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He frowns.
We frown at each other.
I glance at the stupid bangle dangling off of his fingertip and frown even harder. “If I wear that thing, youhaveto take me to Paradise Holeuntilwe find Freya.” And once we’re there, I’ll convince him to take me farther.
“The Omega?” I nod. He also frowns harder. “How d’you know her name?”
“I told you. The man in the cave. He has more to tell us, too. More about Trash City and the Fates and the Alpha zombies.”
“Reanimated corpses. That’s what Ward’s callin’ ‘em, anyway,” he grumbles.
“Zombies.” I insist.
“Don’t matter. Not gonna see him. You got this one shot to go see your Omega, too. After that, window’s closed.”
I glance at the stupid collar, knowing that he means it. He’ll do anything I want when he’s fuckin’ my brains out, but even at the height of his rut, on this, he won’t budge. He does not want to go back into Paradise Hole. Neither do I. But the dream keeps coming, harder, stronger. Since my heat ended, I haven’t slept through one single night.
“Fine,” I growl.
Adam blinks, looking surprised before determination takes over. He crosses the room, gaze traveling up and down my body as he stalks towards me. “You look pretty,” he says, like petty words will distract me from wanting to carve his heart out of his scarred chest.
“Fuck you, Alpha.”
“Berserker.”
“You’re being an Alphahole right now, so I’ll call you Alpha.”
His low laughter rumbles in my ear as he circles behind me and gently lifts my hair off of my neck. “Call me Alpha again and you’ll pay for it.”
“I’m already paying for it.”
“Nah. Tradin’ for it. But call me Alpha again and I won’t just collar you, I’ll walk you into the damn Ball in front of all those people crawlin’ on your hands and knees, like my pet.”
I shiver, an unexpected surge of wetness slipping down my leg. I can feel Adam’s chest brush my back. He stiffens behind me. “Fuck you, Omega.”
Yes,is all I can think, though I whisper, “Don’t.”
The latch on the collar clicks into place and I swallow as the smooth platinum settles around my throat, fitting far, far too well. “You’re mine to do what I like with, this night and every other. Don’t forget it.”
He arches over me and plants a kiss beside my ear, his lips warm, leaving behind soft dew. He bites my ear just enough to break the skin, just a little bit, but it’s enough for the venom from his fang to sink into my blood and poison me with a desire difficult to fight through.
“Is this how you talk to your wife?” I beg, trying to distance myself from the situation.
And then I hear his slight intake of breath seconds before the burnished platinum cuff clinks into place around his wrist. A delicate platinum chain connects us.
“This is exactly how I talk to my wife.” His warm breath brushes the top of my head, through all my many red curls, and then his voice cracks when he whispers, “When will you call me husband?”
I close my eyes, trying to block out the pressure in my chest. I feel grief…a grief that might be his or mine or shared between us…just a little bit. Like a whisper through one of those old tin can telephones we made when we were Beta kids living in the Grasslands. They were the only toys we had. The memory hurts because it fills me with both happiness and sadness in equal measure. Or maybe, neither. Maybe, just…longing.
I turn in his grasp and step out of it, the chain stringing itself taut between us. I step back as far as the chain will allow. “When we’re equal.”
He winces and looks down, a look of consternation furrowing his brows. He opens his mouth to speak, but doesn’t. There’s nothing to say. I know that.Hedidn’t write history and make things for Omegas this way. Why then am I still so disappointed?
“Can we go now?” I say and I reach between us for the chain and give it a good yank.
Adam’s gaze shutters and his lips tense. He nods down at me once and then leads me to the party.
22 | Adam
