by P. Jameson
“Partly.” He frowned as he considered me. He was probably regretting not throwing me in the dungeon. It was still an option, and there was only so far I could push him. “Charolet, you need to rest. You can’t fight all the time. Save some of your rage for the humans.”
“I have plenty of rage to go around.” Damn, I thought this was relaxed. But he was right, I was tired. Tired of keeping my guard up and expecting an attack at any moment. Tired of waiting for this too good to be true arrangement between the alphas and omegas to fall to pieces. Tired of watching my friends, who worked so hard, have everything stolen from them.
Relaxing was a privilege.
Pushing the blanket aside, I slid from the chair and walked over to the bookcase. The titles displayed on the spines had to do with military stuff, geography, and history. “Have you read all these?”
His face brightened as he joined me. “I’ve studied many of them. They’re mostly tactical texts, and a few maps, if you’d like to look at one before we start our journey.”
“I’d love that.”
He gave me a surprised look before turning back to the shelf to pick a book. It was well known there were no schools in the Badlands.
“We learned to read from books stolen from the castle.” It wasn’t the worst sin I’d committed, not even today. “Our mothers and aunts passed around picture books from house to house to make sure every kid in the Badlands could at least read. More recently, Rielle would...borrow old romance novels leftover from Adalai’s mother’s collection, and we’d take turns reading them out loud.”
Cassian chuckled. “Never thought the resistance would be born over the plot of a love story.”
I stepped closer to him. Bad idea. Heat wafted from his body, and the look in his eyes was more dangerous than any crime I could confess to. “What’s worth fighting for more than love?”
“It’s the only thing worth fighting for,” he said quietly, and pulled a thick book off the shelf. He considered the cover and nodded before bringing it over to the table.
I followed him, and pulled out a chair and sat while he flipped carefully through the pages. He scanned the content, his face serious, before finding what he was looking for and pushing the book toward me.
“This is the map I was hoping to find. Have you ever seen a map of Luxoria before?”
I shook my head.
His expression brightened again, and I couldn’t help noticing the way his eyes crinkled at the edges to show his excitement. Cassian obviously loved Luxoria, and he’d dedicated his life to fighting for it.
“This will help clarify things for you. We’re here.” He tapped the side of the page. “You can tell from the map the terrain is different here. We have more crops, and more access to water here. The Badlands are on the edge of the desert, and they were named that way because it was hard to support any vegetation. I’m sure you know that part of the city originally housed the prison barracks, and there was a break at one point. Too many escaped to be rounded up before the buildings were burned.”
“Some say the omegas are descendants of those prisoners.”
“It would certainly explain the feistiness that runs rampant in the area.” He smiled, but didn’t lift his gaze as he turned the page.
“The King’s Army can certainly handle a little feisty.”
Cassian looked up and sighed. “It’s not as easy as it used to be. The structure of leadership was decided long before the solar flares. When the technological divide wasn’t such a consideration. Before we got involved in these endless wars.”
It was a huge confession. “Then maybe what the army needs is a little feistiness.”
He closed the book. “What we need now is rest. The best time for us to leave is before dawn, so we miss the heat of the day.”
“And the scrutiny of His Majesty.”
“That too.” Cassian stood. “Come, let me show you to the bunk room. It’s hosted some of the highest ranking generals in Luxoria’s army. I hope it meets your standards.”
I followed him into the room off the living room. It had a bunk bed against either wall, dressed with plaid comforters and thick pillows. My eyes were burning and my head pounding. I wanted nothing more than to crawl under those covers and sleep. Revolution could wait a few hours.
“Where will you sleep?” I pictured him stripping off his uniform and crawling under the covers with me. The muscles between my legs throbbed, willing me to make that happen. He was so close, he’d be able to smell my arousal...
“In the opposite bunk,” he said. “But since you’re the guest, I’ll let you choose your side.”
