Severin applauds. “The plug has been pulled, but the curtain will never close. The show ends with a new beginning. Long live the New Republic.”
He steps back, hand directed toward her naked, wet, glimmering body as she sucks in as much air as she can take.
Violent coughs expunge the mess of liquid from her lungs, and her vision gives her hallucinations of complex geometric figures.
The audience shares no more of their hideous laughter. Instead, they fall to their knees and bow their heads like the fools of worship they are. Their hands rise into the air, shaking and writhing like shimmering salmon swimming upstream.
Soon, they break into ear-tickling prayers she cannot understand.
“She is much more than a useless omega,” Severin says, eyes wide with reverence. “She is special.”
Just how special is she?
Rae can’t help but gaze into the tiresome eyes of the aged beast. He falls to his knees and pretends to be faithful.
“She is precious,” he moans.
Rae tries to stand, but her ankles easily bend. She drops, falling into Severin’s arms.
Lifting her close to him, he gazes calmly. She expects more torture and pain, but he acts tenderly, like a father might.
She knows better than to believe the act.
“It is all over now,” he whispers. “You may breathe.”
Rae takes one breath in. One breath out.
She behaves.
He bends his neck. “You are whole again.”
She doesn’t have the strength fight, but she has one request. “Take me to my children. Please,” she says.
Before Severin can fulfill her desire, a door opens behind the crowd. Her twin, Ruby, steps out from the darkness, and Rae understands what this ceremony is about.
This is the start of the new world, the start of a new chapter for everyone.
Officially, this is Rae’s coronation day. But it is her sister’s special day, too.
Her twin marches forward like the triumphant soldier she is. Bowing her head, she forces a fist into the air, resembling an ancient statue of exuberant tenacity.
Her black leather gloves cut through the spotlight around Rae’s dripping, aching body.
“The queen is dead. Long live the queen,” she says.
Chapter One
Father. Are you listening?
This world is a hunting ground. It is a place where honorable men come to get trampled. A place where men are forced to walk blindly in chains.
Can you hear me? Father…
I have learned many things during my imprisonment. Had I known you, you would be proud of this knowledge.
We are made in the world’s image. Alphas. Omegas. Even betas. We are from this earth. And all across the land, there is movement.
We hunt, kill, and devour all forms of flesh. To bury our progress, we throw the guilt of the past under a rug of earthy excess. The house, as it stands, is in eternal disarray.
Yet, something else torments me. The mystery of my existence. We live to unlock boxes and unearth magnificent stories to understand ourselves better.
I know nothing of myself. Nothing of my birth. Nothing of you, my father…
Perhaps I have grown too inward, living in darkness. But there is so much more to uncover. I must know who I am.
When these thoughts come, I think of taking her again, of ravaging her and spilling my hot seed inside her body. I grow angry, tired, and irascible. My cock rises against the frosty air, and I am forced to blow my load against the weightlessness of the night.
Throughout the duration of my imprisonment, my heart has been broken into a thousand pieces. I have felt the warmth flow away, revealing the black stone I knew was always there.
My children were stolen. My mate taken and claimed by the new lords of the land.
I gave up looking for you long ago. I can only rely on myself.
The New Republic locked me away, but the memories of those I love set my soul free. In their image, I will wander until I’m whole again.
For I am Killian. The bastard without a home.
Killian stands upright in his darkened cell. He focuses his sight on the mirror’s reflection for hours. The ragged and ravaged alpha he sees looking back at him feels distant and fragmented, as if it isn’t him at all.
He can’t comprehend what has happened to his crew. Together, they sought to take down Cassian and his army of bandits.
They didn’t realize it would create more chaos.
Killian, Lucas, and Vash went through hell to get Rae back. In the end, they failed. The alphas lost her.
He can never forgive himself for that.
Night after night, he prays, even lowers his pride to plead with the guards. She was his special omega. She was the one that would bring peace to a chaotic and disgusting world.
His words fell on deaf ears. Power, lies, and corruption are the backbone of any great nation. Why should he expect mercy from devils?
Facing the cold metal bars that define his new existence, he feels dizzy. He runs his hand through the overgrown hair that shrouds his once-shaved head, and he lets out a loud sigh, struggling to hold back tears.
“No amount of struggle will bring her back,” he says, pocketing his feelings.
If the guards catch wind of his words, they will prod him with electricity. They will rape and torture his alpha counterparts, forcing him to watch and listen to the sounds of tearing flesh.
He has had enough of the coppery smell of spilled blood. Any more of it will cause him to shatter into a million pieces.
How has he gotten so weak? It is a question he asked himself repeatedly. Killian blame his folly on his orphaned upbringing. Without a genuine family, he relied on random acts of violence. So, when he fell into the arms of that phenomenal omega, he barely knew how to take the gushy feelings inside his heart.
He thought he was doing the right thing by bringing her to that copy of a twin sister. With the city undergoing another round of firebombs and wondrous devastation, he had no choice but to comply with the new regime’s wishes.
