Primal Read online

  “Omegas are known for their fierce and fiery natures, but also for their keen intelligence. It would be a shame not to capitalize on such talents,” he answered, his voice strengthening with a conviction that I hadn’t expected from an alpha like him, not in a thousand years.

  In Valgertha perhaps. Not in Ravenrath. Never under the rule of the Cult.

  I didn’t say a word in response this time. Instead, I just remained silent.

  His thumb never stopped tracing the line of my jaw, slow and steady and gentle and far too soothing for my liking. I’d never had a man touch me like this before and it was as mystifying as it was unsettling. I couldn’t decide if I liked it at all or hated it completely.

  I was waiting for the moment for him to snap and lay his hands on me in a way that would hurt me. We were alone in the forest. There was no one around that would save me. He could throw me to the ground and force his knot inside me even as I screamed for him to stop. I quivered, trying to keep my mind off of the painful memories I’d shoved aside once I’d seen Thranar’s head on a pike.

  I swallowed nervously. My entire body was tense with it, and still he touched me just as tenderly as before.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Luna,” he said softly, trying to fool me into a false sense of security. I wasn’t going to fall for his deceptive kindness.

  There was one problem with that line of thinking though. His words felt far too sincere and I didn’t want them to be.

  “You don’t have to believe me now, Luna. Eventually, in time, you will learn to trust me. I look forward to the moment when you do,” he murmured softly. I stiffened and his thumb still continued to trace my jaw, only his fingers started retreating backwards into my scalp after that.

  He started to massage my head. I didn’t want to like it. I tried to force myself not to, but it was calming in a way that I had never felt before. No one had ever touched me like this, and I didn’t quite know how to take it. Was he trying to trick me? Was this how he would try to get close to me before he tried to take what wasn’t his to take?

  To the Cult, an omega was simply there to be bred by an alpha. She was no more, no less. I was a vessel to be used and discarded once that I had fulfilled the expectations placed upon me. As the king’s omega, I had only one role and that was to provide the king with a male heir.

  In that, I had failed.

  I’d given Thranar a daughter and not a son.

  I’d paid for that mistake, time and time again.

  The moment that Vikar’s fingers ventured fully into my long hair, it felt like he was chasing everything away, that for a little while there was nothing but bliss.

  “Look at me, Luna,” he whispered.

  I didn’t. I refused.

  His fingers tightened just a little against my scalp. It was a warning and I decided not to heed it. I ignored him because I didn’t want to accept the way his scent was making me want things that I shouldn’t.

  It was simply instinct, I told myself time and time again. He was an alpha and I was an omega. It was only natural that my body was reacting to his presence. I tried to take shallow breaths, but it didn’t seem to help. Instead, it just seemed to stoke a warm feeling deep inside me that simmered with heat. I tried to disregard the fact that I knew it was desire.

  It had been some time since I’d taken an alpha’s knot. The urge to mate with the nearby alpha was strengthening the longer I was in his presence, but I was confident that I could control it and keep my mating urges under wraps. I had always done so with Thranar, but he’d had other ways to make me want him. He’d use a medicinal injection whenever I was particularly uncooperative that would force me to lose complete power over myself until I begged him to take me as long and hard as he wanted.

  Vikar’s fingers tightened into a fist and he angled my head backwards just enough to trigger a blossom of fiery hot sensation to burst across my scalp.

  He’d hurt me now. I’d made him angry. I was sure of it.

  Only again, he didn’t.

  Instead, he just stared into my eyes with a certain calmness that was as comforting as it was terrifying. Anger was an emotion that I could easily read. I knew what to expect when an alpha flew off the handle. Vikar was different though. Very different and that left me with a deep sense of fear.

  “You’ve been hurt in the past, haven’t you, omega?” he asked gently.

  My jawline tensed and that was all the answer he needed.

