Legion leaned closer, aware his steely gaze was imposing even through a terminal screen. “Or the other way around.”
“This terminal isn’t secure,” Adrian reminded him, expression grim. “I’ll contact you again tonight.”
The screen abruptly went black.
It hadn’t been the first time that the thought had occurred to him. Even with the occasional haze of Alpha aggression, his business decisions were always made from a place of calculating coldness. He did not make decisions lightly, and he was not easily swayed by emotion.
But a deep unease had begun to settle over him. An awareness of threat that left his senses tingling. He had a mate to protect now and he would not stand for any threats to her wellbeing, whether from disorganized terrorists or the Crown itself.
Prince Castor’s death did not serve the rebel groups, who claimed allegiance to nebulous concepts like freedom and equality — things that had never truly existed within human memory, even pre-devastation. No, anyone who wanted the prince dead would have been firmly on the side of maintaining the status quo, keeping the few on top while the many toiled down below.
These attacks were a convenient distraction for Central Command as they worked to retake whatever minor bits of control had slipped from their grasp. But there was clearly more going on than simply a response to minor terrorist threats. The halted execution of Tintori, the naming of a business associate with involvement in crimes against the crown and now the circumstances of this most recent payment were all pieces of the puzzle that needed to be placed back together.
It was all very suspicious. Any man in his position would be stupid to assume anything but the worst when it came to maintaining an empire among the corruption. There were too many others constantly nipping at his heels and hoping to take a piece of what he had so painstakingly built. A metaphorical target was always drawn on his back, but now he could practically hear the wings of pursuit at his heels. And if Central Command was already coming for Horace than no one would be immune. Even him.
He wouldn’t allow it.
It was of singular importance that he protect his mate and his empire, in precisely that order. He would put whatever plan into place that might be required to see it done.
The Crown would not make an attempt on his life, at least not while he still controlled the air processors that kept them all alive. And like any smart kingpin, he had ensured that his business operated with a failsafe. In the case of his untimely death, the codes needed to program the processers would be lost with him. The system reset itself once every lunar cycle and required his codes to remain operable.
Pandora would survive no more than a fortnight without him.
But that wouldn’t necessarily be enough. There were too many players involved. King Rolan in his dotage, might be convinced by his advisors that Legion bluffed, realizing his folly only after it was too late.
Calling up the terminal again, Legion began his work. His mate would awaken soon and there were many preparations to make.
Chapter Eleven
When Ianthe awoke several days later, sore and listless, her eyes opened and immediately set on a CommNet terminal resting on the small table next to the bed.
She snatched it up eagerly, ignoring thoughts of what Legion might want in return for providing her with a way to communicate with the outside world.
Her good spirits flagged slightly when she realized the terminal was restricted, capable of only limited queries to the network and outbound calls to a single contact.
Momentarily forgetting autocratic ways of her mate, Ianthe quickly punched in the proper sequence necessary to make a video connection. She waited, holding her breath, as the line buzzed.
And she nearly cried when her sister’s face appeared in the small screen.
“Ianthe?”
“It’s me. I’m here. Can you hear me?” She had to fight the choking sensation threatening to close off her vocal cords. Seeing Circe’s face was the reminder Ianthe needed that she was still a real person.
“Of course I can hear you. You’re practically shouting.”
Ianthe had never been so happy to have her sister snark at her. She wouldn’t have believed prior to being away for so long that her sister’s rudeness would be something she would miss. But she did miss it. She missed everything about being home.
Unbidden tears suddenly tracked down her cheeks as emotion momentarily overwhelmed her.
“Skies above, Ianthe. Are you okay? Why are you crying?”
“I’m fine,” she replied quickly, inhaling deeply to keep herself from sobbing. “I just missed you that’s all.”
“Really? I thought you were enjoying your little trip gallivanting around the midlevels. I’m still mad at you for leaving with just a note sent to my terminal. You could’ve at least granted me a phone call, if you love me so much.”
Ianthe wanted to tell her sister the truth, but something made her bite the words off before they slipped from her tongue. If Circe found out that she had been claimed and kidnapped against her will by an Alpha, her sister would feel compelled to raise the alarm. Circe would rather see them both arrested then Ianthe mated against her will by one of the Alphas they had both spent the majority of their lives hating.
And Ianthe wouldn’t do anything that might place her family in danger, even if it meant she would suffer more for it.
“Of course I love you,” Ianthe said, deliberately keeping her voice light. “Even when you’re being a beast.”
“I’ll pretend to have missed that last part.”
“How are you doing?”
“The same, I suppose.” Circe drummed her fingers on the wooden table next to her terminal, the sound reverberating through their connection. “I haven’t been getting out as much, not with so much chaos. There was rioting in the market square just last night.”
“Rioting? Over what?”
