The Omega They Couldn't Kill

(THE FACILITY)

Elorai.

There's chaos around me.

The smell of blood and death is sickening, and I've lost count of how many times I've gagged on it, blood roaring in my ears.

My gaze darts around me, my unsteady legs pushing me forward as I try to find a safe spot in all of this. What's happening? Why are there explosions?

Who's killing us?

"It's the werewolves!" a scientist cries as he runs, his white coat billowing behind him.

A gasp spills from my lips, my blood running cold.

They must have found our base.

I watch as he smashes buttons and sounds alarms. The door to my cell rolls open, startling me.

"We have to get the successful out of here, or they will kill her!" he cries.

Successful? Me? But my name is Lo. Elorai.

Armed men rush toward my room, one gripping my hand and pulling me along.

"What's happening?" I ask, but no one answers. They just keep dragging me forward.

I follow, breathing panicked. The explosions intensify, and the floor trembles beneath me. My arm hurts from where I'm being pulled, but I don't dare voice my complaints.

"Lo!" a woman calls out.

Penny.

I turn around to see her running toward me, her face flushed.

"What's happening?!" I ask once she's close enough.

"It's the werewolves. Those vicious monsters are here. I don't know how they found us, but they will stop at nothing until everyone is dead. We're already surrounded. Come, let's keep you safe."

She says this while leading the armed men forward.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Underground," she answers, taking us through a flight of stairs. "We will hide there until they are gone and plan our exit."

I nod. I trust Penny. She would never lie to me.

We head underground, but then another huge explosion rattles the frame of the building, and the lights go out. Everyone stills.

"What happened?!" Penny cries out, frantic.

"They've blown out the generators..." one of the armed men responds, flicking on a torchlight.

"We have to hurry! There's no time!" Penny cries, taking the steps two at a time. My heart is racing so fast I'm surprised it hasn't exploded.

Then we hear it.

It should be impossible, but my ears pick it up.

A snarl... and something else that sounds like a growl-the kind that sends shivers down your spine and goosebumps across your skin.

"She's here..." a voice growls, deadly. "Find her."

Penny panics.

I see her even in the dark as she pulls me forward, and the armed men follow, forming a protective circle.

We reach the elevator that's supposed to take us down to the underground bunkers when the men start groaning in pain, collapsing to the ground.

Penny joins them too, screaming, her body writhing. I freeze. What's happening?!

She's frothing at the mouth, anguished cries spilling from her lips, and no one is getting to their feet.

A pair of glowing red eyes appears in the distance, glimmering in the dark.

The soldiers try to fire at him, but it's like the bullets don't even reach him. He stalks toward us with the grace of a predator circling its prey.

Casting a glance in my direction, he turns toward the groaning men on the ground. He picks one up and, with a smirk, smashes his head against the floor, the wall-whatever surface he can find.

Blood splashes onto my face, and I freeze in place. A scream is stuck in my throat, and I can't look away for fear that I'll be next.

He picks up Penny and kills her too.

"No!" I scream, reaching for Penny as her body collapses to the ground, lifeless. "How dare you!" I yell at him, tears burning my eyes.

He glowers at me, then his nose flares as he inhales sharply. Something has struck him.

I try to run, but he catches me quickly, pulling me along with him.

"Let me go!" I scream. I thrash and bite, but it has no effect on him. His grip is unyielding, without mercy, as he stomps his way through the dark.

Around me, bodies lie lifeless, limbs torn from their torsos, blood spreading across the ground. The sight is so grotesque, I throw up again. And again.

"We found her..." he announces as we make it back to the ground floor.

Two powerfully built men stop fighting and join him, their eyes glimmering as well.

My body shakes, but I refuse to cower under the force of their glares. They stare at me like I'm nothing more than a nuisance. One snarls, licking his lips, while the other grimaces.

"She's the reason we went through all this trouble, and now we're supposed to kill her?" one of them asks.

"Yes," the one holding me answers, his voice resolute.

I gasp, my eyes widening.

They want to kill me.

I should be afraid, but all I do is glare, hating every single one of them, still struggling.

Mad beasts.

One of them glances at me, a brow raised. "Oh, this one is feisty."

A snort. "What's your name?"

"Lo..." I grit out through clenched teeth, eyes narrowed. "Elorai"

"Lo..." he murmurs, tasting the name on his lips. "Cute."

