Anarchy, p.9
Anarchy, page 9
VANDLE
Among a million grey shapes, I woke to a shock of colour. The first colour I’d ever seen in a black-and-white world.
Through the smallest lens—metal biting at my cheek—I saw her.
The most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on.
Mine.
I knew she was mine without her scent—because nothing else in the world was in colour but my girl, as if it was holding out only for the most beautiful thing it could find.
My… omega.
She was too pale—more than I was expecting, but it meant the flush of pink on her cheeks was brighter. And the colour in her eyes… I stared, following closely through the slit as she padded across the room.
The colour in her eyes was a bright, electric warmth.
Could that be gold?
I hoped…
My chest was tight, joy making it hard to focus.
Until I saw what she was doing.
Her fingers curled around the bars at the door.
What…?
She glanced behind—toward the bathroom. There was fear in her gaze.
Why was she afraid?
She wasn’t just mine… The rest of my pack shifted in my mind, balls of light, alive and comforting even when I was the most distant.
She couldn’t leave.
My body slammed against the metal cage, pain distant enough to be ignored.
It was happening again. An ancient terror, guilt that burned me alive—only this omega, this time, it was different.
I watched through the slim window as she slipped through the door and was gone.
“NO!” But there was metal between me and her.
Again, my aura flared and my weight hit an unmovable door.
Again.
Again.
Pain tore through me, aura blitzing the space, but it wasn’t enough.
I looked again and froze.
The most beautiful creature was gone…
No…
I couldn’t hear through the blood roaring in my ears.
Again, my body crashed against metal.
Again.
And—bang!
The sound of the world crashed in as metal caved. Not enough—but then—a latch sounded. I saw the faintest flash of auburn hair, and half feral eyes of my packmate, as if he had felt my desperation, but then I was crashing past him.
12
CRESCENT
Two days before - The Convent
I was shaking.
Luke’s parents, the Anderson pack, were in the room. One of his fathers was a High Priest, his mother a pure omega, both chosen by God to spread His holy doctrine.
I’d ruined their son. They were furious.
“What were you thinking?”
All I could do was shake my head.
The tears were gone now. Shock kept me silently in place as I listened to all these people gather to deal with my mistake. I would never be chosen after this. I would never be able to pay enough to be chosen.
I was always so jealous of those who were picked. Perhaps it wasn’t like the love stories for pure omegas, but it was something.
Connection.
Touch, even if carefully regulated.
I’d destroyed Luke’s life, and I would never be wanted.
His pack fathers seethed with darkness, and I was glad I couldn’t see their faces. Their expressions must be filled with hatred and rage.
“You must have something to say for yourself!” one barked.
“I…” The words were caught in my throat. “It was my fault. I broke the rules,” I whispered. “I touched him in the service.”
“You did what?” That was Head Sister Matilda.
“It was an accident,” I whispered, but I was in so much trouble. The people around me were the most important in the Church. The most important in my whole life, and they hated me. Everyone was going to hate me forever. What was I going to do? “I swear.”
“You expect my son to carry the shame for trying to do the right thing?”
So much was going on around me I couldn’t keep up. New voices. The events recounted again.
Luke Anderson was set to join a new pack by the end of the month. But it was over. The other families involved were pulling out.
“…Punished for her sin…”
“What will he do after this…?”
“…She must be removed…”
But the mother—her words cut through everything.
“It’s not enough. She would have seen him suffer hellfire. I need her to feel what that means.”
She was right. I deserved to be punished—accident or not.
Everyone else agreed too.
Fear boiled in my stomach as I listened carefully for what I would do to repent. What punishment was great enough? The Sisters had a long list, but I’d never heard of an infraction this severe.
“I will take charge of her punishment,” The High Priest was saying. “Perhaps if we can convince the other packs that we’ve dealt with this properly, Luke will gain their trust back.”
“That is inappropriate,” Sister Matilda cut in. “She is in our charge.”
A different male voice whispered to Sister Matilda, one I recognized as another High Priest—not one of Luke’s pack fathers. “The Andersons have been a part of the Church for generations. Their family is generous—and rightfully upset—I think we can have faith that their plans are in alignment with the Lord.”
That was the last I heard of Sister Matilda. She didn’t speak up for me again.
I heard more back and forth I didn’t quite understand, assurances that whatever my fate, it would be appropriate.
I couldn’t keep up.
Then everyone cleared the room, footsteps receding, until I was certain only Luke and his family remained.
“I want her to pay.” His mother had an edge of steel to her tone.
Where were they going to send me?
“I’m sorry for what I did,” I whispered. “Truly.”
“I won’t have my son paying for the sins of a whore.”
“I—”
Sharp pain radiated across my cheek, and I stumbled away from the slap. My foot caught on uneven ground and I toppled, barely catching myself before my head slammed to the ground.
The blindfold was askew. I tried to grapple with it, to get it back in place covering my eyes.
