Relaxing his hold further, Jeden began to knead the skin he’d gripped so tight, inching his fingers up to continue the light massage at her shoulders as his purr grew louder. “I’m sorry, little one.”
The whispered words made her eyes pop open in surprise. He was inside the shower, much closer now, and the purr was drowning her as his hand skimmed the bite mark before reaching behind her neck to rub, squeeze.
“This is all new to you, and I have to remember that.” It was almost like he was saying the words to himself, a self-chastisement as he melted the tension from her neck and shoulders. “I want to help you understand.”
“Understand what?” she asked softly, slightly disoriented from the combination of his hands on her skin, his purr, and the hot water filling the shower with steam.
“Everything. All of this.” Turning her gently, his fingers worked into her hair. The sharp smell of soap filled her nose, and then Jeden was massaging shampoo into her scalp. It felt good. Even better because it wasn’t him trying to fuck her — at least, not yet.
“None of this makes sense,” she confessed. Lulled into comfort for the moment.
“You can ask me questions, little Omega. I will answer if I can.” Jeden worked the lather to the tips of her hair, his knuckles brushing her shoulder blades, that purr an ever-present sedative to the rage she’d felt so clearly before.
“Why do you make that noise? The purring noise.”
“Because it helps you.” Pulling her back into the stream of water with a gentle tug, he began to rinse her hair.
“I don’t like it.” Karissa felt her brows knit together, the tension forming just behind her eyes as she tried to push away the sedating effect. “It makes me feel weird.”
“Would you rather be angry?” he asked, not a hint of judgment in his voice, as if saying yes would be perfectly acceptable.
And maybe it was.
“I should be angry. You hurt me, all of you hurt me.” The accusation stilled his hands for a moment, but then she heard the click of a bottle and he was weaving his fingers through her hair again. Gently tugging the tangles free.
“There are some things we can control, and others we cannot. Scenting an Omega for the first time in years…” His purr stuttered for a second, and then she felt him close in, hard cock brushing the small of her back. “We couldn’t have stopped. We needed you, just as much as you needed us. You were in pain—”
“Because I was drugged!” Cutting him off she tried to move away, but his fingers were still wound in her hair and he pulled her back.
“Yes. You took the Clarity, and it did what it was meant to do. It revealed who you were always meant to be. An Omega.” His arm wrapped around her ribs, pulling her flush to his front. “But if we had not found you first, someone would have. The first Awakening is meant to draw us in.”
“Awakening?” she repeated, confused and distracted as he rubbed his cock against her back in small shifts of his hips.
“The Omega genes waking up inside you.” A hand stroked down her side, over her hip, dipping between her thighs to stroke a single finger up her slit. “The first slick, the ache that only an Alpha can satisfy…”
“No. This is impossible,” she argued, wanting to deny it. Still wishing she’d wake up hungover and confused as fuck in her apartment, or Tawny’s, or anywhere just so that she could write it all off as some really weird fantasy gone wrong.
“It’s not impossible, just very, very rare. But you were meant to be Omega, the Clarity can’t create what isn’t already there.”
“But I don’t want to be Omega!” she shouted, tears coming to her eyes as the last of her rage washed away with the soap down the drain, and all that was left behind was grief. For herself, for her life, for the world where she’d believed all those words to be nothing but urban legends. With her next breath, she felt her chest hitch with a sob. “I want to go home. I want to be normal again. I don’t want to be this!”
“By the gods, I wish you could understand how long we’ve waited for you. How precious you are to us.” There was a hint of emotion in his voice, his hand cupping her between the legs as he wrapped his other arm around her to pull her even closer. “Omegas are so rare. Even on the planets where the genes are more active, where most of the population is like us… an Omega is still precious.”
“I don’t care.” Not even his purr could break through the sadness gripping like a vice around her heart. The words were pretty, the kind of thing that any female would want to hear. To be called precious, to be told she was rare and wanted. But this wasn’t a gift—it was a prison sentence.
