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  I stiffened. What the fuck was that?

  “A sigma,” he repeated flatly.

  “My lord, a sigma is very special indeed. You see, she is at her core an omega, but her blood is very special. It will protect you. It is known that a sigma’s blood can cure a wound, fatal or not. It is also rumored that her blood may grant you long life,” the Cultist explained, and my breath caught in my throat.

  “We found her in the most recent omega haul and knew she was a gift that would only befit a king,” he continued.

  “A special gift indeed,” Magnar answered. He sounded only slightly less irritated than before.

  “We will leave you now. We’ll see you at the crowning celebration shortly,” the Cultist replied. The two at his side stayed silent and I watched as they left the throne room together. They didn’t look back and the two great mahogany doors shut behind them, closing me and the future king together in a single room with a reverberating boom.

  “What is your name, sigma?” Magnar said gruffly. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought there was a slightly gentler air to his tone now that we were alone together.

  “Ariana,” I dared to answer.

  “You’re a very unexpected gift, Ariana. I was not prepared to take an omega,” he ventured, stepping down the slightly raised stage that the throne was on.

  “I had not expected to be given,” I replied curtly. My mind was still reeling from the information about my genetic makeup. I’d always known I was an omega, destined to give in to instinct and beg to be rutted by an alpha through my heat once it took hold. All my life, I’d taken suppressants to keep my nature at bay, but I had lost them once the Cult took me as their captive.

  His eyes turned back on me with a fierce haunted look. He stepped even closer to me and I was made aware of how much taller he was than me. How much bigger. How much stronger. Without any effort at all, he could probably lift me off the floor and toss me across the room as if I was nothing but a pebble in his way.

  If he decided to claim me as an alpha, right here, right now, there would be nothing I could do to fight him.

  Nature had done that. Nature had made it all but impossible for an omega to fight an alpha. It was my fate and when he finally stood in front of me, my body responded even more vividly to his close vicinity. I could feel the first trickle of my slick dripping down the bare folds between my legs. There was no doubt in my mind that he could smell it too.

  His rough fingers grasped my chin, and he lifted my eyes toward his. There was a glimmer of recognition in those eyes, but he turned away almost as quickly as his touch had come. I could feel his fingers on my skin long after they left me, electrifying trickles of tension arcing between us whether we wanted them to or not.

  “I do not want you. I am to be crowned king and I don’t need a woman at my side to weaken me or distract me from my duty,” he declared forcefully. He refused to look at me and I stared at the back of his tattooed scalp. As he turned, the fur pelt jostled enough to reveal a blood-red layer beneath. I took a brazen step toward him and grabbed the edge, turning it up to look at the fabric. It was the same cloth that the Cultists’ robes were made of.

  “You are a Cultist yourself,” I observed, careful to keep any hint of interest out of my voice.

  “That I am,” he spat. I let go of the furs as if they had burned my fingers.

  I don’t know why I was surprised. It made sense for the Cult to put one of their one on the throne in a city as massive as Kingsworth.

  “I am yours to do with as you wish,” I eventually whispered.

  He shook his head, and for some insane reason, his refusal to accept me threw me off guard. I wasn’t ready to say I was upset by it, but it was unexpected all the same. I tried to rein in my emotions. It proved difficult.

  “Let me tell you how it is going to be, Ariana. You will present yourself as a king’s omega is expected to. You will speak only when spoken to. You will kneel by my feet and serve me whenever I ask it of you. You will be safe at my side, but I will not touch you like an alpha touches an omega,” he said quietly, his voice just loud enough for me to hear.

  “If you do not want me, why keep me?” I answered curtly.

  “I cannot refuse a gift from the men that gave you to me. It would be disrespectful,” he whispered. His dark green eyes turned back toward me and I realized there were distinctive flecks of yellow in them. On further study, they were quite regal to behold.

  A knock sounded on the door and he stiffened before it opened.

  “Kneel, omega,” he demanded. He cocked his head to the side arrogantly and pointed cruelly at the floor. I reluctantly knelt down on the fur carpet and sat back on my heels, waiting for what would come next. It wouldn’t do any good to make a scene now.

  Three men walked in the door. I studied them carefully. They were dressed in simple finery that spoke of their station. Light brown leather tunics covered their chests, embellished with fox fur mantles on their shoulders. Each one wore a necklace that signified their role. One wore a carved stone hand, an insignia that represented the hand of the king. The second wore one signifying that he was the master of coin and the third wore one signifying he was the reigning commander of Kingsworth’s forces. They were three men of a much larger group that gathered as the king’s council, a royal court that advised the king on matters of great political and financial importance.

  They strode in with gleeful grins.

  “It is time for your crowning, my king,” the hand of the king began. His brown eyes glanced from me to him knowingly and his smile grew even more salacious. “I’m very much looking forward to the festivities,” he added as he glanced up and down my body.

  I forced myself to suppress a snarl of disgust at his obvious interest.

  “Then let us join. Come, omega,” Magnar responded. He offered me an arm and I took it a bit tentatively. The advisors chuckled and turned to leave the room. Magnar took several steps and led me along to the door, before he leaned down and whispered a word of warning into my ear.

