Crave To Conquer

by Zoey Ellis

  “No offense, Emperor, I’m just trying to ascertain her mood,” the keeper said, gently. “Is she happy to have been found?”

  “No.”

  When Drocco didn’t elaborate, the head keeper took a moment to think. “What is her opinion of you?”

  “Not good. She is very resistant to me. She fights against her urges to mate and tells me I am not her Alpha.” A twinge of anger stirred in him at the thought of her rejection.

  “She doesn’t want you as her Alpha?” the head keeper asked, shocked.

  “She doesn’t know what she wants,” Drocco said, harshly. “Her body tells me one thing, her mouth tells me another. I can actually see the physical strain on her when she opposes me, yet she still does it. Frequently. She will not accept the truth of what is natural to her.” He looked at the keeper. “Is it true that she cannot be forced to soul-bond?”

  “Yes. It is well recorded that Alphas who try to bond with an Omega without her reciprocating, suffer an unpleasant existence until they die. The soul-bond has to be mutual—the claiming bites should happen at the same time, or at least the Omega’s bite should happen first.”

  Drocco exhaled harshly. He had hoped that piece of information was incorrect. “What kind of unpleasantness do the Alphas experience?”

  “They become a victim to their Omega’s emotions,” the keeper explained. “And, since Alphas are not supposed to be overwhelmed by such emotions, it distorts their outlook and they become tormented.”

  “Fuck,” Drocco muttered.

  “Over time, they become crazy. Their lifespan is shortened and they lose their sense of everything that makes them an Alpha.”

  “Does the same thing happen in reverse?”

  “No,” the keeper said, shaking his head. “Omegas can deal better with the Alpha’s emotions, though it is more satisfying for the Alpha if he returns the bite.”

  A silence fell over the room as Drocco considered what the keeper said. Biting Cailyn first was completely out of the question. He had to make her bite him first. “What about in her Haze? Will an Omega soul-bond during her Haze?”

  “It is unlikely,” the keeper said. “During the Haze, her primary goal is to mate and breed. The idea of blood in her mouth is highly unappealing.”

  Drocco exhaled, thinking deeply again. There had to be a way to force her to accept him.

  “Does she nest?” the keeper asked, after a long moment.

  “For herself.”

  The keeper frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “She has formed a mock nest but it’s for her alone, not for both of us.”

  The keeper crossed his arms, chewing his lip as he thought deeper. “Have you tried to enter it?”

  “No,” Drocco said, tersely. It annoyed him that he had allowed her the comfort of her pseudo nest and she hadn’t even recognized the kindness. “I fear it’s the only place she feels safe to sleep, and I need her rested for the typical questioning.”

  “Typical questioning?”

  Drocco nodded. “She takes it well but I know her suffering isn’t good for our future connection.”

  “Suffering?” The head keeper’s eyes widened. “She is hurt during the questioning?”

  “Of course.”

  “You cause her pain?”

  Drocco shot the man a hard look. “Until she answers my questions, she is hurt repeatedly and continuously. It is the way of the Lox.”

  The head keeper gasped and paled.

  Drocco slowed his pacing, turning to watch the man’s reaction. He looked utterly horrified. He swayed on his feet and then clung to the back of the chair before him for support. “What is it?” Drocco asked.

  “I thought you were looking to bond with this Omega. I didn’t realize she was a prisoner. I apologize for my assumption.”

  “No, your assumption is correct,” Drocco said. “She will be my mate.”

  The keeper took a deep breath, averting his eyes from Drocco.

  “What is it!” Drocco barked.

  “It’s just… I… I’m not sure…”

  “Speak plainly,” Drocco ordered. “I have no use for people who cannot speak when needed.”

  The man got a hold of himself and steadied his stance, dropping his arms to his sides. “Emperor. Your treatment of your Omega may have forever damaged your connection with her.”

  Drocco growled and clenched his fists, a horrible feeling blooming in his stomach.

