Omega's Binding

by Lillian Sable

  Omega's Binding

  Lillian Sable

  Copyright © 2019 by Lillian Sable

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  Also by Lillian Sable

  Lillian Sable

  Chapter One

  The skycar hovered above the landing pad like a drop of water suspended on the edge of a glass before it inevitably fells. Ianthe kept her body ramrod straight even as her stomach rose to her chest as the personal aircraft descended toward the ground in a startling movement.

  This trip had taken longer than she thought possible, as they slowly circled down from the heights Astropolis.

  As Undersecretary Barnard droned on about the terrible fate that awaited her, his voice more like a sick whine than anything actually threatening, Ianthe heard only a faint buzzing in her ears. Perhaps it was the blood rushing to her head as the gravity of the situation overwhelmed her, but she heard almost nothing the man said.

  Ianthe was lost completely inside of herself.

  Her mind swirled as reality tilted on its axis and refused to right itself. She was pregnant with the child of her Alpha mate. Or perhaps she wasn’t, one could never be absolutely certain with such things. But the possibility remained like both a tantalizing dream and realized nightmare.

  Because her mate was Legion Aristophanes. A criminal and accused terrorist, if the prattling of the Undersecretary was to be believed. And he was also the man who had mated her against her will and forced his seed to plant within her, regardless of her desires not the subject.

  But even with her fears and emotional resistance, Ianthe already felt a deep and abiding sense of protectiveness over the possible life growing inside of her. It was the natural response of a hormonal Omega, but she had difficulty comprehending the depth of her feeling for someone she couldn’t even be sure existed. And those feelings of protectiveness inevitably extended to the child’s father, whether Ianthe wanted them to or not.

  Under normal circumstances, an Alpha would never leave his pregnant mate for long. Proximity was critical to the progression of a healthy pregnancy. An Omega separated overly long from her mate risked miscarriage and even her own death.

  So was the longing she felt for her mate a result of true emotion, or simply the curse of her tainted biology? It was impossible to know.

  And she did long for him, even if she barely wanted to admit it to herself. Because the overwhelming desire to flee, to be free from the odious Alpha who had ripped her from the streets as if he had every right, had consumed since the day he had claimed her. But just as her feelings had begun to morph into something more, they had been ripped apart.

  Only days ago, the thought of being free of him would have made her happy. Perhaps the Undersecretary could be reasoned with, convinced to release her in exchange for her cooperation.

  Except that Ianthe could not bring herself to betray her mate even to save herself despite the contradictory emotions swimming through her.

  And it wasn’t as if she could share any of her doubts with the self-satisfied Undersecretary, who delighted in describing the many violent ways that Legion could be brought to justice for his alleged crimes.

  “The city hasn’t seen a public execution in years, but I dearly hope the Crown reinstates the practice.” His tone was conspiratorial, as if she must share his obvious desire to see her mate hanging in the public square.

  Ianthe bowed her head and stared down at the small hands clenched in her lap, seething with equal parts of rage and loathing. She had not met the odious official prior to him bursting into Legion’s compound unannounced, but he was clearly not a man worthy of any respect. It was hard to believe that the man was an Alpha, he was far too simpering for her taste.

  Despite her averted gaze, Barnard noticed the tense set of her body and immediately took offense.

  “I assume your reticence is a function of shock.” His voice grew colder. “It’s common knowledge that Legion snatched you from the streets like a barbarian. It should please you to be free of him.”

  She spoke for the first time, her voice barely above a whisper through clenched teeth. “I don’t know what you would like me to say.”

  “An expression of gratitude would be nice. I have single-handedly rescued you from the den of a monster.”

  Ianthe felt the Undersecretary’s gaze linger on the exposed curve of her neck where Legion’s claiming marks were visible, not quite covered by the collar of her dress. She kept her head bowed so that the Alpha sitting much too close to her would not see the hatred in her gaze.

  Two silent Guardian Alphas sat across from them in the skycar. No hint of expression could be discerned through the helmets they wore, but she got the distinct impression that neither would lift a finger to aid her.

  The back of the Undersecretary’s hand skimmed her shoulder, the feeling abrasive like sandpaper. When she shifted away, he thankfully did not follow her.

  When he next spoke, the man’s voice grew heavy with the poor substitute of an Alpha’s purr. “And you are grateful, aren’t you?”

  Ianthe bristled at his overly familiar tone, the rush of indignant anger loosening her tongue. “Don’t touch me. I have a mate.”

  The Undersecretary growled, causing the first curl of fear for herself to twist up her spine.

  “Your mate,” he spat through clenched teeth. “Is a criminal and a traitor to the Crown. He will be executed at the next meeting of the Tribunal. He will not save you.”

