“Shit! Nikolai. What happened? Are you there? Are you okay?”
Dahlia heard Maxheim’s shout as another part of her registered an ear-shattering blast and saw the mountainside crumble and flames burst on the horizon, but all of that reached her as if through a wall of ice.
The chaos and noise were dulled by the far louder roar of power rushing through her, a force of beauty and light and love propelled by her and Nikolai together.
She wanted to tell Maxheim not to worry, that Nikolai was more than okay, his power surging through the bond and helping to support and strengthen hers, but it was too late.
The vision was already on her.
“Alphas, we have a situation.” The pilot’s voice crackled through the comms. Again, his voice registered, but only in a far off, distant way. She was too busy gathering power.
A shot streaked across the hood.
“We’re under fire.”
“Is it the Brotherhood or an outside threat?”
“Unsure.”
“Respond in kind,” roared Maxheim.
Another flare of a laser.
Their craft listed to the side and slammed into a snowy bank.
She flew forward, but the restraints held tight.
Groans sounded around her. Curses, too. Doors opened as weapons were drawn.
She refused to lose focus. All her life, she had been told she did not have the strength to do what must be done.
She did.
Even in the darkest of moments, she could prevail.
The frightened omega who had been dragged along by her father, forced to bend and submit before the Brotherhood was no more.
She made her own rules now.
Whoever was shooting at them would fail in their bid to stop her. Her time was at hand.
Wrapping herself in her Alpha’s strength and her own, she surrendered to the images and sent them slamming into every single inhabitant on Abzal.
Now was not the time for subtlety.
“My apologies, Alpha Lord.” The prime omega sailed into Naytalia’s private quarters as if they were her own. Tasha Lundin didn’t blink to find the Kuril head bending her over the bed. Nothing fazed that one. “Alpha Lundin has returned and will expect his property to be waiting for him in the omega stable.”
Kuril snarled. “She is busy. You wait on him, prime omega.” He thrust harder, his hand pinning Naytalia to the mattress. “That is your role.”
Naytalia moaned and tried to think past the pleasure of the thick cock slamming into her. It pleased her to hear Kuril order the prime omega around. Olan Lundin never did.
“Of course, Alpha. I was only trying to think of my Alpha’s pleasure. I know how enamored he is with Naytalia’s mouth right now.”
Right now. But not forever. Naytalia understood the hidden message. Forever was a security only afforded the prime omega.
Which was why Naytalia thrust her hips back and moaned louder. It was also why she’d added a little alcohol to the twins’ drinks before she’d invited the Kuril warlord to her private room. She’d been thrilled when her plan worked and he’d stormed in, threw his gun on the dresser, and, not bothering to unbutton his pants, bent her over and shoved inside her. In his haste to fuck, he never noticed the cradle on the far side of the room, but he would not be pleased if anything, especially crying, disturbed his pleasure.
And Naytalia’s scheme required keeping the Kuril crime boss happy above all else.
Nikolai would be pissed if he knew what she’d done, but she didn’t plan on him finding out. Either about drugging the twins or all the rest of her schemes. Her eldest offspring scared her already, and he wasn’t even close to adolescence yet.
If she was lucky, she’d be long gone by the time he realized she was the one who’d reached out to Olan Lundin and suggested Abzal could be a useful and lucrative outpost.
The Kuril head had already given her several jewels. She was all but certain he was going to offer to buy her contract from Lundin, especially since her gift had sparked back to life.
Its reappearance after so many years of nothing had shocked her. It had only flickered for a second, but for that brief moment, the thoughts of those around her had been crystal clear. She’d heard the beta servant worrying over her laundry. She’d heard Kuril enjoying the sweet heat of her cunt. The power had blinked out almost as fast as it had come, but she could sense it wasn’t entirely gone. Rich, fabulous power. After so much powerlessness, the sensation was glorious.
Not for the first time, she wondered if its resurgence had to do with Kuril himself. She’d hated her first Alpha, and Lundin had turned out to be worse. Kuril was also demanding and selfish, but he did praise her and give her gifts. There were times being with him almost made her . . . happy.
“I only seek to please and serve.” The prime omega’s ingratiating words pulled Naytalia from her thoughts. The other female was bowing low, her gaze on the ground as she backed toward the door.
“You are a good omega.” Still inside Naytalia, Kuril worked his hips faster.
Naytalia rolled her eyes. Like all the rest of the Alphas, Kuril was blinded by the prime omega’s beauty and pretense of docility. Naytalia didn’t buy it. No one could be that selfless.
“You honor me, Alpha.” The prime omega bowed low once more.
“I will finish up soon.” His warm cum flooded Naytalia’s channel, his knot swelling and locking him in place. “I want to speak with Olan, anyway.”