  The man pressed on. “The Alpha/Omega connection is a delicate one. Although hormones may attract you to one another, there is more that needs to happen for a connection to flourish into the potential for a bond connection.”

  “Like what?”

  “Omegas are certainly submissive and eager to please in their Haze, but they have their own personalities. Our records indicate Omegas have worked in politics, trade, the arts, and the sciences. They are generally intelligent and capable of many feats when their Haze isn’t upon them. An Omega needs to feel safe with her Alpha, and once she does, she will tend to try and please him. The most successful relationships I have read about have been where the Omega is completely free of fear. This is highly important. This is what sometimes decides how an Omega chooses her Alpha. They are so vulnerable to everyone that they will be reluctant to let go of an Alpha who makes them feel safe.”

  Drocco stared at him. “I have not read this anywhere. And you know I have extensive records.”

  The keeper nodded. “Yes, but I fear you have collected records from Alphas, your Imperial Majesty. Alphas would not record the things that are important to Omegas, only to themselves.” His face dropped. “I mean no disrespect, Emperor,” he added, quickly. “It’s just we have more impartial records, even excerpts from Omega diaries.”

  Drocco waved away his apology, and he began pacing again in deep thought. Cailyn had always felt fear from him. That was what he had thrived on—it was what he had always thrived on, from everyone. “How do I correct it?” he asked. “How do I get her to feel like I am her Alpha?”

  The keeper peered at him. “What is more important to you; your connection with her or finding the other Omegas?”

  Drocco stilled again. “Why do I have to choose?”

  “Your next steps will be dependent on that decision,” the keeper said. “You can continue treating her like a prisoner and you may succeed in getting the information you want, but your connection with her will greatly suffer. I highly doubt you will be able to repair it.”

  Drocco clenched his teeth. “Or?”

  “Or you could work on your connection and make her feel comfortable enough to open up to you.”

  Drocco stared out of the window as he worked his jaw. He would not be waiting around for her to open up to him, but he needed to ensure their connection was not lost.

  “Tell me how to work on our connection.”

  The keeper nodded, seeming pleased with his answer. “You have to follow your instincts.”

  “That is what I have been doing,” Drocco snapped. “My instincts are to torture those who have lied to me. I do not suffer those that try to deceive me, keeper. It is what has made me Emperor.”

  “No. Not your instincts as a warrior or Emperor. Your instincts as an Alpha.”

  Drocco stopped dead, snarling at the keeper. “Are you questioning my competence as an Alpha?”

  “No, your Imperial Majesty,” the keeper insisted, wincing. “But you haven’t ever had to use those instincts in this way before.”

  “I’m always using my Alpha instincts!” Drocco boomed. “I am a warrior and an Alpha and a leader. I’m all of those things equally!”

  The head keeper sucked in a breath and thought for a moment. “When you are in battle and you fight an opponent, you pick up many things about him as you fight?”

  “Of course.”

  “This tells you clues about how to fight him, what his weaknesses are. And you follow those hints and feelings, don’t you?”

  Drocco nodded.

/>   “This is how you must be with your Omega. Let go of all the things she has done and the pressure of finding the others, and just follow the clues that your body gives you. Your instincts will tell you what she needs.”

  Drocco thought for a moment. “Will this correct her behavior?”

  The head keeper shook his head slowly. “It sounds as though your Omega does not have a submissive personality type, Emperor. If you want that, you will have to find one that does.”

  “No,” Drocco insisted. “It is her. I know she is my destined mate.”

  “Then her general defiance should be a source of joy for you,” the keeper said, his voice quiet. “Not something you want to correct.”

  “I have found her defiance intriguing in the past but I don’t want it directed at me. We should be one; strong and unbreakable.”

  “But you haven’t given her any reason to be on your side, Emperor.”

  Drocco remained silent as he digested this.

  “I suggest you consider if your preference for submissiveness is something you actually desire,” the keeper said, “or if it’s a stereotypical ideal that has been pushed onto you from past generations. You should not need to change anything about your mate’s natural personality to be happy with her.”