They tried to fight them, but they were surrounded within seconds. His counterparts were taken and beaten half to death. Together, they were thrown into neighboring cells, issued the front end of electrical prods whenever they voiced their pain.
Yes, they were subdued and controlled, subjugated to the guards’ whims. But Killian still dreams of her every fucking day.
Closing his eyes, he pictures her beautiful face, as stunning as a holy icon hanging in a cathedral. He hears her voice. “Don’t let go,” she whispers. “Never let go.”
The thought of her wrecks him.
“Will I ever leave this prison?” he asks the ceiling.
It will take a miracle.
But as he gives up waiting for a response, something takes him by surprise. A sudden explosion rocks the interior, slamming his body against the other side of the wall.
Exhaling bits of dirt and shattered concrete, Killian lurches forward and lets out an exasperated cry.
“Rae,” he cries.
Unable to use his sight, he uses his hands to search the ground for a path forward.
“Rae, please…”
After the dust settles, Killian forced his eyes open despite the pain and harsh ringing that swells against his eardrums. An opening within the walls allows the pure light of the sun to pour in like clear water from a fresh spring.
He hears voices next. They call to him over the frantic sounds of warning sirens.
“Friends, citizens, countrymen. We must take our lives back from the corrupt. We must bow our heads to the one who feels our collective pain. Behold, Queen Rae…”
For the first time in ages, Killian lifts his eyes and witnesses the new world. Beautifully constructed skyscrapers usher in a feeling of promise. The subway cars, once run down and screeching with age, now run smoothly. There are barely any remnants from the battle they nearly lost their lives in.
; “What the fuck…” he growls.
Killian crawls forward. He is in danger of being caught, but the sight is too grand for his mind to grasp. Built into the windows of the opulent towers are wide television screens. Staring back at him from above is Rae, his one true love and mother of the angelic children they created.
He can’t believe his eyes.
Held with military grade cables, she floats inside an artificial womb. Her eyes are open as her life hangs in stasis, naked for the world to see.
“What have they done to her?” he asks.
Killian blinks and stumbles out of the rubble. On a street corner is a preacher, a beta speaking to an uninterested crowd. “My friends, the sinners of the past will reap what they sow. Rae understands us. She listens to our cries. When you are alone and starving for a bit of bread, she will be there to satisfy your hunger. We must keep our hearts open and look to her for hope,” he says.
Killian runs forward, arms flailing. Lost in a trance, he demands answers.
“You,” he growls and trips into the beta’s arms. “You said her name was Rae. Is it true?”
The preacher twists his composed face and steps back with distaste. “If you do not take your hands from me, I will call on the guards for help.”
Killian knows how insane he appears. His beard has grown to reflect a maddening wisdom. His hair lowers before his eyes, wild and feral. Everything has changed, but he no longer cares.
His growl turns into a rage-induced scream. “Where is my love?”
The preacher backs away from him. “Guards,” he shouts.
Killian clenches his fists before shoving the preacher to the ground, turning like a hunted animal. Predators surround him, ready to attack. In the days of Cassian’s rule, it was obvious who was the enemy and who wasn’t. Now, everyone dresses in the same frayed garb.
His enemy, if anyone, is himself.
A firm hand falls across his back. Another clasps his shoulder. Quickly, he’s pulled away from the corner, dragged across the asphalt until his knees and hips bleed from friction. Those same hands push him through a door, carrying him down a set of stairs.
Finally, they stop, and he can focus his eyes.
It’s his alpha brothers, Lucas and Vash.
Heart jumping with excitement, Killian attempts to stand, but Vash stops him, covering his dirtied mouth. “Stop. There are cameras everywhere.”
Killian may be ignorant to the ways of the new world, but he knows when to shut up and listen. He focuses on the sounds of armed guards running and hollering through the streets above. A few vehicles screech near, engines rumbling.
And then he hears a megaphone, “Be on the lookout for three escaped Ouroboros prisoners. They are armed, dangerous, and ready to kill…”
Killian doesn’t dare breathe.
The silence intensifies. But as the guards pass, so too does his fear.
Vash hands him a rifle. “I think we’re safe, but we need to be wary of our actions,” he says.
Killian looks at the alphas with tears in his eyes. Their rough beards hang over their necks, and their hair rolls like thick waves. They have all been through Hell, but their spirit can never be broken.
“It’s really you,” Killian whispers.
“It’s us,” Lucas says.
“You didn’t think we’d come looking for our brother?” Vash asks, smiling.
Killian laughs and clasps his hands around his. “I’m fucking thrilled,” he says.
“Just glad I got we got out,” Lucas says. “I had a detonation planned, but it looks like someone else blew the walls before I could.”
Killian steps back. “You mean, that wasn’t your work?”
Lucas’ upper lip twitches. “C’mon, I’m good with pyrotechnics, but I’m not that good. I assumed Vash paid the guards off.”
Vash scoffs and rolls out his empty pockets. “Me? I don’t have a cent to my name,” he says, startled.
But before they can come up with any conclusions, they hear another detonation go off, and a thousand terrified screams fill their hearts with fury.
It is time.
