“She’s my niece, you know. I watched EJ grow from a baby into something amazing, but one man took it away from her. Two bloodlines. His and Hers. Her side. His side. It turned into something larger, and we are in the midst of some troubles, Sir, let me tell you that. Now I ask you, How comfortable are you with the idea that the New South is at peace?” Rand leaned up, grabbing a pepperoni roll, biting it in half.
“If there was a war in the New South, I would know about it. I have monitors and trusted friends in high places throughout the land. I would know.” Lukas leaned back, ignoring the flood and pinning his friend with his glare.
“Touché,” Rand laughed. Oddly it did not ease the tension. “How badly do you want to fight a war you can’t win against a population that is generally happy under your rule? How badly do you want to lose the Seventh and all the resources she brings to the New South?”
“If it comes to war, the New South will prevail, and the Seventh will come to heel,” The Alpha sneered, stiffening his frame and leaning into the other man.
“Don’t assume, Lukas. Don’t assume, and for damn sure, don’t underestimate what you don’t understand. The situation is far more complex than you realize,” Rand said, his eyes hardening.
“If I had been kept apprised of the situation, I would have understood it, Alpha,” he hissed, slamming his empty glass on Rand’s desk.
“It’s unlikely that anyone outside of The Seventh can truly understand what is happening here, but I’m starting to think I know why Eve came to you. I’m just wondering why you’re here and not there. What went wrong?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Nothing happened. What is going on in this God-forsaken land?” Lukas pounded his fist against the desk in frustration.
“War, Lukas. War is happening and has been for years.” Rand tilted his head, waiting.
“And why don’t I know about this war? Why didn’t the Alpha of the Seventh, my friend, tell me?” The question came out strangled, showing the hurt he felt.
“Because this is the Seventh and they’ve done it this way for centuries. This is the proudest place in the New South, and they don’t need or want outside help to settle their disputes. Only things have taken a turn for the worse, and I’m guessing that’s why EJ came to you. Maybe she wanted to ask for help in this war. Not that she really started it, but she is doing what is best for her people in trying to see it end. She feels responsible. Damn, that must have been hard for her. Is she at least okay?” Rand asked, drawing his brows together in worry.
“She’s fine. Better than when she came to me. She was skin, bones, and nearly dead,” The Alpha said, not meeting the other man’s eyes.
“She’s been through enough. Whatever crime she committed, understand she did it out of loyalty. EJ is the most loyal person I know. Please don’t hurt her. Send her home, and I’ll take responsibility for her actions.” The calm veneer of the older man slipped, and Lukas saw fear behind it. He met his eyes and held them. Lukas looked away first. He’d never felt like such an ass in his life.
“It’s too late for that,” he said simply. “She’s mine now,” he finished.
“With or without her permission?” Rand asked.
“Either way,” said Lukas, who frowned when the other man just laughed.
Rand laughed until tears ran from his eyes. “Ah, Lukas. You can’t hold smoke. Trust me, I tried. Don't you think she got arrested for killing that Davis kid? Of course, she did. Multiple times. She was exonerated, but no jail could hold her long enough to appear in court, so the case was tried without her.” The man continued to laugh until they turned into chuckles and finally silence.
“She’ll get what she wants and, with or without your help, she’ll be gone. She’ll die before she leaves this war unfinished. I don’t know much, but I know that. Have you seen her fight? God, there’s none better. I’d like to be a fly on the wall when you try to pin her down.” Rand smiled fondly at the thought of Eve. Lukas could see it.
Only he had pinned her down. He had pinned her down and done exactly what some piece of shit Beta had done. He was no better. The thought stabbed him in the heart.
That contract. Joshua Davis was the reason behind her contract, and he’d been a fool for not taking it seriously, regardless of the legality of the thing.
“Do you know the difference between a West Virginian and a Seventh?” Rand asked, pulling The Alpha away from his thoughts. “How about the difference between a Loyalist and a Seditionist? No?” he said when The Alpha didn’t answer. “There is a big difference, and the distinctions are important.”
“A West Virginian is a traitor, nothing more,” Lukas said with finality.
“You would think so, wouldn’t you? But that’s not the case.” He watched the Alpha, considering.
“What is the case then, dear friend,” he asked.
“For starters, a West Virginian, as they call themselves, is fiercely loyal. Not only to their ‘state’ but to their country. A West Virginian is more than happy to send gas, oil, and power to the New South in return for being left alone. I mean, you’ve been Alpha for how many years, and this is your first visit here? That is the way West Virginians like it. They are content. They are proud. They are independent, but they do not want a war with the New South. They do not want to secede or have any significant upheaval. They simply want to send you all the resources you need and be left alone in return. That’s the way it’s always been, and they don’t want change.
“Now a Seventh wants freedom. They want to take the entire Seventh District and secede from the New South, taking their resources with them. While a West Virginian is happy to share the wealth that comes from providing ninety percent of the power to the New South, A Seventh would tear it all down to keep it from your hands.
