swells, causing her to double over with heavy spasms. Panic
welling up within me, I watch Naomi struggle, holding her tight in my
arms. I thought I’d cured her, but Ahrimon’s poison is slowly damaging her
heart. As strong as I am, I am completely powerless to help her here.
Hurt and exhausted, Naomi slowly opens her eyes.
“You’re safe,” I whisper.
She breathes, tears drawing down her cheeks. She’s not safe until Ahrimon
is dead.
Greyson exhales and points to the map. “There are people here that may be
able to help her.”
Naomi tilts her head up, tears running down her face. “You think someone
can help me get rid of this thing?”
Greyson nods. “There is a well-known healer in the camp. She can take a
look at your chest.”
Naomi blinks. “She can cure me?”
“I don’t know.” Greyson ignores me, helping Naomi to her feet. “But it’s
the best shot we have.”
Naomi wipes her cheeks clean and gives a soft smile. “Why are you two
being nice to me now?”
Greyson inhales. “You’re my brother’s mate. A grudge can’t last forever.
We just ask that you listen.”
Naomi nods. “Ronan, I think we should do it.”
The thought of leaving makes my stomach churn. “What if this blows up in
our face?”
Targon chuckles. “Have a little faith. I won’t let you or your precious
commodity get killed.”
It’s nice that he’s confident, but he’s not the one who has to worry about
keeping a pregnant omega alive. The longer we run, the more danger we
might face. The Reapers will do whatever it takes to track us down. At the
very least, I want one more day with my little one.
All loaded up, Targon tosses me a rifle. “Well, what do you say? Are you
coming?”
Naomi’s eyes are so sweet, and though she’s obviously hurt, she’s trying to
hide it. She’s still so soft, so precious. I want to wrap myself around her, to
mount and rut out any troubling thoughts, but I can’t keep us here any
longer. It’s time to leave.
“Fine. We’ll go,” I say.
“We’ll find a new home,” Naomi assures me.
Wherever that new home is, it better be far. Once the Reapers find Aeon,
the portal will open. Ahrimon will destroy the world we once had—along
with our bond.
Greyson bows his head, laughing with ecstatic relief. “There you go. This
will be great.”
Targon pats my shoulder. “We’re a family.”
I grab Targon by the back of the neck, bringing our foreheads together.
“Family.” Sometimes I forget why we’re here. “We’ll leave right after
sundown.”
“We’ll be ready,” Targon mutters.
Scooping Naomi in my arms, I carry her to my bedchambers. I hold her
close to me, breathing in her scent, drowning in her essence like it’s the first
day with her all over again. Spooning her gently, I go over every possible
scenario in my mind.
There’s so much at stake. My omega. Our child. Our home.
“Thank you for protecting me,” she says, voice tender and loving.
I trail my hands over her abdomen, holding her hips. “I’ll never let anything
happen to you or our baby.”
She presses her ass against my cock. “You’re my protector.”
I kiss her neck. “I need you, tiny one.”
She turns around, facing me. Her eyes are angelic, sparkling in the
darkness. “You have me.”
I gaze at her belly, touching her there gently. “It’s a miracle I found you.
You are going to be such a good mother.”
“Do you think?”
I slide her onto my lap, spreading her thighs around my waist. “It is what
you were born to do.”
Naomi’s body is hot with arousal, and I can’t hold back from her any
longer. I kiss her lips, and I taste her. She’s sweetness upon my tongue. And
then I sink into her. Over and over again.
I love her. That’s all there is to it.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 11

N aomi

Flinging my hair back, I let out a sultry growl and stake myself on his thick
cock. Pleasure surges through my clit, a building sensation that has my
thighs and ass quivering with desire.
Ronan flips me onto my knees and caresses my hips, fingers teasing down
my spine. I’m in a trance. Knowing how hard the journey is about to get,
we’ve been tearing at each other for hours. There’s no slowing us down.
We slowly ascend from carnal frenzy to a fierce submissive mating as he
wraps my body into his and takes me. One of his hands moves under my
hip, resting against my belly while his other hand cups my breast. His lips
circle my neck, sucking hard. I’m kissing his arm, moaning his name as I
buck against him.
“You are my everything, Ronan.”
He kisses my shoulder, breathing hard. “My little one…”
I feel all his might drive into me, opening me and filling me to the brim.
This primal act has captured my soul, and I give in as he empties himself
into me.
A tightness forms in my core, but this time, his knot does not startle me. My
lips quiver around his thick shaft, dripping with slick and seed. He presses
in deeper, his cock massaging over my g-spot. His knot is just enough
friction to force an orgasm.
An electrified pulse flows from my pussy, causing torturous waves of
pleasure. My knees buckle, but he does not stop fucking me. His thrusts are
harder, and he holds himself deep before growling with great intensity.
“I will never leave your side,” he tells me. And I believe it.
A heavy thud against our door shakes me out of my haze. “Go away,” I yell.
“Hey, lovebirds. It’s time to go,” Targon shouts.
I slow my hips, panting like a wet dog in heat. “Shit.” I clench my eyes. “I
guess we should listen to them.”
Ronan leans over me, catching his breath through a disgruntled mouth.
Looks like evening came faster than we expected. That’s what happens
when you go all night.
Sweat drips down Ronan’s forehead. “Give us a minute, brothers. My
omega needs to freshen up.”
“We gotta leave now,” Targon says. “No more waiting.”
I ease off of Ronan’s muscular body and throw on my clothes. “I’m fine.
I’m used to playing dirty.”
It takes me a few seconds to catch my breath. Ronan grabs a loincloth and
ties it around his waist. There’s a pronounced bulge in the center,
complemented by the rock-hard expanse of delicious muscles directly
above.
“You look hot,” I say.
He grins, kissing my lips. “As soon as we get to the city, I’m taking you
from behind,” he says, drawing closer. “Filling you with hot seed.”
I lean into him, overcome by a sudden rush of emotions. My pussy quivers.
“Mm…”
With a muffled thump, the impatient Targon kicks the door open. Carrying
two rifles, he looks like he could destroy an entire army. “Ready?”
Ronan lets go of me to catch one of the guns Targon tosses to him. “Ready
when you are.”
“You don’t sound like it,” Targon says.
Greyson moves around Targon, holding a large bag. “I brought some
components to make some boom.”
“Boom?” I ask.
“Bombs,” Ronan says, narrowing his eyes. “Think we’ll need that?”
“No idea, but I’m coming prepared.” Then Greyson puts on a small golden
necklace with a pendant in the shape of the Alpha-Omega. It looks like a
tribal talisman. “Brought a good luck charm, too.”
Ronan grins. “I lost mine escaping the jungle. Keep it safe.”
“Will do, brother.”
“Can I have… my own weapon?” I ask. “It doesn’t have to be big…”
Targon chuckles. “Why don’t you use your nails?”
Ronan steps between us. “Targon, lay off.” And then, facing me, he sighs.
Targon takes a step back. “There are only three guns.”
“You didn’t think to make a fourth?” I ask.
Ronan swings his rifle off his shoulder. “Here, take mine. I’m better with
my hands.”
I push the door open. “It’s fine. They’re right,” I say, rejecting the offer. “I
have something more powerful than a gun.”
“What is that?” Targon asks.
I march forward, swinging through the exit. “The ability to get over
myself.”
We leave the caves, ascending over the high dunes of the outer Badlands.
The sky above glows with a pink moon, its gentle light reflecting on the
hard stone of the mountain. Storm clouds sprinkle us with a warm drizzle
now and then. Compared to the usual brutal heat of the daytime desert, the
precipitation is a welcomed reprieve. I tip my head back to let a few drops
catch on my tongue, the taste of the rain refreshing.
Targon waves for us to follow his lead. The glassy-eyed scout looks up at
the sky, eagerly counting the stars. He’s not using a compass, nor is he
following the map. The twinkling lights above are his roadmap.
When he spies a tall tree in the distance, he runs to a giant rock hugging its
base. Footprints surround it. “Hold up.”
“What is it?” I ask.
He turns, sniffing the air. “Somebody’s been here recently.”
The alphas spend a few moments investigating the prints before continuing
forward. The Badlands are quiet tonight. Too quiet.
Staring at the desert floor, Ronan frowns. He comes across an old campfire,
long burnt out, as well as more tracks. “Reapers.”
Underneath my robes, my chest burns again. Covering the mark with my
palm, I crouch down low against the ground. Thankfully no one takes
notice, but the pain starts to increase.
Targon drops to a knee, sniffing the air. There’s another, wider set of prints,
many of them splitting apart, as if they decided to go in opposite directions.
The tracks are distinct, cutting straight across the landscape.
After some time, he finds a thin dagger with an all-too-familiar insignia in
the center. The Reapers’ mark. Targon’s gaze shifts to me. “They’re looking
for you, Naomi.”
I walk toward the dagger, more nervous than I’m letting on. “Give it to me.”
“No one should touch it,” he says. “It could be cursed.”
I laugh. “Cursed?”
None of the alphas laugh with me though. “The Hunters are looking for you
too,” Targon reminds me.
Ronan steps through the darkness. Foreboding hangs heavy on the air. “Stay
put.”
My heartbeat is like a jackhammer. “I’m coming with you.”
“Stay put,” he says, his voice a deep rumble.
I won’t let them leave without me. Despite knowing the possible danger, I
reach for the blade, only to have the metal sear my palms. Something
happens inside me, a mixture of fear and confusion that makes my throat
tighten. My knees give way then, and I hit the ground with a loud thump.
The moon is covered by thick clouds. The world goes black. Suddenly, a
strong gust of wind blows sand in our faces, kicking up a dust cloud that
rises and swirls around us.
Sensing someone running toward me, I turn for Ronan, but he’s completely
obscured by the dust. I’m alone here, and in my rising panic I contemplate
just giving up. The thought of our baby keeps me going though. I didn’t
leave our home to forfeit everything we’ve made together.
Chest pounding, I break into a sprint, leaving the alphas behind. I race into
the night, dashing through the dirt and the madness. The air turns
suffocating, dark and heavy. I can’t breathe, and it’s only the sound of
someone’s heavy footsteps in pursuit that keeps me from collapsing.
Strong hands curl around my shoulders, and I’m taken down to the ground,
rolling head over heels.
As soon as I hit the mud, I hear his voice hiss and slither in my ears. “My
omega. The door is almost open. Together we will harness the power of
Aeon. Join me.”
Ahrimon.
He’s found me.
“No!” I snarl. “It can’t be you!”
He grabs my jaw, clutching me with the palm of his hand. “You can’t
escape me. You bear my mark. Wherever you go, I will find you.”
I grab my chest, unable to stop the pain from spreading throughout my
body. “Please… let me go.”
The hooded figure rises to his full height, standing above me. He strokes
my hair like I’m his pet dog. “Why do you reject your master?”
I spit on the mud below, exhausted but not broken. “You are not my
master.”
Each word is a struggle though.
The Reaper’s mark burns bright from my chest, illuminating the entire
desert plain. The light pours out of me like blood, and seeps into the cracks
and crevices of this dark world. His fingers tighten through my strands of
hair, and he pulls back. I gasp, locked in his control.
“I’ve found where the portal rests,” he says. “Deep within the jungle.
Underneath the soil.”
Tears form in my eyes. “No…”
He nods. “I have you to thank for that. You led me right to its location.”
Terrified, I manage to take a breath and find some confidence. “It’s broken.
You’ll never get it working.”
His cackle takes me aback. “On the contrary, you have helped me finish my
own design.”
I lower my head. “Just let me go.”
He strides forward, grinning like a fool. “Let you go?”
“Please.”
Laughter bubbles out of his scarred throat. “I came back for you, Naomi.”
My body turns rigid as fear squeezes my heart. “Do not speak my name!” I
shout.
“You show such strength,” he says. “You have changed.”
Realizing I’m still holding the dagger, I take a deep breath. “I am strong.” I
lunge forward, but he catches my wrist.
“Easy, omega.”
His fingers tighten, until the pain forces me to scream and drop the blade.
My cries echo, body shuddering, while the shock of his touch coils around
my nerves. The only thing keeping me going is the subtle echo of Ronan.
Our bond. I can feel it enveloping me, protecting me. I hold onto hope as
Ahrimon plucks the dagger up, pointing it at me.
Entranced by his rage, he pins me against the ground. “True love requires
more. A sacrifice.”
“No,” I pant.
“Come back to me.”
“Never!”
Using his body to push his weight against me, he prepares to plunge the
dagger into my heart. “I have waited so long for this moment. It is time to
complete our bond…”
No!
The blade edges into my flesh, and for a moment, all my pain disappears.
All I see is the cold, red glow of his eyes as the sharp blade sinks a fraction
of an inch deeper, and I feel an absence in my heart.
Ahrimon doesn’t love me. He’s squeezing my heart dry. I’m willing to bet
he hates everyone in his wicked clan, too.
The pain takes over again. Quickly, it lays me out, searing through my body
and soul. My body is frozen with it, and I’ve lost the ability to speak.
Ahrimon’s hand rises to my throat, holding me fast as the blade cuts deep
into my heart.
Finally, I exhale, forcing out the words. “You shouldn’t… have come back
for me.”
His eyes flash with lightning. “Why is that?”
“He took me before you could.”
Blinking, he edges off. “What?”
“You aren’t my mate. Ronan is. He is my destiny. I will always be his tiny
omega.”
I blink. White light fills my vision, and my heart quickens. This isn’t how
I’m supposed to go. The end of my life is flashing right before my very
eyes, but there is so much more to my story. I can’t allow him to kill me.
The light grows more powerful. A figure stands in the center of it, an
omnipotent masculine aura. And then I see who it belongs to.
My hero. My protector. My master.
“Ronan!” I cry out.” Help!”
Ahrimon, seemingly terrified, flees into the desert as fast as his feet can
carry him. Lightning cracks overhead—and he’s gone.
Rolling over on my side, panting against the muddy soil, I know the truth.
Ronan is my one and only. My master, forever. No one else has a chance in
hell.
The dust settles. The clouds clear, and suddenly, as if no time has passed,
daylight shines above me. What I just experienced was another vision, one
only meant for me. I look down at my chest, and the faint amber glow starts
to dim until it is no more.
They are standing above me, sharing the same look of concern…

