Page 63 of Ruined Omega

“As I said, Canaris’s depiction of my motives was an oversimplification. I do not hate you Alphas. In fact, I want to teach you. I want to share with you my knowledge.”

“What knowledge?”

Abaddon halts abruptly.

“Pain, brother. I want to teach you about pain. But I haven’t had the proper means…until now.”

With that last phrase, Abaddon glares at me again, sending an unpleasant sensation slithering through my veins. He smirks and resumes his leisurely stroll around the cage.

“My earliest attempts to enlighten others were crude. Blunt instruments. I orchestrated raids, such as the one that killed Canaris’s father. What was his name again? I seem to have forgotten.”

At the mention of his name, Canaris bristles. His lips peel back from his fangs. Abaddon flashes a twisted grin.

“His name was Abram,” Canaris growls.

“Oh yes, of course. Now I remember. Anyway, my methods later became more refined. I turned to torture,” he gestures toward Canaris. “Our friend here displays the marks of my handiwork. But Alpha’s are durable creatures. No amount of corporal punishment can teach them the true meaning of pain.”

Abaddon chuckles coldly.

“But now, you have presented me an opportunity.”

“What are you talking about?” Tal asks. He still manages to keep his voice level, but I can sense the pent-up emotions underneath. Rage, and beneath that perhaps…fear.

Abaddon stops again and fixes me with this mismatched eyes.

“Your omega,” he says.

Tal and Baen once again move to shield my body from Abaddon’s eyes.

“She’s not an omega,” Tal says. “She’s an Outsider.”

Abaddon laughs cruelly. “Perhaps, but not for long…”

His hand dips inside his dark fur cloak, and he draws out the little bottle of pills, shaking it like a rattle. My heart leaps, seeming to punch at the bottom of my throat.

“…not without these.”

“Please,” I gasp. “I need those. I…”

Abaddon drops the bottle into the mud outside the cage. Before Tal or Baen have a chance to stop me, I move around them and scramble forward to the edge of the cave.

“Hines, wait!” Tal shouts.

But I don’t wait. I hit the cold, rusty bars of the cage so hard that I’m certain my shoulders will be bruised, but the pain barely registers. Right now, there’s only one thing on my mind, and that is getting those pills back.

As I reach for them through the bars, however, I quickly realize that they have fallen well out of my reach. I twist and strain, willing my arm to grow another several inches.

Abaddon towers over me, laughing.

Realizing how useless it is, I give up, falling back into the mud with tears filling my eyes. Tal and Baen have rushed forward, and they hold me protectively in their strong arms. I sense Canaris behind them as well.

That awful fluttering sensation grows inside my middle.

After the commotion, more and more Farlanders are gathering around again, as if expecting some kind of show.

“Yes,” Abaddon purrs smugly. “Without her Outsider alchemy, the female will soon be changed. She is becoming an omega. I can already smell it.”

“If you try to hurt her, I’ll fucking rip your throat out!” Baen barks.