  ***

  Drocco stared unseeingly at the research room from the chair he used to sit in to watch Cailyn. He sat there a lot in the past week since he had visited the Records Keep. He hadn’t spent any time with Cailyn in his bedroom and had only entered to bring her food in and put it on the table. He hadn’t wanted to see the bruises on her neck or deal with her remarks and tears. However, she hadn’t been eating. Bowls and plates of food had been left untouched, and he knew he couldn’t wait much longer to do something about it.

  The head keeper had brought up some interesting points that gave him pause.

  Drocco’s grandfather had been a formidable Alpha warrior who had revered his Omega and talked about her constantly as he became older and lonely. He said he had the perfect connection with her, and that she was what all Omegas should be—submissive and agreeable. Drocco had taken this to mean that all Omegas were indeed like that, and that any perfect Omega would be such. His father had died long before Drocco had any interest in asking about Omegas, so his grandfather and Torin’s grandfather had been the only direct sources he had. But how much of his grandfather’s explanations were the ramblings of an old man gone mad from his lost connection to his Omega? How much of Drocco’s understanding was tainted by his awe of such a great warrior and powerhouse of an Alpha? He couldn’t know.

  In truth, much of the research he had collected had come from Alphas, some of whom had lost their Omegas. What if they only remembered Haze-affected Omegas because that’s what they were pining for? The Omegas had become a myth; beings that relied on the word of man to confirm their existence and nature, and yet the word of man was flawed and unreliable.

  His eyes skimmed the room remembering Cailyn’s initial rudeness. He had been excited by that and had looked forward to dominating her. She had made him laugh with her displeasure at being called kitten… and he had laughed again at her boldness to lift her juicy pussy to his mouth to get what she wanted. Certainly, her boldness wasn’t actually a turnoff. But he needed a woman who would obey him, not argue and retaliate against him at every turn. Regardless if Cailyn was on his side or not, she did not respect him as an Alpha or an Emperor. How could she desire him as her Alpha if that basic respect was lacking? It needed to be corrected.

  Drocco stood and began to pace. Clearly, the way he had been going about it had not yet worked but he refused to be at the mercy of her feelings. He needed to find another way. Doing what the head keeper suggested wouldn’t be difficult—he was an Alpha after all—but he was suspicious of how it might affect him. He had almost become addicted to having his mouth on her clit and if he followed his instincts, would he become weak? He would not be tamed by Omega pussy.

  He glanced around at his research. He must be able to figure out a way to correct a wayward Omega using his Alpha impulses without losing himself in the process and without pandering to her emotions. He began to look through his research, reading the information objectively and connecting the ideas between various reports. He discovered Omegas strengthen their Alphas, not weaken them. He should be fine. Within a few hours, he had refreshed his knowledge and developed the stirrings of a plan.

  If following his instincts didn’t work… A tightness gripped his throat at the alternative. Giving Cailyn to another Alpha to mate with so he could find another Omega was not an option. He had yet to experience her laugh or her smile or her kisses, and he knew deep within him that there wouldn’t be another Omega as beautiful, one who would taste so good, look at him like he was incredible, or flick their hips on his rough thrusts like they couldn’t get enough. It didn’t matter what other Omegas they found, he would always want Cailyn. He had wanted her before he had discovered her true dynamic, and that was with her defiant nature. It made sense now why that was. She was his. And he had to make her see that, even if by force. She had to bond with him—he needed it and she needed it.

  A few hours later, Drocco stood outside his bedroom with a platter of fruits from Cillford cut into small pieces and a range of clothing folded over his forearm. He had spoken to Torin and given orders to be followed regarding his investigation and the Empire. He then issued a blanket order that he not be disturbed. He repositioned the guards to the other end of the corridor so the room felt more private—the door had a triple lock mechanism that meant he could both open and lock it from the inside anyway. Food and drink were to arrive via the guards, but they were never to knock.