  “I won’t hurt you like he hurt you, sweet little omega. I am Valgerthian. In our city, we treasure our omegas for the prizes that they truly are, for their brilliance, for their feisty protective instincts, for everything that makes an omega what she is. We recognize how valuable you are. We celebrate you. It is disgraceful to mar the beauty that is an omega,” he assured me.

  “You’re an alpha. At the end of the day, you seek to rut with an omega. You want to breed her. Alphas never stop until they get what they want, no matter what an omega might say in protest,” I scoffed.

  “It is only instinct, Luna. Nothing more, nothing less,” he replied softly.

  I seethed inside. No man had ever invoked my emotions like he did. I despised feeling this way, but I couldn’t make it stop.

  “I could never trust you,” I snapped.

  “One day, sweet omega, I hope to show you how truly wrong you are,” he said. “Come now, it is not safe in the woods for someone who isn’t familiar with the dangers that reside here. You will follow me, and we shall make camp in the safety of Bayla’s den.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you. I left Valgertha by myself and I intend to stay that way,” I countered.

  “You will come with me, omega. I won’t take no for an answer. I suggest you take my hand and obey me. You will learn that your submission to me will be rewarded with kindness,” he answered.

  “And if I don’t?” I pressed. I needed to know what he would do.

  “If you disobey me, sweet omega, I will have to punish you,” he replied. His tone was callous and gave no further clues as to what my defiance would result in.

  “I told you that all alphas are the same,” I sneered.

  He offered me his hand, giving me another chance to heed his instructions.

  “I’d prefer not to have to punish you on our first night together, little omega, but I will do what I have to in order to ensure your obedience. It is far too dangerous in this part of the forest for me to give you any leeway in the matter,” he said much more firmly this time. “You’re lucky it was only Bayla who discovered you and not another skotaur. Had it not been her, I might not have been able to save you.”

  I didn’t move and he cleared his throat. He offered his hand once more. His expression was calm, but expectant. I chewed my lip, anxiously deciding what my next move would be. I could either go with him, fight him head on, or choose to flee.

  “Come, Luna. This is the last chance I will give you before you find out how a real alpha handles a naughty little omega who refuses to obey him,” he offered.

  My heart pounded in my chest. I stared at him for a long moment before my eyes flicked to the dark shrubbery of the forest just over his shoulder. Somewhere out there, the Cult had my daughter. They’d be looking for me and if they didn’t find me, I feared for her life for more than I did my own.

  Bruises faded away and healed. The loss of my child would be far different. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than that, even my own death.

  I didn’t know anything about this Vikar. He obviously knew far more about me than he let on and that made him dangerous.

  I couldn’t stay with him. I didn’t know where he intended to take me. I knew that Ravenrath wasn’t that much farther. If he meant to return me to Valgertha, that would be far too dangerous for my child. I couldn’t take that risk, not when her life was at stake. I took a deep breath, watching him as he gazed back at me.

  I made a decision at that moment. I would run. Again and again until I achieved what I’d set o
ut to do. I wouldn’t allow him to stop me, no matter what he did to me.

  I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I had to do. I burst to the side, disappearing into the shadows of the forest as swiftly as I could. He swore behind me, but I didn’t let up. I pulled up the hood of my cloak, thankful for the dark color that would blend into the night. I was careful to keep my footsteps constrained to the moss below my feet, knowing it would help to conceal the sound of my footsteps among the dead leaves and brush that lined the ground. I ran so hard, trying to listen carefully to the sounds behind me.

  As expected, I heard his footfalls behind me. He was chasing me, just like I had expected. I veered hard to the right, looking back over my shoulder. I didn’t see him. Even though I was small, I was fast and as I darted through the trees, I could tell I was gaining at least a little ground. I deviated to the left this time and studied the landscape, looking for the perfect place to slip into and lie in wait until he abandoned his mission.

  I kept my eyes open and once I saw the perfect ditch, I scurried down into it and hid beneath an oversized tree root in a sort of small makeshift cave. From above, I would be perfectly hidden. He’d have to be right in front of it in order to see me, especially in the dead of night.

