She didn’t respond.
"Okay, not very chatty. Are you physically unable to speak, or selectively mute?"
Still silent.
He changed tactics. "Marco Bellini."
The mention of his name stiffened her body. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and nausea flashed across her expression. Just hearing his name seemed to make her physically ill.
Silas continued, "How long were you in his custody?"
Her eyes hardened, anger sharpening them.
"My intel suggests a long time… years. Is that true?"
She hissed.
"I'll take that as a yes. We know he's a real bastard. We also know he's been keeping you locked up, treating you…" Silas paused, surveying her wounds and emaciated state. "Badly.According to our informant, you're his least favorite omega."
Her eyes just watched, waiting.
I cut in. "Tell us your name. What should we call the runt of Marco's omega litter?"
Something in her responses told me to shift gears. I moved closer, slower, crouching to her level so I wouldn’t tower over her. Dominance wouldn’t work on her, I could feel that much. She hadn’t responded to our alpha bark, not even a flinch. That was unheard of for an omega.
The air thickened with silence. Her mouth parted slightly, then closed again.
Instead of responding, she turned onto her side, presenting us with her back. It was clear she wouldn’t give us any information willingly. Yet.
I grimaced, already knowing what came next when questions alone weren’t enough to get answers.
We had never had to interrogate an omega before. They usually gave up information as soon as an alpha bark applied pressure. But the runt was unresponsive to our barks, and even less responsive to our verbal questions and offers of help.
Even my brother, who typically leaned into the more violent aspects of our work, looked unsettled, his mouth drawn into a tight line.
I turned to him, voice low, "She won't last like this. We need to get her cleaned up and fed before bringing her to the workshop. Or we could accidentally…" I said as my voice drifted off.
"Agreed. I'll be back. Keep an eye on her and try to get her talking," he said, closing the bars and locking me into the cell with her. I leaned against the wall, watching her while my brother's footsteps retreated down the hall.
While I waited for him to return, I piled the stale food trays into a stack. The omega barely moved, just her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Something told me there wasno way she would give us the answers to our questions without what came next, but tried anyway, wanting to avoid the alternative.
"I don't want to have to hurt you. My brother doesn't either," I murmured.
She turned over to face me. A laugh bubbled from her, brief and uncontrolled, as if it had slipped free against her will. Then she quieted again, retreating further into herself.
I crouched a little closer, keeping my tone even. "It’s okay, you don't have to believe me, but I mean it. I'm not going to hurt you… not right now. Not if you tell me what I need to know."
Her eyes flicked toward mine, wary, and then darted away.
I tried again. "You’re safe here for the moment. Start by eating something. Just do it… while you still can."
A shiver ran through her tiny frame. Her hands flexed, trembling against her chest. I kept my voice soft, letting what little patience I had anchor me. "Just eat some food. That’s all I’m asking."
Patience had never been my tool. I worked in escalating steps, applying increased pressure until something gave. But her frailty interrupted that usual process. One pressure point too far, and we could accidentally kill her before we got the intel Command needed.
While I waited for Silas, I studied her body. Years of abuse were unmistakable, and instead of pushing harder, I found myself adjusting and slowing. Being careful in ways my job had never required.
Minutes passed in silence, punctuated only by the shallow rhythm of her breathing. Then the distant clink of metal signaled my brother’s return. He appeared in the cell's doorway,carrying a fresh tray of food, a water bottle, and a damp rag. His eyes flicked to her curled form, then to me.
