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Phoenix opened the door. "Out."

"Wait," Lars said. "Please. My pendant. It's the last thing I have of my family, and—"

"OUT!" Phoenix roared.

Lars stumbled into the hallway and the two Alphas followed him, Griffin carrying the tray of food he'd left on the desk. A passing soldier stomped to attention, saluting the two men before continuing on.

The passageway was a hastily dug tunnel with bare rock walls. Lightbulbs hung along the ceiling connected by waves of wires that criss-crossed over ventilation tubing that pumped oxygen into the passage. Puffs of dust and crumbles of dirt scattered down from the roof, shaken loose by the low vibration of a passing vehicle up on the ground level.

Where exactly was this place? It was strange to think that he was still in his own home country. The Empire had dug in deep, like a feeding tick. How many bases were already set up across the nation? What was the state of the royal city now?

Griffin placed his hand on Lars's shoulder and guided him down the hallway. They passed another door with a printed sign attached to it that read,COLONEL GREER. Two more soldiers stopped to quickly salute them, seeming absolutely terrified by their presence.

They passed a number of unmarked doors and finally stopped in front of one that Griffin opened, revealing a dark and dingy room lit by a single lamp. Without saying another word, Griffin slid the tray of food across the floor and shut the door, locking Lars inside, all alone.

Lars banged on the door until his hands and arms were raw and bruised. No one answered. He slammed his shoulder against it with a frantic desperation, until he no longer had the strength to continue. He slid to the ground and crawled to the canvas cot in the corner of the room, which was its only furniture. Too numb to cry, Lars curled up on the cot and stared at the wall as the hum continued inside of him.

Why was he feeling these things? Why did Phoenix's quarters feel so comfortable? How could it have taken up such deep roots in his heart? How could he miss a place like that so deeply? If anything, he should've despised it. It just made no sense.

And the two of them. His body ached for them. He longed to see them.

He felt ill.

Hours passed, except this time there was no sleep to soften the torturous drag of time. All he could do was repeat his name to himself in an effort to maintain who he was and not let these strange and unwanted yearnings completely erase everything.

He was Prince Lars Lyandri of Ekdol. The two Alphas may have left their imprint on him, changing him forever, but he was still Prince Lars Lyandri and he would never forget that or his family.

What frightened and disturbed him the most was how the memories Griffin and Phoenix manifested in his mind. Thinking back to when they took him, he could hardly remember the fear or the disgust, almost as if there hadn't been any at all. He only recalled the incredible feeling of their bodies against his, their warmth, the smell of their flesh and their sex. The way they felt inside of him.How he wanted more.

Whatever distaste did arise seemed to be quickly countered by the sweet memories of the bathing ritual. He should not have enjoyed that as much as he did. He shouldn't be savoring the memories, replaying them in his mind, reliving their gentle touch on his body, the smell of the floral soap they'd used.

Now the tears came, just a few that traced lines down the side of his nose and his cheek.

His stomach rumbled. His last meal felt like a lifetime ago—just a small package of dried rations that he'd eaten while hiding in the back of the truck.

The tray of food had gone cold, but he scooped the bland contents into his mouth anyway, nearly choking on it as he did.

Why would they make him their mate? They'd put in the effort to perform that ritual, and yet they'd abandoned him like this. What did they want from him?

Lars went cold.

Could there be others? Other Omegas imprisoned behind the other unmarked doors? Or was he the first of many?

He remembered what Griffin had said to him."You're now an asset of the Xyletian Empire."

He felt sick.This war was a fight over breeding resources.

The meal came back up and splattered onto the tray. He groaned and rolled over on the cot, crippled by an overwhelming feeling of despair.

Chapter 4

Lars wasdespondent when they returned to collect him. He lay motionless on the cot, feverish and cold. Phoenix stared down at him. Was there a hint of actual concern in his gaze? Or was he just worried about the condition of his property?

"Omega," he growled. "What's the matter?"

He sat on the edge of the cot and wrapped his arms around Lars's body, lifting him so that he lay against his chest. He placed his hand against Lars's forehead, which was clammy to the touch.

Phoenix's scent filled Lars's lungs, and some light returned to his eyes.