“Well you must have heard about that bombing in the textile factory? They’ve shut the place down for repairs and hundreds of people are out of work. Central Command is supposed to be providing compensation to displaced workers, but no one has received so much as a credit. There have been riots nearly every day since in different sectors.”
Which only made Ianthe more acutely aware of the fact that an elaborate buffet was currently laid out on the table across from her, with whatever remnants she left bound for the waste disposal. It made her heart hurt to think of it, but she couldn’t exactly share that with her sister. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Not last night, I don’t think.” Her sister sighed and readjusted the headscarf that threatened to fall over her eyes. “There’s always chaos in Pandora, particularly in the slums, but things have never felt the way that they do right now. Those workers families are starving.”
Ianthe suppressed another pang of conscience. “Have you been receiving the credit deposits?”
Legion had assured her that her family would receive a modest sum of credits each month, not enough to draw unnecessary attention but enough to keep them comfortable.
Circe’s face lit, despite the somber tone of their conversation. “I don’t know how you landed this new position, but it’s the best paid one you’ve ever had. The fates are finally smiling on us. It’s just too bad that you’ve been kept away so long.”
“It won’t be for much longer.” The lie tasted bitter as it crossed her lips. Would she ever actually see her family again or was this the most that Legion ever allowed. “I’m doing my best to get back home.”
“Has their been much violence where you are? I’d heard the midlevels had been spared much of the violence.”
“No, I’ve been okay.” Her voice turned unconsciously sardonic. “It’s practically the lap of luxury.”
“Lucky you.”
Ianthe hated lying to her sister, it set her teeth on edge and brought tension to her forehead. “Is Eaon there, as well? Can I speak with him?”
Some of the shine eased from Circe’s expressio
n and she briefly looked away. She seemed to take a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. “Eaon isn’t here.”
“What do you mean? Where is he?”
“I don’t really know, actually.”
“What!” Ianthe sat up straighter, gripping the edges of the terminal hard with both hands. “How do you not know where he is?”
Her little brother had been barely out of diapers when their parents had died and he had been forced to grow up much faster than any child should. Between that and the coughing sickness that often made him an invalid for weeks, Eaon had a habit of rebelling against everything that even slightly resembled authority. Now that Ianthe could afford the treatments that brought him to some semblance of health, Eaon clearly wanted to make up for all the time he had spent bedbound by taking to the streets with his degenerate friends.
In truth, every teenage boy in the slums was a degenerate. That was the only logical result when people were robbed of any reasonable options, but Ianthe had always hoped her brother would have better.
“Eaon has been spending all of his time running around with those worthless friends of his,” Circe replied, voice a little cross. “He’s been completely out of control since you left. He knows I’m not about to go chasing him through the streets.
“Has he been attending the education program?”
“Truant at least once this week, I received a sternly worded message about it. If it happens again, they’ve threatened to place him in detention.”
Ianthe rubbed at her face, the weight of responsibility momentarily overwhelming her before she steeled herself. “Has he gotten into any trouble?”
“Not that I’ve heard. Ida, that busybody in the next unit over, would let me know in a minute if his name had shown up in the disciplinary feed. She loves a good bit of gossip.”
“When did you see him last?”
“He came home two nights ago, but left before I could pin him down.”
“You have to be stern with him.”
Circe narrowed her eyes in displeasure. “It isn’t as if I have any help here, Ianthe. You left for this work assignment without so much as a word to us. I’ve never been able to control Eaon on my own, you know that.”
Heaving a heavy sigh, Ianthe forced herself to calm. Becoming cross with her sister would serve absolutely no purpose. “You should speak to Ida, she’ll know if Eaon has fallen in with anyone new. And when he comes back, you’ll have to lock him in the apartment if that’s what it takes and have him escorted to education.”
“That’s easier said than done, you know.”
“I’ve had to do it before. If you call enforcement, they’ll send an escort. Just don’t alert them before he’s home because if a guardian has to go out and find him, they’ll issue a citation and it will end up in his disciplinary file.”
Circe seemed surprised. “I didn’t realize you’ve had to be so involved with him.”
“Eaon always gets this way when he’s feeling better, the worst of it will be over soon. Hopefully he’s not up to anything really stupid.”
“We can only hope.” Her sister seemed pensive for a moment, before her expression returned to placid. “I really miss you.”
Regret burned in the pit of her stomach, the sick emotion turned to a physical sensation. “Me too.”
“Will you be able to call again soon?”
Ianthe hesitated, sick of lying, but with no idea of what the truth might be. “Maybe. I’m not sure when I’ll next be available but I’ll try to get back to you soon.”
“That’s strange,” Circe murmured as her fingers moved across the display. “The terminal that you’re on doesn’t accept incoming calls. Is there another way for me to reach you?”
“I’m being kept busy and I don’t have access to a personal device,” Ianthe hedged, praying her naturally inquisitive sister wouldn’t dig any deeper. “I’ll do my best to get back with you soon.”