After facing Ahrimon in my vision, I feel exhausted. In front of us lies a

large power dome that encapsulates a trading town. A red neon sign on the
base reads Lorskar. A sparking power grid rests behind it.
Ronan sits next to me with his arms crossed. He looks at the entrance to the
place with a leery eye as people enter into the trader town. The dome itself
is geodesic, held together with white and tan panels that have been worn
from years of decay. Generators line the base, softly humming.
The alphas are not in good spirits. It’s the total opposite. They’re still angry
at me. Better yet, they look at me as if I’m a stranger.
Ronan clears his throat. “What happened back there?”
Knowing better than to blab about what I saw, I stare at the dagger in
Ronan’s hand, shivering as I remember Ahrimon’s cold, malevolent touch.
“It was the blade. It caused me to black out.”
Ronan checks my eyes. “You were convulsing.”
Greyson spits on the ground. “You were out for hours.”
Targon sighs. “All night.”
Ronan’s shoulders rise. “You screamed for help.”
Confused, I blink and collect my thoughts. “I didn’t realize I’d wake up to
an interrogation.”
Ronan’s eyes dilate, his voice strained, tense. “I carried you for miles. I
thought you might die back there. Does that mean anything to you?”
I look away, trying not to shed any tears. Under Ahrimon’s hand, I was so
weak. I thought I was strong, but he overpowered me so quickly. “I just…
passed out. I don’t remember what happened.”
Targon’s eyes narrow. “I’m not sure we can trust this omega…”
I reach for the blade, but Ronan pulls it away. “Not until you tell me the
truth,” he says.
Shame burns my cheeks. Instead of arguing with the alpha I love, I direct
their attention to the entrance, just underneath a large, cracked dome. A
construction crane on one side props up a piece of the foundation. A few
panels crash to the ground, flinging up dust. Workers scatter from the debris
as onlookers point and gawk at the scene.
“This is where we’ll find the healer?” I ask.
Greyson stares at a map to the side. “You betcha.”
“This place looks radioactive.”
Greyson digs into his bag, until he pulls out what looks to be some kind of
meter. “The radiation is worse outside of the dome. We’ll be safe once we
get inside.”
The desert surrounding the dome is empty. I don’t see anything alive, not a
plant or insect in sight. “Great.”
Targon marches past me, sliding two iodine pills into my hand. “Take these.
You should be fine.”
The threat of radiation is one thing, but there are military units surrounding
the perimeter of the dome. As we get nearer, I observe their rifles, pistols,
and plasma grenades. I eye their armor, their helmets, and the dead look in
their eyes terrifies me. They’re not searching anyone entering, but they’re
trained to kill. And judging by my past experiences with them, they’re
looking for me.
Ronan tightens his hand around mine. The two alphas march ahead of us.
“Hold on. Let those two test the waters first.”
A dizzying sense of anxiety rolls through me. “Okay.”
I watch the two alphas enter the dome without any problem, but I’m an
omega. It might not be so easy. The sight of bullet holes riddling the
concrete of the outer structure isn’t inspiring any happy thoughts.
Following the others, I head toward the entrance. It’s a large, rounded
opening that serves as the mouth of the dome. A staircase leads into the
heart of Lorskar, and I can just make out the crowd of people below. Before
we get there, a guard walks in front of us, forcing me to stop. He’s an alpha,
but he’s sporting Earth’s military gear. I scan his tattoos for anything
vaguely resembling the Reaper insignia, but don’t see anything immediately
recognizable.
Drawing his automatic rifle, he sucks in a breath, shoulders bowing as he
takes aim. “Omega, where are you headed?”
Desperate to say the right thing, I open my mouth but I’m at a sudden and
complete loss for words. My nerves threaten to undo us all. The impulse to
run is strong, but Ronan takes my neck and pulls me against him. “This
fertile little asset is with me. Let us through.”
Playing the part, I kneel upon the floor, bowing my head like an obedient
omega prisoner.
The guard sniffs derisively. “Quite the performance. Where’s her
documentation?”
Ronan inclines his head, sighing wearily. “You guys bust my balls every
time I come down here. I thought this was supposed to be an autonomous
supply zone. Let us through.”
The guard cracks his neck, tightening his grip on his gun. “Documentation,
or you can’t go inside.”
Ronan looks at me, as if contemplating his next moves. “What would it take
for you to look the other way?”
The alpha doesn’t budge though. “Documentation.”
“I don’t have any documentation.” Without warning, Ronan pulls me onto
my feet. Baring my chest, he shows the guard my glowing mark. “All I
have is this.”
The guard’s eyes grow wide, and his jaw opens as he stares at my glowing
chest. “Reapers…”
I take a step back, pulse quickening. “I’m pregnant.”
The guard’s eyes fall to my belly. There’s only a slight bump, barely
noticeable. The alpha circles me. For long moments, he looks me over, as if
he’s unsure what to say. The guard finally lowers his gun. “You’re traveling
with Ahrimon’s caravan. Correct? I heard they might be coming through
this afternoon.”
Ronan and I exchange quick glances. “Correct,” Ronan says.
I can’t seem to get my heartbeat to settle as the guard pulls me to my feet.
He steps aside, tipping his head. “Entrance is this way.”
I step through the door in front of us, nervously clutching the metal railing
for balance. I head down the stairs until I reach the floor where colorful
lights illuminate merchant tents. Glancing up at the domed ceiling, my heart
pounds. I’ve made it this far. I can make it another day.
I bump into the back of an alpha who eyes me first with disdain, then with
curiosity. Ronan pulls me back, shuffling me away. “Stay near,” he tells me.
But my eyes wander as we walk through the domed town. There are so
many different kinds of aliens here, some blue, others metallic looking, and
it all takes me by surprise.
Inside the dome, a whole world opens up to me with wild children playing,
families shopping and eating food, and merchants shouting prices at an
unreasonable rate. Scents of spices and meat fill my nose, and my mouth
waters. I feel out of place, but no one seems to take notice of me. Here,
humans and aliens walk side by side. This is no-man’s land, a peaceful
interstice where tensions can be relieved.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a man in the distance. He reminds me of
my father. A cold sinking feeling grips me. Is he even still alive?
Sensing my discomfort, Ronan joins my side, massaging my shoulders as I
walk. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. Just thought I saw someone I knew.”
Bright red lights shine across our faces as we round the street corner.
“When do we talk about what happened on the way here?” he asks.
I clutch his hand. “After we find the healer. I promise.”
“It was Ahrimon, wasn’t it?”
“Not here,” I say.
“Fine. Tonight. But I want more than a conversation.”
I feel his hand glide underneath my robes, petting between my legs. He
slides his fingers against my pussy lips, the tension between us exploding
into a fiery lust. I gulp as he starts to rub my clit. “What more could you
want?” I ask.
He tilts his head, dipping his tongue against mine. Tasting my lips and
smiling to himself, he murmurs, “More than what I’ve taken.”
“Fuck…”
I relax as he brings his thumb to my mouth, then kisses me one more time.
“There are no secrets between us.”
I can tell he’s jealous, but that’s okay. I can deal with a little jealousy. Once
he knows all the facts, he’ll loosen up around me again. We’ll take down
Ahrimon and his wretched army, and we’ll make a home far away from the
Badlands. Our past will stay in the past.
Running through the brightly lit neon streets, I catch up with Greyson and
Targon. They’re standing near a bar, eyes locked on a group of omegas
waving them inside like sirens. I watch the alphas gawk, wishing I didn’t
have to put up with the crap from the two brothers any longer. The omegas
are just another distraction for them, but if they want to stay behind to get a
shot at love, I’ll just leave.
I move in front of them, blocking their view. “Where is the healer?”
Targon shoves his shoulder into my clavicle. “Find her yourself.”
“Ouch,” I groan, rubbing the tender spot on my chest.
Ronan steps in, grabbing Targon by his armored breastplate. Lifting him
high into the air, he tenses his jaw. “Where is the healer?”
He chokes. “Keep walking. You’ll see a neon green cross. You can’t miss
it.”
Nodding along and dropping the man back to his feet, Ronan angrily steals
the map from Greyson. “I take it you two are staying out tonight?”
Targon takes a step toward the alien women, cocking his head to the side to
get one last word in. “You got your omega. It’s time we get a little
something for ourselves.”
Ronan stares, slowly shaking his head. There’s a somberness to his gaze,
and I can tell he feels a level of betrayal by his brothers. “They aren’t
mates. You can’t take them home.”
“We’ll see about that,” Greyson says.
As they disappear into a bar, Ronan takes my hand. He leads me away from
his brothers. Now that they’re gone, I can’t stop thinking about what I saw.
Fear grips my heart. It won’t let go. “Ronan. I’m scared about what might
happen to us here…”
He brings me in close, and with his soothing voice, he comforts me. “You
don’t have to worry, tiny one. I’m with you every step of the way.”
I squeeze my arms around him, drifting into the bliss of love. “I love you,
Ronan.”
He melts away my fears. “Let’s find this healer and get you patched up.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 12

R onan

It’s been years since I’ve seen the outside world in all its glory. I’ve been
alone for so long, denied the soothing touch or pleasurable distraction of an
omega’s bare bottom. I longed for real and lasting companionship, and now
that I have it, my thoughts drift toward the inevitable baggage that follows
any new relationship.
As we walk through the rows of red merchant booths, I hold her tiny body
against my chest. Every step forward is a new opportunity for someone to
hurt her. A busy marketplace is no place for a small human omega.
We zigzag through a few robed omegas. Giggling, they lock gazes with
Naomi who smiles back. A bad feeling sinks deep in my stomach.
In front of us, a group of alphas speak loudly about the war. I can’t be
certain they’re with the Reapers, but they fit the part. Taking Naomi’s waist,
I steer her toward another row of merchant tents.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“Taking a slight detour.”
Rounding a corner, we come to a small tent. A neon sign, green, glows
above it. My heart starts to pound. “This must be it.”
Naomi takes a deep breath before stepping inside. Slowly, I follow her,
taking a mental snapshot of the loiterers near the entrance. One man stands
in the shadows, and despite focusing my eyes, I can’t make out much more
than that against the neon glare of countless signs. Nevertheless, he turns
and disappears toward the bars.
I follow Naomi inside. A solitary woman sits down at a table inside,
unfazed by the ringing chimes above the entrance. Two chairs rest in front,
empty. I almost don’t recognize the healer, but Naomi has a good memory.
“It’s the elderly woman from the desert who carried us past the checkpoint.”
“The woman with the animals? She’s still alive?”
Her eyes narrow. “We need to talk to her.”
The woman lifts her head. “You made it.” Her voice is dry and croaky, as if
it was shaped by years of breathing in toxic fumes. She looks so weak she
could blow away with the desert wind.
Naomi sits down, leaning against the table. A candle separates them. “You
were waiting for us this entire time?”
The woman’s eyes, now more easily seen by the candle’s flame, are cloudy
and full of stardust. She must be blind. “You are the omega Ahrimon is
looking for.”
Naomi looks at me before answering. “Yes. He has some kind of… control
over me.”
“You came to stop him.”
“Yes,” Naomi says. “Can you help us?”
I lean forward, shaken by the woman’s fragile but wise demeanor. “How
can you see her mark? You have no sight.”
Naomi scowls. “Forgive him. We’ve been through quite a journey to get
here.”
The woman stares right through me. “I see to the other realms. Beyond
alpha. Beyond omega. A burning flame spinning throughout eternity.”
That burning flame went out with the souls of our elders. It has been
replaced by the dark mark of the Reapers.
I grow impatient. “We should leave. This woman can’t help us.”
Before I stand, Naomi grabs my hand. Her eyes, patient and understanding,
bid me to pause. “You showed me there was something more to this world.
You called it fate, remember?”
I look away, concerned. “It was fate that got my people killed.”
She squeezes my hand, and I crouch close, listening to her words. “Some
myths are real.”
My nerves tighten and muscles flex, the desire to tear an alpha, any alpha,
into pieces almost overwhelming me. “Naomi…”
She stands. “What happens when Ahrimon opens the portal?”
My pulse races with adrenaline. “He won’t.”
The mystic interrupts. “Please, sit down. Stay. I can help you break the
connection.”
Naomi spins. Slowly, she pulls her robes apart. “You can cure me?”
While the mystic calmly inspects my mate’s tits with her long, skeletal
fingers, I stand with my cock knocking against my armor. “Reaper poison
flows through your veins. A typical method for control. Very effective.
Present the dagger.”
Naomi lays the blade flat on the table, the mystic patiently inspecting the
weapon. After a long while of studying the silver edge, she places the
dagger back into Naomi’s hands. “He has a hold on you,” she murmurs.
“Have you been seeing visions?”
Naomi tightens her jaw. “I’m still my own person, if that’s what you’re
asking.”
Eyeing her, the mystic grins. Her teeth are sharp and yellow. “We are all
individuals pushed by the hand of fate.”
Naomi frowns. “Look, can you fix me or not?”
The healer turns in her chair, gathering instruments from a shelf behind her.
“Allow me to prepare a healing paste.”
After spending some time mixing the sticky substance in a clay bowl, she
lathers it upon the sharp edge of the blade.
Naomi’s body tenses. “Will this hurt?”
The healer doesn’t respond. Instead, she makes a quick incision underneath
the mark I gave her. Naomi lets out a high-pitched squeal as the healer
spreads the paste around the wound, quickly applying a bandage to hold it
inside.
Naomi gasps, eyes growing wide with concern. “Ow…”
I barely restrain myself from lunging across the table at the strange woman,
the mystic clapping her hands together. “It is done.”
Naomi collapses back against my chest, softly moaning. Sure enough, the
glow diminishes until it’s gone altogether. Her pain has vanished as well.
“It’s… gone,” she says.
I check underneath the bandage. Other than a slight pink scar near the mark
I gave her, no trace remains. It’s a miracle. “Hm. Looks like you weren’t
lying.”
“You are free,” the healer says, placing her hand on the table for a reward.
I fish out some coins from my pack and place them on the table, lost relics
from another life. Satisfied, the healer pockets them.
Naomi stands, more excited than ever. “Thank you,” she says to the mystic.
“I won’t forget your charity.”
The woman bows.
This won’t be enough to stop Ahrimon. We need to find Aeon before he can
use it against everyone on this planet.
I pause before I leave the tent. “One more thing,” I say. “Aeon. You know
where it is?”
The woman calmly stares at the table. “Keep searching.”
My resolve toughens. “A direction would be nice…”
“You are close.”
“Some help you are.” I turn and walk outside. When I catch up to Naomi,
she’s bent over, securing the dagger in a cloth tied around her ankle. She
catches me staring at her ass. “Get a good enough look?”
I start to smile, but then I remember what that dagger did to her in the
desert. She saw something, and I need to know what. “Naomi, we need to
talk.”
Her smile drifts. “It’s not safe here.”
There’s a refugee hostel next door that looks adequate. “We’ll get a room
nearby.”
We head inside the ruined building, eyeing a set of neon vending machines
with keys hanging in their respective cubbies. The lobby is packed with
shouting aliens of all kinds, so it’s difficult to maneuver through the bodies.
All of them have weapons, but none look to be as sophisticated as the
Reapers. I grab Naomi’s hand and keep her near me, shielding her face to
avoid any detection, but I think we’re safe for now.
Using the last of my savings, I scroll to the most expensive room, a love
suite. The image of a five-star shithole comes on the screen. It’s no bigger
than a closet, the bathroom looks like a dump, and a single bed in the shape
of a heart lowers from the wall. It’s better than sleeping on the streets, so I
select it. A key falls into the box below.
After cutting through the lobby, I wade through the scum. I keep my head
down and hold Naomi close as alien bounty hunters meander near the
elevators. The bell sounds, and luckily, we enter a lone elevator that brings
us to our floor. Once in the hall, I find our room, and jam the key in the lock
with haste.
Once in the suite, I can breathe, but I’m not relaxed. The loud chatter from
below is blocked out by a thick stone wall. As I close and lock the door,
Naomi bites her lower lip and sits down on the heart-shaped mattress.
An argument is definitely coming, but that doesn’t keep me from staring at
her body. Her belly is already starting to visibly swell, and her skin seems
to shine. She looks so fucking beautiful, like an angel.
“You wanted to talk,” she says.
I sit next to her. “Tell me everything you saw in your vision. What does
Ahrimon know?”
She looks down. “He found the gateway.”
My stomach sinks, but I knew this would happen. “What else?”
She swallows. “I told him I was pregnant.”
My heart swells with both fear and joy, and I look at her. Surprising myself,
I chuckle. “How did he react?”
She runs her fingers across her abdomen. “He was angry.”
“Our bond is strong. He cannot break it.”
She looks away. “He wants to open the portal. I think he knows how to do it
too.”
“Any day now.”
She taps her fist against her lips, thinking. “What do we do?”
“We find Aeon before he does,” I say.
She looks up at me with concern. “Aeon,” she whispers. “What is it?”
I pause, considering how much to disclose to her. “A time algorithm.”
“A what?”
“It is an ancient device made by our ancestors that powers the gateway into
another dimension.”
Her breath quickens. “What if he already found it?”
Knowing I don’t have an answer that will satisfy her, my mind races to
make something up to ease her fears. The only thing that comes out is
weak. “We have to hope he hasn’t.”
She bends her neck, tears forming in her eyes. “Days ago, I placed my hand
inside that machine. I saw something. I think it was a glimpse into the
future…”
I try to calm her by nestling her deeper into my chest and rubbing her back.
“Naomi, it’s okay. Just breathe.”
“I saw you,” she says.
I manage to smile, despite the tension in the room. “I guess we’re sharing a
lot tonight.”
“You’re worried,” she says. “I can see it.”
“Whatever you saw back there, keep it to yourself,” I warn. Fate is a
peculiar thing. Even if it’s set in stone, I need to believe something good is
waiting for us around the corner.
Her gaze softens, eyes welling. “You said you wanted to know everything,”
she says, wiping away glistening tears as they begin to roll down her
cheeks.
“Please,” I murmur.
Her eyes close. “What if he finds us?”
“Then he will die.” I brush her hair back from her forehead, and scoop her
higher into my lap. “Do not worry, little one. I will always protect you.”
She grabs my hand and brings it to her lips, kissing and rubbing my
knuckles with her fingertips.
I breathe in deep, holding her close. “I won’t let you down.”
“It’s both of us now,” she says. “From here on out.”
“Together.”
Her eyes center on the Reaper dagger fixed at her ankle. With a look of
confidence, she hands me the blade. “Take this. It’s safer in your hands than
mine. If Ahrimon shows his ugly face, stab him in the fucking throat.”
The dagger’s handle is cold, but its weight is perfectly balanced. My fingers
grip the hilt, and a new energy builds inside me.
“I’ll make sure he never hurts another omega again,” I mutter.
All this talk about portals and bonds has got me hot and bothered. Judging
by her hungry eyes, she senses it. “Hold me, Master.”
I slide her across the mattress, spooning her from behind. A warm energy
flows between us, from our interlocked hands down to my cock. She
reaches behind, rubbing me with the tips of her fingers.
“I love you.”
“And I love you, tiny one.”
I brush her wetness with my cock, slipping through her hot lips into her tiny
opening. She sucks in a breath, and I watch in satisfaction as her breasts
rise, belly shimmying. She’s a good girl who was dealt a rather shitty hand.
She deserves another gut-wrenching orgasm.
I sink inside her, our mouths connecting as I take her fully. My hands wrap
around her waist, curling around her hips to pull her in tight. My thoughts
are dark, conflicted, but she has not failed to keep me satisfied. So I give
her everything I’ve got. One last fuck before we get out of here.
Her breath hitches. “I’m so close!”
We’re almost there.
But then there’s a knock on our door.