  Even in a place like Pandora, there were rules to the social order. While an unmated Omega was particularly vulnerable, Ianthe had very obviously been claimed. For an Alpha to verbally accost the mate of another was a deep insult. And anything physical was usually punishable under the law. Except her mate had been imprisoned, it would take little more than an order from the court to dissolve Legion’s legal claim to her.

  Ianthe looked to the Guardian Alphas but they seemed to deliberately pay little attention to the Undersecretary’s actions. They intended to be of no help.

  And what was the man’s plan exactly, to rape her in a skycar with two witnesses present?

  “He is still my mate.” Ianthe kept her voice from wavering, even as the taut lines of her body betrayed her fear. “Violate me and I will see you punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

  Despite his officiousness, the Undersecretary’s face was distinctly sinister as he sidled closer. “Simple child, don’t you understand. I am the law.”

  Ianthe glared at him, disgust momentarily overcoming her fear. “I said don’t touch me.”

  “Perhaps we should talk about the law, since you seem so eager for the subject. Shall we discuss all the possible punishments for dynamic concealment, public flogging for example?”

  Ianthe fell back as if she’d been burned, her gaze to his face where his narrowed eyes regarded her with satisfaction. It was the first threat that he had made against her personally. Even though she had heard the charges as the Guardians placed her under arrest, it had not truly hit home for her what it might mean to be convicted.

  “I assumed that would get your attention.” The Unde
rsecretary reached into his jacket pocket and removed a handheld terminal unit. He made a show of reviewing the tiny stream of information that scrolled across the screen. “I’ve read your file, of course, as soon as we had you identified as an associate of the terrorist, Legion. There are a number of discrepancies in the records.”

  The skycar hovered closely enough to the ground that Ianthe could see the cracked stone of the landing pad below. But they didn’t land immediately and instead remained suspended in the air as the Undersecretary stared her down.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Perhaps you would happen to know why the designation in all of these files is listed as Beta when you are so clearly an Omega.”

  “Mistakes happen.”

  “I see blood tests here, which should be nearly impossible to fool. I assume a slums rat is without the means to circumvent a professional laboratory.” The Undersecretary’s tone was musing, as if it all were a true mystery to him. “Or perhaps there is a simpler explanation for the variance. I wonder what I would find if I were to have the sample reevaluated and compared to those of your immediate family members. Of course, anyone found to have aided you in concealing your dynamic from government authorities would face charges. In fact, the penalty would likely be even harsher. Omegas are rarely executed.”

  Ianthe felt her hands shaking, the movement obvious even as she buried them within the folds of her thin dress. She refused to show him the true depths of her fear, even as her mind whirled with the terrible possibilities.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  A mask of sympathy descended over his face, as false as any of the words he had spoken. “I know it must be difficult for you, caught in the middle of all of this conflict. And I even understand why a young, scared Omega would hide her true nature with brutes such as Legion Aristophanes free to do with them as he pleases.”

  “I have admitted nothing.”

  “Of course,” he replied pleasantly. “But the fact remains that the courts will almost certainly take pity on a young woman of your circumstances. Particularly if someone of rank were willing to speak for you.”

  Ianthe repressed a shudder as the Undersecretary stroked the back of her hand with fingers that were much too soft. “I assume that you’re referring to yourself?”

  “I could be convinced to be of service, I’m sure. If I was offered something of equivalent value in return.”

  His lascivious tone left little question of precisely what it was that he wanted from her.

  Ianthe regarded the Undersecretary more closely as he smiled down at her, light glinting off of teeth that were a little too white as if he’d had them treated. There was absolutely no interest in her contemplative gaze, she merely wanted to understand who she was dealing with. His odious behavior overshadowed the relatively ordinary set of his features. He was not particularly old or ugly, but in the moment she considered him to be the most disgusting thing that she had ever encountered.

  Clearly confusing her struggle to contain her disgust with potential interest, the Undersecretary sidled closer.

  “With my influence, you would be protected from prosecution. I can promise you that.” Fetid breath blew across her cheek as the Undersecretary leaned further toward her, nearly making her gag. “An Omega alone in the world is in a terrible situation. Allow me to protect you. Renounce the traitor Legion, share with me what you know of his dealings and I will keep you safe.”

  The cowardly part of her considered it for barely a second, the part that had spent her entire life yearning for safety and security. But her fear was quickly eclipsed by righteous anger. No amount of safety would be worth tolerating this horrible man’s presence, much less his touch.

  She could feel Legion through the bond, even as a greater and greater distance separated them. There was absolutely no fear in her mate, at least none that she could feel. She would follow his example.

  Ianthe shoved at the Undersecretary, only succeeding in pushing herself further down the bench seat, her strength no match for his greater mass. But the intention was clear. She was rejecting everything about this man, including his detestable offer..

