Born to be Broken (Alpha's Claim Book 2) (6 page)

For reasons unknown, Shepherd had reduced Claire to a position of breeder, not mate. Jules accepted it and did his duty. It was less than a week before the lieutenant opened the door to find Miss O'Donnell on the floor, altered, and trapped in a room with an odor Jules had smelled in his leader's quarters before—the spiced scent of Svana's Alpha slick. The Omega who should have been nesting was as far away from the bed as she could get, so still she seemed corpselike. It was the only reason he'd spoken when she asked his name.

On closer inspection, it had been impossible for Jules to miss the split lip and the discoloration on Miss O'Donnell's neck. Even more, he had recognized the look in her eye when Shepherd approached outside Undercroft; every nuance of her expression Jules had read with precision. The Omega was devastated—not just afraid—emotionally crippled, and clearly suicidal no matter Shepherd's denial on the subject.

And that was where the issue lingered. Jules presumed the obvious assumption was correct. Shepherd had mated with his long time consort… and he was aware of their habit of sharing heated Omegas.

Claire had reacted badly to whatever the Alpha female's visit had inspired.

The situation was irreparable in the allotted time. Shepherd's denial and Svana's vindictive nature had done the damage. If what Jules suspected was true, Miss O'Donnell now had good reason to hate the man beyond just the initial fear of her situation and misunderstanding of his true agenda. Even more, Shepherd's current demands that Miss O'Donnell be returned to resume her position as his mate made the situation far more complicated.

It would almost be more convenient if the little Omega just died, the entire situation being nothing but troublesome. But she was carrying what would be Shepherd's heir.

Claire was important now.

The ground was hard beneath her, the unyielding floor setting her hip to aching. But there was the smell of safety… a well-known Beta. They were wrapped together, covered in his coat like an overripe bug cocoon.

She cracked open an eye, finding Corday already watching her, his expression too controlled to read.

Claire admitted guilt. "I knew you'd help Nona if she used my name."

Corday put his lips to her forehead; he held her tighter. "She told me what you did. You held a gun to your head, Claire."

She had done that… and she had been very scared. "I did."

He could play the belligerent game just as well as she could. Still holding her, he moved his face until their noses were touching. "Claire, please."

Claire glanced to the side and absently worried her lip. "I'm not sorry for setting these women free."

"I don't want you to be!" Urgent, Corday whispered so the spying women might not hear. "What I want is for you to trust me. You don't need to fight alone."

But she did… both Corday and Senator Kantor had explained their position. "I am not going to attack Shepherd or his pig army. The Omegas are free, it's done."

"I don't believe you."

Still bone tired, Claire sighed. "I give you my word that I will not attack Shepherd. Such a thing would be pointless."

"Look at me," Corday urged, face grim and determined. "Swear it."

She held his gaze. "I swear I will not attack them."

The Beta seemed satisfied. "How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"I ate at your house."

Frustrated, he squeezed her. "That was three days ago, and you threw up afterwards."

"I had more important things to worry about than food."

"Claire, you are not superhuman."

No. She did not even feel regular human. She felt quasi-formed and misshapen. "I will eat."

A twitch curled Corday's lips. "Good." He sat her up, rubbing at her neck when her bones cracked. "And while you are eating, I am going to ask you what other crazy schemes you have planned. You don't need to keep secrets from me, Claire. Let me help you."

They had an audience; several sets of eyes watching their low, murmured exchange. Corday went to pillage through the crates he'd brought. A piece of fresh fruit and a packet of protein rich supplement in hand, he returned to her.

Others approached Claire.

A few even sniffed the black-haired Omega, backing away quickly as if she might taint them once the rumor had been confirmed.

If Claire noticed, she did not react.

Corday could see that Nona was right. No matter what she had done for them, Claire would not be tolerated by the pack for long. "Come home with me, Claire."

Claire looked to the man offering her an apple as if he'd gone mad. "I can't put you in that position. No."

"Then I'll come here every day until you change your mind." The Beta took her cold fingers and urged, "I want to take care of you. When you come to your senses, I will take you home."

Claire mumbled, looking to the fire, "Should the time come, I look forward to going home."

It was Nona who'd sat quietly through the exchange, who'd touched Claire's arm in understanding.

It was time for Corday to go. Claire stood, pulled him into a hug, dismissing the man as she teased, "Next time you visit, bring decent coffee."

He chuckled.