I sat on the bottom bunk on the right. “Is this where you always sleep when you stay here?”
He shook his head. “There’s a master bedroom next door.”
Nope, wasn’t curious what his bedroom looked like at all. If it smelled like him. What it would be like to wake up with our naked bodies tangled in the sheets. “That afraid I’ll escape, huh?”
“I can never be too careful. Especially with you, Charolet.”
My name sounded different rolling off his lips in this room. Like thunder rolling in the distance. I kicked off my shoes and curled my legs up so I could pull the blanket over me. “And just so you know, I won’t be requiring any of your services tonight.”
“No, you won’t.” The thunder was closer now. “But when you do, I’ll be there.”
***
“Charolet.” The sharp bark of my name startled me out of the deepest sleep I’d experienced in a long time. In the pitch blackness, I had no idea where I was. Then I felt that damnable heat that I was starting to crave.
“Mister alpha, sir,” I mumbled as I stretched. “An alarm would’ve worked too.”
“You slept through two of them. We can’t execute this plan of yours if you don’t get your ass out of bed.”
Plans were a luxury that required more information than I had. They required resources. My only plan consisted of exactly one step: taking advantage of every opportunity presented to me.
I rubbed my face and followed Cassian out of the bunk room. He looked maddeningly impeccable as always. His uniform didn’t look slept in, and the leather stretched across his broad shoulders, tapering down to his narrow waist and high, round ass.
I looked away before he turned around and caught me. He had something in his hand.
“It’s not the hot breakfast you’d get in the castle, but it will give you the energy to get through the morning.” He gave me the bar. “I’ll make coffee.”
I ripped open the wrapper. I’d been on a little bit of a hunger strike since being moved into the castle. It was no secret how much food the royals had available to them, but something about eating it felt sinful. Omegas in the Badlands were still starving. I’d convinced myself that if I forgot that hunger, I’d forget why I was fighting.
“It’s better than the gruel the omegas castle workers are served.”
Cassian sighed. “I could apologize to you about the injustices the omegas have suffered. But it wouldn’t make it go away.”
“I don’t want your sympathy. I want a commitment for real change.” I tore a piece of the bar and popped it in my mouth. Nuts, seeds, and a little bit of chocolate, held together by peanut butter. What the hell was Cassian apologizing for? This thing was delicious.
“I’ll admit, I hadn’t given the Badlands much thought before Zelene got the attention of the King. It wasn’t my problem, and I thought I was doing a good job by making sure my people had better. It’s going to take us a while to understand how to meet the needs of the omegas, while not disrupting life for the rest of the city. It’s one of the reasons I agreed to this mission.”
It shouldn’t have been a kick in the gut every time he put the needs of his people above me. If given the same choice, I’d take the omegas over any alpha, every time. But I wanted to make Cassian choose me. Even if I wasn’t ready to accept him.
“How do you take your coffee?” he asked.
I wrinkled my brow as I chewed. “Hot?”
“Cream? Sugar?”
“Also known as things omegas don’t have access to.”
He sighed, his eyes fixed on the sugar. “Change starts one step at a time.”
After adding cream and sugar to the coffee, Cassian handed me a metal travel mug and motioned to follow him. I took a sip before I did. Damn. I was willing to be a soldier in Cassian’s army for the food alone. Not that I’d ever tell him so. That bed had been pretty amazing too.
The only way it could get better was if he’d joined me in it.
Another thing I’d never tell him.
Our footsteps echoed against the stone walls. The only company we had on the empty streets were our shadows.
“Stay close to me.” His voice was low, commanding. “If anyone speaks to us, let me answer. Especially when we get to the castle.”
I pressed my lips together, resisting the overwhelming urge to give him a smart answer.
“Yes, mister alpha, sir.”
“Take this seriously, Charolet. I’m putting my ass on the line, conducting this mission without the king’s approval. But there’s something else you need to know.”
I took another sip of coffee. “What’s that?”