  I took a moment to catch my breath as silently as I was able. My entire body pumped with adrenaline and I had difficulty reining it in for several long minutes. When I heard his footfalls crash nearby, I held my breath, only to realize that he had sped past me. Before long, he’d realize I’d disappeared. I’d stay here for some time, safe and sound until just before the sun rose. When the time came, I’d slip away and never be found again.

  I pressed my head against the dirt wall behind me, daring to close my eyes for a second. I listen to the sound of my heart drum in my chest, hoping it wasn’t loud enough for the entire forest to hear. My breathing had calmed to a more normal pace and the burn in my muscles was beginning to fade into more of a soft warmth that was quite pleasant.

  All around me there was only silence. The bugs had ceased chirping and the birds had long gone quiet. It was so very calm. I opened my eyes and looked up at the stars.

  I prayed to the gods, all of them one by one, but I spent the most time pleading to Oslin to breathe favor into whatever the fates had in store for me and especially for my daughter.

  I felt an ant crawl across my foot and I carefully guided it off. With a very quiet sigh, I settled in for the night and closed my eyes once more. I would rest until the sun rose and I could safely escape the forest and sneak into the city of Ravenrath.

  I dreamt of the moment I’d be able to hold my daughter in my arms once again.

  * * *

  A strange noise woke me from my slumber several hours later. I could see that it was light through my eyelids and I reluctantly opened them knowing that I had slept far longer than I wanted to. A pair of captivating silver eyes stared into mine. I swallowed heavily. Despite all the running and hiding, he’d found me. I’d underestimated him once again and I vowed that I never would again.

  Next time, I would keep running. I wouldn’t stop until I was sure that I was free.

  “Vikar,” I whispered anxiously.

  “Sweet Luna. Did you think you could escape me?” he answered as he cocked his head to the side. I noticed that his silver irises were flecked with deep greens and iridescent blues. I was immediately reminded of a diamond gemstone, only his eyes carried with them a sense of danger that a simple piece of jewelry could not.

  I remained silent, backed into a corner with nowhere to run. The small cove I’d hidden the night away in was shallow. There was no way out except for where he was squatting right in front of me. Escape now would be impossible.

  I’d have to wait for the next opportune moment. Until then, I just needed to survive.

  “Last night, I told you that you were either to come with me or you would be punished, didn’t I, Luna,” he asked carefully.

  When I didn’t respond, his gaze darkened considerably.

  “You will answer me, omega,” he warned.

  “Yes. That’s what you said,” I spat. I didn’t even put an ounce of effort into hiding the annoyance I felt at being thwarted by him once again.

  With a calmness that I wasn’t sure I deserved, he held out his hand once more.

  “Take my hand and we will deal with your punishment now,” he said softly. I stared at his rough, callused fingers. “If you take my hand now, I will remember that you submitted to what you had coming,” he added.

  I licked my lips, trying to discern the meaning behind his words.

  “This is my last warning, Luna. Heed it. I’m imploring you,” he whispered gently.

  After several long moments, Vikar ended the tense standoff between us by reaching for me and taking my wrist in his. I expected a blow to the face as he pulled me to him, but instead, he deftly hefted my body over his shoulder. His palm pressed against my backside, holding me in place as he carried me off from my hiding place to wherever else he had in mind.

  I knew better than to fight him now. I’d lost this round and he had won. Now I was going to have to take whatever punishment he had in mind before another chance to escape fell upon me. I hung over his shoulder limply, hoping against hope that it wouldn’t be more than I could bear.

  He walked through the forest until we reached a clearing. He placed me on the ground before a fallen tree and reached for my cloak. Swiftly, he untied the cord holding it closed and took the fabric into his fingers before he swung it off of my shoulders and laid it on the thick log beside him. When he reached for the ties that held my blouse together, I slapped his hands away.

