Born to be Broken (Alpha's Claim #2)(14)

Worse, every minute Corday was stuck tending Leslie Kantor, he was not giving them the location of Claire.

Her interference was a disappointment.

Svana's initial displeasure with his keeping of a mate had been addressed, handled, and resolved. Shepherd had paid the price for Claire-a far steeper price than he had expected-ruining the Omega's growing affection. He had even fucked Svana in the same bed he shared with Claire, watching the Alpha female grow excited by the scent of his mate, a thing Shepherd hated allowing.

Breathless, Svana had claimed their mating to be the most glorious yet, satisfied when Shepherd's orgasm was finally achieved. As always, he'd ensured his knot remained on the outside of her cunt; Svana unwilling to let them be linked in a position that left either vulnerable-a long standing sexual rule between them.

Grunting as he gushed, he had offered the answer the female sought, "Glorious indeed, beloved."

Shepherd pulled out, lay at her side while she petted his broad chest. In a silken voice, Svana had purred out her absolution, "I forgive you."

The words had seemed unfair. Had Svana not herself fornicated and tried to lure her Alpha body into highly unlikely pregnancy with their enemy? Were not her very words the idealization that their love was beyond the flesh …  a thing of spirit and destiny?

Shepherd had fucked her twice more, once almost immediately, simply to keep Svana from speaking on the subject, and again to ensure he'd exhausted her. There had been no more pillow talk. In the end, there had been no demands about Claire at all. As if the hiding Omega was of no consequence, Svana had simply dressed and left. All that was left behind was Alpha female scent saturating the air of his den, blending oddly with the sweeter smell of Omega. 

No, that was not all that was left. The Omega who had only a few days prior begun to respond, who for once had been eager at last to be near him, had lain crumpled on the bathroom floor-everything between them left in wreckage-all his effort dismantled and ruined.

He had not seen Svana since, and now he was forced to listen to her subtle manipulations as she sat beside the hated Beta.

"I just assumed …  Omega scent is on your coat."

Shepherd growled so violently at the presumption that Jules ordered the other Followers from the room.

"It's not like that. She couldn't even if she wanted to …  or even if I wanted to."

Shepherd gripped the table, the wood beginning to buckle.

Did Claire want to have sexual congress with that male?

"My friend was pair-bonded to a stranger, someone who mistreated her. Any kind of physical relationship is off the table for now."

And if it couldn't get worse, like magic, it did. Svana's reaction to Corday's words was authentic. Shepherd saw her face through the feed, the beauty of her exotic bone structure lost the mask of Leslie Kantor. Svana showed herself. "Pair-bonded? That is unthinkable."

That disgust was genuine.

Outraged, Shepherd was forced to conclude Svana had believed he'd kept a female under lock and key in his quarters that was not his rightful possession. Rape was beneath him, as Svana well knew considering his mother's sad history, and Shepherd did not break his code, ever!

Vibrating with utter indignation, Shepherd felt energy build up, crest, years of anger threatening to seep out as a low endless howl of rage. Only one thing stopped the outburst, one phrase that carried him beyond explosion and straight into stagnant shock.

"The little I know is that the woman behaved like your run-of-the-mill sex offender."

Blood throbbed in his skull. Was that Claire's interpretation of Svana? Of him? She had called him a rapist once, and he had taken her when she was reluctant …  but she was his bonded mate. Claire grew willing once she learned he took the time to pleasure her; the Omega relished their mating once she let herself enjoy it. Even the first time, he had not touched her without her consent. The one time he'd punished her physically, he had not hurt her. When she'd cried so pathetically afterward, he could not bring himself to do it again; even though it was his right as Alpha to correct her bad behavior and establish dominance. Never had it been rape. Her hesitation was due only to misunderstanding her position as an Omega, and her fear of her unfamiliar Alpha. After their time together, she had been coming around …  he had painstakingly melted that ice.

He would not dishonor Claire, nor would Svana. His beloved had never touched Claire, he'd ensured it himself!

But he'd found Svana choking the life out of his mate …  the Omega pushed back on the bed, her lip split and bleeding.