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 CHAPTER 13

I ease off Ronan’s cock, my whole body shaking with frustrated need.
I knew the area could be dangerous, but I never thought I’d be
discovered while I was so very close to a mind-blowing orgasm. We both
get out of bed, eyeing the bottom of the door for signs of movement.
With my alpha’s hand glued to my backside, I run to the sound of knocks
against our door. My body tingles as I rest my head against the frame and
listen.
I hear someone’s breath at the other side of the door, heavy and raspy. Then
I see someone’s moving shadow underneath the frame. It looks like it
belongs to a human, but I can’t be sure until I see their face.
Ronan is on high alert, motioning for me to keep my voice down, but
something tells me I need to say something. “Who’s there?” I ask.
The person on the other side pauses. I can’t hear anything, so I angle my ear
closer to the frame.
Throwing his rifle over his shoulder, Ronan cocks the weapon and takes
aim. “The woman asked you a question.”
I take a deep breath and slowly swivel the doorknob, freeing Ronan’s field
of fire. But when I peek outside, the person is gone. The only thing that’s
left behind is a damp cigarette butt.
Ronan grabs his armor, suiting up.
“That’s weird,” I remark. “No one’s here.”
Closing the door, I drape my robes around my body. Without another word,
I prepare myself for another night of combat and unrest. I hold my dagger,
and I feel the weight of the world rest on my shoulders.
Enraged, Ronan takes my hand, pulling me into the hallway. We turn a
corner, and he stops suddenly. “Someone is following us. We need to find
Greyson and Targon and get the hell out of here.”
Instead of panicking like I usually do, I take a deep breath through my nose,
trying to calm my nerves. I trust him to get me out of this situation. “Okay.
Let’s go.”
Turning away from the stairwell, Ronan warns me to be cautious. “They
could be waiting for us at the bottom. We’ll find another exit.”
We come to a window that’s been opened for air, and I can’t help but notice
how high up we are now. The ceiling of the dome can almost be touched. I
shield my body from the wind as Ronan climbs on an outside ledge, pulling
me along with him. Although I’m terrified of heights, I can’t stop staring at
the scenery below. From up here, I can see everything. And this time, I can
see the full extent of the Reapers’ control.
They’re everywhere. They take control of the entrances and exits with ease.
A battle begins as soon as the first Reaper fires, killing an innocent
bystander.
Through a broken piece of the dome, prisoner transport helicopters lower
from the clouds. I hear more gunshots, followed by a low rumble. As
bullets pierce the outside of our building, I whip around to see more chaos.
Reapers swarm out from the structure’s skeleton below. While we watch in
silent horror, one alpha sets fire to the healer’s tent.
The unexpected battle rages on below us. The entrance to the dome looks
cratered. The skeletal remains of buildings crumble like sand. One of the
helicopters screeches, crashing from the sky. It smashes into the dome wall,
causing the ceiling to bend. Luckily, it doesn’t fall in on us.
“Look at them,” Ronan says. “They’re pure evil.”
I slide my hand over my belly, trying my damned hardest to stay positive.
“We’re trapped,” I cry.
They’re invading from all angles, but I spot a way out. An empty alley that
leads to a section of the city that seems relatively untouched. We could find
a building and hide out in there, but we’ll need to act fast. “Let’s head that
way,” I say.
Ronan finds a fire escape leading to the dark alleyway. I follow him, feet
hitting each rusted rung, until I finally slam against the pavement. On the
streets, people are in a panic. Blasts shake the buildings, and dust fills the
air. I feel the rubble land near my feet, but I can’t see a thing.
Ronan opens fire, and I stick by his side. Explosions flash and pop above us
like fireworks. Ronan grabs my waist, using his big body to protect mine. I
turn and see a wall of steel explode and collapse to the ground, smoking and
molten. We keep running.
Adding to my panic, the commanding presence of Earth’s privately owned
military police is on every street corner now. I can see soldiers speaking
with Reapers, ears attuned to their barking orders. “Find her!”
They’re searching for me, and they’re close. But I don’t give them a chance
to find me. I duck behind the ruins of a vehicle with Ronan, taking hold of
his chest. More prisoner transport copters scour the skies, searchlight beams
spinning like sabers. I’m so frightened, but I know I need to be strong, so I
carry myself with courage.
“I’ve never seen it this bad before,” Ronan says, checking his magazine for
ammo.
I force a smile. “I’m a hot commodity. Everyone wants a piece of my ass.”
Ronan doesn’t laugh at the joke, but we’re still alive. That counts for
something.
Two tanks block off the main street to the omega houses, so Ronan steers us
through another alleyway. He slows when he sees that it’s empty, taking a
breath. “They’ve got the exits blocked,” he mutters. “And I’m out of
ammo.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and breathe to steady my heart. “Then we need
to find a place to hide.”
Spinning, I spot a few smoldering, abandoned buildings in the distance, the
streets around them strewn with trash, and smashed, ruined machinery.
“There,” I say, pointing.
Ronan nods, but a group of hooded figures trudge around the street corner.
Luckily, they don’t seem to see us. He tucks me behind him protectively.
“Those are Hunters up ahead.”
As soon as we see them, my chest starts to glow again. The pain
reverberates through my heart, and that’s when I realize the healer’s efforts
have failed.
Their masks hide their strange, tortured faces, and the skin underneath
glows. They walk with the slowness of puppets. A shiver runs down my
spine.
One of the hooded figures pauses, sniffing the air. My heart rocks against
my sternum, so hard I think I might break. The Hunter turns, eyes locking
with mine. The horrific beta monster tilts his head back, jaws opening wide
as he lets out a bloodcurdling scream.
Before I can react, Ronan leaps forward, a blur of motion, knocking the
masked beta off his feet and into an abandoned merchant booth. I hesitate
for a moment, startled and scared, before rushing after Ronan, taking hold
of one of his arms.
“Let’s get out of here!” I yell.
The smell of burning rubber floods my senses as I hear more gunfire in the
distance. The drive to survive keeps us moving, and we run as fast as our
hearts allow, darting around the destroyed buildings and burning debris.
Away from the initial blasts, we slow down somewhat, though Ronan is still
cautious. He holds me tight against his chest, his heart beating like a
jackhammer against my spine. Despite the danger behind us, a strange
silence hangs in the air. For now, the chaos has subsided. Then Ronan spins
around, raising his weapon, at the sound of footsteps behind.
A figure walks out of the shadows. It’s the alpha from the entrance
checkpoint, and he doesn’t look too happy. A low growl emanates from his
throat. “You lied to me.”
I swallow, throat tight as Ronan steps between me and the hostile guard.
“What do you want from us?”
The man moves closer, loosely aiming his rifle at Ronan’s throat. There’s a
large, jagged scar running down the side of the alpha’s face. “I’d like to
have a little chat.”
“You work for Earth,” Ronan growls. “We have nothing to discuss.”
The guard’s heavy footsteps echo as he walks closer. “You lied to me,” he
repeats. “You’ve got a lot of people looking for you. Humans, Reapers…
Hunters.”
Ronan trains his own gun on the guard, despite the chamber being empty.
“What do you want from us?” he repeats.
Strangely, the alpha pauses, then lowers his weapon, raising his hands as if
to signal he’s not a threat. “I’m just asking for a simple conversation.”
Sensing the tension easing, I step toward the alpha. I clear my throat. “We
can talk.”
Ronan glares at me. “He works for Earth. You think this is a good idea?”
“We have nowhere else to go. Let’s hear him out.”
The alpha beckons us to follow him with a wave of his hand. “There’s a
place nearby that’s safe.”
We hesitate.
“Relax,” the guard says. “I’m not here to turn you in. I’m here to offer you
a deal.”
The young alpha soldier leads us through the hinged door of a tall building.
His back is hunched, eyes alert on a scanner in his hand, and his footsteps
are quiet. After looking the place over, he waves us into a narrow hallway
with many rooms. “No one’s in here,” he says. “We’re safe.”
We enter the first room. Inside, flashing servers light up the dim
surroundings. In the center is a plastic crate propped against the wall. A
split board serves as a table. My breathing is shallow, both from the heat
and my nerves.
He looks at me with his penetrating red eyes. “The name is Len.”
I nod. “I gather you already know our names.”
“You’ve caused a lot of problems in the Badlands. The entire quadrant
knows who you are now.”
I roll my shoulders back and gather my hands around my belly. “Whatever
you’ve heard is probably a lie. You still haven’t told us what you want.”
He leans back in his chair, sporting a devious smile. “You’re the first omega
to escape a Reaper. They’re panicking.”
Although the news is a relief, I can’t ignore what happened here. We were
almost caught, and right now, we’re all but trapped. “They nearly killed us
in our room. What do you call that? A panic attack?”
Ronan’s breathing picks up. “Before the bombs dropped, someone knocked
on our door. Was that you?”
He twists his lips with satisfaction. “Before they launched the attack, I sent
a trustworthy subject to check on you.”
“Why?”
“You slowed down. Someone had to warn you to keep moving.”
“I didn’t realize Ahrimon would attack us here,” I admit.
“Ahrimon feels emboldened to act. There’s more firepower coming your
way.”
Ronan leans forward, breathing heavily through flared nostrils. “Who the
fuck are you?”
Len takes off his titanium alloy tactical helmet. “I am a mercenary. I go
where the money leads me.”
“In other words, you’ve been watching us for a long time.”
“I established contact at the dome entrance with ease. Once I knew you
were inside, I followed you. You’re easy to track.”
“Why should we believe you’re not working with the Reapers?”
Len turns, eyes fixed on the shadows. He snaps his fingers, and a set of
hollow footsteps can be heard coming from the hallway. A hunched man is
approaching, face scratched and bloodied.
“Hey, sweetie.”
Oh, no…
It’s my father.