“Don’t say that, Karissa.” Jeden nuzzled against her hair, the water turning lukewarm as the rumble in his chest vibrated through her ribs. “This is just new. It’s all new to you. It’s new for us as well, but we would do anything for you. You have to understand—”
“I DON’T WANT TO UNDERSTAND!” she screamed, her voice rebounding off the tiles, and Jeden’s body tensed as he tried to shush her.
The sound of heavy footsteps outside the shower preceded the arrival of one male, and a moment later another. Their growls building a feral wall of male aggression outside the shower. Someone barked his name, and she felt Jeden stand up straighter, his fingers digging into her ribs in a possessive grip. Another growl joined the mix as something was knocked over. Other males storming into the bathroom barely a second later, filling the small space, but she refused to turn and see which ones had come.
Jeden purred directly into her ear, “Little one, you need to calm.”
The words only made her cry harder, and he sighed against the top of her head, turning until he was forced to release her. But she could feel him at her back, blocking her from view as she sobbed.
“What did you do?” Tinves’ voice, rough with anger and accusation.
“Nothing, she’s just upset.”
“Then let us see her.” Another male, likely Parel based on the bite in his tone.
Jeden growled, and the loss of his purr broke the final dam inside her. A wail escaped as she bent forward, trying to hold her ribs together as she sobbed, hiccuping on the next intake of breath. There were more shouts, another pissing match of growls, but all it did was remind her of everything that was wrong. The fact that she craved the soothe of a purr confirming exactly how fucked she was. Clarity, Awakening, Omega — just a set of words that formed the bars to her new prison, because how do you escape yourself? How could she get rid of the changes she felt in herself?
It was like her heart was breaking, mourning the person she’d thought she was, the world she thought she lived in. On the floor of the shower, she pulled her knees to her chest, barely aware of Jeden attempting to purr, his knuckles brushing up and down her arm when someone opened the shower door and the world exploded.
Glass shattered in a loud crash, the impact of a fist against flesh followed by male growls, grunts, shouting, and then a roar that shook the remaining glass in the shower.
Hiccuping, Karissa peeked up through her soaked hair to see Jeden with his hand around Zeke’s throat, the blond halfway on the sink. Tinves crouched on the floor beside them, wiping blue blood from under his nose — but no one was looking at her.
All eyes were on Mordek in the doorway, and she felt his anger. Like a hot brand in the center of her chest, the fire spread, singeing the blood in her veins as her sobs slowed.
He looked around the chaos of the bathroom, full of males that took up too much room, and then his eyes found her, roaming for a moment before he turned back to the others and growled lower. “What the fuck is going on?”
Chapter Two
All of the males started shouting at once, except Zeke who was red-faced from Jeren’s hand around his throat. Planting a foot in Jeren’s chest, Zeke kicked the male back, and Jeren roared and lunged for him.
But Mordek’s roar was louder. “STOP!”
Zeke and Jeren ended up frozen, both of their chests heaving as they growled, he
ld back from each other only by Mordek’s command. The sight of it stunned her enough to end the tears, a single hiccup escaping as she looked across the destruction. Glass littered the floor from the shattered door, some of it inside the shower. Cracks spider-webbed across the glass not broken, but she didn’t think she’d been cut.
Not that she was fully aware of her own body as the bass of Mordek’s growl joined with the other males’ to make her cunt clench, slick running down the drain thanks to the water.
“Jeren. Tell me what happened,” Mordek commanded, his low voice edged with a threat of violence, but Jeren turned to face him without the slightest bit of fear.
“Our Omega wanted to shower and she had questions. I answered them for her.”
Turning towards her, Mordek pinned her with that pale green gaze. Evaluating, and she felt a thump in her chest, a tug that made her want to climb over the glass to reach him. “And what exactly did you tell our Omega to earn this response?”
“She is still adjusting to her situ—”
“WHAT DID YOU TELL HER,” Mordek roared, taking a step forward, and every male in the room backed away. Except Jeden.
“The truth,” he answered, voice rumbling with the growl in his own chest. Tension hung in the air, barely any of them breathing, and she watched as Mordek’s scarred hands formed fists at his sides.
