Taken and Teased

Chapter 4 - Fek

"She comes to me only when she's ready."

My hips jerk against my chains, angry at my declaration.

"No. We can't have you clanking around in here for much longer. The medical officer will bring her over as soon as he deems her well enough."

"Why?"

The ragged word sounds as tortured as I feel.

"This is a temporary recovery camp, not a prison—it isn't equipped to hold a raging alpha. Those chains won't hold you for longer than a few hours and reinforcements won't be here before then. You caused a lot of damage at base camp."

"Then tranq me again and ship me away."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I won't watch another omega suffer."

My body bucks against its confinement, deep-rooted desire flaming my instinctual need to find and claim.

"She'll suffer more with me than without!"

Muscular arms fold over Commander Steil's wide chest, his head cocking to the side as he studies me. After a tense minute of searching my face, he shakes his head.

"Whatever you're hiding, I won't ask you to reveal. Even if you did, I can't put distance between you and her when I know it'll cause her pain. You've woken the lifemating bond. Finish it."

Without another word, he slips out of sight. Craize and Gric follow him, agitation emanating from them in potent waves.

My antics pulled them away from their lifemates. I don't blame Craize for his menacing stare or Gric for his pensive expression as they cross the hall.

Eerie crimson orbs shift into the doorway, Lyc moving on silent feet. He pierces me with his cold red eyes, hiding his remorse and pain behind layers of will and determination.

"Fate must unfold."

My brother turns and disappears into the hall, closing the door behind himself.

His reminder turns my veins to ice, the words he spoke so many years ago resurfacing in my mind as though spoken mere seconds ago. My lust morphs into frozen sludge, threatening my sanity and muddling reality. I emit a soft growl, twisting and flexing against my bindings despite the horror ringing in my ears.

A young Lyc sits drenched in sweat; his crimson scales shimmery with the salty liquid. Youthful fingers lift and point, the whites of his eyes swallowed by unnatural red. In a slow, monotone voice, he speaks as though another soul possesses him, every word meant for me.

"Flames, spreading. Life begun.

Joy comes for those above.

Buried. Lost. No light or hope.

Farewell to those you love.

You are the virus,

sick and twisted,

and yet the only key.

Fight no more, you wretched soul,

you need no more than three."

The door opens, breaking the hold of the past. I hide my shaking by flexing every muscle I possess, determined to do everything in my power to push away the memory and focus on the present.

I meet my omega's eyes and fight the jump of my body as it jerks toward her. Despite the rings of stress under her eyes and the paleness lurking over her naturally honeyed skin tone, her inner strength shines from large brown eyes.