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 CHAPTER 14

N aomi

I’ve been through hell and back, but standing in front of my dad might be
the biggest slap in the face I’ve experienced on the journey so far. He sits
down next to Len, staring at me with glazed eyes. He’s a good actor. I’ll
give him that.
I try to choose my words carefully. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“You’ve changed,” he says.
My cheeks burn hot with anger. I’m ready to scream at him for everything
he’s done to me, but I can’t find the right words to say. “I’m surviving. Like
you wanted.”
My father sighs, eyes downcast. “I knew you would. You’re my girl.” He
hesitates a moment. “I’m… proud of you, Naomi. Really proud.”
I remain strong, but my emotions are starting to take their toll. “I don’t need
your praise anymore.”
He places both hands on the table, trembling. “You’re my daughter, Naomi.
No matter what, I love you.”
Ronan’s anger takes over. “You sold her to the worst alpha pack known to
the Badlands. You may call that love. But I call it abandonment.”
My dad eyes Ronan like a hawk. “He seems to be treating you well. What
are you? Her king?”
“He saved my life,” I snap. “And he’s given me more than you ever could.
He believes in me.”
My dad’s face tightens. “I believed in you.”
“You were obsessed with yourself.”
He clears his throat, reaching behind him to scratch the top of his spine as if
that might cure him of his delusions. He seems to find his best excuse and
runs with it. “Our crops were dying, and we were running out of money. I
had to do something.”
“How’s your mining contract working out?” I ask.
Something catches his throat, but Len takes over for him. “The contract
they provided your father was a forgery.”
My dad’s eyes well up, thin tears following the topography of wrinkles
scoring his cheeks. “The Reapers robbed me, baby. They took our trailer. I
have nothing left.”
It’s the most pathetic thing I’ve seen in a long time. Anyone with half a
brain could have told him what could happen, and the worst part is that I
still somehow pity him.
Ronan exhales. “This is the nicest I’ve ever seen you act toward your
daughter. Why the sudden change of heart?”
My dad, quick to anger, picks himself up from his chair, ready to fight.
“I’ve done my best to survive on this shithole planet.”
Ronan flexes his arms, eyes alert. “No offense, old man, but you don’t want
to do this.”
“She is my daughter,” he snarls.
Ronan steps toward my dad, a fist raised as if he’s about to hit him. “You
gave her up like cattle.”
Before I can stop a fight from breaking out, my dad swings, but it’s like
punching a brick wall. As strong as my dad is, he’s not a very good fighter.
Ronan slams him against the wall with ease, my dad whimpering in pain.
He slumps to the floor. Looking up at me, another tear rolls and disappears
into his beard. “Is this how you treat your own father?”
Sighing, I move between them and help my dad onto his feet. “Dad, listen
to me. You need to leave before you get hurt.”
He looks over his shoulder. “Where am I going to go?”
He’s right. He’s my dad. I can’t just leave him, even if it’s the smartest
choice for everyone involved.
Len interrupts the sad state of affairs to get things back to business. “Listen
up, kids. I could watch you beat up your daddy all day,” he says. “But I’d
rather help you and ruin the Reapers’ operation at the same time.”
“What’s in it for you?” I ask.
Len swivels his tongue across a sharp-edged canine. “Who says I’m looking
to profit?”
I lean back, willing to entertain this charade in order to find out more.
“Well, I’m certain my father didn’t pay you anything substantial, so why are
you helping him out?”
Len leans forward, eyes narrowing. He quiets his voice, and it makes me
aware of the far-off noises of gunfire. “I’m trying to find a way out of this
hellhole, and I think you can help me.”
“Transport ships don’t take people off the planet without a high-level
clearance badge,” I say. “You don’t look that special.”
He relaxes. “There’s talk of a portal.”
I stare at him blankly, wondering how much he already knows. “You mean
the stuff in science-fiction movies?”
He ignores me. “It opens a connection with another dimension, allowing
any physical body to move or travel through time and space.”
“I know what a portal does,” I say. “What’s your point?”
“You know where it is,” he says. “I want to find it. It’s a simple exchange of
information.”
Ronan is quick to answer. “The portal is a myth.”
Len shakes his head. “I’ve received intel claiming Ahrimon built one of his
own. What happens when he activates it?”
Ronan and my dad are both silent. I can’t help but think this alpha is telling
the truth. If he is, we might be able to find a way off this planet. It’s what
I’ve been waiting to hear.
I take a deep breath and relax my heartbeat. “What do you know about
Aeon?”
He purses his lips in thought. “It’s an ancient device. Impossible to find.”
“But it exists?”
“You expect me to give you everything I know without an oath of trust?”
I don’t back down. “I do.”
He leans back, reaching into his armor to produce a small plastic reader
with a green screen. “I’ve got a meter reading telling me it’s in the power
grid nearby.”
When I don’t respond, he pulls out a digital map, another one of his many
devices. Pointing to the side of the dome on the map, he shows us the spot
where the power grid is. It’s a rectangular zone south of the city, near the
road. “I saw it earlier,” I say.
Ronan rubs his head. “What if Ahrimon finds it first?”
“Then it’ll certainly be a fight of the ages,” he admits.
I interrupt. “If we open the gateway, how do we know we can trust you not
to use it for your own selfish reasons?”
His smile diminishes, and his voice turns grave. “My job is to oversee the
work colonies in the east,” he says.
“And?”
“There’s a group of omegas under Ahrimon’s control. I’ve made it my
mission to rescue as many of them as I can.”
“So, you’re bringing them to a new world,” I say. “One where they’ll be
free.”
He nods. “Something like that.”
“How honorable,” Ronan mutters.
Len’s lip twitches. “I do what I can.”
I share a glance with Ronan, trying to decide what to do with this
information. Len doesn’t seem like he’s one to shy away from
confrontation. He has everything planned out, and he doesn’t seem to hold
allegiance with Earth’s military officers or the Reapers.
“How do you know Aeon exists?” I ask.
Len’s eyes turn downcast. “My brother was searching for it.” His jaw
tightens. “When the Twelve Tribes split, he was gunned down. I have to
believe it’s real.”
My heart thumps. “What’s on the other side of the portal, Len?”
“Infinite possibilities…”
“What does Ahrimon stand to gain from it though? He has everything he
needs here.”
Len doesn’t break eye contact, and his jaw muscles flex and tighten. “He’s
going to keep the omegas there. He has plans to build breeding facilities.”
Ronan leans forward. “In another realm?”
“A man like him has an unshakeable desire,” he says.
“I should know,” I say.
He grimaces. “The breeding programs established on Eridani’s coasts were
a success, but they are still under Earth’s supervision. He’s aiming for full
domination, and he’s closer than ever.”
“Shit,” I mutter.
“Control the breeding, control the universe. The omegas are the solution to
this war. They always have been.”
“Earth won’t stand for it,” I say.
“As long as they get a cut, Earth doesn’t care about the women’s lives.
Earth is arrogant. They believe they can control him, that he is their key to
universal control. With Ahrimon out of the way, they could expand their
own enterprises and finally run things the way they see fit. But they’re
wrong. Ahrimon has a will stronger than Aeon. We can’t let him find it.”
Ronan chuckles bitterly, rising to his feet. “At the end of the day, your
actions help the human settlers. But what about the alphas without tribes?
What happens to them at the end of this?”
Len glares at Ronan before setting his gaze on a crack in the table. “You
can’t save everyone…”
“You can damn well try,” Ronan says.
He’s given us a lot to think about. Standing, I point at the guard. “I need
some time. Give us a second to talk about this.”
“Take your time,” Len says. “We’ll be here waiting for an answer.”
I traveled a long way to get here, and I’m not making any split-second
decisions. I’m here because I fell in love, and now my baby is depending on
me. It turns out an entire population of omegas are depending on me, as
well.
I pull Ronan to the back of the room, out of earshot of Len and my father.
“Well, what do you think? Do you trust them?”
He answers me honestly, though he seems to choose his words carefully. “I
don’t trust anyone, except you. I barely even trust my brothers.”
“I don’t think he’s lying,” I say. “When I found the portal, I saw omegas.
There were thousands of them. They were kept in cages like animals. Every
woman had a number pinned to her chest.”
“You witnessed the future?”
I nod, every nerve in my body tightening. “Or a projection of the future. I
know it sounds crazy, but I think we need to follow him.”
“You kept this from me the whole time?”
I bite the edge of my lip, suddenly terrified by the outcome of my actions. If
I had never touched that machine, we wouldn’t be here now. Maybe things
would be different.
I should have told him the truth. “I was scared to tell you.”
“Naomi…”
My throat is so tight as the truth comes out. “I saw something else too. It
was you. You were in shackles.”
His nostrils flare. “We’ll talk about you keeping secrets later. We need to
decide what must be done.”
Hot tears run down my cheeks, and my sinuses start to burn. “Ahrimon had
you in his control.”
“I heard you the first time.”
“We can’t run from this,” I say. “This is it, Ronan. We either team up or we
give up.”
“I think we can find Aeon without them.”
I close my eyes, momentarily reminded of the good times we’ve shared
together. It hasn’t been the easiest journey, but I fell in love with Ronan. I
trust him. He needs to trust me. I shake my head. “No.”
“No?”
“We can’t do this alone anymore, Ronan.”
“Naomi… you don’t trust them, do you?”
I’m all out of options. “Len has inside information,” I whisper. “We need
their help.”
He grits his teeth. “What’s your dad’s special talent?”
I laugh. “Making himself more of a target than the rest of us.”
I glance at my father from across the room. His silent and hunched
demeanor is heart-wrenching. “I can’t leave him, Ronan,” I whisper.
He exhales slowly. “Do you really want to try trusting him again?”
“He’s my dad.”
Ronan’s leg keeps twitching, and his eyes wander. I worry he’s about to say
something he might regret. “Then I think you have your answer. You need
to leave with him.”
My heart seizes in my chest. “What?”
He inhales, softly closing his eyes. When he opens them again, I can tell
he’s hurt. “I can’t continue on this journey without my brothers.”
Tears fall to my lips as I bury my face in my hands. It hurts to breathe.
“Then we will come with you. It doesn’t have to be like this.”
But he looks like he has made up his mind. “You are pregnant, Naomi. It’s
not safe for you to be here. I see that now,” he says. “I will stay behind to
find Aeon, as well as my brothers. When I do, I will come back for you.”
Quivering with sadness, I look away. “This isn’t what I wanted. Don’t do
this…”
Ronan takes my hand. “This isn’t forever.”
He’s staying behind to find the other alphas. I’ll have to stay safe without
him. For how long, I can’t be certain. Instead of dealing with more
anguished emotions, I bury them deep for him. I keep my chin up. I don’t
shed another tear.
But it fucking hurts.
My heart thumps painfully in my chest as we walk back to Len and my
father. I think about those words of adoration Ronan and I spoke to each
other, and how that act of love is still one of the most important things in
this world. Even in darkness, love finds a way. It always does, so I hold
onto that hope.
This can’t be the end of us. It just can’t.
Facing the two at the table, I dry my eyes with my palms, and I clear my
throat. “We discussed everything, and we came to a few conclusions.”
Len raises a brow. “What conclusions did we arrive at?”
Ronan speaks abruptly. “It’s not smart for all of us to stay in town. It could
be a trap.”
Len’s face tightens. “So, what do you propose?”
“You’ll bring Naomi back to the caves. You’ll keep her safe there.”
Len looks aggravated. “I need to find Aeon first…”
Ronan holds up his hand. “I’ll find it.”
Len inhales, as if mustering up the courage for the tough road that lay
before him. “If you get caught—”
But Ronan interrupts him with a growl. “This isn’t up for discussion. I
promised the others a better life at the end of this war. I need to fulfill my
promise to them. If Aeon is hidden in the power grid, I’ll uncover it.”
Len’s face tenses, and both alphas look to me to come up with a decision.
I’m hurt. Broken. Confused. I didn’t think it would come to this. “He’s
right,” I say. “Ronan should stay behind.”
But that’s not what I mean. I’m emotional, angry, and shocked all at once. I
feel most comfortable with Ronan, and the sting of abandonment runs deep
inside my bones. I have to trust this goodbye isn’t forever.
“It’s settled then,” Len says.
Ronan shakes hands with the alpha guard. “It will only be a few days at the
most.”
I can’t bear to look at them anymore, so I turn away. A few days will feel
like an eternity.
Len clears his throat. “We’ll discuss the details in the morning.”
Ronan’s eyes stare at the floor. Sweat clings to his forehead as he exhales.
He looks like he’s about to break, and I guess I’m about to do the same, but
a growling comes from behind me and jerks me back to reality. A single
hulking shadow emerges from the doorway.
“It’s dangerous out there. You’ll need a good tracker if you’re splitting up.”
Speak of the devil…
It’s Targon.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 15

R onan

We spent the night inside the shelter, huddled by a small fire for warmth.
After the night’s raid, a cool breeze blew through the windows, and the huts
shook from the booms outside.
I kept Naomi as close to me as I could, hands tight around her slim body.
She shook against me as the battle died down. A few bomb blasts here and
there would reverberate, and it would take everything to hold her still. I had
to work to try to quiet her crying, to calm her as the flashes of light burst
outside. They didn’t find us, but I knew my time was almost up. I would
have to leave, and the bitter feelings of betrayal ran like blood through my
veins. I would have to leave my beloved, my only love.
As soon as Targon showed his face, I thought my problems might be
solved. But Greyson was still missing. Last anyone saw of him, he paid for
a night with an omega over at the red-light district. Something tells me he’s
hiding out there, but you have to wonder what kind of odds a lone alpha has
fighting against a whole gang of Reapers. I’ve done it, but Greyson can’t
stand the sight of blood. He wouldn’t last long without us.
Tasked with protecting my omega, I couldn’t sleep. I held Naomi against
my chest, easing my cock against her soft bottom as I felt her breaths
deepen, and I stared into the bitter darkness. I thought about our child, and
hoped that he’d get a better chance than me. I prayed he would be born
happy, his life filled with love and happiness, and not exposed to the
overwhelming violence and mayhem I’d come to regard as almost…
normal. Or maybe I was just numb to it now.
I felt her soft skin. I kissed her head and breathed in her scent one last time.
I held her all night.
And then I waited for dawn to break.