“Move,” Mordek growled, taking another step forward, and Jeden finally backed up. The massive male’s boots crunched over the glass, grinding it on the tile as he crouched to be somewhat closer to her eye level. One large hand moved to the center of his chest, fingers splaying across the dark shirt before clawing the fabric back into a fist. “Omega. I can feel your pain. Tell me what my brother did and I will correct it.”
Karissa’s lips parted, feeling that strange tug in her chest before she looked over at Jeden. She knew what Mordek was saying. That if Jeden had truly hurt her, he would handle it, hurt his second-in-command. For her. Jeden didn’t flinch, or try to defend himself, the only reaction she could see was the clenching of his jaw. Wiping water off her face, she took a shuddering breath and shook her head slowly. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“You do not have to lie to protect him, little one. I will not kill him.” There was a pause, a slight narrowing of his eyes. “Unless it is necessary.”
“No!” she shouted, feeling a sudden panic take hold as she pictured Jeden dead. Her chest ached like her heart was breaking, new tears in her eyes, and she leaned forward as if she could actually stop him if he went for the male. “No, I was the one who hurt him. He just answered my questions, about this… thing. About all of you.”
Mordek’s lip twitched and he turned to look at Jeden. “Our little Omega hurt you?”
“She’s got claws,” Jeden answered, holding an arm out to reveal the bloody scratches.
A low rumble in Mordek’s chest that was not a growl, or a purr, but a quiet laugh. As he turned back to her she caught the hint of a smile on his mouth. “That was brave, little one. Not all in our pack could have restrained themselves if you’d attacked them.”
She swallowed, eyes flicking between Mordek and Jeden, who was simply staring at her. Not angry, or even upset, and she felt a pinprick of guilt as she was forced to recognize that he had restrained himself. He could have hurt her, fucked her, forced her into submission at any point during their argument — yet he hadn’t. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Jeden’s expression flickered for a second, and then he was stone again. “No need, Omega.”
“Tell me what has you so upset,” Mordek commanded, standing for a moment to turn the water off that was rapidly moving toward cold. Before he crouched again, he snagged one of the towels and offered it. She listened to the glass grinding beneath his boots, all of the growls having faded to leave seven males breathing in the small space as he held the large cloth out for her.
The towel was a gift, and she grabbed it, covering her chest and pressing it between her legs to hide as she inched back into the corner, knees drawn up to hold the cloth in place. There was too much attention on her, too much male attention, but they weren’t going anywhere. “I want to go home,” she finally whispered.
“I understand.” Mordek nodded slowly, eyes tracing the tiles on the floor before seeking her gaze again. “I won’t lie to you and say that, if it were possible, I would let you leave. All that matters is that you cannot leave, little Omega.”
Tears pricked her eyes, and she wanted to rage, but the presence of all the males forced it back down. Still, she said what she wanted to say, quietly, edged with her bitter anger. “You can’t keep me like some prisoner here. Like some sex doll to use whenever you want.”
“You’re not a prisoner. You’ve done nothing wrong, little one… but we still cannot let you go.” Mordek’s words were tinged with a purr and she bared her teeth.
“THAT is a prison!”
Shaking his head, he spoke low. “You don’t know what it is to be Omega. This universe has always been violent, blood-thirsty and without mercy — but what waits you out there? Without protection?”
“You’ll be dead in less than a week.” It was Halyrion’s quiet growl that said it, and she found him in the group of males facing her, his expression just as solemn as the rest.
“That’s ridiculous,” she whispered.
“It’s not, little one. The first time I scented an Omega I was sixteen. On patrol in the city we had taken days before.” Mordek took a slow breath, eyes closing for a second. “I’d heard a female scream, so I followed the sound, but then I smelled her. It was like something possessed me. I almost ripped the flimsy door off its hinges trying to get inside where there was another soldier already mounting her atop a table. Another in her mouth, and still I went for her. It was a lieutenant that managed to grab me, throwing me back from the males. He had to hit me to make me even hear him say that if I waited, I’d get my turn.”