“There are some alphas, and many betas, that aren’t happy about our new alliance with the omegas. If they see one of the king’s generals with one of the omega queen’s court, the situation could escalate quickly.”
He was giving me his protection, even if he didn’t say it in those words. “It shouldn’t be a shock that the Weren wouldn’t accept their own—”
“You threaten them,” he growled. “They know no one works harder in this city than the omegas. The things they took for granted will be threatened by giving omegas a seat at the table.”
“Am I supposed to feel bad for them?”
“No. But I want you to see the full picture, so you can help the omegas plan accordingly. Rebuilding the Badlands is only part of the strategy.”
Cassian was treating me like an equal, an actual member of his army, instead of something that had to be tolerated to satisfy the king’s latest whim. It was the most respect anyone had ever given me.
But I couldn’t let him know. He couldn’t think that a soft bed, some sugar, and a little understanding would be all it took to appease me.
Albert startled when Cassian and I approached the armory. He sat straight, clearing his throat, probably expecting that I’d implicated him in our access to the Humvees.
“Good morning,” I said, ignoring Cassian’s command not to talk to anyone. He didn’t understand the customs of the Badlands. Snubbing one of our own in the presence of an alpha was considered an insult.
Albert nodded to me, but he quickly looked to Cassian. “Can I help you, sir?”
I stifled a giggle, thinking of my nickname for Cassian. All the sugar he put in my coffee was going to get me in trouble.
“I’m teaching the omega how to properly operate one of these vehicles so we don’t have any more accidents.” Cassian punched a code into the keypad, and the door slid open.
“The omega?” I said between gritted teeth.
“He’ll give a report to his superior at the end of his shift. We don’t want him to include anything unusual on it. I’d like for us to arrive at the keep without a contingent sent by Adalai on our heels.”
“Will I always be your dirty little secret?”
“That’s up to you.” He smirked, stopping in front of a giant truck, similar to the one I crashed yesterday. “I’ll drive it out to the yard, so we don’t put another hole in the wall, and then I’ll teach you how to drive it.”
The crash spot had been boarded up with plywood. Pride swelled inside me looking at it. It was possible to leave my mark on this castle, even if it was far from perfect.
I nodded and climbed into the passenger’s seat. Cassian slid behind the wheel and punched in the code to start the engine.
“Why is it the same as the gate code?” Shit, my question could get Ashla in serious trouble.
“Simplicity. We have a lot of numbers to remember.”
“A different code could prevent an attack by someone more dangerous than me,” I said. “If they hack one, they’d get pretty deep into the castle before anyone would know something was wrong.”
“I’ll mention it.” He put his hand on the gear shaft. “You seem to be familiar with the accelerator pedal. These military vehicles have special manual transmissions to give them extra horsepower. The brake is in the middle, the clutch on the left. If you drive a civilian vehicle, there wouldn’t be a clutch. You just put it in drive and go. But with these trucks, the engine is like a lock. You can feel it shift into place, and that’s when you have to put it into the next gear.”
He drove out of the gate, and into the yard. Putting the vehicle into park, he climbed out of the driver’s seat. “Your turn.”
I crawled over the shaft and settled in the driver’s seat. “That’s it?” After yesterday’s incident, the whole clutch thing was more complicated than he was giving it credit for. “How will I know the difference between the regular engine and one that shifts into place?”
“Sensation.” Was that his voice rumbling, or the engine? “That’s why I keep telling you to relax, Charolet. Let your body feel things. It will be a whole different experience when you do.”
Our gazes locked through the open window. “Feeling things isn’t always good.”
Darkness flickered in his eyes. “I know,” he said softly. He crossed in front of the truck, a bold move considering who was in control of this massive thing, and got into the passenger’s seat. “I’ll teach you.”
I put my hand on the gear shaft, surprised when Cassian’s big, warm palm covered it. Electricity flowed up my arm and set off a dangerous chain reaction throughout my body.