Finally awake and alert in the morning, I note that the city has returned to
its normal state. Merchants are repairing the ripped canvas from tents,
replacing the ceilings of wood huts with scrapped tin and other metals. I
stare at the wreckage with sympathy and concern. “I’m worried about
Greyson. It’s been over twenty-four hours, and he’s still missing,” I say.
Targon doesn’t seem too distressed about it. “He’s probably still getting
laid. You might as well give him a few hours ‘til he turns up. We just need
to keep an eye out for his cock.”
“Look around you. Do you see any omegas outside?” I ask.
Targon sniffs the air and shakes his head. “No. Not a hint of fertile scent.”
The homes and huts that were once surrounded by gawking omegas now
appear desolate and empty. Some have all but vanished, falling into a state
of dreadful disrepair, and no one in the town seems to acknowledge the
absence of the females. In a way, this place feels off limits, like a dream
that’s turning into a sinister nightmare. And the worst part is feeling the
walls close in on us.
We got a view of what occurred last night, but I need to know what both
Greyson and Targon experienced before I’m satisfied. “What happened
here?”
Targon flattens his palm over his forehead. Finally, he seems to give this
some more serious thought. “I heard a noise, and all of a sudden, the walls
erupted with flames. A bomb. The taste of smoke. In the matter of seconds,
everything was destroyed, but somehow, I was still alive. I took off running.
Greyson was beside me, but we lost sight of each other.”
“This was a trap from the start,” I mutter.
His nostrils flare. “We should’ve stayed back in the caves.”
“No shit.”
“You think the Reapers took the omegas?”
I nod. “That’s what it’s looking like.”
He clears his throat nervously. “Well, we’re safe now. I guess that’s all that
matters.”
“I saw a group of Hunters last night,” I mutter.
Silent, Targon seems to mull this over some more. And then a look of worry
comes over his cocky face. “Fucking betas. Did they see you?”
I nod. “We managed to get away in time, but I’ve got a bad feeling about
this. Naomi’s chest is glowing again, too.”
“You don’t have to stay,” he says. “You could come back with us.”
I inhale deeply. My heart is telling me to travel with them to the caves, but
my mind knows that will only bring Naomi more danger. “I’m still a
Guardian.”
“Then I guess you should take this time to prepare your mind for the road
ahead.”
I take my brother’s shoulder, pulling him in tight. “Keep her safe for me.”
He nods and hugs me back. “No one will touch her. You have my word.”
Naomi steps out of the building, pausing on the steps to observe us
bickering. “So. This is it?”
I pull away, trying not to look at Naomi. I don’t want to leave her. I love
her. But everything feels far away from our night together at the settler
province near the river. That night, inside a vacant home, we danced to
music. We drank and wished for a new life. Instead, we got this.
My heart races. Naomi’s eyes meet mine, and when I don’t return a smile,
she gets her answer.
Targon looks down. “Say goodbye, omega. Now’s your chance.”
Her body tense, Naomi takes a few steps toward me. Her eyes fill with tears
almost immediately. “I don’t think I can do this without you.”
For the first time, Targon takes her side. “I told him he should come with
us.”
I catch my breath, sensing something sinister in the quiet merchant town.
“I’m thinking about our family’s future.”
But it doesn’t matter what I say. I’ve always been the bad guy to her.
Although we touched on this plan last night, I’m breaking her heart all over
again. She wraps her arms around my neck and weeps. “I can’t do this
without you.”
My heart sinks as she pulls her hand away, taking a step back. “This isn’t
goodbye,” I say.
She’s openly crying now, and a shudder courses through my body. Len and
her dad come outside to see what’s going on. She wipes her eyes, but more
tears drip down her smooth cheeks, reflecting the image of the monster
staring back at her.
That monster is me.
“Then what do you call this?” she asks me.
“The start of a better world.”
A memory flashes in my mind of Naomi peering into her old trailer home.
What she saw that night changed her forever. To her, that place was never a
home, but a placeholder for something better. But in this world, there are no
greener pastures on the other side of the Badlands. Happiness has always
been temporary, filled with discontent and dreams that fade in the morning
sun.
The only way to make a better world is to make a sacrifice. A sacrifice that
will make a difference to the next generations. She can’t see it yet, but
someday, she will look back on this day and see the light that filled her life,
and a smile will spread across her face. Our story is still unfolding.
And I’m holding onto the hope of a better future.
Targon huffs. “Ronan. Before you leave, remember one thing. When you
get ambushed, Greyson won’t be around to patch you up. You have one shot
to find Aeon. Got it?”
I take a deep breath and remind him of my promise to them. “When the
twelve packs split, I made an oath to you to reclaim what we lost. What
good are we with one alpha down?”
Targon nods. “Good luck, Chief. We’ll be rooting for you.”
“The entire planet depends on you,” Len says. “You have my meter still?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out Len’s meter. This will lead me toward
Aleph. But I have to wonder what else will be waiting for me when I get
there. “Got it.”
“Good,” Len says. “Then you’re ready.”
Naomi is speechless. Her eyes say everything I need to know. “Just go,” she
says softly.
We need to find Greyson, but I’m in a daze. I pull away from the group,
gesturing with my hands for them to stay where they are. “I’ll be back soon.
I promise. Wait for me, Naomi.”
I want to reach out to hold her one last time, but she joins the others.
“Keep her safe,” I tell them before heading down the alley.
I don’t stop looking back at her until I’m around the corner. Rubble lines
the streets. There’s so much destruction it’s hard to know where to go. I hop
through a crack in the wall and find myself near the exit. Checking my
peripheral vision, I make a dash for the large, rounded opening. The sun,
bright and orange, calls to me.
Outside Lorskar, the desert is quiet. Earth’s military has vanished. It’s
almost like they were never here.
I follow the road toward the power grid. In the distance, large smokestacks
pump ghostly fog into the air. Thick metal beams cover the sky as I enter,
transmission lines and transformers that power the world. The alphas never
got that power. Only the humans did. “Greyson,” I whisper. “Are you out
there?”
With the weight of my actions hanging over my head, I observe another
narrow road behind a row of transmission lines. It leads to the building with
the smokestacks. A strange energy draws me along the path, as if the
Hunters we saw last night are still watching my every move, waiting to kill
me and take my woman.
Their arrogance will lead to their downfall.
“Come and get me,” I growl.
I force any fear or feeling of indecision to the back of my mind, determined.
An acrid smell piques my curiosity, and I continue walking as the meter that
Len gave me starts to beep erratically. I’m getting close.
I look back at the dome, just barely able to see the dome’s shattered ceiling.
I take a deep breath, wondering how many lives were lost because of us.
Because of me.
Guilt hammers inside me. This fighting must stop. A new alliance between
the Twelve Tribes must be formed. New leaders must claim their packs. But
before that can happen, I will bring the Reapers to their knees.
I walk for what seems like miles until I near the smokestacks. The air is
peculiarly quiet, and though the sun shines beautifully through a crack in
the dome’s structure, I stop staring at the blinding light. I follow the path
deeper into a dead zone, facing a small metal shack with a single door.
My meter is going haywire. I glance at the screen, but the picture is warped.
Suddenly, it turns off altogether. Trusting it’s inside, I open the door. But
there’s nothing there, except a control panel. I stare at the room, heart
thumping.
Aeon is missing. It’s a dead end.
A fucking trap is what it is!
Just as I begin to consider fleeing the area, a deep calm settles over me.
Naomi is safe. That’s all that matters. I’ve done my job.
Suddenly, I sense a presence behind me. A horrible, disgusting smell
accompanies it, like a body of rotting flesh. The hissing voice confirms the
ominous truth of who it is.
“Release her to me.”
Ahrimon.
My muscles tighten around my spine, and my arms instinctually pulse.
When I turn toward him, I see how much he’s changed. His clothes are torn,
his eyes haggard, exhausted. It looks like he’s been on a quest that’s lasted
far longer than even he could have predicted. This gives me some
optimism, and I make it known with a smile.
“Took you long enough to find me,” I say.
“I never believed you’d leave your underground sanctuary. You were
always so careful as a child.”
“Some things change,” I remind him.
“Yes. Brother. A lot has changed. The Twelve Tribes dissolved into one,
and I am their rightful ruler. Who would’ve thought?”
“Not the elders,” I say.
“The elders are dead, brother.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, the taste of blood warming my tongue. “I’m
not here to bring back the dead. I’m here for my brother. Where’s
Greyson?”
Ahrimon’s carrying something in his hands, a loose article of clothing. He
tosses it to me, and I instantly recognize it as a ragged strip of Greyson’s
leather breastplate.
A cold breeze wraps me. “What have you done with our brother,” I whisper.
“He was never our brother,” he says. “I disposed of him like the rat he
was.”
Hearing him say it aloud is like a wave of molten lead scorching my heart.
“No!” I roar.
A thin smile forms on his face. “Brother, this is for your own good. Think
about all the progress we could make as a species if we took control.”
“We are not brothers. Not anymore. Not ever.”
His sharp eyes are searching for something, but finding nothing. Backing
off, he sneers. “No. We are not bound by blood or by any elder’s rule. We
are united by one tribe. The Reapers.”
“Those who have joined you only did so out of desperation and fear. That is
not a decision they made on their own.”
“Does the reason matter? History progresses without regard for emotion.”
“I’m not here to argue. I’m here to stop you once and for all. Naomi is
mine.”
His grin widens. “Your precious commodity yearns for me. She glows with
my mark. I am her rightful owner.”
My nostrils flare in disgust. “A mark is not a bond. It means nothing.”
“My omegas have a purpose. They are obedient servants sent from the
heavens. It is a privilege to serve in my harem, and most respond with
obedience and gratitude. That cunt will break for me too.”
“Time to die,” I growl.
Adrenaline and cortisol pump through my veins, taking control of my
limbs. I wind my arm back and aim for his throat, remembering all the pain
he’s caused Naomi.
He blocks my first punch, smirking like a devil who knows something I
don’t. With a swift twist of his wrist, he takes my arm and spins me around.
I fall to the ground, stunned but not hurt. He stands over me and forces a
harsh chuckle. “Bow down, brother.”
“You disgust me!” I yell.
He circles me, filling the quiet air with heavy laughter. “My omegas have a
home. Warmth. Comfort. It’s better than roaming the streets.”
I bring myself to my feet. This time, I’m not fucking around. He can mock
me to his heart’s desire, but Naomi is a different story. She could have
ended up like any one of those women, but by chance, she ended up with
me.
I silently roar with satisfaction as my knuckles hit his jaw, sending him to
his knees. “You impregnate them. And then you hurt them. Now it’s time
you feel their pain.”
The dust settles around his body. He coughs, seemingly unable to speak,
and I rock my fist into his stomach, striking him with every ounce of my
strength. I thought this fight might end me, but this is too easy.
Ahrimon spits up blood, eyes growing angrier. “Their pain is my fuel.”
“What happens after they disobey your commands? Do you put them down
like dogs?”
“Earth wanted to destroy the omegas. I have a different vision for them.”
“Admit it. You’ve always been Earth’s bitch ever since you killed the
elders.”
His eyes widen, glowing a dark shade of red. “The elders were selfish.
Everything they knew, they kept from our people.”
“They were trying to keep the tribes united.”
“They acted for their own benefit, hoarding their secrets in the name of
tradition,” he replies. “But they didn’t know how to harness true power.
They were afraid of it.”
“They were protecting us.”
“They didn’t know the true meaning of sacrifice,” he lashes back. His eyes
grow bigger, redder, and more soul-deprived than ever before. He shuts
them, clenching his fists so hard they begin to tremble. “Enough of this.”
The ground starts to vibrate. His dark gaze rises to meet mine. A sinister
laugh spills from his throat. Something is very, very wrong here.
“When I killed the elders, you were there, watching,” he says. “You wanted
to find the portal as much as I. Admit it.”
“No,” I growl. “I was protecting our people like our elders would’ve
wanted. I am a Guardian.”
“Your soul is nothing but a burning ember.”
My mind flashes with fire, the memories haunting me. No matter how far I
travel, how fast I go, I’ll never forget what happened to my brethren. I’ll
never forget their screams as they burned alive.
My eyes dart open. I release the blade from the satchel on my hip and grip it
with all my might. In one swift motion, I stab the knife into his chest,
watching as his smile turns… triumphant.
His laughter is unexpected.
“What…?” I hiss, stunned.
The blade turns hot to the touch, burning my hand. A dark force rushes
through my veins, and I feel my power drain from me. Then the dagger
turns to ash as I let go, the gray remnants spilling to the ground. I stumble
back, clutching my wrist as my nerves harden like the dry roots of a dying
plant.
“No,” I moan. “What’s happening?”
Underneath the burning sun, his chest wound heals almost instantly. “Oh,
yes,” he murmurs. “Do you feel it? It is nearly time.”
“How are you still alive? You should be dead!”
“You can’t kill me, Ronan. For I am alpha.”
Suddenly, the weather takes a turn. The air shifts, growing dense, as if the
molecules themselves are hardening around me. I can’t move. It’s getting
difficult to breathe. “Stop this…”
His laughter extends around me, thunder crashing overhead. A torrential
downpour breaks through the sky. And in the dark, shadow-beings step out
of the fog.
“Hunters,” I mutter in awe.
One by one, the masked creatures circle around me. Every time I try to
stand, my legs give way. Magic doesn’t exist, but the Hunters have
something more powerful than magic. It’s something that overpowers me
through physics alone. I feel it feeding inside me like some dark poison.
Aeon…?
“Show yourself, cowards,” I say.
A hooded figure solemnly walks toward Ahrimon. Upon bowing, the
creature hands him a small leather pouch. Something glows inside it.
Ahrimon looks ready to gloat. “I found it, brother. The ancient source of
power has resurfaced. I am the Guardian.”
The figure near Ahrimon pulls off their mask, revealing a woman’s
weathered face. Her eyes are gray, and when she smiles, her teeth look like
yellowed daggers.
It’s the healer. She led us right into the hands of the worst group
imaginable.
Shocked, I bow my head and grit my teeth in shame. “You… you lied to my
Naomi. You were supposed to help us.”
Ahrimon opens the small sack, revealing a tiny, dense sphere that spins in
place. Every so often, it pauses its motion, only to begin rotating in the
opposite direction. Our elders taught us that time runs back and forth, in
conjunction with the present. Nothing can die because everything is trapped
in its own moment.
The sphere is unspeakably beautiful, so much so that I have to look away
from its power lest it overwhelm me.
“You lied to yourself,” Ahrimon boasts. “You were never Naomi’s master.
Your purpose was to lead me to the next stage of alpha glory.”
I lift my arms, blocking the light from burning my eyes. “Aeon. The source
of alpha and omega. How’d you find it?”
The ancient device glows with a dark radiance, encasing the Hunters, who
now look like frozen statues. “The healer brought me here. I used the
ancient scrolls left behind by the elders to find it. And then I had her find
you.”
“You sent her to the Badlands to find us.”
He nods. “You are as trusting as the elders were before their death. The only
difference is you took the bait so much easier.”
The healer giggles and returns to the group of faceless entities. It was her
fault we came here. But I can’t run away from the fact that I didn’t listen to
reason. Naomi begged me not to stay here. Maybe I should’ve left Greyson
to die, but I’m not as heartless as Ahrimon. Apparently, I’m just as stupid
though.
He brings the device closer to my face, taunting me with its strange,
mystical power. As my eyes focus on the illuminated brilliance, my skin
tightens… then it begins to burn. “Take it away!” I scream.
“We all have scars,” Ahrimon intones. “Let’s see how brave you really are.”
He reaches down, smashing Aeon against my chest. An explosion of light
bursts around me. It burns hotter and hotter as I try to pry it away. The
smell of burning flesh fills my nostrils. The Hunters circle around me like
scavengers around a carcass. They’ve broken me down to my darkest fears
and nightmares.
Something deep inside my being keeps me alive though. A single heartbeat.
My bond with Naomi seems to be more powerful than the device itself.
“Naomi is mine,” Ahrimon hisses.
“Go fuck yourself.”
He grins, seemingly amused at the venom in my voice.
My shoulders shake as the hands of Hunters wrap around my body. And in
an instant, my energy suddenly drains completely away, leaving me spent.
Ahrimon pulls the rugged device away from my body, calmly returning it to
its sack. “I’ll kill you later,” he says softly. “With Aeon in hand, I am nearly
at my goal. The Reapers will control every inch of the universe. We will
take over every dimension. Our power will be unmatched.”
I take an exhausted breath and cling to life. “Naomi,” I whisper. “Must save
her…”
He simply shakes his head. “It’s too late.”
With a quick snap of his fingers, another group of Hunters comes out from
the foggy darkness. This group is holding Naomi. She’s tied up with thick
rope, but she’s alive. And she’s bucking against their hands, trying to break
free.
I twist and try to fight the Hunters off, but too many of them surround me.
Carelessly, they bind me, chaining my limbs and tormenting me with their
long nails and callous hands. My instinct to fight tortures me, the desire to
protect my mate driving me to resist, no matter how futile.
Seeing Naomi tied up and handled roughly brings me back to the night I
saved her life. I promised her I wouldn’t fail.
“No!” I roar.
In the harsh glare of that torchlight, her face is ghostly pale, frozen in fear.
The Hunters are quick and ruthless, tossing us both upon the road.
Her eyes say all that I need to know. I’ve let her down. And it’s not just her.
I’ve let everyone down. If the others are dead, our cause is now truly
hopeless.
“You better kill me,” I growl. “Because if you don’t, I’ll fucking tear you
limb from limb.”
Ahrimon’s cold footsteps echo as he walks toward Naomi’s shivering body.
“In due time…”
Naomi gasps. “Ronan… I’m sorry. They were everywhere.”
“Naomi,” I whisper, throat dry and aching. “Where are the others?”
A tear rolls down her cheek as the horror of her escape plays across her
haunted gaze. “We were surrounded. Hunters, everywhere. We tried to run,
but we had to split up. I tried. I really did.”
I drop my head and breathe, but I feel like collapsing. “I’m sorry for…
everything. This was all my fault.”
“Don’t say that.”
My throat tightens. “You tried to warn me. I didn’t listen.”
“If you left with us, they would’ve caught us all the same. What does it
matter?” She bows her head, defeated. “It’s over.”
Those words are devastating to hear aloud. I slide my body toward her,
desperate to be near her soft nature and pleasing aroma. “You don’t really
believe that. Do you?”
She hangs her head, and her tears soak into the thin grooves in the
pavement. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Life is just one cruel
joke after another.”
“Please. Hold onto me. Hold onto this.”
Ahrimon’s boots echo loudly as he circles around us, pleased. He stoops
above Naomi, sliding the back of his palm against her cheeks. Drying her
tears. “There, there, omega. It will be all right. You must trust in your new
master.”
She trembles. “No…”
Her eyes remain fixed on mine, and I live through the agonized fear with
her. Everything has changed now. I can see my terrifying reflection in her
pupils.
“Seeing you together like this… it’s touching,” Ahrimon says.
His comments are cruel, mocking, and Naomi whips her head away from
him. “Don’t touch me!” she hisses.
Quickly, without giving her a chance to breathe, Ahrimon brings his hand to
her belly. “A bond is forever.”
Whatever he’s getting at, I don’t want to hear it. “Let her go. Take me
instead.”
The Hunters start chanting low and guttural noises, the sound sickening and
grotesque to me. One of them stands in the center of the group. His arms are
tiny, but the gestures of his hands are so quick their movement is a blur. The
light falls away from my body, and I’m suddenly floating in the air. Naomi
floats, too. The vibration heavy in my mind, I feel our hearts beating in
unison.
And then I hear our baby’s heartbeat too. It’s a boy. I feel his kick. It starts
sharply, quickening. It’s… incredible.
I close my eyes and just listen. Naomi does, too. And then it’s only the three
of us. It’s everything I could have asked for, but the dream is pulled out
from under us as the Hunters’ chants gain volume.
The clouds above thicken, blotting out the entire sun as the Hunters watch
with enthusiastic and sadistic eyes. This is some kind of religious ceremony
they get off on. The powers they possess don’t frighten me. They will never
take my baby. Ahrimon will never tear my family apart again.
“Let her go,” I repeat.
“The true meaning of sacrifice is not death, but the power to change the
universe forever,” Ahrimon says. “When I release your bond, I will know
what real power feels like. Beyond love. Beyond hate. Pure power,
manifesting itself as a tangible reality. I will use it to rule every kingdom
across the multi-verse.”
After he gets what he wants, he will kill us. I know this. When he’s able to
cross through the portal barrier, we’ll be nothing but a memory. He will use
the love we built as another piece of his demented puzzle.
I stare at Naomi. “If you sacrifice her, you’ll lose her heart forever. And
something tells me you won’t let that happen.”
A brief flash of indecision crosses Ahrimon’s face. In that instant, I no
longer see arrogance in his gaze. I see uncertainty. As much as Ahrimon
hates her, his eyes burn with adoration for her too. He never got to own her,
and because of that, his obsession took over. He’ll never get the chance to
feel her love, and he knows it.
“I won’t be letting this one go,” he finally says. “Your baby will grow up to
be a fine soldier.”
I grit my teeth. “You cannot tame them.”
Ahrimon wheels around, cutting me off. “Take them to the Reapers’ camp.
It’s almost time,” he commands.
“Naomi!” I scream. “Stay strong. Don’t give up.”
“I love you!” she cries.
“I love you too.”
The Hunters carry us into the darkness. The only light I see comes from a
massive transport vehicle parked and waiting to bring us to the Reapers’
camp. They carry us closer, the blinding light shining on my weak body.
As we come to the front of the vehicle, I catch sight of something familiar.
It flickers against the headlights. My feet brush against the base of an old
necklace. Using the last of my energy, I twist out of the grasp of the
Hunters. My chest hits the dirt, and before they can swoop me up, I take the
necklace between my teeth.
Amidst the chaos, Greyson must have lost it, but that doesn’t mean he lost
his way. I don’t believe he’s dead.
He’s still out there. I know it.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I close my eyes and focus on
the last vestiges of my alpha voice. I search for the lingering breath of my
ancestors. Of course, I find nothing. I lost my inner voice in the burning
embers of our history. Our tragedy. I strain to pierce the memories of my
culture, the veils of our deepest sorrow. Hopeless, I focus, and I call out to
that fierce energy.
The guiding light of those who came before me burns inside my heart.
Their ancient power was once greater than the hardest elements of this
earth. It forged our mighty clan and fortified our warriors against our
greatest enemies. I just need to access it again.
In the cold night, I hear my brethren calling out to be freed. It’s a faint set of
sounds, a rushing of strange tones and sensations. The voices themselves
though are both familiar and comforting. I hear the songs of my people and
their faint laughter, and I feel the warm memory of the campfire where
stories were shared among tribes. They take me back to another time,
before we lost our way. Before the humans invaded and changed everything
for the worse.
And then Greyson’s faint murmur reverberates inside my head. It comes
from somewhere ancient and secret within me.
Hold on, Chief. We’re coming.
My eyes dart open. I am not alone. None of us are.
Greyson is not dead. Are the others okay? It’s time to find out.
The colors begin to fade. And in the darkness, my brother’s face becomes
clearer than the full moon in the center of the night sky. I think of my child
and the generations after. If we survive this, we’ll have to form a new world
together, and that means starting from a place of understanding and
acceptance.
My heart beats faster, stronger than ever before. My senses sharpen,
reaching out to every alpha in the vicinity. I can hear them. No, I can feel
them. They’re lost, hungry, and yearning for justice.
They give me an inner strength I forgot I possessed. And though I cannot
break my chains as easily, I can feel a deep growl rumbling through my
body. One that I’ve kept buried for far too long.
My voice is returning to me, albeit slowly. The future crystallizes inside my
mind, and my path becomes clear. I just need to keep pushing forward, but
the voices swirling inside my head are calling to me and pulling me in with
more and more intensity.
I rear my head and focus on this primal trance. And then I unlock my power
and let out a furious battle cry.
Alphas of the Twelve Tribes, unite with me!
At first, there’s no response. Only silence. But then a rumbling in the earth
takes me by surprise. A flash of light burns far above in the night. I’m not
the only one who can see this either. Ahrimon’s eyes reflect the ethereal
sight in the sky. The color drains from his face, and his footsteps falter, the
alpha suddenly stinking with fear.
Something about the heavenly sight above calms me. I stare in awe as the
light from this pure source burns down upon the earth. Embers erupt from
the sky, cutting through the dense clouds and rain. When they reach the soil,
I see alpha bodies rise up from the dead. Pairs of eyes glow in the darkness
beyond. There are so many of them, like an endless army of souls. They are
the beasts of old, the warriors Ahrimon led to their graves so many moons
ago.
They watch us in silence. Aeon’s power is still protecting Ahrimon. If I can
find a way to harness it myself, I can use it to defeat this terror and reunite
the Twelve Tribes.
Ahrimon doubles back, tripping over himself and toppling to the dirt.
“What have you done?”
My heart beats louder, pounding like heavy drums in my ears. I can barely
hear my own voice over the sound of thousands of alphas as I speak to them
in my head.
Alphas, join me.
Ahrimon kneels on the ground, dust coating the tears streaking down his
face. Unable to breathe, his throat quivers. It looks like he might faint.
“Hurry it up. We don’t have all night,” he orders the Hunters. “The
ceremony must start on time.”
With their orders to leave, the Hunters load us in the transport truck. A
welded wire partition divides the front from the back, with an armed Reaper
guarding the rear.
A masked driver starts the car’s engine, but there are more rugged ancient
alphas crawling out from every corner of the desert. Some look like they’ve
been running for miles. They observe in calm silence, taking in every
movement. Every cry for help, every shout of defiance.
They are from a different world, the old world Ahrimon turned his back on.
I almost forgot what it felt like to be in the proximity of so many great
warriors. But I never forgot how it felt to have my home stolen by one of
our own. I kept burying the pain until this moment.
Ahrimon jumps in the front passenger seat and slams his palm against the
dashboard. “Drive!”
“You better hope for another miracle,” I snarl.
Ahrimon turns back to me, sweat dripping down his forehead. “I don’t need
a miracle. I have the future. Drive!”
My anger grows exponentially at the thought of Ahrimon’s arrogance, and
it turns into a layer of hate so thick it drowns out all other emotion within
me. The car starts to move, and we drive toward the Reapers’ camp where a
war will surely define the entire planet for future generations. It’s in this
darkest moment where I find myself smiling.
I am the Guardian of this world. Not him.
With Naomi by my side, there’s no place I’d rather be. I’m prepared for
this.
I hear Greyson’s voice one last time before it disappears. “Stay strong,
Chief.”
Every movement needs a martyr. It turns out, Ahrimon is on his way to
becoming one himself.
Who knows? He just might end up accidentally saving the world.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 16

