Own to Obey

by Zoey Ellis

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  A note on language

  Own To Obey

  Southern Isles Map

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  Own To Obsess

  Author Note

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2019 by Zoey Ellis

  All rights reserved. Sale of any edition of this book is wholly unauthorized. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part, by any means, is forbidden without written permission from the author/publisher.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  First Edition: February 2019

  For L. Jacobs

  A note on language:

  It’s recommended that you discover the meaning of the foreign language (Mayaros) phrases as Shaya does, as the disconnect adds to the understanding of Shaya’s experience. But if you really must, must, must know the meaning of every phrase, you can get the full translations on my blog (link at the end of the book :)

  ~ Zoey

  Own To Obey

  He owns her - and now she must obey

  When Shaya suddenly ends up in the possession of a fierce, tribal, Alpha warrior, she begins to understand that life can be savage...

  And painful.

  And heart-breakingly beautiful.

  What readers are saying:

  ★★★★★ "This Alpha and Omega book is an out of the park grand slam! The Alpha who is drawn to the Omega Shaya. The push and pull. The domination and submission , the character development was amazing."

  ★★★★★ "I have devoured this book in a matter of hours. I COULD NOT put this book down!"

  ★★★★★ "Worth every dark, dramatic second of reading!"

  ★★★★★ "Anyone can write steamy scenes, but some just have the right way of putting a universe together that pulls you in to where you never want the stories to end. THAT is what this series has been to me."

  OWN TO OBEY is a full-length fantasy romance novel that begins a dark and carnal, enemies-to-lovers epic tale. For fans of faithful Alpha anti-heroes and captive romances. Cliffhanger included however this trilogy is complete.

  See the color version

  CHAPTER ONE

  KARDOS

  From the moment shinno Kardos entered the room, he knew he wasn’t leaving without the prettiest woman in it.

  He had seen her before and been stunned by her beauty, but thought she belonged to King Malloron, his host in this foreign land. He was rapidly becoming aware that this wasn’t the case.

  She was dressed less richly than the others in the room and seemed to be overlooked in conversation, as though she wasn’t as important as the rest of them.

  He quickly decided to figure out how to take her. It wasn’t as though the king could deny him—Kardos had done much for Malloron already, and even though Kardos had negotiated with him for an Omega, he was about to leave this land and no Omega had yet been given.

  However, upon entering the room, the king did indeed offer him an Omega; a different woman in the room. She stood with her betrothed, who obviously reacted negatively to the idea, but while she was good-looking, Kardos didn’t care for the argument that ensued afterward. He was not interested in taking another man’s woman. Such action had the potential to cause long-lasting problems that conflicted with the natural law in any matter of unforeseen ways. He actually chuckled to himself that the king was so bold to offer the woman to him in front of her betrothed. He would miss Malloron’s antics when he returned to the Southern Isles.

  But in a surprising and fortunate turn of events, that could only have been guided by Az Eshra themselves, the young, pretty woman Kardos desired was revealed to be not only the younger sister of the Omega offered, but also an Omega herself. Even better, she asked to leave with Kardos to prevent him from taking her sister.

  “This pleases me,” shinno Kardos announced, cutting through all the talk, turmoil, and tears. He didn’t give a fuck about any of it—he only cared about securing this Omega before anyone changed their minds.

  “Take her to the ship,” he ordered his men, pointing at the young woman they called Shaya.

  “No!” her sister screamed, as the men neared. Her betrothed held onto her to stop her from interfering.

  The queen, Malloron’s Omega, stepped forward. “You don’t need to drag her there,” she said to the Kardos. “She is willing to go. Let her walk.”

  That was true. For now. The shinno inclined his head and spoke again to his tribesmen as they approached her, this time in his own tongue, “Let her walk out of the room and then escort her directly to the ship. If she resists, drag her.”

  The girl nodded her thanks to the queen and spoke to her sister, who burst into tears, and then walked to the door, passing Kardos as she left with his men.

  Kardos watched every move and sound she made, realizing with each moment that she was indeed something special. Her mild manner, her soft voice, her obvious love for her sister, not to mention her small, shapely body… even the way she walked was sexy and she wasn’t even trying. She would be perfect.

  There was only one thing that bothered him. “She has no Omega scent,” he said to her sister, after the Omega had gone. “Why?”

  Her sister was in no real condition to answer. She sobbed fiercely, but Kardos had no patience. He had been in this land much longer than necessary—it was time to leave.

  “Why does she have no scent?” he repeated.

  She stuttered and heaved, blubbering something that made no sense.

  Fortunately, the queen translated for him. “Magic has been used to suppress her Omega scent and urges,” she explained. “But it will wear off.”

  Good. This idea of blocking someone’s natural urges went against every law he was aware of. It was utterly heinous. “After how long?”