I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t help looking up. To my shock, Luke was right there. His hands were clasped behind his back, eyes downcast. For a moment, his gaze slid to me, then he looked away.
“Please, I’m sorry,” I stammered again. “It was a mistake, I didn’t mean it. P-please tell them I didn’t—”
“Do not speak to him—” Luke’s mother spat, and this time her husband caught her as she stepped to me.
Luke took a pace back, still not looking at me.
Panic rose in my chest.
It was a mistake, but I didn’t know how to fix this.
My room was small and empty, nothing like the cozy, warm nest my instincts desperately craved, but all I wanted was to be back there now.
It wasn’t bad. Not like this.
I should never have tried to go to the service. I should have known I couldn’t be good enough.
All those heats, all that pain, all my attempts at penance so I could maybe have just one chance at being chosen…
At not being alone forever…
It was gone.
I’d ruined it.
The High Priest adjusted his cuffs, hand still firmly on his omega’s arm as he glared down at me. “Be that as it may,” he said coldly. “A sin such as this needs sacrifice.”
CRESCENT
Present - Anarchy
I ran from my mates.
A sob caught in my chest as I rushed down the hallway, needing to put as much space between me and my beautiful scent matches as possible.
They were everything I’d ever dreamed of.
But I was broken and wrong, and I didn’t deserve them.
How could I justify breaking them, like I’d broken Karma?
He’d been more kind to me than anyone I’d ever crossed, and I’d… I’d… I stifled another sob, speeding up my pace.
I knew they’d notice quickly, but this wouldn’t take long, I was sure.
My clothes were too big; the sleeves of the grey hoodie kept tumbling over my clenched fists as I hurried down the long hallway.
I heard a growl, and then an alpha came careening out of a cell, stopping me in my tracks.
I stared up at him, lips parted. He had a rugged beard, with intense brown eyes that seemed to swallow me whole, and his pupils were constricted.
His scent of thick, too-sweet molasses was overwhelming.
Before being thrown down here, the only alphas I’d seen were the ones with combed hair wearing suits to Sunday Worship. In contrast, every single alpha in this place was rough around the edges, sometimes topless, covered in scars, with charred tinges to their scents.
I took a breath, jaw clenched painfully tight.
This could work.
He looked mad, but I didn’t want to damn any alpha in here. If they dark bonded me, though…
A dark bond was safer. They might not be a Chosen pack, but they’d have a better shot.
I shoved back the fear, but then another alpha appeared at his side. He looked older, and much less wild. He took one look at me, then at his packmate, then began dragging him back into their cell.
Oh…
Okay.
I wrung the floppy sleeves together in my fists, glancing behind me. That was okay. Yesterday, there had been a whole brawl. I’d find more. Alphas were just sleepy in the morning, it seemed like.
I reached a huge dome-like room, though, and I knew I’d hit the jackpot. Anarchy was one floor, but the ceiling in the square was high enough that the stone walls reached a few stories up, and there were balconies with more cells that overlooked the vast space in the middle. It was like a little town, and there were alphas in here—loads of them.
The whole place seemed to still as I hurried out into it.
Okay.
Shoving back another flutter of terror and grief, I steeled myself.
This had to work.
I didn’t have much time.
I balled my fists as I looked around. A few nearby packs were staring at me.
Gosh… They were intimidating, with hard eyes, and scars, and knives glinting from belts.
Yesterday, I’d been so filled with adrenaline I hadn’t really understood how big this place was—and how many alphas there were.
Either it would work in here, or it wouldn’t work at all.
I clambered up and sat on the tabletop of a bench, swinging my legs nervously as I waited.
I saw an older alpha leaning against the door of a busy cell a ways off. His arms were folded and he was staring at me intently. Beside him, another alpha sat on a small stool, occupied with drawing.
I was getting strange looks. Many of the alphas had halted, but still, none had approached.
I didn’t understand. Yesterday had been a bloodbath. They looked suspicious, now—wary as they watched.
I swallowed.
They thought it was a trick…
Time was ticking on.
I slid my sleeve back and tugged on my hair tie. I quickly tied my hair up so my neck was more visible. The looks I was getting definitely became more intense. I heard a growl from behind me. I didn’t spin in time for an alpha to step around the table before me.
Oh—this suddenly felt very real, and a part of me considered fleeing.
But—no. This was good. And I was running out of time.
They’d have noticed I was gone.
They’d be coming, I was sure.
This alpha had shaggy hair, and dark eyes that looked on the brink of madness. A packmate joined him, one hand placed on his arm, something calculating in his eyes. They darted from me to the hallway I’d come from.
No, no, no.
A whine of frustration slipped from my chest as I tilted my head, exposing my neck. “I…” The words almost died on my tongue, but I forced them out. “I want a dark bond.”
It was like the last of the light died from the first alpha’s eyes.
It happened so fast I barely saw him move. But his fist was in my hair as he dragged me up so viciously I let out a whimper of shock.