N aomi

What happened in that merchant town took me by surprise. When the sky
first lit up, I took that to mean more aerial attacks. But then I saw Ronan’s
eyes. They were rolled back in his head, as if he was stuck in some kind of
primal trance. The next thing I knew, we were surrounded by an ancient
breed of alpha warriors.
Their muscles were thick and roped like the twisting of thick vines. Their
faces were long, pointed, and alien. They were giants.
But the strangest part to that encounter wasn’t their appearance. It was their
docile nature. If they are on our side, why didn’t they attack the Reapers?
Why did they leave us to die? What does Ronan know that I don’t?
On the way to the Reapers’ camp, I try to prepare my mind for what
Ahrimon has in store for us. He said something about a ceremony, and
unfortunately, I don’t think that means a fun wedding to consummate our
love.
Thunder claps overhead repeatedly. The road is long and treacherous, and
no matter how hard I try to focus, the path is obscured by a dense fog and
heavy rainfall. A monstrous alpha sits in the back with us, watching our
every move. He won’t stop smiling at me.
I’ve been running for so long. I’ve seen things any normal human on Earth
wouldn’t dare believe. I’m covered in sweat, blood, and mud. My vision is
so blurred I can barely see the outline of Ronan’s body. Not to mention, I’m
pregnant. This guard must not know I’m a fucking warrior.
His grin widens. “We’ve got you now, omega.”
“Sure do,” I reply sarcastically.
Angered by my cheeky response, he kneels forward, tugging and tightening
each knot around my limbs until my veins start to pulse. As if that’s not
enough, he stuffs a gag in my mouth to keep me quiet.
I can sense the guard’s fear though. The more abuse I take, the more fragile
he becomes. Angling my body against the corner of the truck, I stare at him
for a long while, analyzing him like a bug on a pin. I could do this all night
because he threatened my family. They all did.
As we drive through a narrow canyon, tall boulders surround the road,
blocking out the full moon’s glow. Hours pass, and the guard tasked with
watching over me grows tired from the drive. His eyes begin to close, and
that’s when I slide over to the other end of the seat to get a better look
through the barred window.
We make a turn through the mountain range, speeding across a black and
reddish landscape. It looks like an entirely different world out here, and it
feels like we’ve driven halfway across the planet to get to it. We must be
nearing the Reaper camp.
Careful not to wake the now snoring guard, I use the last of my energy to
scoot closer to Ronan. Ronan turns, able to remove the gag from my mouth.
My heart races from his touch. After some struggle, I slide my wrist against
my tight bindings to hold Ronan’s hand. When his fingers find mine,
warmth cascades right through me.
I want to fall into his arms, but I push that thought aside to focus on our
situation. For the next few minutes, I refuse to let go of Ronan’s hand,
terrified I might wake up without him. It’s the only comfort I’m allowed.
“What happened back there?” I ask him.
He swallows. “I found my voice. They heard my call.”
“Who are they?”
“The Ancients,” he replies. “Our ancestors.”
“Why aren’t they following us?”
“Keep your faith, omega.”
The driver takes another sharp turn, sending us flying against the vehicle’s
wall. The wheels screech, and the smoke from burning rubber surrounds us.
We come to a narrow ridge that wraps around the canyon. He brings the
vehicle to a halt, flashing his brights to get a better look at something
standing in the middle of the road.
Ahrimon leans against the dash, staring. “What is it?”
The driver is patient. “Explosive.”
The real question was who might have placed it there.
Ahrimon sneers. “Impossible. This area is under constant surveillance.”
“Want me to check it out?”
Ahrimon leans out the window, positioning his rifle against his shoulder.
Narrowing his eyes, he exhales, pulling the trigger.
Boom.
Flames engulf the landscape, brightening Ahrimon’s greasy, musky body.
Laughing to himself, he slides against his seat, rolling his neck with sick
satisfaction. “I did not authorize this stop. Keep driving, you idiot.”
“Yes, sir.”
As we progress around the ridge, I see more rigged explosive devices, but
they too are easily avoided. The mountainside is eerily silent as the driver
slowly moves the vehicle around the rocky terrain.
Ahrimon fires. The path opens up with flames as the bomb explodes. He
seems exhilarated. “Is that all you’ve got?”
This is a small victory for him. The ancient alphas Ronan called here can no
longer be seen following us, and my dad hasn’t made the heroic rescue I
was hoping for. They were supposed to help us. Despite feeling confident
earlier, I follow in the understanding that everything could fall apart at any
moment.
As the car climbs around the bumpy ridge, I stare at the landscape. The
trees are warped and shivering in the wind. The ground is uneven and
eroded. Beyond the edge of the rim of the canyon, black sky stretches to the
horizon.
We come across one more device. This one is different. An alpha’s naked
body hangs from a solitary tree. I turn away from the gruesome scene,
trying not to vomit.
Ronan shifts his gaze to me.
I whisper, “Do you think Greyson rigged those devices to explode?”
He scoots closer to the window and smiles. “It sure is his handiwork, but he
hates the sight of blood.”
Ahrimon opens fire once more, but he misses the first shot. Trembling, he
takes aim again, and he nails it on the second try. The way the flames light
up his face defines the intensity of his desperation.
“They’re coming for us,” Ahrimon shouts. “We must get to the gates.
Now.”
Unfortunately, the guard is wide awake again, and he’s grinning at me
avariciously. “Morning, sunshine.”
Before I can speak, he reaches for my ball gag, but I somehow manage to
get him to stop. “Just let me sit in peace. I won’t scream.”
The alpha grins. “You beg for mercy?”
“Not mercy. A moment of silence.”
Ronan pushes between us. “She is pregnant. If you’re an alpha worth a
damn, you’ll let her relax.”
The guard doesn’t let Ronan get another word in, smacking him clean
across the jaw. Ronan slumps over, as the guard arms his gun. “Sit down,
and shut your mouth, scum.”
“You’ll be the first one I kill,” I whisper.
His mouth clamps shut, so I close my eyes and trust he’ll end it there.
We’re stuck here together. Even if we were to bust out through the back of
the transport, there’s nowhere to run now. The only landmark I can see is
the top of an epic mountain up ahead. The peak is baked in the soft
luminescence of a group of campfires. As we get closer, the dark orange
glow burns brighter and bigger than a great city, and tall Reapers run across
the ridge, their bodies appearing like shadows in the night.
We drive up the mountain, and rows of Reapers eye us from the rocks near
the road. At the top, we reach a plateau, and the driver stops the car. The
outer gates, which are made from pieces of rusted metal, block our path.
They begin to open as soon as the driver flashes his lights.
Inside the compound, hordes of alphas take notice of us. Bones rest in piles
forming pyramids with eyeless skulls perched on top. Around them, a series
of torched and ripped bodies lay motionless in pools of blood, slowly
cooling. The word blasphemous is painted on the wall. I look away in panic
again, wondering how my choices led me to this dark and horrible place.
Ronan keeps his body close, head angled against mine. “When they stop the
truck, just keep your head down. It’s going to be okay,” he whispers. “I’ll
figure a way out of this.”
My pulse races as the gates shut behind us. We’re trapped inside the
compound, surrounded by alphas without any morals or sense of justice, our
situation growing ever more dire. “Where are the Ancients?” I ask Ronan,
shooting a look over my shoulder.
A dull hum can be heard over the car engine. It’s coming from the center of
the compound, somewhere out of sight. Ronan exhales. “I don’t know.
Something’s not right here.”
“I’m not letting you leave me again,” I say, my voice tense. “What’s going
on?”
His eyelids close with uncertainty. Is he giving up? “You have to do what
they say. Just until things settle here.”
My heart races. “You taught me to fight for a better future, not to run from
it. Remember?”
Peering down at his battle wounds, he winces. Then he takes my hand,
squeezing. “We’re not running. We’re working alongside fate, alongside
love.”
I draw a weary breath and let it out, shaking as more gruesome scenes
unfold outside. There are hundreds of omegas locked in pens. Possibly even
thousands. And there seems to be an endless horde of hungry alphas waiting
for their turn to take a mate of their own. Here, everyone gets a turn at
feeling like a mad king. We may have love on our side, but these alphas
hold a powerful hate inside their restless hearts. It inspires nothing but fear
in my own.
A rumbling shakes the ground. “I don’t understand what’s happening,” I
say, trying not to panic.
“There are strange forces here. The past and the future are melding together
as one.”
“Meaning… what?”
“The Ancients are not really here,” he says. “Not in their true, physical
bodies, at least. They are apparitions.”
My stomach drops, leaving me nauseous. “Then where the hell are they?”
“They must be lost, fighting through the ages of time itself. We need to set
them free.”
My throat aches. “If the Ancients can’t save us, then why did you let them
take us here?”
He rolls his shoulders back, eyes dead set on the alpha guarding the back
door of the truck. Ronan has a mechanical look, a dull glaze in his eyes, as
if this is the last fight his heart can take. “My ancestors demand justice, but
I have to be the one to deliver it.”
I stare at him blankly. “You’re not leaving me again. I don’t care if it’s to
save the Ancients. I simply won’t allow it.”
He looks deeply into my eyes, and I know he’s not going to let up because
it’s not his choice. Ahrimon is in control of everything now. “I’ll never stop
fighting for you,” he says. “Do you understand?”
I nod as if I do, but truthfully, it hurts to see him without any answers. “Yes,
Master.”
“You don’t need to call me that anymore,” he tells me.
“Yes, Master.”
“Naomi…”
I’ll never be free. I’ll never get to live in peace with the man I love. That’s
obvious now. “You don’t have to say another word. I understand, Master.”
The guard brutally drives the butt of his gun into Ronan’s chest. He
collapses under the blow, howling in pain. “Both of you, shut your mouths
or I’ll sew them shut for you,” the guard snarls in a gravelly voice.
I follow the guard’s commands and keep my head down, but I can’t resist
looking at the rest of the camp as the car comes to a halt. The headlights are
fixed on a wide field of terrifying alphas perched on a cliff above the
compound. They all appear to be armed, wearing black and tanned armor
made of metal and animal hide. They silently scan the area below for any
signs of incoming danger.
As soon as Ahrimon rolls down his window, another alpha walks forward
and waves us through. “Sir. We’ve been waiting for you. Did you find
them?”
“They’re in the back. Lock the gates, and man the defenses,” Ahrimon says.
“There are others coming.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ahrimon rolls up his window, and the driver moves us forward, cutting the
engine once the transport is deep inside the compound. The alphas cheer in
response to his arrival as the uncomfortable heat of flames surrounds us.
Ahrimon waves another monster alpha forward, saying, “If you see anyone
near the perimeter, let me know immediately.”
The Reaper grunts in strict obedience, but one of the alphas on the cliff
ledge above gives a hand signal. His eyes widen with fright. “Sir. The
watchers have movement below the mountain,” he says.
As Ahrimon joins the alphas at the ledge, he peeks down the face of the
mountain. The once conformable Reaper removes his mask and shivers. I
press my face against the window of the vehicle. My heart fills with relief
when I see Greyson climb over the perimeter wall. It’s not just him either.
The path up the mountain is a sea of glowing eyes.
The Ancients have arrived.
Before Ahrimon can process the sight, the Reapers open fire at Greyson,
but a series of quick detonations bring down the entrance gates. Reapers
wheel defense turrets through the smoke. Another blast demolishes them,
sending another horde of alphas back as more run toward the blast to repair
the breach. Apparently, Greyson has gotten over his fear of blood because
he quickly opens fire on the ragged Reapers.
I watch through my window as more Reapers surround our vehicle. Loud
growls fill the open space, the surrounding alphas adding their own to the
din.
As the fight continues, I wonder if there will ever be a timeline where we
can win, or if this is just another way Ahrimon achieves universal
domination. Judging by the look of fear in his eyes, he knows his reign
could end at any second.
He’s rushing this. Making mistakes.
Suddenly, hope fills my heart. I can feel my pulse racing as the Hunters
surround us, and my throat is raw from crying. The dull hum I heard
minutes earlier grows louder. Ahrimon runs up to me, dragging me out of
the transport. The hunters take hold of Ronan’s bucking body.
They carry us toward a large building in the center of the compound as
blasts go off all around us. Ahrimon thrusts the door open, locking it behind
him. His breath is heavy and raspy.
Inside, torches cast a dim light across a long and narrow hallway with
paintings similar to the ones I found in the caves just days ago.
My strained voice echoes off the walls. “Where are you taking us?”
Ahrimon’s cold laughter pounds in my ears. “This is where I will create the
bridge to another world. Here you will witness the great transformation.”
A heavy set of pounding sounds against the locked door. At first, I take the
noises to be more explosions, but then I hear beastly huffing at the bottom.
“The Ancients are here to kill you,” Ronan says. “You can’t fight them.”
“No, but I can harness their energy with my own device,” he says. “Once I
activate Aeon, I will absorb the souls of the Ancients. I will bridge time
itself, becoming a god forever.”
I spit in his face, shouting, “You’re insane!”
Saliva drips down his cheek, a look of anger flashing across his face. “Soon
enough, you’ll be my whore.”
“Naomi!” Ronan roars.
I look for a way to escape. The main passageway leads into a large and
cavernous chamber. A massive, circular machine with a metal throne
dominating its center rests above an ancient set of stairs. Thick pipes and
cables pour in from around its perimeter and down into the shadows at its
base. There’s no way out.
Mirrors reflect the footfalls of monsters as the Hunters march us into the
chamber. Ahrimon checks the assembly, then slowly steps down to the
floor, waving the Hunters forward.
“It is time for the final ceremony,” he triumphantly declares. The Hunters
carry Ronan kicking and screaming into the room.
“No!” I yell.
A vile horde of Hunters carries Ronan up the short flight of stairs, seating
him in the throne, and binding his wrists and ankles to the posts. He
watches me with glassy eyes, struggling against the heavy metal pillars. He
pulls so hard, the metal restraints start to bend. “Release me!”
“With Aeon’s help, I will do more than that, brother.”
“Brother?” I whisper.
Ahrimon cackles, eyes radiating electricity. It’s only now that I understand
the full story.
Ahrimon… is Ronan’s brother.
The Hunters present Ahrimon with the powerful Aeon. He holds up the
small, glowing prism in front of him, chest palpitating with air. With great
effort, he holds the device over Ronan’s heart. Ahrimon’s eyes grow wide,
glowing with power.
Pain flows through my veins, making it impossible to breathe. I fall,
clutching my heart. The more powerful Ahrimon gets, the worse I feel.
I saw this all in my vision too, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it. Now it’s
actually happening, and I’m completely powerless.
As the Hunters begin chanting, Ahrimon places the device inside the
assembly behind the throne. The Hunters’ voices grow louder, echoing and
converging throughout the room. As soon as the last word is uttered, silence
descends upon everything. Ahrimon watches in anticipation as Aeon spins,
spreading its light throughout the assembly.
Ronan lowers his head and grits his teeth, trying to stave off the pain.
Desperate to survive, he sways his body forward, slamming his wrists and
ankles against the warped bindings until they start to loosen. But before he
can make the extra effort to escape, an electric current brings him to
convulsions, jolting his breath from his lungs.
I drop to my knees, tears filling my eyes. “Ronan, wake up…”
The pounding and breathing of the Ancients outside ceases. Ahrimon’s
twisted laughter carries throughout the corridor. “This universe is mine. All
mine.”
“Ronan!” I scream. “Listen to me. Listen to my voice. Focus on me!”
I shut my eyes and take a hurried but focused breath. My mind carries me
beyond, to the Ancients Ahrimon wishes to destroy. One by one, their
sounds drift into the center of the room, powerless and lost. I see their
essence. They all share the same hypnotized look.
Losing control, Ronan’s eyes roll back in his head. Foam spills from his
mouth. They’re killing him, and I feel so weak, unable to stop it.
This can’t be up to me!
I can’t stop Ahrimon. But that won’t stop me from trying.
I kick out from the grasp of the Hunter holding me, I dash for the stairs that
lead up to Ronan, but I trip, slamming my shin hard against the first step.
My breath shudders as the probing edge of pain hits the bone. But as soon
as I feel the worn hands of Hunters, I grit my teeth and summon every fiber
of will within me to return the fight.
The Hunters are upon me then, and I kick the nearest one in the stomach,
knocking him on his back. As he scrambles to his feet, I flip up and deliver
a front punch to his ribs, followed by a roundhouse kick that catches him
right in the face, splitting the cartilage in his nose with a sickening crack.
He falls to the floor like a downed tree, and that’s when I notice his blade. I
take it with ease, swinging my arm toward any Hunters who edge toward
me.
A large sphere of energy shimmers in the center of the room. It roars as it
starts to expand, melting and crackling, until it bursts into a contained, but
thunderous storm. Each ember within the sphere expands rapidly until the
maelstrom has fully engulfed the room.
The force of electricity inches me back, but I use my strength to climb up
the first step toward the platform. Screaming, I extend my arm and pull up
the second step. My muscles burn, but the worst pain comes from inside my
heart. “Ronan!” I cry, tears stinging my sinuses. “You can’t die!”
The echoing chants are silenced by the high-pitched roar of the device. The
room explodes in a swarm of pink light, engulfing Ahrimon’s body. A look
of relief forms in his eyes. “Yes!” he bellows. “The alpha’s bond… it’s
finally mine!”
What should be easy and fluid feels like climbing the tallest of mountains. I
keep pulling myself up, focusing inward, searching for Ronan’s voice.
And then I hear it, his voice inside my head.
Naomi.
My heart jumps.
Ronan!
When our frequencies connect, it feels like being in the eye of a hurricane.
A powerful magnetic force surges through us, keeping us together.
I can hear you, Naomi. What’s happening to me? I see my ancestors.
They’re all around me. Am I… dead?
My throat burns as I draw a deep breath.
Master. I’m coming for you.
When I open my eyes, I’m no longer in that same room, watching the love
of my life get tortured to death. Something miraculous has happened. A sea
of giant alphas stands around me. They help me stand.
It’s suddenly easy to walk, and each soul moves aside to make room, until I
see Ronan in the center of the chamber. His body shimmers like electricity,
muscles bulging in the heavenly light. We’re in some kind of purgatory—
and I’m not sure that’s such a good thing.
My heart pounds, bringing tears to my eyes. We’ve only known each other
for a short time, but it feels like years. This alpha is my soulmate. I pray
that Ahrimon hasn’t won.
“Master,” I whisper.
“Sweet omega.”
“Where are we?” I ask.
His voice surrounds me, deep and commanding. “We’re with the Ancients.
It’s time to set them free.”
Rising to meet me, Ronan grabs me in a loving embrace. Except our bodies
fly through one another like two ghosts. And then I remember what’s at
stake. Our bond. This is a trick from Aeon, another vision to set us off
course.
We haven’t won yet.
We both spin and race toward one another, stopping mere inches apart. This
close to his body, I can see the outline of his face start to drift away like
energy. I’m unable to feel the expected warm embrace, and his scent is
absent.
My chest pounds. “Ahrimon is ending the world.”
He nods his head. “But you can save it.”
Shoulders aching, I let out emotions that can’t be tamed. “I can’t kill
Ahrimon. I’m not strong enough. He has Aeon…”
He brings his hand to my chest. I can’t feel him, but the calmness in his
eyes is enough to get me to focus. “Listen to your heart. It’s up to you now.
The Ancients will help you. They will guide you toward Fate’s path.”
I breathe and nod my head, though I can’t see how this is going to work out.
But when the Ancients rise, surrounding me, I stop crying. One by one, the
giants let out a cacophony of beastly roars, their massive forms each more
fearsome than the last. They pounce, and I absorb their energy, becoming
ever stronger.
Slowly, Ronan moves out of sight, wading into the darkness. “I believe in
you.”
“I love you.”