But Circe was nothing if not determined to get to the bottom of any perceived mystery. “Are you still working with catering or for some government cafeteria?”
“I’m not really supposed to talk about it.”
“You really can’t tell me anything…”
“Circe, I have to get back. We will talk again soon, okay.”
“Well alright, but I don’t think it’s so much to ask that you tell me what you’ve been doing.”
“It’s not, really. But right now I have to go. Remember what I said about Eaon. Firm hand.”
“Yes, of course…”
“You have all my love.”
Ianthe ended the connection without waiting for her sister’s response. Any more conversation would break her heart or force her to reveal more than was safe. She had spent her whole life protecting her family from the darkest realities of the world. This situation was no different.
But she was very aware of the fact that this ruse could not last forever. If Legion never released her and she was never able to escape him, this separation might never end.
Perhaps the Alpha could be reasoned with. If she could convince him that she would not run, perhaps he would allow her to see her family again.
Or maybe he enjoyed her isolation. Perhaps he wanted to have her for himself so completely that her happiness no longer mattered. She could feel his contentment through the bond like lapping waves, her prison was his paradise.
“You showed more restraint than I imagined possible. I assumed that you would be eager to cry for help at the first available opportunity.”
Startled, Ianthe looked up to find the Alpha of her imaginings standing in the doorway, wholly in the flesh. She had thought the bond would keep him from being able to sneak up on her but apparently she had been mistaken.
She didn’t ask after the fact that he had been gone for almost two full days this time. Because if she did, he would quickly realize that she had spent the entire time with visions of him floating on the edges of her thoughts. She refused to acknowledge that it was possible for her to miss him. It was the bond, corrupting her mind so that being away from her mate became a torment, rather than the relief it should be.
Perhaps that as why he had provided her with the terminal, as a sort of apology for leaving her locked alone inside of a cage.
“You were listening in on my call?”
“Of course I was.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised. He had invaded her in so many ways already that her privacy hardly mattered to him.
“Well, I’m sure Circe would have sent her regards if she had any idea you existed.”
His lips twisted in a brief smile before returning to carefully stoic. “Does she normally cover her face even when at home.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Habit, I suppose. Any reminder of the disfigurement causes her pain.”
“The defect would be simple to correct at any medical clinic. Why was the procedure never done?”
“Because it would be elective,” Ianthe replied crossly, annoyed at the reminder of how many things were out of reach for her family. “The expense was more than we could afford, even when my parents still lived.”
“Many things are within reach for you now.”
She regarded him, expression heavy with suspicion. “Are you saying that you would pay for it?”
“I would do many things for a compliant mate.”
The offer hung in the air between them. She couldn’t help but think about what having a corrected face would do for her sister. But she understood that any offer he made came with strings firmly attached.
“My sister can’t help me, that’s why I didn’t tell her anything.” Ianthe spoke to the small bit of empty air above his head, deliberately avoiding the penetrating gaze trained on her face. “I didn’t want to worry her or encourage her to do anything dangerous.”
“Wise beyond your years.”
“Perhaps in comparison to some.”
His dark chuckle washed over her, ra
ising the tiny hairs along her skin. He pushed off from the wall and slowly approached the bed, each step shaking the floor and sending shots of adrenaline through her veins.
“Your sister seemed well.”
“Apparently you weren’t listening to both sides of the conversation.”
“Are you speaking of the troubles with your brother?”
“I should be there to help.” Even though she understood it to be pointless, Ianthe still attempted an emotional appeal. Perhaps there was still some trace of humanity left in him that would understand what was at stake. “They can’t survive without me.”
“Nonsense.” Far from being comforting, Legion’s tone was one of cold rebuke. “Omegas are natural nurturers. It’s understandable that you would assume that role, but it is your needs that are being served, not theirs.”
“Weren’t you listening?” Ianthe’s fists clenched in the bedding as she tried and failed to control her mounting irritation. Any show of anger would just encourage him to make her to submit and he desperately wanted him to understand the suffering that he forced her to endure.
“Your brother has seventeen solar cycles, he is only months from full maturity. Your sister is older than you by several cycles and fully capable of caring for herself, despite her impairment. The decision to be responsible for them both is yours alone.”
“Obviously, family isn’t something that you understand.”
His expression darkened as he stared down at her.
She waited, frozen like a prey animal, for him to fall on her even flinching when he reached toward her. But his hand simply stopped within reach of her, palm up.
“Come with me,” he said, face expressionless.
“Where?” Her voice was heavy with suspicion.
He did not answer, simply staring at her.
Ianthe hesitated for as long as she could stand but finally gripped his hand with her own, his skin a shock of heat against her palm.
Legion pulled her to her feet as he glared down at her. “I have something to show you.”
Omega's Capture (Omegas of Pandora Book 2) Page 9