My fists, covered in oversized sleeves, balled uselessly against his stone-hard muscles as I—
My lungs seized, tears burning my eyes, but I forced myself not to fight.
This place was my punishment.
Quick.
Do it quick.
The Sisters always told me it was harder for me to go to heaven because of all the harm I might cause before I die.
“Corruption is rot flooding up from hell. That is what you are.”
So, I had to skew the balance.
This dark bond was my plea for salvation.
I’d never felt that love like the Sisters said they did. I’d always been alone, knowing how much harder it was for me to earn that safety.
The alpha’s grip was painful as he bowed over me, tilting my neck, and I was crushed against him, his scent of pine swallowing me up.
Not mine… but not the worst.
I’d been cold for so long.
Unloved.
Alone.
Please, I prayed, tears tracking my cheeks, bones clattering for how hard I was shaking as I felt teeth clamp down on my neck.
Please save me.
Save them, too.
An aura exploded into the air. Unstable and vicious.
Teeth dug into my flesh when something crashed into us.
I was flung to the side.
I caught the furious scent of ironwood and ember that had lingered in their cell.
He… was the last alpha in the pack—the one I hadn’t met.
Vandle.
He was a beast.
A seer—an alpha with a white and a red eye who could see auras and bonds. He was utterly mad, aura like I’d never felt before shuddering in the air, smothering the others contending with it. And my mate had no mercy for the alpha who had his teeth at my neck.
I clamped a hand over my mouth, eyes wide as Vandle slammed the alpha to the ground, and, like a wild animal, dug his teeth into the alpha where neck met shoulder muscle, tearing out flesh before a packmate collided with him.
Too late…
Blood pooled, and the alpha’s body shuddered, then went limp.
Dead…
The world tilted violently. Another dull snap made me jump. My eyes flew to Vandle to see him with another still alpha in his fist, head twisted at an unnatural angle. There were others—three others, but they were backing up, hands out before they turned to flee.
I… couldn’t curse him. He was mad already, I realized.
Gone.
Wild, mismatched eyes scanned the area to see the threats gone, then he was prowling back towards me.
I barely had a chance to push myself up, but he was already there, caging me against the stone, fist dragging me up by the hair.
His teeth dug into my neck, but I sobbed, trying to shove him away.
The offer lit between us.
It wasn’t just an offer, I felt his desperation through it. It was a plea. Shattered need. Even now, shivering as I was, each inhale of ironwood and ember washed over me like a blanket.
Mine…
But I couldn’t…
That’s why I’d run.
I couldn’t take the bond.
Again, he bit me, a low growl in his chest. Another offer.
“Vandle! Fuck—!” I recognized Phantom’s voice. I let out a whimper, trying to push Vandle away again.
I couldn’t do this.
He didn’t know I loved them already. I couldn’t ruin them. Or him—if there was a way back for him, I would crush it.
Vandle crushed me against him, head snapping to the side, a vicious snarl rolling from him. Phantom stopped, eyes wide as he looked between us. Then Karma and Sin were piling in behind him.
“Shit… Crescent, are you—?” This time Sin halted at another of Vandle’s warning growls.
“Take the bond.” I wasn’t ready for how broken Phantom sounded.
“I c-can’t.” Tears burned my eyes, another shudder of fear rolling between them. I tried, again to shove Vandle back, a full scale panic attack threatening to sweep me away.
With another growl from Vandle, he dragged my neck in an arch once more, and I let out a whimper of shock. This time, though, when his teeth met flesh, there was no offer.
No question.
He did what should have been impossible with Sin already in his pack.
With a shock of pain at my throat, I felt a void swallow me whole, and chains made of shadows closed in as a dark bond locked into place.
13
Dark Bonds
An alpha-dominated pack bond between alpha(s) and an omega. It is a bond of control and subservience, where the alpha can coerce the omega to obey them. Can be forced on an omega without consent, however it is illegal to dark bond omegas without consent—with the exception of gold pack omegas. Packs with a dark bonded omega cannot bond additional omegas.
SIN
What. The. Fuck?
Crescent, impossibly, smashed into our bond like a boulder, and it was enough to send me to my knees. Agony tore through the mark on my shoulder—the bite that bound me to this pack.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I caught myself on the edge of the table, tearing at my shirt, clawing it off to see the mark.
I was still… still in the pack. I could feel them—feel her. A dark bond shouldn’t be possible, but she was here, and so was I.
My bite was white-hot, and when I looked down at it, scar stark against the skin, I saw it had changed. What had once been a silvery bite scar was now an angry, deep crimson.
I was still in my pack.
These alphas were still mine.
She was still mine.
I could breathe again, and I hauled myself up, focusing on the others and shoving away the lingering pain.
Phantom and Karma were looking between us in shock, their eyes tracing my bite before snapping back to Vandle and Crescent as they got up. She was in his arms, shivering and clutching him.