When I reopen my eyes, I’m back in the eye of the storm. This time,
however, I have the help of the Ancients. The pain I feel fuels me.
I take a glance at the dagger in my hand. And then I return my sight toward
Ahrimon. He’s so consumed by his new power that he’s forgotten about me.
When Ahrimon finally sees me, his eyes flash with indecision. He seems to
know this is the bitter end. I was always destined to kill him.
You can do this.
Running forward with all my might, I meet him on stable ground.
Electricity flows out of him, but it does his body no good. His face contorts,
flesh beginning to sag with age. A shrill scream tears his throat. That’s
when I rush him.
Using the last of my strength, I drive the blade right through his decrepit
heart. The ancient steel breaks through his flesh, stealing his power. He
stumbles, choking. “You whore…”
I narrow my eyes. “Better a whore than a corpse.”
And then I drive my palm against the hilt of the dagger, plunging the blade
even deeper. His hands come up, desperately trying to grab the weapon, but
it’s too late. I stab harder into his chest. The blackened blood splatters
against the floor. And in that final moment before the end of the world, as
the threat of evil finally dies away and the planet lies still, the portal door
soars above me, blazing.
Waking from his trance, Ronan gasps and breaks free from the throne. I
stand, breathing heavily as Ahrimon hovers, standing at death’s door now.
Black tears roll down the evil alpha’s cheeks.
Outside these walls, the dull sounds of gunfire echo, but the Reapers no
longer have a leader, and their cries sound disjointed and fearful. The
Hunters simply watch, dropping their masks and bowing in submission.
I look down at my chest. The mysterious glowing has disappeared. A rush
of excitement shoots through my stomach, forcing me to exhale.
I am no longer connected to Ahrimon!
“It’s done,” I say.
Ahrimon grasps his heart, choking on his own blood. He stumbles forward,
then back, broken by his untenable desire for power.
Ronan stands, gently taking hold of Ahrimon’s shoulders, leading him to
the throne. As he sputters out blood, a shaky look of horror comes over him.
“Brother… think of what we could achieve… together…”
Ronan narrows his eyes. “See you in hell,” Ronan says. “Brother.”
Ahrimon bleeds out then, a long sickly croak escaping his blood-soaked lips
as he slips away. His body slumps to the side on the throne, his eyes staring,
utterly lifeless.
Everyone is silent. Before I have time to comprehend everything that’s
happened, Ronan loses the bolstering strength of his supernatural energy,
and he collapses, sliding down the stairs.
I drop to my knees, catching him, holding him fast. “Wake up, Ronan.
Please wake up, my love,” I cry.
Seconds pass, but there’s nothing resembling a pulse at his throat. I’m
starting to panic.
“Please, don’t leave me,” I breathe. “Don’t let this be what I think it is. This
can’t be how this ends. I need you!”
The crowd of Hunters recoils, frantically sucking in air and howling with
grief over Ahrimon’s death. Aeon then drops, bouncing and rolling to the
bottom of the pit, landing below the throne. The nearest Hunter catches the
glowing device with ease. Without a word, he bows and holds it above his
head. I take it from his trembling hands.
“Leader,” he whispers, backing away.
I feel my heart harden at the stupidity of their obedience. “I’m not your
leader!” I snarl.
The silence is deafening. They watch me with worried, almost childlike
eyes.
Lost, I weep until my throat burns with tears. I hold Ronan against my heart
and look inward one last time.
The next thing I know, I feel the warm flutter of whisperings from an
ethereal plane flow in and out of my body. I lose myself in that energy, my
heart deafeningly loud as I drift away to another realm. When my eyes
open, I’m face to face with one of the Ancients. And though he is a giant, I
am not afraid.
His towering body bares the face of a thousand-year-old being, which peers
down at me with wise eyes. A pair of crimson horns protrudes from his
shaved head, the charred remains of a helmet beneath. I quickly remember
Ronan’s mention of the fire that engulfed the home of the Twelve Tribes,
and I feel honored to meet his brethren.
He smiles warmly and beckons me to follow him on an earthy path. I have
to run to keep up with his giant footsteps. “Who are you?”
He doesn’t respond to my questioning. With a hollow grunt, he just keeps
walking, forcing me to jog after him.
“Wait!” I yell.
He leads me through a dense patch of leaves and trees that rise as high as
mountains, and on the other side I am greeted by a beautiful valley
surrounded by lush vegetation and blooming flowers. There is an optimistic
light here. And that’s when I know this is what their world used to look like.
He finally stops at a clearing, where the only thing standing in the darkness
is a small set of rocks in the center. He searches the edges of the clearing for
firewood, which he gathers with large hands.
A warm breeze blows across my arms as he patiently lights a fire, and when
it’s burning brightly, he sits near the flames and watches their movements
with exquisite patience. The fire swallows the wood, crackling and spitting
out dark plumes of smoke.
As I round the clearing, I see what he’s looking at. In the flames, history
unfolds like a story. I witness the birth of their civilization to the end. And
then I see Ronan and me.
We’re happy with a new baby.
I look upward, longingly staring at the stars, recalling the night I was taken
from my home. I remember all of it, but this time, without any regrets.
Lowering my head, I glide my hands across the swollen curve of my belly.
Our baby is growing every single day…
It was all worth it. Everything. I just need to know if Ronan is okay. I need
to get back to the realm I belong in.
More of the ancestors arrive at the juncture, wading out of the darkness. In
a short amount of time, the jungle fills with them. They take to the warmth
of the fire, speaking and playing, their shouts echoing in the night.
Although they’re no longer a part of the world I’ve come to know, they’re
telling tales of who they were and how they came to be. They’re no longer
pictures on a cave wall.
They can finally speak again.
Without retribution for past transgressions, the Ancients were lost to time
and, tragically, they were lost to themselves. Now they can finally be free.
But selfishly, I can’t stay here. This isn’t where I belong.
Another breeze caresses my shoulders, carrying someone’s warm and
protective touch along with it. I hear a low growl near my neck, feel a hand
trace my hips, and a deep voice says, “Do you believe in fate?”
Ronan.
I turn around, stunned. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. There’s no
stopping us from kissing as we touch, and everything feels right again. I let
the endorphins flow through my heart. “I do believe in fate,” I say. “I didn’t
used to, but I do now.”
When I blink, the realm I’m standing in disappears. I’m back inside the
Reapers’ den, and Ronan is alive—and as handsome as ever.
He takes hold of my waist and tosses me into his arms. His hand reaches
around my ass, softly tracing between my legs. He caresses the back of my
head with a soft brush of his thumb, eyes gazing down at me with a loving
expression. Kissing me softly, he brings me back to my feet. When he pulls
away, I feel damp.
Licking my sweetness off his lips, he asks, “Who needs the universe when
you have one gorgeous omega who completes you?”
I slide my hands across his chest and hold him tight, resting my cheek on
his heavy heart. I could do this for hours and never tire. “Do you really
mean that?”
He grins. “You freed the Ancients, and you saved my life. Naomi, you are
everything to me.”
I pull him closer, tugging on his hips. “I love you, Master.”
We did this. Together. And when we leave this dimension for the next, we’ll
make one hell of a team.
But our journey isn’t over yet.
Ronan turns and walks up the stairs to Ahrimon’s lifeless body. He takes
hold of the alpha’s blood-splattered cape and starts the long process of
dragging him out for his followers to see. The Hunters follow in a group
behind him, obediently bowing their heads whenever Ronan peeks over his
shoulders.
We unlock the door and walk out into a war zone.
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There are thousands of alphas fighting
the groundswell of Reapers for our cause. And the craziest part is they’re
actually winning.
A thunderous flash tears across the night. The air shimmers violently. And
in the middle of the sky, a great light rises. “The gateway,” I whisper, in
awe of what I’m seeing.
The sky cracks, and lightning strikes on the Reapers’ den. It creates a
luminous door through which another dimension can be seen and accessed.
This is what I saw, the prophecy that the Ancients predicted long ago.
“It’s still open. We can make it,” Ronan says, eyes reflecting light.
The realm on the other side of the portal looks beautiful. Green tapestries of
vegetation thread between delicate vines and wild flowers. Peaceful lakes
surround the magnificent forests. It’s just how I always pictured bliss to
look like. A vast paradise where anything and everything is possible…
Greyson lunges off our transport vehicle, running toward a gigantic red-
eyed Reaper. Ready to face the onslaught, Targon joins him, firing with
conviction and strength. “I’ve got your back, brother.”
Behind them, Len and my dad appear to be freeing the helpless omegas
from their cages. I’ve never seen such teamwork. Everyone is fighting, and
they’re doing it for each other. Deep down, I know they’re doing it for me.
Out of love.
It’s the first time I’ve felt this way, truly loved by the people I depend on. It
feels so good.
The Hunters cut across the encampment then, bowing their heads in prayer.
Finally, someone up the ridge breaks the chain of violence. “Cease fire!”
The fighting dies down, and suddenly, everyone is staring at the portal door.
Ronan drags Ahrimon’s body to the wall of traitors. He drops him on a pile
of bones, positioned to face the Reapers.
Their silence is eerie contrasted against the howl of the wind. Everyone is
on edge, waiting for Ronan to speak.
Smoke rises from the ground as Ronan brings his attention to Greyson.
“Where have you been?”
“Making bombs. Staying alive,” Greyson jokes.
A relieved smile breaks out across Ronan’s face. “What else is new?”
“Well, I’m not afraid of blood anymore,” he says.
Ronan chuckles. “That is something new.”
Targon walks down a hill to join the crew, and the sight of these brothers
coming together again causes me to tear up. “Aren’t you curious about
me?” he asks.
Ronan tosses his gun down. “Don’t tell me you’ve going soft on us.”
Targon grins. “Don’t worry. I’m still the same asshole I’ve always been.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Tears brim at Greyson’s eyes as he returns a gentle smile. “Are you sure
you want to bridge that portal, Chief? We could use you here. You know,
with us.”
Smoke wafts in thin wisps that float like fireflies through the air. The
ground stills. Ronan looks back at me, a smile overtaking his face. “Sorry,
guys. But I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
Targon inclines his head. “That’s it then?”
Ronan breathes. “Maybe I’ll find a way to visit.”
“Fat chance,” Targon says.
Greyson glares at his brother. “C’mon, Targon. Lay off him. He doesn’t
need to be a Guardian anymore.”
Targon inhales, nodding. “I’ll miss you, brother.”
Ronan hugs his brothers. “Family.”
“Family!” they chant in unison.
Then Ronan turns to address the idle sea of Reapers. When he does, they
respond with impatient grunts. He gives a speech for the ages.
“The Ancients spoke of a time without light. A time when we would have
no choice but to fight and kill our own. We lived this prophecy, but now it is
over. Ahrimon’s reign is no more. Your leader is dead, and so is his grand
vision of our world.”
The alphas roar feverishly.
Ronan’s face is stern as he continues. “We must rebuild. The time to unite
the Twelve Tribes is now. That is the only way we survive against Earth. It
won’t be easy, but we can do it if we stick together.”
The alphas set down their weapons, and the throng roars in response. They
gather at the base of the camp, ready for the war to end.
Every one of us turns toward the rift in the sky. One by one, the omegas
step through the great pillars of light, vanishing to the other side. My heart
swells for them, knowing they’ll have easier lives now.
This is the end for the Reapers, but not for us. We have a shot at a new
beginning.
But if I’m being honest with myself, seeing Ronan part ways from his
brethren feels wrong. Leaving my dad also hurts. This planet was never my
home, but the next dimension is just another escape. I don’t want to keep
running. I want to stay and build something real.
I belong to the sands of history.
In the meantime, Len unlocks the last cage, leading a long line of omegas
toward the glowing crossbeams of light. “Hey, Ronan. The gateway will
close soon. If you want to get through it, you’ll have to hurry.”
Ronan eyes the energy currents. “What about you?”
Len is near the portal entrance, hair whipping with the force of the energy
field. “You have to leave now!” he shouts. “Don’t worry about me.”
Ronan takes my hand. “Are you ready?”
I bite my cheek, terrified I might be making the wrong decision. I turn,
staring at my dad, and my heart twists in pain. Closing my eyes, I shake my
head and realize how crazy I’m about to sound, but I have an idea. “What
if… what if we stay?”
Ronan blinks. “That’s not what you said you wanted.”
I glide my hands over my belly, and our baby kicks in response. Tears form
in my eyes, quickly running down my cheeks, but they’re tears of joy. “I’ll
never know what I fully want. I’m a complicated woman,” I say. “But I
know I want you. I want our child to grow up happy and healthy, and I want
them to know their father’s history.”
He wipes his forehead, eyes widening with surprise. A short chuckle tells
me he’s on board. “You want to… stay?”
I nod, standing upright as my heart calms down. “I do.”
He grins, then takes my hand in his, pulling me toward him. “Then we
will.”
His lips meet mine, crushing me in an embrace that’s meant to last a
lifetime. I feel weightless, like I’m floating. Ronan is the only one that
keeps me grounded.
Drawing me closer, his lips linger over my mouth. “I’ll share my world
with you, always.”
The energy currents holding the gateway turn even more volatile, and I
jump back, exhaling. The gateway is closing, and Len is staring at us like
we’re out of our minds. “What are you two doing? Jump through the
gateway!”
“We’re staying,” Ronan says.
Greyson’s and Targon’s eyes widen. “You’re staying here?” Targon asks.
“Why?”
I stand on my toes and kiss Ronan. My muscles feel tight, but I’m deeply
happy at the same time. “Because this is my home. I belong here.”
The earth shakes as Len waves us through. “I can’t hold the gateway open
any longer,” he screams.
I relax, biting my lip. “Then let it go.”
The sky above is dark, a crescent of clouds cutting the bright night in half.
The door is shaking. Thunderous booms and loud pops give way to tearing
winds, like a violent earthquake is about to shake the very foundation of the
world. Rain begins to fall, and I hold my breath, waiting for a rupture.
And then it comes. The gateway explodes. A blast of heat and energy
disappears into a vacuum of space and time. Electricity sparkles in the air. I
scream, holding onto the earth. I let it all out, every emotion I’ve kept
buried. All the fucking pain, and sorrow, and fear.
Then, all of a sudden, the tempest stops.
The gateway is no more. And what remains will only be remembered by
those who witnessed it. The war is finally over. We changed the course of
fate itself.
The world is saved…