  “Three months,” the sister answered. She turned to the queen, her eyes tortured. “In three months she will be completely vulnerable, Amara. She isn’t like us. She…” Her words faltered.

  So in three months, the Omega would be completely as she was born to be. The idea filled Kardos with extreme satisfaction… and excitement.

  He turned to Malloron. “I am very, very pleased you have held up your end of our arrangement.”

  Malloron nodded. “I’m glad. I will come to the port to see you off.”

  “Please, wait,” the queen said, stepping forward. “I promised Malloron I wouldn’t interfere, but please, I have to know. What do you intend to do with her?”

  Kardos raised his head as he looked down on her, silent for a moment. It was not usual for anyone from his Lands to reveal too much about their culture to foreigners.

  Since he arrived, these people of the Western Lands proved themselves to be deviants of the highest order: multiple lies and deception, blocking dynamic urges, wiping the minds of their slaves, stealing Omegas, declaring war on unsuspecting enemies… the list went on. He saw no reason to tell them more than he needed to, especially if it would cause them to renege on their promise. But he would not lie. So he told them one truth. “She will be a gift.”

  ***

  The Omega was indeed perfect.

  Shinno Kardos found his gaze returning to her every few moments. He watched her in the flurr
y of activity as his tribe prepared for travel. He watched her as she was boarded onto his ship, and he continued to watch her when the ship lurched away from Eiros port.

  She also looked at him frequently, as she should, but when she did, her eyes darted away again immediately, as though she wasn’t willing to hold his gaze. He found that undesirable. She should look at him. It was natural for an Omega to look upon an Alpha, and he found himself strangely thrilled when she did.

  Although she had been unexpectedly removed from her family and former life, she didn't look as though she would try to escape. Her hands remained clasped in front of her, and her movement was minimal. There had been no tears. No cries to see her family again or any last requests before they boarded the ship that would take her far from her home and to his Lands. Perfect. The behavior suggested a resilience, but it wouldn’t last—he’d acquired her only a couple of hours ago. He suspected the shock of her new circumstance hadn't sunk in yet. But it would. When she realized the weight of what was about to be placed on her, she would crumble.

  “The new bondmaids have been settled in the lower cabins,” one of his most trusted tribesmen, Zolt murmured as he came to a stop beside him. “That just leaves the new passenger you obtained. Treska will allocate her a cabin and—”

  “No,” Kardos rumbled, his eyes still on her. “I will do that. Get Treska to supply suitable wear.” The Omega’s clothes weren’t appropriate for where they were going. She was dressed strangely, like all the other people that lived in the foreign land they had visited. She wore what looked like a long, shapeless, bland-colored dress that reached her lower calves and a similarly bland material covered her head. The material didn’t look warm at all, but itchy and flimsy—he couldn't understand how anybody could even be comfortable in it. She needed something much more substantial for where they were going.

  Zolt nodded. “Then we are settled for travel, my shinno.”

  Kardos turned in a half-circle, planting his feet wide as he viewed the large hall around him. Located on the upper middle deck, where most of the tribe’s gatherings took place while they were sailing, all of his tribe had assembled, as they usually did before they traveled, to celebrate the start of the journey.

  The Omega stood a few feet from Kardos, surrounded by three of his tribesmen, who escorted her anywhere he needed her taken, even though he’d kept her within his view from the moment he acquired her.

  “Brothers and sisters,” he bellowed out, “we are finally going home!”

  A deafening roar erupted from his tribe, and the Omega jumped at the raucous noise, her sloped brown eyes wide in alarm.

  “This journey has been long and troublesome,” Kardos continued as the cheers began to fade. “We have experienced more than we planned; some things unpleasant, others incredibly… satisfying.” Low chuckles rumbled around the room and Kardos grinned. “We have gone to war, we have had to deal with strange people and cultures, but we leave the Western Lands with a new ally. We have said goodbye to some of our warriors, and we have gained new bondmaids to assist the needs of our own Lands.” He paused, looking around the hall at his tribesmen who stared back at him fiercely. “I am pleased with each of you. We have carried the name of Nyek with honor during our time on foreign soil.” He raised a fist. “And we return stronger than when we left. May Az Eshra guide our travels!”

  The tribe raised their fists, calling and bellowing out their agreement with echoes of “May Az Eshra guide our travels” rebounding across the room.

  The Omega’s head jerked sharply at the various roars that ripped from his men, her small body tense and closed and her hands clasped tightly in front of her. For the first time since he had taken her, she looked terrified, but the sight sent something snaking down Kardos’ spine. Even in her fear, she was still perfect.

  Kardos stalked toward her as his tribe filtered out of the hall, nodding at the three who surrounded the Omega, giving them permission to leave her side.

  The Omega watched them leave, her body shrinking even further as Kardos approached. She looked even smaller now that she stood on her own, but after a moment, she took a breath and straightened her back, looking up at him as he towered over her.