“You’re a monster,” she growled, feeling the rumble in her chest as she remembered her own fear, her own terror, and pitied the woman in his memory.
Mordek wiped a hand over his face. “Maybe we are, but my lieutenant had the males under control. The Omega was in her cycle, she needed to be mounted to end the pain, and she asked for more. Reached for me when the other soldier finished, but I never got my chance to touch her.”
Karissa’s stomach churned, cunt gripping as she remembered the ache she’d felt, the way their touch had eased it, knowing this story couldn’t end well. “Don’t—”
Ignoring her half-spoken plea, Mordek stared up at the ceiling. “A full squad came by on their way… somewhere. Not all of them Alpha, more than half were Beta, but they all scented her. I fought, but I was too young. Not strong enough. Earned this”—he tapped the scar that separated his eyebrow—“trying to get to her. As mindless as the rest under the power of her scent, but the lieutenant managed to drag me away. Back into the street, where I listened to them tear her apart while I fought him to get back inside. To her.”
All of the blood drained from her face, and she turned to look at the males around the room. Not a one was looking at her now, the room as silent as the grave, and she felt panic rising inside her. “Why?” It was the only sound she could manage, alternating between an urge to throw up, and a slightly more insane urge to grab a piece of glass and slice her own wrists. Never. I will never let that happen to me.
“Most of us had never scented an Omega before. There weren’t enough of them, or not enough survived on my planet, and so we weren’t prepared for the Rut. A force as powerful and consuming as your Awakening was for you, little one.”
“That—” Karissa swallowed down the bile in her throat. “That wouldn’t happen here.”
“We are not the only pack on this planet. Not even the only one in New Paraja. As soon as one of them scented you, it would happen.” Mordek’s eyes were dilating, a thin ring of pale green around the edge of his pupil, massive cock pressed against the cloth of his pants
. “This is why we cannot let you leave. I told you last night, you are ours, and we are yours. Each of us would die to protect you.”
She shook her head, shivering as the lingering water on her skin chilled her to the bone. Or maybe it was his story, his completely fucked up story. “Scare tactics,” she hissed through chattering teeth.
“What?” Mordek asked, head tilting.
“You’re just trying to convince me to stay. To not run, but stay here out of fear. That… that story can’t be true. It’s just scare tactics.”
“No. It’s the truth.” Donvin spoke, a quiet voice filled with gravel. Several of the males glanced at him, and she realized it was the first time he’d spoken at all. He had fucked her, licked her, held her in his sleep, but he had never once spoken. The male had his arms crossed over his thick chest, shaggy brown hair hanging slightly past his eyebrows, the beard on his face making him look wilder than the rest, more… feral. “I had a mate. Bonded.” His fist pounded once to his chest. “A son. Both killed while I worked in the mine.”
“Donvin—” It was Jeden who spoke, an expression on his face that spoke of pain, but the other male snarled. White teeth showing through the dark of his beard.
His growl slowed to a rumble as he turned his gaze back to the floor. “Her cycle came early. Four days later and I would have been there. Protected her, tended her.” Dark eyes found hers and she saw the untamed rage there. “I found her bloody, bruised, broken. My son gutted.”
“Gods,” she whispered, horrified, but he immediately broke their gaze.
“I learned. One Alpha is not enough.” The gruff edge of his voice faded with a softening growl, and it surprised her that it was Parel who put a hand on Donvin’s shoulder.
“Never again,” Parel said quietly.
“Never again,” the others repeated, like a solemn chant that even Mordek participated in. Their leader looked at her, brow furrowed for a moment as he took in her shivering and sighed.
“Do you understand now?” Mordek asked, and it took an act of courage for her to meet his gaze. There was fear in them, fear for her. Fear of what would happen to her without them to protect her, and as the horrific words slithered deeper inside her she had to admit she felt the fear as well.
Alpha's Promise: A Reverse Harem Omegaverse Story (The Clarity Series Book 2) Page 2