  “It would be in your best interest to be obedient in the eyes of those watching, my pretty omega. I don’t know where you come from, but here in Kingsworth, a defiant omega is punished rather harshly. You would do well to remember that,” he said softly.

  “Yes, Alpha,” I spat.

  I didn’t need him to remind me. I already knew I was in danger just by being here. I would use this match of convenience to my own advantage.

  The cruel, arrogant king wouldn’t stop me from achieving what I was sent here to do.

  I would listen. I would learn and I would figure out how to destroy the Cult of the Blood Moon from the inside out.

  Chapter 2

  Magnar

  She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Her blonde hair shone white in the sunlight, sparkling like the light of the moon so much that I yearned to touch it and run my fingers through it. Her icy blue eyes drew me in. She had the delicate features of an omega, a small frame, a thin waist that curved out to her hips, firm pert breasts that would fit in the palm of my hand. There was something else about her, a certain strength in her poise, in the way she looked back at me. She wasn’t afraid of me like everyone else.

  She should be. She didn’t know what kind of monster she was looking back at in open challenge.

  The arrival of the beautiful omega was quite unexpected and entirely unwanted. Her brilliant blue eyes had met mine without fear and with so much innocence that it tore at the blackness of my heart. I had never wanted a bride. I lived a far too dangerous life to take one, but when the leaders of the Cult of the Blood Moon gave a gift, I knew better than to refuse them.

  It was through them that I had been granted the throne of Kingsworth, a role I’d worked long and hard to earn. I’d killed men. I’d usurped others and I’d taken their power for myself, not caring who or what I hurt in my climb up the ranks.

  I’d been under the Cult’s wing for so long I almost wondered if I had become a
s evil as they were. I was deep undercover, placed here so long ago by a man who had led the Alpha Brotherhood. Sometimes I wondered where my loyalties lay and other times, I remembered the cruelty of the Cult I’d been sent to infiltrate.

  I’d killed to get where I was. I’d slain whoever was necessary by following a code of my own. Along the way, I’d done whatever I could to avoid hurting any women or children. When ordered to kill them, I made them disappear into exile so that they would never be seen or heard of again. I lived by that vow and the appearance of this omega threatened that immensely. I didn’t know if the Cult was testing me, but one thing was for certain.

  I couldn’t trust her, and I would never take her as my mate. I couldn’t risk it.

  My cock disagreed. The scent of her at my side was torture, a soft fragrance of wildflowers, cherry blossoms, and raspberries all around her, but that all paled to the aroma of the slick dripping in between her thighs.

  Her omega wanted my alpha. I wasn’t going to give that to her.

  Carefully, I widened the distance between us. If she noticed, she said nothing at all, and I didn’t press the issue. If anything, she sighed with relief. When we reached the grand hall, it was already full of the royal court, all of my advisors, and whoever else was rich enough to secure a seat for the celebration of the new king. It was a grand showing of the Cult’s finances and power and I would be their crowning achievement this day.

  If I hadn’t worked so hard to get here, it would sicken me. I didn’t let even a hint of that show as I walked into the room. I observed the attendees with indifference and walked up on the raised area where the king and his royal advisors were expected to sit. I tugged the reluctant omega at my side along with me. There was a chair at the center meant to mimic my throne, created from the bones of the men I’d slain on the battlefield and those of my enemies that had tried and failed to take me down along the way. I sat down and the crowd roared.

  I stared out at the people gathered before me, the people I was meant to rule. A servant poured me a full goblet of red wine and I took it graciously before taking a long draw of the burgundy liquid.

  A much smaller wooden chair was brought to my side and I gave the omega leave to relax beside me in silence. I watched her carefully as she observed the room and her eyes widened at something in the corner. I lifted my gaze to see what she was looking at and I stilled.

  There was a bed in the corner of the room, lifted high on the newly built stage for everyone in the room to see. There was no guessing its future role.

  The Cult expected me to take my omega to heel right here, in front of everyone as a celebration of my crowning. I ground my teeth together, turning away with a hard grimace.

  I wouldn’t do it. I would accept their gift and I would do it gracefully, but I wasn’t going to take her as an alpha takes an omega in front of the entire royal court. I was going to do things my way.

  I stood and my closest advisor Neegan approached me. I glanced down at the hand of the king emblem on his chest and at the pillow in his hands.

  He brought with him the crown and the crowd went silent. Silently, I bowed my head as he placed the pillow down on the table. He picked up the angular silver crown and slowly placed it on top of my head.

  The sound of chanting started to rise.

  “Long live King Magnar,” they chanted, repeating it over and over as the volume soon grew to a deafening drumbeat that made the very pebbles on the ground tremble in its power.

  I pounded my fist hard against my chest.

  “Long may we reign, my people of Kingsworth,” I shouted and every single person within that Great Hall roared with approval. I could feel the rising tension in the omega by my side. She was uneasy and I did nothing to ease her woes.

  At once, the Great Hall was filled with a line of servants bringing beer, mead, and wine to the masses. There were continual cheers and shrieks of laughter. Today was a joyous day. I was meant to bring the city happiness and hope. The crowning of a new king when the world was on the brink of war.

