Omega's Capture, page 9
“Do not claim the funds, for now.” Fear was not an emotion that Legion recognized himself capable of feeling, but he was able to acknowledge the need for caution. “It could be nothing, but the timing of all of this is suspicious. Keep your ears to the ground.”
“Don’t I always?” Adrian asked, expression slightly peevish
“Is there any other news?”
“The attacks have continued, mostly small scale. Central Command has yet to attribute them to any specific group. There have been a handful of deaths, mostly in the lower levels.”
“Do you have any theories?”
“I’ve heard rumors, that’s all.” Adrian shrugged, although the concern did not ease from his expression. “Rebel groups always rise for a time before being stamped out.”
“Has there been an identifiable pattern in the incidents?”
“Not really. Whichever group is responsible for this hasn’t been targeting infrastructure or government centers. The targets seem almost random. Most recently, there was a bombing at a textile factory that provides raw material for fine furnishings. A few days ago, there was a rooming house on the midlevels that was targeted with smoke grenades. Several people were trapped and died from inhalation. The only politically motivated attack in recent memory was the one that killed Prince Castor.”
“And no group has claimed responsibility for any of it?”
“Correct.”
“So it’s entirely possible that none of these attacks are related at all.”
“Castor’s death does create a convenient cover for other parties interested in sowing chaos.”
Legion leaned closer, aware his steely gaze was imposing even through a terminal screen. “Or the other way around.”
“This terminal isn’t secure,” Adrian reminded him, expression grim. “I’ll contact you again tonight.”
The screen abruptly went black.
It wasn’t been the first time that the thought had occurred to him. Even with the occasional flare of Alpha aggression that might complicate things, his business decisions were always made from a place of calculated coldness. He did not make decisions lightly, nor was he easily swayed by emotion.
But a deep unease began to settle over him. An awareness of threat that left his senses tingling. He had a mate to protect now. And he would not stand for any threats to her wellbeing, whether from disorganized terrorists or the Crown itself.
Prince Castor’s death did not serve the interests of any known rebel groups, who claimed allegiance to nebulous concepts like freedom and equality — things that had never truly existed within human memory, even pre-devastation. No, anyone who wanted the prince dead would have been firmly on the side of maintaining the status quo, keeping the few on top while the many toiled down below.
These attacks were a convenient distraction for Central Command as they worked to retake whatever minor bits of control had slipped from their grasp. Because there was clearly more going on than simply a response to random attacks of terrorism. The halted execution of Tintori, the naming of a business associate with involvement in crimes against the Crown and now the circumstances of this most recent payment were all pieces of the puzzle that needed to be placed back together.
And even if he couldn’t yet see the underlying pattern, it was all very suspicious. Any man in his position would be foolish to assume anything but the worst when it came to maintaining an empire among this corruption. Too many others nipped at his heels, hoping to take a piece of what he had so painstakingly built. A metaphorical target was drawn on his back, but now he could practically feel the wings of pursuit breathing on his neck. And if Central Command was already coming for Horace than no one would be immune. Even him.
Legion wouldn’t allow it.
Chapter Eleven
When Ianthe awoke several days later, sore and listless, her eyes opened and immediately settled on a CommNet terminal that rested on the small table next to the bed.
She snatched it up eagerly, not even concerned with what Legion might want in return for providing her with a way to communicate with the outside world.
Her good spirits flagged slightly when she realized the terminal was restricted, capable of only limited queries to the network and outbound calls to a single contact.
But that contact was the one she most wanted to reach.
Momentarily forgetting the autocratic ways of her mate, Ianthe punched in the proper sequence necessary to make a video connection. She waited, holding her breath, as the line buzzed.
And she nearly cried when her sister’s face appeared in the small screen.
“Ianthe?”
“It’s me. I’m here. Can you hear me?” Ianthe had to fight the emotion choking her. Seeing Circe’s face was the reminder Ianthe needed that she was still a real person and that more existed in the world than the four walls surrounding her.
“Of course I can hear you. You’re practically shouting.”
Ianthe had never been so happy to have her sister snark at her. Prior to being away for so long, she wouldn’t have believed that her sister’s attitude could be something she would miss. But she did miss it. She missed everything about being home.
Tears threatened as emotion momentarily overwhelmed her.
“Skies above, Ianthe. Are you okay? Why are you crying?”
“I’m fine,” she replied quickly, inhaling deeply to hold in the sob that threatened in the back of her throat. “I just missed you, that’s all.”
“Really? I thought you were enjoying your little trip gallivanting around the midlevels. I’m still mad at you for leaving with just a note sent to my terminal, you know. You could’ve at least granted me a phone call, if you love me so much.”
Ianthe wanted to tell her sister the truth, but something made her bite the words off before they slipped from her tongue. If Circe found out that she had been claimed and kidnapped, her sister would feel compelled to raise the alarm. Circe would rather see them both arrested then Ianthe mated against her will by one of the Alphas they had both spent the majority of their lives hating.