“They want the New South to fall and fall hard. They want anarchy. They want to rule themselves and bow to no one. They want Omegas and Betas under their thumb and will raze the place to make it so. They want to see the bodies of The Alpha and The President twisting in the wind. They are the McCoy’s to the Hatfield’s. It’s a family feud that won’t die and has finally bled into the land so deep it’s taking root.
A West Virginian raises the Flying W-V with pride and wears a 304 tee shirt while the Seventh’s wear black and will stab you in the back without a thought. A West Virginian is loyal to the New South but a Proud West Virginian. A Seventh is for insurrection and sedition. They want the Seventh to be free, not West Virginia. That distinction may seem small, but here, it’s everything,” he paused, picking up another pepperoni roll and continuing with his mouth full.
“So, tell me, Alpha, which side would you choose to fight for? The side of those who flaunt their former state and the pride they have for this region, thus breaking the laws of the land while they do it, despite the fact that they are die-hard loyal to the New South? Or the people who would rip down every gas rig and power plant in sight to keep it from you but appear on the outside to be proper citizens?” That is the question.
“That is the reason that this Civil war has been kept from you. Until recently, it was thought to have been won, and you would have been none the wiser. Things would have stayed peaceful, and everyone would have been happy. Those who want to secede should have been put down, and the New South would have continued to prosper.” Rand pulled out a bottle of chilled water from the fridge under his desk, handing one to The Alpha and taking one for himself.
“What happened?” The Alpha asked. He was trying to wrap his head around all of this. The idea of a war he knew nothing about infuriated him, but not so much that he couldn’t understand what Rand was saying.
“EJ’s parents were killed by a roadside IED. I may be the Alpha of the Seventh in name, but they were the Alphas of the heart, and when they died, the heart was ripped out of the Loyalists, and EJ ran. Though they still fight, she is their General, and it hasn’t been the same without her. I’ve done all I can to stay out of it, as I do believe this is a civil
conflict, not a national one, but I fear it’s all falling apart. EJ took over one hundred Omegas, and some of the best fighters this land knows with her. It has hurt. I don’t understand why she did that, but she is a true General and must have had a reason.
“Not having an Alpha to serve her has made Eve weak, but taking one that won’t allow her to wage war would be a final blow she could, no doubt, not tolerate. It would mean the end of the Loyalists and possibly, the New South. For if the Loyalist West Virginian’s fall, the New South is not far behind, the best warriors are hidden in these hills, and they fight for you, whether or not you fight for them.” Rand leaned back, his story done. A silence so deep settled between them that it seemed to encompass the entire building.
“Let’s eat. There’s a perfect little restaurant near here that I think you’ll like. Eat, and then I’ll pack you up some moonshine and pepperoni rolls for my niece so you can be on your way. You have a lot to think about, and I’m going to give you just a little bit more before you go.” Rand rose, clapping The Alpha on the back with a smile.
They walked out the way they came, down the grand staircase and out into the streets. The smell of honeysuckle was strong in the air, and young Omegas, Betas, and Alphas walked together, bookbags slung over their shoulders.
Everywhere he looked, The Alpha saw the 304, and he saw the flags, but wherever he went, people smiled. They smiled at him, and they smiled at Rand. They said hello. There was no mistaking who Lukas was. He wore his Dress Blues, and the shield on his uniform told his rank. They smiled anyway.
His own people did not smile much at him. They shrank in fear. They followed his commands. They bowed to his wishes. But they did not smile. A cute, dark, curly-haired Omega winked at him. At him. He didn’t understand this place, but he was beginning to believe every word Rand said. It was different here, and he needed to consider it very thoroughly before he did anything rash.
He thought he knew why Eve came to him. He had come for her motivations, and he thought he had them. She wanted her people to win this war that Rand called a civil matter. She had offered herself up to him, so he would use the resources of the New South to fight for her people. That was going to be her deal. Would he have done it? He wasn’t sure. Probably not.
More likely, he would have taken what he wanted, claimed her, then rushed headlong into a conflict he didn’t understand. He still didn’t understand it but was beginning to. Maybe a little anyway. The Seventh was a beautiful place, and he couldn’t lose it, but he might have torn it apart to save it. Now he at least understood why he couldn’t do that.
They passed more college students before Rand led him into a well-lit, hip place with wooden floors and lots of stainless. Craft beers lined the bar, and cool air flowed through the vents, chilling his skin. Not every place offered air conditioning, and he breathed a sigh of relief at the feel of it.
He was happy to see that the menu was very New South and ordered steak and grits with a side of fries seasoned with Old Bay. It was heavenly. He watched as people came and went. Some greeting him and some not. No one was unfriendly, and it was hard to believe that a war was being fought here.
“Morgantown is a Loyalist stronghold. If you want to wipe them out, hit this place hard, Alpha,” Rand said between bites.
“Should I do that, Taylor?” The Alpha asked.
“No, you should not. It would be the beginning of the end of the New South. These are your people. Tell me you can’t see that. Look past their W-V shirts and see the heart of them. They love the New South. They always believed the South would rise again, and they were right. Don’t write them off because you don’t understand them,” Rand said between bites. “And one more thing, a public claiming with Eve would be a huge political win for you and would forever ensure that the Seventh stays loyal and under New South command. Whatever you did to fuck that up, boy, fix it. You have the chance of a lifetime to claim Royalty, don’t waste it.” Rand leveled his stare on The Alpha, and this time Lukas did not back down.