Naytalia’s heart beat fast. Was this it? Was he going to buy her from Olan? Excitement rippled through her—along with a spark of power beneath her skin. Still bent over, the Alpha’s knot deep inside her, her gift roared to life.
Enjoy your power now, you arrogant Kuril worm. I will destroy you some rotation soon. You think to tell me my duties? You think you know my role? You cannot fathom what I am. What I am capable of. How I will rise above and destroy you all.
Naytalia blinked. The prime omega’s voice was clear as a bell in her head.
I have no time to deal with you or my fool of an Alpha. No time to service your cocks or your arrogance. One rotation soon, you will know it. One rotation soon, the Brotherhood will be gone, and I will be the one in charge. If you only knew how easily I plot against you. You’re so busy fucking, fighting, and counting your money, you fools have no idea what is happening around you. So, go on, do as my Alpha does. Fuck your pliant omegas and drown in your arrogance and lust. In the end, you will burn.
Naytalia gasped. She clawed to her elbows. “You.” She stared at the omega. “What have you done? What are you planning?”
Naytalia’s fate was tied to the Alphas. Their destruction would bring her own.
“What do you mean?” The other omega stood frozen in the door, her wide eyes guileless, but Naytalia caught the flicker of fear.
Does the slut omega somehow know? Has her gift returned?
“Yes,” Naytalia answered her aloud, triumphant at the idea that she could finally put the snotty prime omega in her place. “Yes. It has returned. I heard every thought. You are plotting against the Brotherhood.”
The prime omega’s eyes went wide.
Behind Naytalia, Kuril had gone still. “What are you two talking about?”
“Nothing, Alpha.” The prime omega glided toward Naytalia’s dresser. “Nothing at all.”
“Nothing?” Naytalia mocked. “I read her mind, and she is up to something. None of it good for you or the Brotherhood.”
The prime omega seized Kuril’s laser from the top of the chest of drawers. “Quiet.” She pointed it at Naytalia, her aim steady. “Shut up or I will shoot you both.”
“What in the hells?” The Alpha’s roar was furious. To have a weapon pointed in his direction was instant cause for aggression. That it dared to be done by an omega was more rage-inducing.
Naytalia screamed as Kuril jerked his cock from her channel, tearing her in his haste, but the Alpha’s focus was on Tasha Lundin alone. “How dare you point that at me?”
He charged.
Naytalia collapsed back on the bed, the pain between her thighs agonizing.
Only to scream as Kuril faltered and crashed to the ground. The horrific scent of burning flesh permeated the air.
The Lundin omega had shot him.
He groaned. The prime omega fired again.
Crying erupted from the cradle at the far end of the room as at least one of the twins awoke.
But they were hardly Naytalia’s first concern. All her hopes, all her dreams, of escape from Abzal had just been dashed. She shoved up from the bed. “You won’t get away with this. You’ve killed a member of the Brotherhood. You’re going to die for this.”
She staggered toward the door.
There are no servants to hear you, bitch. I sent them all away. I wanted no one to witness my upcoming meeting. Seems that will serve me well on several fronts this rotation.
More of the prime omega’s thoughts. Naytalia didn’t want to hear anymore. Especially the last one.
Die.
She was almost to the door, panic flooding her body, when the searing pain sliced through her back and into her stomach.
She gasped. Went down hard.
Overwhelmed by pain, she almost thought she was imagining the sudden appearance of a wide-shouldered, robed figure in gray walking into her line of vision, his boots planted by her cheek—until he spoke. “What is going on here? This was not the plan. You were supposed to meet me in your room for a secret meeting, not cause a scene and execute an Alpha and his whore.”
“It could not be helped.” The prime omega was breathing fast, her excitement palpable. She liked what she’d done. “They weren’t supposed to be in this section of the compound. I tried to send them away, but Kuril was too busy fucking her to go. Then she read my mind. She knew I was plotting against the Brotherhood.”
“My employer does not like surprises.” The male’s voice sounded young, and arrogant.
“It won’t happen again.”
“You were told to learn account information, shipping routes, crime boss patterns, weaknesses, and most significantly, how and when the Brotherhood meetings are communicated and any means of infiltration.”
“All of which I will do. I swear it.” Tasha sounded more nervous than Naytalia had ever heard. “Olan is a fool. His security lax. And none of the Alpha crime bosses would ever suspect an omega. You have already seen how easily I was able to get you Olan’s account information, as well as that of the Kuril head.”
The robed figured growled low. “Do not make the mistake of thinking all Alphas are like those two. There are far smarter within the Brotherhood, and without.” His tone was heavy with warning. “There are also plenty of Alphas who know how to handle a disobedient omega.”
“Yes, of course, my Alpha Lord.” Eyes downcast, Tasha took solace behind false submissiveness.
