Page 50 of The Raven's Alpha

Eddy's warnings still linger in my mind, his words painting vivid pictures of the mistreatment omegas suffer at the hands of those who wield power. Now, as I gaze upon this omega's ravaged body, my eyes sting with tears at the stark evidence of her brutalization. The cuts and bruises covering her skin seem to tell a tale of unrelenting cruelty, and the dried blood staining her dress is a grim reminder of the horrors she's endured.

Before I can process the surreal circumstances, a loud banging noise above startles us, prompting the omega to thrust a stale piece of bread into my mouth and scurry away from me, her small frame disappearing into the corner of the room as she seeks refuge from the impending danger. The darkness seems to swallow her whole,leaving only her tiny silhouette visible against the ominous shadows that coalesce around her like a living entity.

The door bursts open with a loud crash, and the sound of multiple footsteps thunder down the stairs, sending a jolt of terror through me as the air is filled with the acrid scent of anger and hostility.

Frozen in uncertainty, I squeeze my eyes shut, praying they'll mistake my stillness for sleep, hoping to conceal the omega hiding beside me from the approaching danger.

Before I can even process what's happening, a pair of hands snatch my hair, yanking me off the ground and leaving my feet dangling in mid-air. A pained scream rips from my throat as my hair becomes the only thing holding my weight, the agony making my eyes water.

The same man who delighted in my torment during my awakening now snarls at me, his hot breath washing over me as he demands, "What. Did. You. Do?" His eyes blaze with fury, and his voice is like a crack of thunder, shaking me to my very core.

The stench of his breath is so vile that I gag on the words as I stutter, "I-I don't know what you're talking about." The acrid tang of his mouth clings to my nose, making my stomach churn with revulsion.

“Then tell me why the hell we've just found your precious alpha and his thugs wreaking havoc in our building,” he spits in my face, his hot breath reeking of stale beer and anger, as a glob of saliva lands on my cheek like a slap.

My alpha? Eddy’s here?

I barely have time to scream for help, my mouth frozen in a silent scream as I'm slammed to the ground. My hip bones and ribs shattering against the unforgiving concrete, the pressure suffocating, as a brutal weight crushes me into the cold, hard floor.

"You really thought you'd escape this hellhole without a scratch? That you'd be spared the same brutal treatment as all the other omega bitches?" he sneers, his grip on the back of my neck like a vice as he slams my skull against the unforgiving floor, his hot breath reeking of hatred and superiority.

I scream out in agony, my words torn from my lips as I beg for mercy, yet still I'm forced to apologise for a crime I didn't commit. But the truth is, I'm not sorry – I'm angry. Angry that I was born an omega, forced to live in this abyss with no escape, just like all the others.

“You know what we do to omegas here, don’t you?” he spits down at me. “Don’t worry, after a while, you’ll come to enjoy it. you’ll be begging me to sink my knot inside you.”

My blood runs cold at his disgusting words and as soon as I feel something brush against my naked ass, I scream out for my mate. An omega-cry of distress causes all the men in the room to falter, but not enough to stop unwanted fingers from prodding around my entrance.

Before anything can penetrate, the door crashes open with a deafening screech, and the room is suddenly flooded with chaos. I feel the rush of cold air on my skin as people surge towards us, their voices a cacophony of panic and confusion. Someone tightly grabs hold of my ankle and then I’m dragged across the floor. As I struggle to free myself, I catch glimpses of worried faces around us - my fated mate's eyes locked on mine and I know that everything is going to be ok.

Eddy. My Eddy.

The anguished cry of an omega makes my heart slam in my chest, and I'm drawn away from my mate by the raw anguish in their voice. As I turn towards the source of the sound, Eddy's massive form emerges before me, his grizzly bear form looming over me like a dark shadow. He reaches out with a swipe of his massive paw, snappingthe bonds that bind me, and nudges me gently but firmly towards the crying omega. I feel a surge of protectiveness towards my mate as I take in the sight of Eddy's face - his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity as he gazes at me with a warning to stay back.

I crumple to the ground beside my omega friend, our bodies trembling with fear, we watch in horror as the battle rages on before us. Shifters of different species clash in a frenzy of claws and teeth, their cries and roars filling the air. Eddy's friends are few in number, but their massive strength allows them to hold off their captors with ease - a grizzly bear swipes at a group of armed men with a swipe of his massive paw, sending them flying. We cling to each other, our eyes fixed on the chaos as if mesmerised by the sheer brutality of it all.

I watch two massive grizzlies work together in perfect harmony, their growls and snarls filling the air as they take down their opponents with ease. The scent of damp earth and ozone hangs heavy over us, mingling with the acrid smell of adrenaline and sweat. My gaze is drawn to their leader, a towering bear and as I gaze into his snarling face, a thrill of recognition courses through me, followed by a rush of relief and gratitude. This is Eddy's father, come to rescue us from our captors.

I hold the omega woman tightly against me, her body shaking with fear and distress, I can feel her heart racing against mine. Her sobs are a soft mewling sound, like a wounded animal, and I wrap my arms around her more tightly, trying to comfort her. I hold her close, my voice low and soothing as I repeat words of reassurance, my lips brushing against her ear as I whisper "it's okay, it's okay, we're going to be okay". Her scent fills my nostrils, a sweet and floral aroma that mixes with the adrenaline-fueled scent of the battle raging on around us.

As I wait for the fighting to subside, I'm overwhelmed by the disharmony of sounds: grunts and snarls, crashes and screams, the sickening crunch of bones breaking. The air is heavy with thecoppery tang of blood, mingling with the acrid stench of death and decay. I grit my teeth and force myself to focus on the chaos around me, willing the violence to cease. My eyes burn from the smoke and sweat, and my skin crawls with every touch of rough fur or rough stone. I'm trapped in a maelstrom of chaos, with no end in sight.

Chapter Twenty-one

Eddy Elwood