A new feeling, a sort of churning sickness stole his breath. Perspective shifted. Svana had come into his room and attacked a pregnant Omega clearly under his protection …  but she would not have sexually assaulted her. It was against everything they stood for.

But Claire had been very frightened; it's what drew you from the Citadel to rush to your mate.

No! Such a thing was impossible. His beloved would never degrade herself in such a way. Perhaps this was based off Svana's suggestion that Claire join them in intimacy-the very statement which had sharply commenced the decay of the bond. Shepherd had not missed a nuance of Claire's reaction to those words; had felt her repugnance, her disgust pulse through their link.

She'd looked on him like he was a monster.

Consumed with separating the opposing factors, far too determined to maintain the status quo, Shepherd had not regarded the exchange's baser intent. How had he not seen? Svana had preyed upon the Omega so flawlessly …  spoken every word to shame and debase. Thinking of it now, Svana's verbiage seemed so very beneath her, so calculatingly terrible.




 

 

The more Shepherd considered, the more he hated: hated Jules for daring to do less than he was ordered. He hated the handsome Enforcer Corday who had the audacity to feel fondly for his Omega-a man who spoke as if he knew Claire intimately. Corday couldn't know her. A base Beta could never have the bond that exposed Claire's very soul and perfection to her Alpha mate.

Shepherd knew her. Every breath she took, the music of her hum, her purity, her light. That was his alone.

The hate expanded, and even for the briefest of seconds, he hated Svana for effectively taking Claire away. The fleeting feeling of something other than reverence for his beloved confused him. Mechanically, Shepherd looked to the only other person in the room, as if the man might have the answer.

All was written in the smaller man's flat expression. Not one word spoken had surprised Jules.

Placid despite the tempest inside, Shepherd rose. "Once the Enforcer is asleep, pull Svana. I desire a private meeting."

"Yes, sir."

Shepherd's eyes narrowed. "What? No unwarranted opinions?"

There was no hesitation or fear of imminent recourse. Jules spoke openly. "I only stated facts. I have not shared with you my opinion."

"By all means, Jules, SPEAK!"

The sharp edge of the man's dead stare displayed more than enough. "Choose an Alpha surrogate for Miss O'Donnell."

Rising from the chair, all the waves of provocation, the violence Shepherd had been restraining, flowed out in the simple phrase. "I would kill anyone who dared to touch her."

Jules rebutted, unflinching, "Not anyone."





Chapter 6


The other Omegas probably thought she was insane, and maybe she was. At this point it didn't matter anymore. Claire knew her time was almost up, that the group was starting to chafe at her presence, that her behavior was a threat to them.

Claire understood exactly what was happening; that was the very reason why it was so important she hurry.

With the city's shops stripped clean of valuables, it wasn't hard to find the 'nonessentials' useful for her ploy. With Shepherd in power, COMscreens and networks were beyond Claire's reach but, like the book in her back pocket, paper had power.

A printed leaflet embossed with her image stared up at her; reproduced over and over again until no more paper could be found.

Nona had been brave enough to join her. To find the machines and make the copies …  Through the madness, the old woman had not left her side, not once. Her friend had even helped as Claire created what would ruin her in the eyes of the world.

Senator Kantor had warned Claire of the consequences should anyone learn who she was to Shepherd-of the potential outcome should the resistance get their hands on her. The conversation had been burned into her memory, had carried her away again and again over the silent hours she walked the city. 

There was no great hero to stand for what had once been Claire O'Donnell; even her own people found her useful only as a commodity.

So be it. If that was what she was to be, she would make them all eat it. She would sell herself, choose how to manipulate the product, before she was out of steam.

Claire was not a leader of men or a great orator. She was an Omega who enjoyed painting pictures for children, who once believed she had a future full of promise. Now she knew there would never be a loving mate or smiling children. Distorted and ruined, she was just a faceless statistic in a city full of nightmares and indifference. Well, not anymore. She had nothing left and nothing to hide. So Claire created the voice she'd lost, the last piece of resistance she could manage-something horrific from her weakness that could give others strength.