"It's a shame this is where it all ends..." the other speaks up, an odd expression on his face.

My heart starts to rattle against my chest, icy dread flooding my veins. They really are going to end me here.

I... I don't want to die like this.

The one holding me pushes me to the ground between them, clicking his tongue. "Let's get this over with, shall we? We don't have all night."

I land with a thud, hitting my head on the ground. Pain explodes through my skull, and I curl into a ball, gasping for breath.

"What? I thought we were going to have a bit of fun with her first!" another counters. "She's pretty!"

"What fun? We were tasked to kill her by the council. Get your head straight," the one who had grabbed me growls.

Maybe I can slip away... I start crawling out from their midst when someone pulls me by my legs. "Get off me, you monsters!" I scream as I get yanked back.

I'm turned around, a hit thrown across my face. My ears ring, my face burns. Blood pools in my mouth.

"Get rid of her," I hear someone growl.

My vision turns blurry... No... I can't... I don't want to die like this!

Someone grips my shoulders, their touch surprisingly gentle. Still, I flinch. He pulls me to my feet and presses me against the wall, knocking the air from my chest.

"I'm going to make this painless for you," I hear him say, and squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable.

If he did something, I didn't feel it. I crack open my eyes, looking up at him to find his teeth barely inches away from my neck.

Overcome with terror, I start struggling and somehow kick him in the groin.

He doubles over in pain, but there's a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"You're not affected by my pheromones?" he growls between grunts.

"What pheromones?"

His surprise deepens. "She's not affected by our pheromones, guys."

"She's not?" someone speaks behind him. I look around to see the look of confusion on their faces.

One of them smirks. "This is going to be interesting."

He pulls back, and I drop to the ground, puzzled by the turn of events. My stomach turns into itself with dread.

"We can't kill her. This is the first time we've met someone who's unaffected by us, and we're supposed to kill her?" He glares down at me, and a shiver runs through my spine.

"She's coming with us."

Elorai.

I stare at them, unable to believe what they had just said.

"Coming with you?" I repeat, the words sounding foreign to me.

"Yes, what do you mean she's coming with us?" another seconds.

"Think of what we would be losing should we choose to. She's the only successful experiment from those damned vermin, and now we're seeing the results of what they have probably spent decades researching about us. We need to know what they've uncovered."

They all turn to stare at me, contemplating his words.

"You're right..." the first man growls, rubbing his chin. "We can't kill her so quickly yet."

An unfamiliar feeling spreads in my chest-one that tells me this will not bode well.

"She's coming with us?" the final one, who's been smirking at me since we met, finally speaks.

"Yes..."

"Nice..." he growls.

"No, I'm not going with you. You'd have to kill me here," I speak up with a confidence I don't feel.

One turns to me, his gaze narrowing. The temperature drops a thousand degrees, and I shiver. Still, I hold his gaze.

"I said you'd have to kill me here. I'm not going anywhere with you."

He laughs. There is no mirth in it. "What makes you think you have any say in how you live or die, you abomination?"

His words sting, but I don't cower. "I don't care. You already killed the people I cared about. You might as well kill me too."

"I will not waste time exchanging words with this... thing. Let's go," he orders, walking ahead.

The third one reaches for me, but I scramble away, fury flowing through my veins. How dare they!

They don't care. They pull me along anyway, weaving their way through the carnage they left behind.

"Let me go! You bastards, let me go!" I scream as I'm dragged along.

Eventually, they have enough.

One turns to me, pinches my neck, and everything goes black, unconsciousness claiming me.

.

.

.

When I finally come back to consciousness, it's in a small room, devoid of any windows and functioning light. A relentless headache assaults my head, my stomach rolling with nausea. I stay still for a moment, letting the worst of it pass before slowly sitting up on the concrete bed.

What happened?

Just as I ask myself that question, the memories roll in, and a shudder ripples through me. My facility was burned to the ground, my scientists killed-including Penny.

The monsters that captured me-they are the ones who knocked me unconscious. Anger flares within me.

I glare at the door, and as if on cue, it opens, the three men walking into the room, still looking as vicious as ever. Their gazes fix on me, and I tense, my shoulders curling into themselves.

The tiny room doesn't feel so tiny anymore. In fact, I don't think there's any air in it at all.