  “Do not touch me again,” she spat, scrubbing her hand on her dress as if it could erase his touch. “I have a mate.”

  “Not for long.” The man’s eyes lit with a terrible light as purely malevolent smile curved his lips. “Soon Legion will die and his claim on you will be severed. You will be left as soiled goods, a useless Omega with a tainted bond who will be anyone’s meat.”

  Despite the fear rollicking through her, Ianthe refused to waver. “So be it.”

  The Undersecretary made an angry gesture with his hand and the skycar immediately descended, pulling a surprised cry from her throat. At the precise moment that it touched the ground, Guardian Alphas had her by each arm as they propelled her toward the open hatch and onto the landing pad.

  She could reveal her pregnancy, perhaps that would spare her the worst of it. But that thought was abandoned almost the moment that it formed. If the Undersecretary discovered that she was with child, he would absolutely use it as a pawn against her mate. Ianthe couldn’t allow that to happen.

  It was a miracle that her secret had not already been discovered. Her scent would alter, but the change might only be noticeable to someone who knew her well, particularly this early on. But her condition would not remain a secret forever.

  Chapter Two

  Legion remained stoic as he was placed in the flexicuffs and herded toward a waiting skycar by the pair of silent Guardian Alphas. Three more followed closely behind, their guns trained on his back as if it would be dangerous to transport him otherwise. But they were right to be cautious. At that moment, he considered himself capable of almost anything.

  And they would be right.

  He seethed with barely controlled rage as they marched toward the skycar that carried the markings of official government business. His mind filled with delicious visions of the righteous vengeance that he would bring against those who thought to move against him.

  Eventually, he would reckon with that worthless specimen of an Alpha male. Undersecretary Barnard would pray for death many times before Legion was done with him. The thought of slowly flaying the man alive while the odious official screamed for mercy was almost enough to bring a smile to his face.

  But his outward expression remained calculatingly indifferent. A plan was already in place to account for this shift in circumstances. Legion prided himself on rarely being without a plan. He would recover his mate and have his revenge on the Undersecretary, who clearly who hoped to use him as a means of usurping power.

  And if Barnard so much as looked at Ianthe, the man would suffer for longer than an eternity.

  Helmets made of a thick polycarbonate concealed the faces of the Guardian Alphas. And the work suits they wore were designed from a flexible material that became airtight when secured to the helmet and gloves. With their faces hidden and without the benefit of scent markers, Guardian Alphas remained indistinguishable and unrecognizable when in their uniforms. It was the only thing that might save them from being hunted down once he had his freedom.

  Central Command maintained that this secrecy was meant to protect the Alphas who served the population from reprisals against them or their families for upholding the law. Legion considered it more akin to the ancient executioners who wore hoods to protect their identities because their social standing depended on anonymity. It left Guardian Alphas free to act with near impunity and charges of misconduct were rarely brought against them, even when judicial procedure was bent or broken completely.

  These men were cowards, hiding behind the mantle of justice but unwilling to reveal their true faces. Legion had even less respect for them than he did the corrupt laws that they upheld. And they were right to fear him. Given even the smallest opportunity, he would build a throne on a pile of their corpses.

  Their weapons remained trained on him as
the skycar lifted from the ground. Legion did not have to check the viewport as they ascended to know that dozens more Guardians remained on his estate, tearing it apart in search of secrets that they would not be able to uncover.

  Legion was not precisely the paranoid type but he had failsafes for his failsafes. His network was programmed to auto lock at the first sign of unauthorized access. All he had to do at this point was bide his time and wait for his plan to unfold as it would.

  It took nearly an hour for them to descend from the Astropolis and down past the midlevels. Legion was unsurprised when the skycar landed atop an unmarked building in the lower levels, far from the inhabited areas or the nearest detention center.

  At first glance, the place appeared to be deserted until he noticed that all of the windows were intact, unlike most abandoned places in the slums that quickly fell prey to looters and squatters of all stripes. And these windows were also opaque, as if they had been blacked out from the inside.

  There were no foot tracks or beaten paths leading to the structure. Anyone who approached arrived via skycar and took the concrete path that led directly from the landing pad. This building was meant to appear nondescript, the incongruities apparent only upon close inspection.

  This was a black site, used by government agents when whatever action they needed to perform could not be properly acknowledged, likely because it was on the wrong side of legal. Whatever it was that the Undersecretary had planned for him had not come through any official channel.

  It couldn’t be that they planned to kill him, there wasn’t a need to bring him here for that.

  Fear was not an emotion that Legion often acknowledged, whatever bit of it he possessed had to be a function of the bond with his mate. Just as Ianthe often experienced the gift of his anger, he would occasionally feel a twinge from her more extreme emotions.