And Ianthe wouldn’t do anything that might place her family in danger, even if it meant she would suffer more for it.
“Of course I love you,” Ianthe said, deliberately keeping her voice light. “Even when you’re being a beast.”
“I’ll pretend to have missed that last part.”
“How are you doing?”
“The same, I suppose.” Circe drummed her fingers on the wooden table next to her terminal, the sound reverberating through their connection. “I haven’t been getting out as much, not with so much chaos. There was rioting in the market square just last night.”
“Rioting? Over what?”
“You must have heard about that bombing in the textile factory? They’ve shut the place down for repairs and hundreds of people are out of work. Central Command is supposed to be providing compensation to displaced workers, but no one has received so much as a credit. There have been riots nearly every day since in different sectors.”
Which only made Ianthe more acutely aware of the fact that an elaborate buffet was currently laid out on the table across from her, with whatever remnants she left bound for the waste disposal. It made her heart hurt to think of it, but she couldn’t exactly share that with her sister.
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Not last night, I don’t think.” Circe sighed and readjusted the headscarf that threatened to fall over her eyes. “There’s always chaos in Pandora, particularly in the slums, but things have never felt the way that they do right now. Those workers families are starving.”
“Have you been receiving the credit deposits?”
Legion had assured her that her family would receive a modest sum of credits each month, not enough to draw unnecessary attention but enough to keep them comfortable.
Circe’s face lit, despite the somber tone of their conversation. “I don’t know how you landed this new position, but it’s the best paid one you’ve ever had. The all-seeing gods are finally smiling on us. If only it didn’t take you away for so long.”
“It won’t be for much longer.” The lie tasted bitter as it crossed her lips. Would she actually see her family again or was this the most that Legion would ever allow. “I’m doing my best to get back home.”
“Has there been much violence where you are? I’d heard the midlevels had been spared much of the violence.”
“No, I’ve been okay.” Her voice turned unconsciously sardonic. “It’s practically the lap of luxury.”
“Lucky you.”
Ianthe hated lying to her sister, the tension set her teeth on edge and brought an ache to her forehead. “Is Eaon there, as well? Can I speak with him?”
Some of the shine eased from Circe’s expression. She seemed to take a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. “Eaon isn’t here.”
“What do you mean? Where is he?”
“I don’t really know, actually.”
“What!” Ianthe sat up straighter, gripping the edges of the terminal hard with both hands. “How do you not know where he is?”
“Eaon has been spending all of his time running around with those worthless friends of his,” Circe replied, voice a little cross. “He’s been completely out of control since you left. He knows I’m not about to go chasing him through the streets.”
Her little brother had been barely out of diapers when their parents had died and he had been forced to grow up much faster than any child should. Between that and the coughing sickness that often made him an invalid for weeks, Eaon had a habit of rebelling against everything that even slightly resembled authority. Now that Ianthe could afford the treatments that brought him to some semblance of health, Eaon clearly wanted to make up for all the time he had spent bed-bound by taking to the streets like a degenerate.
In truth, every teenage boy in the slums was a degenerate. That was the only logical result when people were robbed of any reasonable options, but Ianthe had always hoped her brother would fare better.
“Has he been attending the education program?”
“Truant at least once this week, I received a sternly worded message about it. If it happens again, the administrators threatened to place him in detention.”
Ianthe rubbed at her face. The weight of responsibility threatened to overwhelm her before she steeled herself. “Has he gotten into any trouble?”
“Not that I’ve heard. Ida, that busybody in the next unit over, would let me know in a minute if his name had shown up in the disciplinary feed. She loves a good bit of gossip.”
“When did you see him last?”
“He came home two nights ago, but left again before I could pin him down.”
“You have to be stern with him.”
Circe narrowed her eyes in displeasure. “It isn’t as if I have any help here, Ianthe. You left for this work assignment without so much as a word to us. I’ve never been able to control Eaon on my own, you know that.”
Heaving a heavy sigh, Ianthe forced herself to calm. Becoming cross with her sister would serve absolutely no purpose. “You should speak to Ida, she’ll know if Eaon has fallen in with anyone new. And when he comes back, you’ll have to lock him in the apartment if that’s what it takes and have him escorted to education.”
“That’s easier said than done, you know.”
“I’ve had to do it before. If you call enforcement, they’ll send an escort. Just don’t alert them before he’s home because if a guardian has to go out and find him, they’ll issue a citation and it will end up in his disciplinary file.”
Circe seemed surprised. “I didn’t realize you’ve had to be so involved with him.”
“Eaon always gets this way when he’s feeling better, the worst of it will be over soon. Hopefully he’s not up to anything really stupid.”
“We can only hope.” Her sister seemed pensive for a moment. “I really miss you.”