"Where am I?" I mumble under my breath, glaring at them.

"With us."

"I don't want to be anywhere near you," I spit.

"You have no choice now," another responds, a bored expression on his face.

"You're sick if you think I'll just behave and let you do whatever you want with me."

"What makes you think we're letting you be? We'll find out what those doctors did to you, and we'll have fun with it. In the meantime, get comfortable."

"By the way, in case you're curious, my name is Knox," the smirking one adds.

"Lucas" the uninterested one quips. They both glance at the unsmiling one. "He's Ronan."

"Goodnight," he grumbles, and they leave the room without another word.

The door slams after them, and I flinch.

The fear I hid away finally bubbles to the surface, and I tremble, my fingers and toes growing cold.

What's going to happen to me now?

.

.

.

Ronan.

We return back to a more open area, our steps uniform, the tension around us thick and oppressive.

"The council will find out we didn't kill her and come after us," Lucas points out, giving me a sidelong glance.

"That doesn't matter," I grit out, eyes narrowed. "As long as we kill everyone else. The pack included."

Knox stares at me. "The pack?"

"Whiteforn Pack. They are the ones who have been working with the humans in the first place, supplying them all those omegas. They all need to go," I explain.

He nods in understanding.

"You said everyone else. We won't leave one of those scientists alive to explain to us what they did to the girl?" Lucas queries.

"That's something we can figure out on our own. Everyone else is dying. We should go. We have no more time to waste."

Lucas lets out a sigh, but shrugs in agreement.

We turn to the werewolves standing guard at the underground bunker we've placed her in.

They immediately bow their heads as we approach, tension radiating off them. "We leave her in your care. Guarantee her safety."

With a snarl, I add, "Should anything happen to her, you're as good as dead."

He nods too quickly. "Yes, Alpha." He rushes out.

"Good." I move forward, stepping into the dense forest ahead of me. My wolf, Roco, snarls, ready to pounce.

"Let's go," I order.

We disappear into the forest.

.

.

.

Elorai.

I don't know how long I stay locked in this empty room. It could have been minutes, hours, or even days. I have no idea.

All I know is that I'm slowly going crazy.

The walls seem to be closing in on me, the air smells rotten, and I keep getting flashbacks and nightmares from my time at the facility.

The time my life was completely ruined.

I pace around the small room, occasionally banging on the door, begging to be let out. If anyone is listening, nobody cares.

A strange thought takes me. Maybe I've been left to die.

I exhaust myself with worry and fall into a dreamless sleep, only to be awoken by a frightful nightmare that leaves me shaken.

I want out. I need to leave this place. I miss Penny.

After what feels like an eternity, the door finally opens. The trio waltz in again, but this time, they reek of blood. It makes my stomach churn, and I have to resist the urge to retch.

"Hi, Lo. Did you miss us?" Knox asks, a wild smirk on his face.

"Why would I miss monsters like you?!" I spit back, feeling rage seep into my bones.

"Your words hurt, runt. Who are you calling monsters?" he says with a chuckle.

I try to appear intimidating, but it doesn't work out the way I envisioned. "You are the monsters. The scientists were right to want to get rid of you all."

At the mention of the scientists, the trio's whole demeanor changes.

Their eyes flash, a snarl spilling from their lips.

"What did you say?" Ronan asks in a quiet voice. Too quiet.

"The scientists were right to get-" The words have barely left my lips when I'm slammed against the wall, nails digging into my neck.

I choke and struggle, white spots dancing in my vision.

"You'll pick the humans over us?" he snarls, his eyes turning into slits.

I don't answer. I'm too busy trying to get rid of the hand wrapped around my throat.

He gives a derisive chuckle. "You're mistaken. Those vipers are the true evils. And you are a victim." he growls, eyes shining like the sun.

"No!" I gag out, still flailing my limbs. The remaining two watch on, making no move to help me out of his hold.

Idiots.

"They took good care of me!" I shoot back.

"Explain the scars on your body, then," Lucan cuts in, staring at the cut marks littering my arms. He narrows his gaze on me. "Because I guarantee you, we didn't do that."

Ronan loosens his grip on my throat so I can answer. "I got them when I fell."

Knox guffaws. "What a cute little lie."

Something about their reaction sends a pang through me, making my irritation flare even hotter.