Rand walked The Alpha past the hospital and to the shuttlecraft beyond. Lukas spent the entire flight home deep in thought. Rand was right, and Lukas was glad he had not rushed in guns blazing. Eve needed Lukas to fight for her, and he would. If he had to take every one of his soldiers into the Seventh to rid it of the idea of secession, he would do that too. Then Eve would forgive him. She would have to.
After, he could settle her into his quarters and resume her contract until her next estrous when he would claim her. No way he was letting his red-haired, wild Omega go.
Chapter 12
Eve fought off her third Alpha in as many hours. Sweat dripped down her sides, and she gloried in the feeling that she was back. She had come into the gym after her stroll through town and begun warming up when the first one walked in. She had worn no pine tar and drank no tea. Her smell was ripe, and she knew it. She liked a challenge.
The first Alpha came hard and fast; she had taken him down in minutes. It was not his intention to fuck her, but he probably would have if she had lost and landed under him. That wasn’t happening. The second Alpha went down slower, showing more caution than the first. The third one had come close to landing a blow on her, and that made her fight harder. She downed him as sweat dripped off her sides and onto the mats below.
A crowd gathered, watching them spar. Not one Alpha offered a growl, and not one purr was heard. They fought hard, and they fought fair. She respected them for it. Halfway through the third match, she began teaching them better techniques. Old habits die hard, she guessed, as she countered the strikes of the larger man in front of her.
“When you sweep your bo up, bring your entire body with it. You can’t just use your arms, bend your ankles, knees, hips, and torso and push into that strike,” she said, demonstrating her words by sweeping the legs out from under the man in front of her. “Now spin out of it, so you don’t lose momentum and carry that strike down, like this.” She spun, using her staff to land a blow to his chest. She pulled her strength at the last minute, not wanting to hurt the man.
“Let me try,” a fourth Alpha stepped up, taking the bo from his fallen comrade.
“Sure,” Eve said, bowing to him lightly and popping back on the balls of her feet. She would gain stamina from this. She hadn’t felt this good in ages, but she was getting hungry. She didn’t want to lose an ounce, so she needed to wrap up this last sparring partner and find some food.
A roar and a pounding of feet down the hall preceded her sparring partners scattering like rats in the light. Eve let out a low chuckle and began toweling off while she waited.
The Alpha thundered into the gym with eyes wide and nostrils flaring. He stopped, scenting the air. His muscles relaxed. When he returned to the building, he had smelled Eve saturated in Alpha and lost his mind. Seeing her unharmed and smelling no other’s seed upon her, he relaxed marginally.
“Mine,” he said, attempting to herd her into a corner.
“No,” she replied, neatly ducking under his reach and walking out of the gym ahead of him. He smelled of moonshine, pepperoni rolls, and her uncle. She knew where he’d been all day, and the thought made her homesick.
She needed to get out of here. Tired of being caged by four walls, she wanted to run in the woods and fight beside her friends. Smelling her home on Lukas made it that much worse. With a sigh, she stepped into the shower.
Her body was loose and languid from sparring, and she enjoyed the feel of hot water as it ran over her skin. She planned to order hot wings and beer tonight and just eat in her room. There was a place that delivered wings in any amount you wanted. She wanted a hundred. That seemed like a good place to start anyway.
She got out of the shower and toweled off before slipping into soft, form-fitting pants and a loose tee. A quiet knock on the door interrupted her call to the Beta woman who cleaned her room and brought fresh linens. She desperately wanted those hot wings and that six-pack. She’d flay an elephant to get them.
“Hang on,” she shouted as the pounding on her door got louder. “Make that two hundred, mixed Carolina gold and hot,” Eve said, with a laugh at how they were still allowed to use the term ‘Carolina’ if it pertained to Southern BBQ sauce. She repeated it just because she could, then clicked off the Comlink.
“For Heaven’s sake, what?” she asked, ripping the door open. “Oh, it’s you,” she finished when she saw The Alpha standing there. He had showered and changed into light, form-fitting khaki pants and a green, short-sleeved polo that showcased his tattoos and made his eyes pop. He was beautiful. No denying that. Too bad he couldn’t read and had broken her contract, not that she had thought he would uphold it anyway.
Strong muscles slid under her skin as she pulled the door tighter so he couldn’t see inside. At a minimum, she had gotten what she came for. With her strength finally returning, she worried less about the rest of it.
“What do you want?” she asked, shutting her mouth when she saw what was in his hands. He held out the bottle of her Uncle’s moonshine and a huge bag of Chico’s homemade pepperoni rolls she would recognize anywhere. “How is my Uncle?” she asked, not opening the door wider for him.
“He’s not your uncle, is he?” Lukas asked, knowing the answer. He knew more about the Justice-Hatfield family than he knew about his own.
The Omega Rule (Omegas of the New South Book 1) Page 8