  All of my work had come down to this day. Tomorrow I would figure out what to do next.

  One course of food after another was brought out in a lavish display of the wealth and glory of Kingsworth. There were no expenses spared on this day of celebration and I knew it was a showing of power from those who led the Cult.

  The crowd started to sing songs of me, chanting renditions of my exploits and of my reputation both on and off the battlefield. I listened carefully, pleased to hear that much of the songs spoke of the people’s mutual respect and fear of me. It was an image I’d cultivated very carefully and one I worked incredibly hard to maintain.

  One I was going to have to live up to while also ensuring the omega beside me wasn’t put in danger.

  The raised bed in the corner of the room was both a beacon and a message, but I had been crowned king before all of these people. I would do things as I saw fit. The Cult wanted a show, and I would give them one, but I would do it my way.

  With a deep breath, I plucked the wineglass from Ariana’s fingers and placed it on the table. Purposefully, I took her hand and led her in front of the table. A rolling hush came over the crowd, curious eyes watching the interplay of an alpha king and his omega.

  “My people…” I began, waiting for the room to go completely quiet.

  “You know who I am, but I fear I’ve neglected to introduce you to someone very important to me,” I continued, maneuvering her to stand in front of me. Casually, I placed one hand on either shoulder, noting how tiny she felt beneath my grasp.

  “One day soon, I will take this woman as my mate, but that is not all. She will be my bride and she will also be your queen,” I declared, and she stiffened under my fingers.

  “But, my dear people, she is not yet any of those things. She stands before you as simply an omega that has yet to feel the hands of her alpha on her naked skin,” he continued, and she tensed even harder beneath me.

  Too swiftly to allow her to react, I grasped the sides of her dress and tore it open, exposing the body I knew was bare beneath. I glanced down, noting that her nipples were pebbled hard. The sound of ripping fabric filled the air as I made quick work of the garment that once covered her beautiful body and in a span of moments, I threw what was left of it to the ground.

  “This pretty omega before you has never been properly put in her place by her alpha. You can see it in the way she lifts her chin, at the way to bites her lip in order to keep quiet, and the way her face tenses in an effort to hold back how much she wants to challenge me. She wants to challenge her king,” I exclaimed, and the crowd perched forward on their seats with bated breath. They wanted to see what I would do, of how their new king would handle his omega.

  “Now my omega has been obedient thus far, so I don’t intend to punish her before all of you. I simply plan to give her a taste of what might happen should she displease me,” I continued. I said it more to calm the woman beneath my fingers, but I think the words functioned more to appease my own guilt about what I was going to have to do in order to placate the men who had put me here on the throne in the first place.

  With restrained cruelty, I dug my fingers into the thick blonde hair at the back of her scalp and fisted it hard. She cried out at the pain, but I didn’t falter even as I lifted her several inches higher, forcing her to arch her back and stand on the tips of her toes. I put her on display for all to see. I showed them that I wasn’t afraid to. Quickly, I turned around and swept my other arm across the table, clearing the surface as I bent her over it without even a second’s hesitation.

  She squeaked in surprise and I doubted she’d ever been manhandled like this before in her life.

  “Let me go,” she spat, and I grinned.

  The Cult wanted to see how much I appreciated my gift. I was going to show them that and so much more.

  With my free hand, I caressed her naked backside. I allowed myself to gaze at her bare porcelain skin, fully enjoying the
pale color that would soon wear the king’s mark.

  She really was a beautiful gift.

  But against me, she didn’t stand a chance.

  I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this next bit far more than she was and that made my cock as hard as iron.

  I took a long moment to drag my fist up and down my shaft and the crowd went wild.

  We lived in a land where alphas reigned, and this defiant little omega needed to be taught her place in that world.

  I grinned as she struggled beneath me.

  Oh, yes. I was really going to enjoy this.

  Chapter 3

  Ariana

  When his hands had squeezed my shoulders, I had known something was off and I’d stiffened with suspicion. I could feel him building the crowd’s energy up with his words and when he’d ripped open my dress, I’d wanted to kick him right between the legs, but I held back. I knew the crowd was watching and even though I wanted to hate the man who had bared me in front of everyone, I couldn’t bring myself to. I knew the Cult was scrutinizing us. I’d seen the bed perched up in full view of the audience. I knew what they expected, but I also knew that the king had no intention of taking me as his mate. He would never fuck me and whatever was happening was Magnar’s way of getting around their expectations.

  What I hadn’t expected was to be bent over the table by force. I’d been stripped naked before and men had looked at me, but I’d never been put on display quite like this. Everyone watching would be able to see everything from the wetness dripping onto my thighs to the even darker places hidden between my bottom cheeks. I was so exposed that it caught me off guard and I didn’t really know what to do.

  The Brotherhood hadn’t prepared me for something like this.

  “My omega is beautiful, isn’t she?” he asked loudly, and the crowd roared with their agreement. “She was given to me this evening and this is the first time I’m laying eyes on her naked skin and it’s only right that you get to share that with me,” he continued.