"We'd get you out of here, but we don't know if you'll behave," Lucan continues, his voice level.

I stop struggling. I want to get out of here. "I'll behave."

They stare at me for a moment, confirming my sincerity. Once they find what they're looking for, they look away.

Ronan removes his hand, and I crumple to the ground, gasping for breath.

My entire body floods with relief.

Knox lifts me over his shoulder, his hand firm on my back.

I'm tempted to protest but quickly change my mind. I don't want to attract more trouble.

They step into the woods. The smell of fresh earth and moss invades my nostrils, and I gasp.

It's so peculiar... and it's something I've never smelled before.

"Hang on tight," Knox growls, his hold on me tightening.

My eyes widen in confusion, but a scream rips from my throat as we zip through the forest.

What the-?!

Elorai.

We run through the forest for what seems like hours, their speed incredibly fast.

I cling to them for dear life, my heart in my throat even as thrill rushes through me.

For a moment, I take time to marvel at it.

How do they keep going without getting tired? And still in their human form as well.

After what seems like forever, they finally roll to a stop at a gated mansion, still nestled in the forest.

I stare at the large building in front of me, my heart beating out of my chest. In the cover of the night, it's as terrifying as it is breathtaking.

Knox lets go of me, and I slide down from him, finally landing on my feet.

They walk toward the door, and it opens on its own accord, letting us into the huge estate.

Walking in their midst, I look around me, my heart racing in my chest as I take in the well-manicured gardens and the water fountain sitting in the center of the field.

Straight out of the pictures, that one.

Beautiful, yet so incredibly eerie.

My fingertips grow cold with nervousness, and I have to swallow to wet my dry throat.

The trio keep leading me into the house, knocking on the grand oak doors at the entrance.

The doors soon open, and a lean, aged man steps out in his immaculate suit.

"Welcome back, Alphas..." he greets with a low bow, widening the door as he gestures for us to enter. They acknowledge him with a nod, stepping into the large hall downstairs. The door slams shut after them.

I flinch.

"How was your mission?" he asks, still not noticing me.

"It went fine..." Ronan answers, his voice devoid of the usual hostility.

That's when his gaze drops to me. I tense, not used to being around such huge, mean-looking figures.

His eyes widen, his nose flaring as he draws in a scent. In an instant, he's reaching for me, a growl ripping from his throat.

Knox pushes him back before his fingers can graze my skin, letting out a growl of his own. That snaps the newcomer from the trance he must have slipped into.

"What was that?" Knox snarls, his gaze heated.

The latter flushes, embarrassment coating his features. "I apologize. Her scent called to me, that's all. It's... alluring," he murmurs, his gaze fixed on me.

My heart skips a beat. All three look at each other, puzzled.

Lucas presses his nose against my neck to sniff me. His confusion deepens. "Sure, she smells good, but that's not enough to trigger that reaction."

"Doesn't matter..." Ronan cuts in, clearly peeved. He stands between me and the newcomer. "She's off-limits, Andre. Get that through your skull."

"Yes, Alpha... I apologize," he adds, his voice tinged with remorse.

Knox lets him go, still giving him a wary glare.

"Prepare her a room," he orders, his gaze still narrowed. The latter instantly runs up the stairs, disappearing out of sight.

I look around, rattled by the incident.

"Come with us..." Lucas says, walking forward. I fall into step behind him, the two following behind me.

We arrive at a long hallway, filled with several doors on either side. Ronan walks into one and opens the door, letting me in.

It's a bedroom.

That shouldn't be surprising. I have had beds before. But somehow, this one is.

It's a four-poster bed, sitting in a large room, with a soft rug on the floor, large windows overlooking the landscape, and multiple doors around that lead to God-knows-where. It's beautiful, to say the least.

"Where are we?" I ask as I walk into the room, my gaze darting around to admire the interior decoration.

"Our abode," Lucas answers, leaning against the doorframe. "And this is your room."

"It's big..." I mutter, glancing back at them. "I'll be staying here now?" I ask, wrapping my hands around myself to ward off the cold that seems to have settled into my bones.

He walks forward instead, opening the doors in the space. "Here leads to the bathroom. That's the closet. There are clothes for you. Hardly your size, since you're thin as hell."

I bristle. His words sting.