  “In Valgertha, omegas are stripped bare before they are punished. It’s a thorough reminder of their place before their alphas,” he explained, and I hissed in return. I didn’t care for his explanations. I just wished he would do whatever he wanted to do and get it over with.

  “Put your hands to your sides. Be a good girl,” he murmured softly, and I bit my lip at the unexpected gentleness in his tone. Exceedingly slowly, he untied my blouse and bared the soft bra that was hidden underneath. Then he knelt down and meticulously untied and removed each of the leather boots that protected my feet before he removed my socks. After that, he unbuttoned my pants and slid them down my hips.

  I stood before him in nothing but a matching pair of lavender panties and a bra. No man had ever stripped me like this before and it was starting to make me nervous. I watched as his eyes perused my almost naked body. He traced his thumb along the hemline of my panties and the way the pad of his finger scratched against my skin was mesmerizing. I found myself pressing my hips into his touch, even though I was fighting with every fiber of my being not to.

  “So very beautiful,” he said quietly, and it caught me off guard.

  “What?” I asked, quite positive that I had heard him incorrectly.

  “You are a magnificent thing of beauty, little omega. Never forget that,” he said, only much louder this time. I was unsure of how to take his compliment and I peered back at him with confusion. He reached around my back and unclasped my bra, slowly slipping the straps from my shoulders and laying it aside with the rest of my clothing. I crossed my arms in front of my chest in hopes to cover my breasts, but he silently took my wrists and placed my hands back at my sides.

  I trembled before him. He hadn’t laid a single hand on me in anger, yet the slow process of baring my body to his gaze was leaving me deeply anxious for what was to come.

  Was he going to fuck me? Did he intend to force his knot inside me even when my body wasn’t ready for it? The unknown of it all was quite nerve-racking and I didn’t know how to process it. Everything was coming together to make me an anxious mess, but that wasn’t the worst of it.

  In the baring of my breasts, I felt my nipples harden into tight little peaks. It wasn’t the gentle breeze that flitted through the trees.

  No.

  It was him. My body was reacting t
o him and him alone. I knew enough to recognize that traitorous reaction and it didn’t end there.

  He had yet to remove my panties, but I knew what he would find. My pussy was undeniably wet and when he took them off, I had zero doubt in my mind that the pale lavender would be much darker where my arousal had seeped through the fabric. There would be a wet spot left behind for him to discover. It was inevitable that he would see it.

  I shuddered with shame. I knew that I was programmed to react this way to an alpha, but it was still difficult all the same. I thought I knew how to handle an alpha, but he was different.

  I was lost in my thoughts when he carefully took my hand within his and guided me over his thighs. I stiffened once he’d already put me in place and tried to push myself back up, but this position put me at a distinct disadvantage. He’d put his wide palm against my lower back, holding me against his thighs even when I started to squirm and try to escape whatever was to come next. He traced his fingers over the curves of my bottom, and I shivered as gooseflesh emerged across my skin. His touch was tender for a while still, just exploring me as he saw fit and for a short time, I began to relax and enjoy myself at least a little bit.

  His fingertips caressed the skin at the hem of my lacy panties. Casually, he slipped those fingers under the fabric before he gripped them more tightly and began to pull them down. I squeaked in surprise and tried to reach back in order to bring them back up, but his arm blocked my attempt.

  “You have no right to do this,” I whispered anxiously.

  “I’m baring you completely, little omega. After I’ve examined all of this beautiful body, I’m going to begin your punishment,” he explained. His voice was firm, and I knew there would be little I could do to stop him from stripping me. I whined softly as he continued to pull down my panties, revealing my bottom cheeks and everything else I didn’t want him to see. When the cool air caressed the wet folds of my pussy, I felt myself blushing furiously even though he couldn’t see my face.

  He purred softly. My core clenched down hard and I squeezed my eyes shut when I felt a single droplet of wetness drip down my thigh.