Suddenly serious, she gripped the fabric of his coat. "And if you are foolish enough to get caught, I will charge the Citadel to get you out."

Corday's laughter faded. "That's not funny."

"I wasn't joking."

Frustrated, running a hand through his hair, Corday argued, "You set the Omegas free. You moved mountains. It's time for you to rest."

Claire agreed. "Nona would not allow anything else. Now, get out of here, Beta. No boys allowed."

Corday did not want to go, but he gave her space, swearing he would return.

With the Beta gone, Nona placed an arm around her young friend, the old woman muttering, "He doesn't understand."

The broken Omega whispered, "He doesn't need to know."

There were only four in the room: Corday, Brigadier Dane, Senator Kantor, and a stranger.

"There is a new member come to join the resistance." The typical exhaustion that had aged Senator Kantor since the Dome's fall, lifted. The pleased Alpha gestured to the beautiful woman at his side. "We made contact with my niece… This is Leslie Kantor."

Smiling softly at her uncle's heartfelt relief, the brunette Alpha female reached out her hand in formal introduction. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Corday."

There was a glint in the older man's eyes, long lost spark returning when Corday grinned and took her hand. "It's rare we get good news. Welcome."

Dwarfed in her layers, bundled up warm, Leslie offered, "And I hope I have more to buoy you. Before Shepherd's invasion, Premier Callas had been my betrothed. Our circumstances had yet to be announced," she waved a flippant hand, "these things have to go through the proper channels, be approved by the Senate, and so on. In the interim, Callas arranged for me to have deputy access to everything… As it was done in secret, Shepherd's men are unaware that I can infiltrate their communications network."

Corday's mouth gaped. "Holy fuck…"

"Yeah, son." Senator Kantor chuckled. "Holy fuck."

This changed everything, gave the resistance an actual chance. "Do you know where he's hidden the contagion?"

Leslie shook her head. "No. The language they communicate in, it's difficult to understand. But that does not mean we can't crack it. I just need time."

But this was still great progress. The secrecy of the meeting began to make sense, no one could know Leslie Kantor's secret. She would have to be hidden, the information restricted. Corday said as much. "No one can know about her. If Shepherd got wind, it would be an easy thing to revoke her access."

"Agreed." Senator Kantor had Corday's next orders. "If we kept her here, too many people would see her. We can't have questions raised. I'm entrusting my niece to you, Corday."

The honor bestowed on the low ranked Enforcer came at a very bad time, however there was no way to refuse such an important mission. Claire needed him, but the entire population needed the intel Leslie might uncover. Corday shared his news. "You should know sir, the Omegas were freed. Today we've struck two victories against Shepherd."

The Senator genuinely smiled. "I told you my bet was on Claire."

"You did."

And that was it.

Jules frowned, a rare thing, and listened to the audio surveillance of Thólos's pathetic resistance headquarters. The hunt for Claire had been waylaid when report arrived that a certain Alpha female had presented herself on the resistance's doorstep.

Svana—Leslie Kantor—had a different part to play in the fall of Thólos. She had a specific mission that had nothing to do with playing rebel. And if she'd known where they were all along, why not pass that information to Shepherd.

Jules knew exactly what the bitch was up to.

Svana was hunting Claire. Of course she'd know the Omega had escaped. It was the reason he'd had the Alpha female followed since Shepherd's mate had gone missing.

And now she'd lead them right to the resistance.

The woman was truly foolish to think this act would go unnoticed. Shepherd might have lauded his beloved, but Jules did not find her cunning clever. Oh, she was useful and she was powerful, and for that reason alone, Jules had not engineered an accident for her years ago.

But she was trouble.

No matter the plan or the promises, the female was self-serving.

Jules didn't trust her, and was eager to prove that she needed to be curbed. It was the reason he chose to follow them, to make a preemptive visit to the listed domicile of one Enforcer Corday.

It wasn't difficult to breach the building. All it took was the acquisition of one terrified rebel and a few minutes of torture to learn the location of Enforcer Corday's home, and a few well-placed distractions for the dubious couple working their way across the city. While the Enforcer and Svana were still meandering through the dangerous city streets, Jules opened the door to the sad little apartment.

That first breath of air… and the Beta froze. The room was saturated in Miss O'Donnell's scent—the couch, the bed, he even found her bloody dress tucked in the bathroom hamper.

Svana could not have intended it, but she had delivered Jules right to the Beta who'd taken in Shepherd's mate.