“Hmmm.” The robed figure didn’t seem to buy her act. The air around him crackled with menace. “Do not pretend with me, omega. I don’t need your fake docility to force your surrender.”
“Yes, Alpha Lord.”
“See that you remember who is in charge.”
“Yes, of course. You are.” Tasha said the right words, but it was clear to Naytalia they’d scraped like jagged glass as they issued from the other omega’s throat. Poor Tasha. In this way, they were both alike. Both plotting and scheming for more. But Tasha craved power, whereas all Naytalia wanted was security. Thanks to the Alphas around them, it looked like neither would get their wish.
“A destabilized Brotherhood is distracted, sloppy, and prone to rash acts. Patience and deliberate chaos is the best way to ensure they never see us coming.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Tasha agreed in a rush. “If it pleases you, the fire will be ruled a tragic accident, the result of an omega whore’s carelessness with candles, but a cloud of suspicion will hang over Olan. One I can exploit at any time.”
“You are more devious than you appear.” The male sounded pleased.
Tasha preened. “I can turn this to my advantage. I promise.”
There was a scuffle of footsteps and before Naytalia could blink, the robed figure had Tasha in a chokehold, the laser in her hand immobilized.
“Not your advantage. Our employer’s advantage.” The male voice had gone hard as steel. “You serve him now, omega. Him and me. I do not expect to have to make this clear to you again.”
Naytalia took advantage of the distraction to inch closer to the door.
“Y-Yes. Of course, My Lord.” The prime omega gasped the words out. “I serve you and him. I promise.”
“We’ve spent several years getting into position to become a threat to the Brotherhood. They are notoriously secretive. It will take several more years before we know enough about their businesses as a whole to cripple them and capitalize on what we have begun. Your stupid rash act has threatened that.”
“I will do better.”
“Good.” The male sounded pleased. “The road may be hard, but such loyalty will be rewarded.”
He released Tasha.
The prime omega staggered out of reach.
“Start the fire.”
Hurrying to obey, Tasha grabbed one of the flaming candles from the top of Naytalia’s dresser and touched it to the drapes by the window. The flames leapt upward.
The Lundin omega’s excitement was palpable. “Soon, anything that might have led back to me or your employer will be ash.” A sharp crying from the cradle drew the omega’s attention. “The bitch’s brats. I will kill them now.”
She raised her laser once more.
Naytalia took advantage to drag herself closer to the door.
“Wait.” The male’s bark was heavy with command.
He strode to the cradle. Two silver-skinned arms poked out of the robe and reached into the cradle, a small circular skin design just visible on his exposed right forearm. “I will take these two with me. Consider it a gift of goodwill in appeasement for the mess you have made here.”
The prime omega nodded. “Good thinking. We—” she corrected herself, “—you and our employer has a business to run after all, and good cargo like these two are not easy to come by. They’ll make a fine profit on the market. Soon enough, no one will be looking for them.”
“You have no conscience, omega.”
“You do?” Tasha’s pretense of docility hadn’t lasted long.
But this time the hooded Alpha did not take offense. “I did once.” A long pause. “Now, it seems I have none at all.”
“Kuril!” Olan’s enraged voice echoed down the hall. “You have gone too far this time. My omegas’ gifts are mine! The prime omega is mine! I will tear you apart for taking what is mine.”
For an instant, both Tasha and the robed figure froze.
“He’s coming this way.” The male was eerily calm. The twins cried louder.
Tasha’s expression sharpened. “Perhaps I can kill him now too. Blame his death on the fire?”
“No. Now is not the time.” The male barked out commands. “Head him off. Say the fire is already too strong, and it is too late to save anyone else. Scream and cling to him, play on his Alpha instinct to get you out. Be sure to rub up against him, let any blood from Kuril and the omega that might have splattered on you soak into his clothes and skin. Make him look guilty in case this situation becomes useful to use against him later.”
“As you wish.”
The twins in hand, the silver-skinned male swaggered toward the door. “I’ll take the back way out. The servants are still out of the way?”
“Yes.” The prime omega tossed the burning candle onto the bed. “I’ll head Olan off now.”
“Kuril, Naytalia, you are going to pay. You hear me?” Olan’s boots pounded the ground as he stomped down the hall.
Hope fluttered in Naytalia’s chest. Maybe he would come in time . . . .
“Olan, help!” Tasha staggered out the door, the prime omega’s voice heavy with tears and panic, the perfect actress. “There’s a fire! Turn back or we’ll all be burned alive. The back entrance is already blocked by flames. Hurry to the front or we’ll die!”
Rage gave Naytalia an extra surge of strength. She inched closer to the door.
The robed figure glided past, juggling her children in his arms as he prodded her with his toe. “Still alive, huh? I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that to continue.”
Naytalia opened her mouth to scream.
She never got the chance. Searing pain slammed into her belly once more.
Then, nothing.