Deviant Games (The Controllers #8) - L.V. Lane Page 0,12

the catalyst for this monumental societal change remained a profound source of sorrow and shame.

“They have become longer and more painful,” Jenda said, stirring me from my ruminations. “I warned the general that you needed to be rutted. Why the fool believes you might lose your gift is beyond me. We have a substantive body of knowledge accumulated over the years. No Omega has ever lost a gift from rutting, no matter how rough an Alpha might be during the coupling.”

This was all said with clinical detachment. Whatever ship or location, the Omega ‘stables’ were located beside the nesting suites. Both were openly monitored, many available for public viewing. Elite Alphas were encouraged to use the Omegas but discouraged from bonding unless directed to do so.

Jenda monitored rutting regularly, although she did not indulge in it herself. She liked the pretty male Omegas, but they were highly coveted and invariably allocated as toys to those higher up the food chain.

She was still studying me with those cold eyes. I read the thoughts she did not bother to give voice to. I was a mind-reader, after all.

She wanted me rutted through my next heat, and wasted no time tapping on the interactive desk to push a recommendation through to General Cohen. Her lips tightened as she collated the accompanying data. She respected and envied Cohen’s achievements, but disdained him not being an Alpha. As was the way within the Uncorrupted military, any opportunity to scheme was embraced like a potent drug.

I remembered little about the lot of Omegas within the Empire. Time had a way of twisting and misting old truths and making it impossible to discern facts. But I didn’t recall anything to suggest an Omega lost their gift after bonding. I did recall that bonded Omegas were no longer deployed to the war.

Cohen didn’t want me rutted—not unless he was the one doing it.

And Cohen was not an Alpha, despite many attempts.

“It’s done,” she said. “I’ve recommended you be bonded, given your age and the lack of prior attention from an Alpha. You might suffer irreversible damage should Cohen be allowed to closet you much longer.” She indicated her console. “I’ve said as much in my report. I’m confident my recommendation will be accepted by the dynamic board. Dismissed.”

Turning, I left her office. Legs unsteady, I was escorted back to my quarters, where I buried myself in my nest. She had gone over Cohen’s head and straight to the dynamic board. Her case would be compelling. The risk of leaving me un-rutted too great given there was no genuine risk to me losing my gift.

I hated Cohen. Hated everything about him and everything he made me do. But he was not the worst monster here.

For ten years, I had lived in a semi-civilized bubble, escaping the cruelty most Omegas endured.

It was over.

My time was over.

And a new, more terrifying time was about to begin.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lilly

“ARE YOU TENSE?” Ryker asked.

“Tense?” I hedged, my mind frantically thinking of a way to cut the conversation off. I was the Director of the Viral Program, and I dealt with people of all levels. I was the daughter of a governor for goodness sake, and yet Ryker with a few, well-chosen words, could tie me in knots.

We were in an elevator on our way to the charity ball for the program. I was a little tense; he knew I was tense. This day had been a long time coming and I wanted everything to be perfect.

As if this were not bad enough, they had both fucked me before we left. I didn’t do frustration very well. By my own admission, I was both needy and greedy. I knew when they eventually got around to delivering my pleasure, it would be explosive, but that might be a long way off.

So, yes, it was fair to say I was tense. But that little innocuous word, tense, and Ryker’s playful smirk, roused an instant association with his methods of stress relief.

I desperately wanted to come. I thought if either of them set their mind to it, it would happen within seconds, but enough of their dark, evil intentions for tonight had leaked through the bond that I thought Ryker more likely to inject further tension than relieve it.

We were the only three people in the elevator, and I could not decide if this were better or worse. Ryker wasn’t the sort of Alpha who let an audience deter him from a course of action.

My eyes shot to