“Let me guide you. When I say shift, put your foot down on the clutch. I’ll move the shaft until you get the hang of it. Just concentrate on not running anything over.”
“Yes, mister alpha, sir.”
His hand vibrated on top of mine, and his gaze bordered on seductive. Shit. “Put your right foot on the brake, left on the clutch, and we’ll shift into first gear.”
I took a deep breath and did as he asked. He pushed the shaft under our hands.
“Move to the accelerator.”
The truck started moving. My heart raced in time with the rumble of the engine.
“Shift.”
I slammed my foot down, and as he pushed our hands back the truck stalled.
“Patience,” he said. “I know it’s not your favorite thing. But these trucks are powerful. They only need a nudge. Not a shove. Let’s start over.”
I nodded, repeating the opening steps. The next time he said shift, the truck bucked forward but kept moving. The next one was smoother, and the last almost undetectable.
I let out a whoop as we circled the yard, kicking up dust in our wake.
“Brake,” Cassian commanded. He slid the gear into park, and turned to me. “Ready to hit the open road?”
“No.”
He furrowed his brow. “Why not? You did great.”
My heart swelled at the compliment. “I’m not going without Rielle.”
He shook his head and sighed. “It’s too risky to bring her.”
“It’s too risky for you,” I challenged. “But it’s too risky for me to be the only rebel omega in the Human Keep.”
Chapter Nine
Cassian
Getting Rielle out of the city wasn’t nearly as easy as I’d hoped it would be. For one, she was under watch after the incident with the stolen Humvee. If anyone could smuggle her out, it was one of my most trusted men.
“They should be here by now,” Charolet muttered. She paced beneath a large scraggly tree that hung out from the side of a jagged boulder.
“Henrick will come through. Give him time. Who knows what kind of trouble the omeg
a is giving him.” We were parked just outside the Badlands waiting for Rielle to be delivered, but Charolet was quickly losing patience.
She paced another round. “We should have gone for her ourselves. Any other time, I’d love the idea of Rielle giving an alpha hell, but right now—” Her thought was cut off by the sound of distant voices.
“… I don’t see her… I swear to hell… if you’ve brought me out here to have your way with me…” The female voice was cut off by a male mumble.
“Rielle!” Charolet cried, and I pulled her back behind the cliff just as she was about to collide with my soldier.
“Charolet?” Rielle rounded the corner behind him and her expression shifted from angry to confused. “What’s going on here?” Her eyes fell to my hand where it gripped Charolet’s arm and she scowled. “What are you doing to her? Get your hands off her.”
I jerked back at her vicious tone, but then remembered my place and straightened my shoulders.
“Delivered, as requested, alpha,” Henrick said, sounding annoyed.
“Delivered. As if I’m a piece of mail,” Rielle huffed. “Someone tell me what this is all about.”
“Sorry,” Charolet began, while I thanked Henrick, reminding him this was to stay between us, and sent him on his way. He headed back across the desert trail as she continued. “We couldn’t come ourselves. We had to send someone for you because this is completely covert. We couldn’t risk Zelene finding out. Or worse, the king. He might—no, he would—try to stop us.”
“Stop what?” Rielle squinted against the morning sun. She wore one of the day gowns all the royal ladies donned. It seemed desperately out of place in the dusty Badlands, and by the way she tugged at it, she felt out of place too.
Charolet glanced nervously at me. “Cassian is taking us to the Human Keep.”
I could have sworn Rielle blanched at the idea. Turned white as a ghost. But maybe it was just the sun washing her out… the pale sand making her skin lose color.
“Char, why would you do this?”
“No, see. This is good news! An alpha helping us get to the keep—”
“I thought you learned when you crashed into the wall.” Rielle shook her head. “Don’t you know Zelene is looking for you? She’s worried. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that you didn’t return to the castle last night.” Her gaze flipped to me. “How can you let her do this?”