He turns to me. "Get comfortable. And join us when you're ready."

"No funny tricks..." Ronan growls, his voice coated with steel. "You try to escape and we'll catch you, and I promise you won't like the consequences," he adds.

With a menacing glare, he turns around and leaves with his companions, shutting the door behind him.

I tense, the silence deafening.

I look around me for a moment, then out the window, surveying my surroundings.

The compound is huge, and after those towering walls is an unending forest.

Can I escape from this place? We'll have to find out.

I proceed to explore my room, checking the bathroom, marveling at the marble tiling and clean lines. It's sophisticated, giving that old yet modern feel. Next is the closet, and like Lucas has said, it is filled with clothes.

I've never had this much selection before. I usually wear the same overalls in the facility.

I pick a pale pink dress out. It's rather short, but I'm curious to try it.

I lay it on the bed and move to the bathroom to have a bath. I'm still reeking of blood.

Figuring out the faucets is a battle on its own, but soon hot water starts flowing, before slowly transitioning to warm.

I step under the shower, use a ridiculous amount of bathing soap, and wash my skin till it prunes.

I step out of the shower then, hair soaking wet, and wrap a towel around my body.

Walking back to the bedroom, I dry my body and do my best with my hair before slipping into the dress. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I'm a bit stunned.

I've never seen myself look this way before. This... normal.

The blue overalls given to me by the facility always washed me out and made me feel like a sore thumb.

Why didn't they ever get me a dress?

Too late to think about that now. It's been burnt to the ground.

With a sigh, I glance at the door. A part of me wants to stay in this room and never get out, but I don't want to give anyone the satisfaction of feeling that I'm afraid of them.

So, I walk out the door.

The hallway is empty. That's expected, but I still move anyway, taking the route we followed when they took me to my room.

I soon hear voices and follow them.

I arrive at the dining area, all the alphas discussing amongst themselves.

They see me and stiffen, eyes and noses flaring slightly. The temperature in the room drops several degrees and I shiver.

I linger at the entrance, torn between walking in and going back into my room.

Lucas is the first to react. "You're in time. We are just about to have dinner. Have a seat."

Knox is too busy leering at me, dark interest in his eyes, jaw clenched.

I swallow the lump in my throat, taking slow steps into the room and sitting across from them.

"You're integrating well," Ronan murmurs, his gaze still narrowed at me.

I glare at him.

"What would you like to eat?" Lucas asks, breaking the tense silence in the room.

"Crackers and peanut butter," I answer without missing a beat.

"Crackers?" Knox repeats.

"You'll have steak," Lucas deadpans, and turns towards another door. Andre walks out of it, much more composed.

"Serve her steak," he orders. The latter bows and disappears into the kitchen.

It's at the tip of my tongue to refuse, but I've never tried steak before, so I keep mute.

Within moments, my food is brought before me and the smell wafts up my nose. My mouth instantly waters, my stomach growling louder than I've ever heard it.

I grab a fork, dig into the chunk of meat before me, and shove it into my mouth.

My taste buds explode.

It tastes delicious.

Eyes widening, I barely chew before I swallow the chunk in my mouth, taking a bigger bite.

The men just keep watching me as I scarf down what's in front of me, till the plate is empty.

They both stare at me, intrigue written on their faces.

"Would you like some more?" Lucas asks, and I nod, doing my best to keep my eagerness down. He waves Andre over, and the latter presents me with another plate of mouthwatering steak.

I immediately start eating.

Ronan is about to speak when a sound cuts through the silence. I tense, unfamiliar with it, but Lucas frowns.

"We're not expecting anyone," he growls under his breath, alarm woven into their features.

"I'll go check who it is..." Andre offers, hurrying out of the dining area. They all watch him go, but I return my attention back to my food, quietly enjoying it.

Footsteps approach, and Andre shows up with a beautiful lady by his side. She sees the men and beams.

"Good morning, Alphas. I see you're back from the mission," she says with an easy smile on her face.

"We weren't expecting you to see us so quickly, Adaline," Lucas mutters, subtly relaxing in his seat.

"Let's just say, I missed you all," she replies, still giving them that easy smile.

Ronan's expression doesn't change. If anything, it seems to have grown darker.

Adaline looks across the room, her gaze dropping on me. The smile disappears instantly.

"Who's this?"