Omega's Truth - Nora Phoenix Page 0,97
telling you.”
“Thank you,” Lidon said. “But no thanks. That’s not how this is gonna go.”
Armitage crossed his arms. “Then what do you want?”
“I want you gone. Along with all your men. I want the suspension of martial law, the release of all political prisoners, and the immediate abolishment of all internment camps. I want the country to have free, democratic elections again, so we can elect a new prime minister.”
The general stared at Lidon. “That’s it?” he said finally, looking genuinely confused.
Lidon frowned. “Not enough for you?”
“But…you’re not demanding new laws, like protection for omegas or some shit you advocate? Or a position for yourself and your men?”
Lidon laughed. This guy was something else. Taban had been right. Armitage was all about control. “You thought I wanted to be in charge? Hell no. That’s the last thing I want. Change has to come from the inside out, General, or it would be just another dictatorship. The people have to decide that they want better for themselves and others, and after seeing what blatantly favoring alphas did to society, I think they’re ready.”
In fact… He raised his head. His hearing might not be as good as it was in wolf form, but he still picked up more than most people. Chants were coming closer.
“Bray, you feeling good?” he asked. The alpha had wolfed down three meal bars and drunk a large bottle of water.
“Yes, alpha.”
“Palani, you stay here. Everyone else, go with Bray. A crowd is arriving, and I suspect one of our other teams is leading. See if they need assistance.”
“On it,” Bray said simply, and within seconds, the room emptied, leaving just Lidon, Armitage, Palani, and Armitage’s soldiers, who looked like they wouldn’t defend their general anytime soon.
“A crowd?” Armitage asked.
“The revolution has arrived after all, General. Your time is up,” Lidon said.
“For Lidon Hayes, for freedom and justice! For Lidon Hayes, for freedom and justice!”
Palani cocked his head. “Hear that, General? Have the people ever shouted your name like that?”
Lidon mentally shook his head. Boy, you really didn’t want Palani as your enemy. Lidon was all too happy to see his beta return to his confident self, though.
“My men love me,” Armitage said, but his voice wavered.
“No, General. They fear you. Something else entirely,” Palani said, and he didn’t even sound like he was gloating.
“But I gave them what they wanted!”
Lidon was content to let his beta take over again.
“You gave them what they thought they wanted, not what they needed. Big difference. The alphas who want omegas to be less than the dirt under their shoes? They’re a small minority. A vocal minority, but they don’t represent all alphas. York’s methods were wrong, but he had started a change for the good, and up until you came, he had little to no resistance.”
“There were riots and demonstrations even before York was murdered. People were protesting him before I ever came onto the scene.”
“How many of those were fueled by you, and how many were truly organic? My guess is very little was real, and those that were had only a small number of people participating. The media reported on those demonstrations as if they were a movement because you know how to play that game all too well, but it never was. And once you were in power, people got scared to speak up because they saw your opponents and enemies disappear. Yours is not a rule of popular vote, General. It’s a rule of terror.”
Footsteps ran in the hallway, but Lidon wasn’t alarmed. He’d already heard their voices, recognized their smell, even in human form. He’d recognize his pack anywhere.
“Alpha.” Grayson entered the room, Sean on his heels. “We’re reporting back.” He glanced at Armitage. “Do you want us to come back later?”
“No, I think the general needs to hear this,” Palani said, and Lidon nodded in agreement.
“What did your team see, Grayson?” he asked.
“We found the omega internment camp, and it’s ten times worse than we thought.” Lidon’s blood ran cold as Grayson shared what he and his team had found. “About half of the omegas were too weak to leave. I put Adar in charge of the team that stayed behind, which includes Maz, Lucan, Enar, Sivney, and Yitro. Sven and Riordan came with me. The soldiers guarding the camp have either fled or surrendered.”
“Take a few men and find the army’s field hospital, which I’m sure is set up somewhere close. Persuade their doctors to cooperate and get supplies and medical personnel to