Time for the New Republic to crumble.
Time to reclaim their omega, Rae.
Chapter Two
“Sit on it,” Severin commands. “Come on, now. Ease your tension. Enjoy it.”
Severin knows all the right words to say, but his displeasure shows. He is a beta-male. He will never understand Ruby’s needs.
“The oceans are drying up,” she whispers, voice parched. “The forests are burning. The deserts are spreading. Why are we making love like this?”
Severin attempts to nudge her hips forward, but she resists his grip, wrestling away from him. It doesn’t matter, anyway. His cock has turned into a limp mess of flesh.
Severin scoots away from the dresser and pushes her to the floor. “Must you always ruin something good?” he asks.
Ruby holds her breath, angering him further. There is no love between them. They won their war, but the more hours they spend ruling, the more they come to resent each other.
“It’s true, though. Isn’t it?” Ruby asks. “Cassian was right. This world is dying.”
Severin yanks up his pants, fastening a belt tight around his waist. “This is about Rae, isn’t it? You’re mad because of the coronation ceremony. Well, it had to happen. Our citizens loved it. The approval ratings are through the roof. Now, all we need is a new set of policies. Something even more inspiring than the transformation of Dagon. I’ll leave that to you.”
She faces the opposite direction. “Answer me, Severin.”
He has no time for her games. “Okay, I’ll budge. What were you saying about the oceans?”
“We are ruling over a dying planet. Cassian was—”
He raises his hand above her, tempted to hit her. “Do not speak his name,” he says.
Ruby’s stomach folds over her pelvis like a small pouch. “To you, everything is a show of symbols. You never want to talk,” she says. “But events are happening daily, and I need to deal with them. I need help.”
Severin clears his throat and sighs. “The icecaps are melted. It will only be a few years until they flood this land,” he admits. “There is nothing we can do about that. When the time comes, we will be dead.”
Ruby nods her head. They had to move most of the crops into artificially lit buildings a month ago. “You might be dead. But I won’t. You forget how young I am,” she says.
Taken off-guard, Severin swallows. “You’re thinking about Rae again. We have disabled the breeding programs. You don’t have to worry about an unexpected population growth. It was a failed pursuit, regardless.”
He is right. She is thinking about her sister. It’s hard not to think about the person she once shared a womb with, synthetic or not.
“Allow me to deal with my sister,“ she says. “A woman is better at concentrating her efforts on multiple tasks.”
“What you need is some rest,” he replies.
But Ruby isn’t tired. She’s wide awake.
“The military’s numbers have been dwindling since the restoration of Dagon. Your disregard for planning is leaving the state in a weakened position. What if there is another insurrection? What allies do we have?”
Biting his tongue, Severin sits. He trickles his fingers like gentle raindrops across the back of her arm. At first, she pulls away. But when he insists on carrying on, she does not stop him.
“You are perfect the way you are, Ruby. As beautiful as the desert sunset. Remember when I found you?” he asks.
“You raised me thinking I could give you heirs,” she says. “And now that I can’t, you are dissatisfied with me.”
She drops her eyes toward the sagging lips between her legs and almost immediately looks away, eyes shining with tears.
It isn’t him that is dissatisfied. It is her.
“I hate this wretched body,” she admits.
“Stop,” Severin says.
“Why
couldn’t I have been an alpha? I would have dominated the world faster than Cassian. I would have found a way to save this world before it was too late,” she says.
“Enough,” Severin yells. “I am sick to death of hearing about your troubles. You have the world in your hands. It’s time to lead.”
Ruby coughs politely, taking in unhurried and cautious breaths. When she reaches a chest near her bed, she kneels and opens it. Inside are thousands of jewels, gold necklaces, and rings. Valuables he gave her long ago.
“You are right. Without the ability to procreate, time means nothing to me,” she mutters.
Severin watches as she rips every jewel from the woven silver and gold. She hurls the polished rings at the window, sending them crashing through the glass.
Forcing her hands around a lighter before Severin can restrain her, she heads for the curtains.
Before she can light them on fire, he drags her arms behind her back, restraining her against the carpet. Adrenaline courses through his veins.
“You bitch. Do you see what you do to me? Every single time we have a discussion, every time I show you an ounce of love, you fight me,” he hisses.
“You trained me to fight. It is all I know,” she says.
“I trained you to direct your energies at the enemy,” he says. “I am your husband.”
But that’s part of the issue. Severin is both her husband and her enemy. If he wants to keep her docile, he will need to give her more than a kingdom.
She jerks, but is unable to break free.
Forcefully wiping the tears away from Ruby’s face with his thumbs, he raises her jaw. “Now that you’ve shed your daily tears, we can move on to more important matters.”
“What’s more important than my urges to have a child of my own?” she asks.
Now understanding what she needs, he can relax. “Your children are waiting in the nursery for you.”
When he lets go, she stands with embarrassment. “I can have them?”
He adjusts his shirt. “They are yours.”
She drops her eyes toward the floor. “But my sister…”
Broken Angel: The Complete Collection: A Dark Omegaverse Romance Page 21