Lost in the foggy afterglow of war and time travel, we start to make our
way down the mountain. An expansive canyon carves out the landscape in
front of us, and the long and shared journey back home begins.
My dad follows, but Len stays behind, watching us with disbelief. He’s
been a real friend to us when he didn’t have to be. In so many ways, it hurts
to see him go.
I turn, wondering why Len didn’t jump in the portal himself. “What about
you, Len? Where will you go?” I ask.
Len rubs his neck, grimacing. He looks at me with glistening eyes, like
what he’s about to say hurts him more than he could possibly say. “I’m
going back to the colonies.”
“But… why?”
He exhales. “I don’t belong in paradise,” he says.
Ronan nods in his direction. “You don’t need to be Earth’s busboy either,”
he says. “You can come with us. We could all use a fresh start.”
Len sniffs and straightens his spine. “It’s not where I belong. There are
more women arriving to the work camps along the coast. I have a duty to
help them too.”
Ronan digs his feet into the scorched soil, hoisting his bag higher on his
shoulder. “So—you’re a full-time hero now?”
Len laughs. “I’m just a devil with no place to go.”
Ronan nods. “I know how that feels.”
Nodding, Len turns, but he seems to have more to say. “One more thing,”
he says. “Wherever you guys settle, I’ll make sure Earth backs off, leaves
you alone. Just send the word.”
I turn and run toward him, giving him one last hug. It feels awful to say
goodbye to a new friend, but knowing he’ll watch over us is a huge relief.
“Thank you, Len. But Ronan is right. We got our happy ending. Now, you
need one too.”
Len gives a half-hearted salute and grins. “Absolutely fucking not.” He
laughs as his response shocks me. “I saw what you guys went through.
Falling in love with a human isn’t worth the trouble.”
“Point taken,” I say.
He winks, turning from us. “Well. I’ve got to get going. See you on the
other side.”
“Goodbye, Len.”
The five of us watch him walk toward the horizon, peering straight ahead
until he disappears into the gathering fog. He may not care now, but I hope
he reconsiders love. It’s the best thing I ever did.
When Len is out of view, Targon sneers, shaking his head. “What a big
shot,” he scoffs. “The guy didn’t even help with the fight.”
Greyson joins in on the roasting. “Do you know how long I had to hide and
wait for you guys? Two fucking days.”
The four of them begin making their way down the mountain.
The two alphas walk ahead, continuing to air their playful grievances, but
Ronan holds me back a moment. He slides his thumb between my lips, and
we kiss. Behind his towering, sculpted body, the sun begins to rise, casting
shades of orange, purple, and red. Now, more than ever, I feel complete, and
I close my eyes, knowing that everything is going to be better for us. We’ll
have the life we dreamt of. And eventually, this world will reclaim its
peaceful past.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he murmurs.
My throat swells with profound emotion as I hold onto him. “Don’t ever
leave me.”
And for the first time, I see tears in his eyes too. His voice falters. His
emotions are on full display, but he’s not cowering away from me or in a
rage. This is a first.
He keeps his loving eyes on me. “For as long as I live, I am here to serve
you.”
“Where will we go?” I ask.
He gives it a quick ponder. “The settlements were nice and empty.”
I smile, thinking he might be joking. But when he starts nodding his head to
get me to go along with it, I realize he’s serious. He wants us to take over
the human settlements. “You don’t think that’s a little dangerous?” I ask.
Kneeling, he exhales, gently palming my swollen belly. Slowly, he brings
his head to my navel, and I feel our baby kick. It takes me by surprise,
causing my eyes to well with more tears. “Our son is an alpha. He will need
to grow up tough. Plus, Len promised he’d lend us some help. I think we’ll
be safe there.”
I blink. “Our son? Don’t you mean our daughter?”
“Alphas have a sixth sense for these things. The child… is our son.”
I roll my eyes. “On second thought, maybe we should open that portal
again.”
Oh, boy…
Every door is an opportunity, but not every door is the answer to your
problems. I don’t know where exactly we’ll end up, but we’ll know what to
do when we get there. This world is my home now. And no matter how far I
have to travel, no matter how hard I have to fight to find stable ground, I
will never give up on my family. Because inside every patch of darkness
lies a tiny speck of hope.
Sometimes, that’s all you need.

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 EPILOGUE

T hree years later

Ronan

After the war, people gave us names. Heroes. Legends. Traitors. We let
them say their best and their worst. It didn’t matter to me. The truth was far
different than they’d ever come to know.
The walk took ages, an endless journey across a scorching hot desert plain.
As soon as we took the abandoned settlement homes, the humans advanced.
But it was just as Len promised. Ahrimon was dead, and Earth became
satisfied with the lull in action. At least, for the moment…
That ‘moment’ has lasted us a while now. Three years, in fact. There’s an
unspoken agreement between the newly formed Twelve Tribes and the
humans.
“Leave us the fuck alone, and we won’t cause any trouble.”
That’s practically our motto. Both parties stick to their word.
We all do our part here. It’s not easy, but it’s better than anything we’ve
ever had. And the seasonal celebrations among the Twelve Tribes make
everything that much more worth it. I’ve even gotten used to seeing Naomi
happy with her dad.
For years, I had been living under a rock. Who would’ve thought a bit of
company would do me good?
There are other tribes out in the wilderness, too, far past the reach of the
Badlands. In the east, there are work camps controlled by Earth’s most evil
players. I don’t even want to know what savagery lies to the icecaps in the
north.
There will always be struggle. There will always be pain. But through the
chaos comes an order that fuels life itself, allowing it to grow into
something strong and beautiful. There is no need to dwell on the past
anymore. My beautiful omega mate is right beside me. We have everything.
Before we close our eyes and drift into dreams of tomorrow, I hear a soft
noise near the entryway, and it’s accompanied by a thin shadow. “Daddy?”
“Son? It’s too early to be awake.”
Our son Aiden inches forward, holding a handwoven cloth bear Naomi’s
father made for his birthday. He’s not yet an alpha, but someday, he will be
a warrior. It’s hard to believe.
“I heard a noise,” he says.
Naomi yawns, now awake. “You woke him up with your snoring.”
I sit up and pat the blankets. “Sleep with your guardians. You are safe with
us.”
He begins to crawl into bed, but he’s too alert to close his eyes. “Can you
tell me a story?”
Naomi rolls her eyes. “Only if you make it quick. Mommy’s tired.”
“Please, Daddy,” Aiden begs.
Aiden snuggles up next to me, hugging his arms around my chest. And for
an instant, I’m the happiest alpha in the world. These small moments are so
very special to me. I’ll stay up for this feeling any day.
“I’ve got just the story,” I say.
“You do?”
I nod. “There were once twelve tribes…”
“Like ours?” he asks.
Naomi sits up, ready to tickle him.
“Just like ours.”

The next morning, as I come back from gathering firewood with Naomi’s
dad, she looks at me with daring eyes. Her lips edge into a smile, and her
body curves like a snake on the bed. “Back already?” she asks.
I set a pile near the door and stretch my arms. “It was a scorcher today.”
Her eyes narrow, and I watch as she drops her gaze to my cock. “You
look… hot.”
The sun burns through the window, warm against my skin. It’s been an
unusually sultry fall’s day, but I need more heat. I stare at her rosy cheeks,
fertile belly, and soft ass. She’s begging to be touched.
And spanked.
“You look much hotter.”
She’s been in heat for three days now, but I’ve been hard at work, doing
what needs to be done to prepare for the coming winter. After chopping
down an entire acre of forest, I feel insatiable, like I can do anything. It
reminds me of old times, but so much more stable.
Life here on Eridani is hopeful. I never thought I’d see the day.
Resting on the bed, Naomi gives me those bedroom eyes I cannot resist.
“What do we do with the hotness we possess?” she asks.
Adrenaline courses through my veins as my loincloth hits the floor. “I have
some ideas.”
“Show them to me,” she breathes.
She leans back on the bed, body glowing in the light. My heart pounds
faster in my chest as she spreads her legs open for me, creamy slick seeping
from the pink lips of her swollen sex.
I take hold of my hard cock, aching to sink inside her. As I taste her first
with my tongue, she whimpers in pleasure.
Her body tenses. “Wait,” she whispers.
“No waiting. Only breeding.”
She pushes my forehead back, but it’s no match against my hunger for her.
“We can’t wake up Aiden again,” she hisses.
Her breath catches, and her belly jumps as I slide into her, pumping into her
plump folds. “We need this,” I murmur.
She covers my mouth. “Just keep the moaning to a minimum.”
I take hold of her hips and let out a deep and rumbling grunt. Her eyes shoot
open, but I pump my hips and whisper in her ear, “I want another baby.”
A soft sigh escapes her lips. She doesn’t look as shocked as I expected.
“You do?”
I nod. “Aiden needs a companion.”
“Two boys,” she says. “That’s a lot to handle.”
“I was thinking a sister might be nice for him.” I say it like it’s up to me.
She angles her head, a smile spreading across her face. “You’re serious?”
Coursing my hands across her back, I lift her and slide in deeper. I cover her
body with mine, lowering my mouth to each of her nipples in turn. “The
gender of the child is unimportant to me, but you said it yourself last year.
A big family is a gift.”
She shudders with pleasure, skin almost hot to the touch. “This was a
calculated attack. You knew I was in heat again.”
I bring my hand underneath her, teasing my fingers above her clit. Sweet
and sticky slick glistens, her opened thighs like a pot full of honey. Sliding
my fingers back and forth, I penetrate her, gathering more of her heat.
She smells too fucking good. I can’t stop exploring her.
I turn her body around, raising her soft rump to me. My cock pushes
through her lips, sinking into her heat. I don’t stop until I’m seated fully
inside her. She can’t control her pleasure. Neither can I. Before I know it,
I’m bucking and riding her tight little ass, pleasure coursing through my
cock.
I spank her soft bottom, keeping a firm palm until she begs for more. My
grip is tight, my hand pleasantly stinging from the blows. One more
spanking stokes her lust still higher, freeing her primal desire to
consummate.
“Spill your seed inside me,” she pleads.
Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her tight as a burning pleasure
consumes me. She spasms underneath my hold, pussy clenching around my
cock. A warm sensation between my legs turns into a deep need to release
my cum and knot inside her, solidifying our bond a second time.
The urgency takes hold, and then I lose it. I flood her with wave after wave
of hot cum, and bliss overtakes us.
This isn’t the end. A new story is forming.
One seed at a time.

The End

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 A F T E RWO R D

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