  The rumors about Omega beauty had not been false.

  In that room with her sister and the king’s Omega, this one rose above them both. She was young, clearly a maiden, although he could not guess her age, and her looks had caught his attention before he knew she was an Omega—when she was still pretending to be some kind of servant. How no one noticed she was much too stunning to be a Beta was beyond him. Of all of her exquisite features, her mouth was the most enticing. Shapely, with a slightly plumper bottom lip than top, it was ripe to be sucked and bitten. Perfect.

  “Follow me,” he ordered.

  Turning on his heel, he led her out of the hall and along a narrow corridor. He strode at a normal pace, but her footsteps clambered to keep up behind him. As they passed through a group of tribesmen and women, he turned and grabbed her arm, pulling her so she pressed firmly against him as he continued on. Her body was soft against his, and he found himself weaving his arm around her as he walked to keep her close to him. The feel of her shapely waist caused his cock to twitch but he ignored it, for now.

  As they navigated along the corridors and across the deck, his tribe was getting to work. During travel, each tribe member followed a routine to ensure the successful running of the ship. As a multi-deck, advanced ocean vessel, his ship had the capability to travel swiftly across the waters. It was more powerful than any other ship known in his homeland, and he suspected no other in the known Lands could claim the speeds that his ship easily climbed to. But its functions needed to be constantly maintained. Since they had left fifteen hundred men behind, swapped for the bondmaids, it was even more important now that everyone tended to the needs of the ship so that the journey home was a pleasant and quick one.

  As he arrived at a set of stairs, Zolt intercepted him, holding a bundle of clothes. Kardos released the Omega, ensuring she stayed close to him while he spoke with Zolt for a short moment about areas of the ship that were low on manpower. Kardos gave him instructions, took the bundle, and descended to the lower middle deck, beckoning the Omega to follow. Weaving his way through the corridors, he entered a quiet section of the ship filled only with empty cabins. He headed to the middle of the central corridor and turned into one of the cabins, striding to the center of the room.

  It was a decent size, completely self-contained, and more importantly, no other person occupied any cabin in this section of the ship, keeping her, and the knowledge he had an Omega, somewhat secluded from the rest of the tribe.

  He turned to face the Omega as she entered tentatively, her eyes fleetingly darting around the cabin before locking onto him.

  “This will be your cabin,” he told her. “You will remain in here at all times.”

  The Omega stilled and then turned to look at the room more closely.

  “You are not permitted to leave this room unless you are escorted,” Kardos said firmly. “You will be punished severely if you do not abide by this rule. Do you understand?”

  Her eyes returned to him and she nodded.

  “During our journey back to the Southern Isles, this ship is maintained by the actions of its tribe. You are required to fulfill duties on the ship to the standard expected of every other tribe member,” he began firmly. “You will begin with tasks that will improve your body by toning your muscles and increasing your strength.” As he spoke, Kardos’ cock jerked in protest at the idea. Her soft body felt incredible as it was, but no one in the Southern Isles would survive if they didn’t hold at least some muscle, and she didn’t feel like she had much. “Punishment will be swift and thorough if you do not complete your tasks as expected. It is the Nyek way, and you must learn our ways quickly.”

  The Omega stared at him, but said nothing.

  “When you are not completing your tasks, you will learn about Southern Isle
s culture and undertake tasks and duties that may be expected of you.” Kardos fell silent, waiting to see if she would respond to anything he said.

  “Am I…” She hesitated for a moment, her eyes on him as she took a deep breath. “Am I a slave?” Her quiet and smooth voice sparked something in Kardos’ chest.

  “We do not have slaves in the Southern Isles.”

  She thought for a moment again. “You have tribes…?”

  “Yes.”

  “And am I part of your tribe now?”

  “No. But you belong to me.”

  Her frown caused a deep line in between her brows.

  “I own you,” he clarified.

  “That sounds like slavery to me,” she murmured on a breath, her brown eyes drifting from him.

  “It is not,” Kardos barked. “We are not like the Western Lands. We have a rich, honorable, and developed culture that you are expected to adopt. And you will adopt it by the time we arrive.” He lowered his voice. “And do not forget that you volunteered to be here in place of your sister. You have no right to complain about anything. You will obey all instructions without hesitation. Is that clear?”

  Her eyes lowered and she nodded.

  “What is your age?”

  “Nineteen,” she responded.

  He suspected as much. “And your name is Shaya.”

  Her eyes darted up. “It is Katashaya.”

  Kardos frowned. “That is not what your sister called you.”

  A fleeting expression contorted her face for a moment, but then her head dipped back down before Kardos had the chance to decipher what it was.

  “My name is Katashaya,” she said, her voice firm.

  “I will call you what your sister called you,” Kardos decided.