Regret burned in the pit of her stomach, the sick emotion turned to a physical sensation. “Me too.”
“Will you be able to call again soon?”
Ianthe hesitated. She was sick of lying, but she had no idea what the truth might be. “Maybe. I’m not sure when I’ll be available again, but I’ll try to get back to you soon.”
“That’s strange,” Circe murmured as her fingers moved across the display. “The terminal that you’re on doesn’t accept incoming calls. Is there another way for me to reach you?”
“I’m being kept busy and I don’t have access to a personal device,” Ianthe hedged, praying her naturally inquisitive sister wouldn’t dig any deeper. “But I’ll do my best.”
But Circe had always been determined to get to the bottom of any perceived mystery. “Are you still working with catering, or is it some government cafeteria?”
“I’m not really supposed to talk about it.”
“You really can’t tell me anything…”
“Circe, I have to get back. We will talk again soon, okay.”
“Well alright, but I don’t think it’s so much to ask that you tell me what you’ve been doing.”
“It’s not, really. But right now I have to go. Remember what I said about Eaon. Firm hand.”
“Yes, of course…”
“You have all my love.”
Ianthe ended the connection without waiting for her sister’s response. Any more conversation would break her heart or force her to reveal more than was safe. She had spent her whole life protecting her family from the darkest realities of the world. This situation was no different.
But this ruse couldn’t last forever. If Legion didn’t release her and she couldn’t escape him, this separation might never end.
Perhaps the Alpha could be reasoned with. If she could convince him that she would not run, perhaps he would allow her to see her family again.
Or maybe he enjoyed her isolation. Perhaps he wanted to have her for himself so completely that her happiness no longer mattered. She could feel his contentment through the bond like lapping waves, her prison was his paradise.
“You showed more restraint than I imagined possible. I assumed that you would cry for help at the first available opportunity.”
Startled, Ianthe looked up to find Legion standing in the doorway, wholly in the flesh. She had thought the bond would keep him from sneaking up on her, but apparently she’d been mistaken.
He had been gone for almost two full days this time, not that he’d given her any explanation for the absence. She had spent much of the time trying to ignore visions of his face that floated on the edges of her thoughts. She refused to acknowledge that it was possible for her to miss him. It was just the bond, corrupting her mind so that being away from her mate became a torment, rather than the relief it should be.
Maybe that was why he had provided her with the terminal, a sort of apology for leaving her locked alone inside of a cage.
“You were listening in on my call?”
“Of course I was.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised. He had invaded her in so many ways already that her privacy hardly mattered to him at this point.
“I’m sure Circe would have sent her regards if she had any idea you existed.”
His lips twisted in a brief smile. “Does she normally cover her face even when at home.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Habit, I suppose. Any reminder of the disfigurement causes her pain.”
“The defect would be simple to correct at any medical clinic. Why was the procedure never done?”
“Because it would be elective,” Ianthe replied crossly, annoyed at the reminder of how many things were out of reach for her family. “The expense was more than we could afford, even when my parents still lived.”
“Many things are within reach for you now.”
She regarded him, expression heavy with suspicion. “Are you saying that you would pay for it?”
“I would do many things for a compliant mate.”
The offer hung in the air between them. Ianthe couldn’t help but think about what having a corrected face would do for her sister. But any offer he made came with strings firmly attached.
“My sister can’t help me, that’s why I didn’t tell her anything.” Ianthe spoke to the small bit of empty air above his head, deliberately avoiding the penetrating gaze trained on her face. “I didn’t want to worry her or encourage her to do anything dangerous.”
“Wise beyond your years.”
“Perhaps in comparison to some.”
His dark chuckle washed over her, raising the tiny hairs along her skin. He pushed off from the wall and slowly approached the bed, each heavy step sent shots of adrenaline through her veins.
“Your sister seemed well.”
“Apparently you weren’t listening to both sides of the conversation.”
“Are you speaking of the troubles with your brother?”
“I should be there to help.” Even though she knew it was pointless, Ianthe still attempted an appeal to the small but of honor that had to be in him somewhere. There had to be a trace of humanity left. “They can’t survive without me.”
“Nonsense.” Far from being comforting, Legion’s tone was one of cold rebuke. “Omegas are natural nurturers. It’s understandable that you would assume that role, but it’s your needs that are being served, not theirs.”
“Weren’t you listening?” Ianthe’s fists clenched in the bedding as she tried and failed to control her mounting irritation. Any show of anger would just compel him to make her to submit. But she desperately wanted him to understand the suffering that he was forcing her to endure.
“Your brother has fourteen solar cycles, he is mere years from full maturity. Your sister is older than you by several cycles and fully capable of caring for herself, despite her impairment. The decision to be responsible for them both is yours alone.”
“Obviously, family isn’t something that you understand.”
His expression darkened as he stared down at her.