  He steadied himself, discarding thoughts about finding the other Omegas, about his Empire, about Malloron, and about her betrayal. He abandoned all concerns about everything but the Omega beyond the door. He had his plan, and he needed to follow his instincts for it to work. Twisting the handle, he entered the room.

  CHAPTER TEN

  CAILYN

  Cailyn rocked in her cocoon, thoughts rolling ceaselessly through her mind; everything the Mothers had said about Alphas, her training, poor plans of how to get out of her situation, and the fact that she hadn't been lucky enough to die from Drocco's hand.

  She was in a worse situation than she had been before. Drocco hadn't killed her, but he would certainly make her suffer like he always did. He may even be more careful about punishing her so that she didn't die. And yet, he was the best option for her death. Yes, she could starve herself—in fact, she welcomed the gnawing emptiness of her stomach—but it wasn’t as effective as having the Emperor crush her quickly.

  She considered how she could aggravate him again. Maybe she could goad him with more lies about other men. She frowned. He had been upset about that. Had he been jealous? She shook the thought from her head. There was no way that he truly wanted her for who she was. Any possessive thought he had was due to his unwillingness to share something that no one else had. As soon as he found the other Omegas, he would discard her. He was fooling himself if he thought he would not be enticed by other Omegas.

  Her thoughts revolved in her mind, so consuming and continuously, she barely heard the door open, but when it shut, she stilled. Shuffling and soft sounds reached her, but the door did not open straightaway like it had done since he tried to kill her. He had remained in the room. She curled up tighter, hoping he would go to sleep and leave her alone.

  "Cailyn."

  Cailyn started at the sound of her name. She froze, suddenly unsure what to do.

  She listened again, a silence building.

  "Cailyn, come here."

  Her heart began to pound. He had never called her by her name before—something was wrong. She considered staying in her blankets but she couldn't ignore him. She was mentally and emotionally weak, and her resistance was depleted.

  She climbed slowly out of her cocoon and peered over to the other side of the bedroom. Drocco s
at on the couch next to the table, his black eyes watching her. He was bare-chested and barefoot but wore black trousers. She dropped her eyes and padded towards him slowly, trying to prepare for whatever pain he was about to issue this time.

  She slowed to a stop before him, staring at the floor, as the hint of his scent began to surround her. “Emperor,” she began, shakily. “I will not—”

  “Drocco.”

  Cailyn paused, unsure what he meant by his interruption. “Um… Yes, Emperor.”

  “Drocco,” he repeated. “You will call me Drocco.”

  Cailyn stared at him, confused.

  He held out a piece of fabric.

  She frowned, glancing at him as she took it. Lifting it up, she shook it out to see a red tunic dress. She looked back at him.

  Drocco simply nodded.

  Fumbling, she put the dress on, confused by his change of heart about her lack of clothing. Maybe he was trying to unsettle her.

  "Come here."

  Cailyn stepped forward tentatively until she stood right in front of his legs, wide on the couch.

  In a swift move, he lifted her up and maneuvered her onto his lap, her legs straddling his hips. Cailyn kept her eyes averted. She leaned away from him, balancing on his one wide, outstretched hand on her back.

  She sat, not looking at him. She didn’t care what he was doing—whatever his new plan was, she would find a way to annoy and anger him so he would wish she were dead.

  A faint, steady, rumble caught her attention, and as it swelled she realized it came from him. He was purring.

  She stared at him, her eyes wide in shock as the strength of his purr increased, the vibrations seemingly penetrating the space between them and seeping into her.

  Cailyn closed her eyes and sighed as it became stronger, working through her and cutting through her emotional gloom. She had heard about the Alpha purr at the Omega Compound. It had been touted as one of the few good things about Alphas, and something only they could do for Omegas that no others could do so satisfyingly. Many of the younger Omegas had no idea how that could be, but it was talked about fondly and some of the older Omegas from her childhood had been reduced to tears after discussing it.