Page 10 of The Comfort of Pain (The Black Market Omega #1)

Beth

Safe. Soft. Warm.

The sound of water tapping hits my ears first, followed by quiet whispers.

There’s something on my feet. Socks? And the bed is hard, digging into my hip. My body is sore, but it’s nothing compared to the pain radiating in my skull. My cheek is pressed against something firm, making the dull pain throb. I vaguely remember Burke hitting me, but my memory is still hazy. I know we fought and I remember being in the woods, but everything after that is a jumble. Was I in a cage?

No. That must have been a dream.

Inhaling deeply, I try to remember what happened. A deep scent fills my lungs. It’s charred wood, like a bonfire, but there’s a subtle sweetness in there too. Musk? Whatever it is, it smells heavenly. Deep and masculine, making my nipples pull tight.

Shit .

And just like that, every horrible second of the last two days slams into me, and my body tenses.

I ran away from home. Was kidnapped. Sold. And bought.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“K,” a deep voice vibrates beneath my cheek. Am I laying on one of the alphas? “She’s awake.”

There’s movement not far from me, and my body instantly reacts. My eyes snap open as I push away from the massive alpha beneath me. I scramble backward, not stopping until my back hits something hard.

Rock.

“It’s okay, omega.” The blond alpha from yesterday walks toward me, his hands up as if trying to push away my panic. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

I snarl, then drill all my senses inward. I assess my body, trying to figure out what they did to me last night. But I don’t feel any different. While my bones hurt from the abuse Burke and Stone inflicted on me, nothing else seems different or wrong. I would expect between my legs to hurt if three alphas violated me while I was unconscious, but I feel… fine .

That can’t be right.

“You must be hungry.” Basil, the green-eyed alpha, turns his back to me, and walks off.

My eyes dart around the space, noticing the opening behind Killian. I’ll never get past him. He’d snatch me up without having to try.

“I’m sorry we can’t feed you a hot breakfast.” Basil kneels next to Tristan. The big alpha sits up, watching me with narrowed, curious eyes. “But it’s something.” Basil pushes a small plate toward me. There are a few pieces of what looks like beef jerky and half an orange. I’m so hungry, it looks like a feast.

I can’t remember the last time I ate.

Dinner. Two nights ago? I think.

“Let me get you a napkin.” Basil turns and I launch myself at the plate.

Snatching it up, I push myself back against the wall, shoving as much of the jerky into my mouth as I can. The meat is tough but bursting with a smokey, salty flavor. My mouth waters as I chew, wolfing down one whole piece, before grabbing the other.

“Get her some more,” Tristan says, his eyes glued to my face, and Basil quickly stands.

I watch the green-eyed alpha carefully as he moves around Killian to the other side of the cave. He rummages through a big backpack, taking out a clear bag filled with strips of meat. I stare at the shiny plastic, trying to read its colorful writing, but it’s too dark in here. Whatever the bag says, I assume they bought it at a shop. Linden once brought me a bag of sweets in a plastic bag with pink hearts on it. I had to hide it out of fear that one of my fathers would find it and grow suspicious of why Linden got it for me. My family never buys food…or really anything.

If we can’t grow it, kill it, or make it, we don’t have it.

“Here you go.” Basil holds out another fat piece of jerky.

I eye his long fingers, not sure if I can trust him not to snatch my wrist if I try to reach for it. But I guess it doesn’t really matter. If they want to attack me, there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

Reaching out one hand, I inch closer, finally gripping the other end of the jerky. A smile creeps across Basil’s face, making him look so young. Maybe even innocent. I stare into his pale eyes, trying to figure out what he’s scheming, but all I see is a deep sympathy, laced with a tired sadness. Just like yesterday.

Fuck them. I don’t need their pity. I just need to go home.

“Do you want some water?” Basil asks, releasing the strip of meat.

“I’ll get it.” Tristan stands, and the top of his head smacks against the ceiling. He curses loudly, rubbing his scalp. “Motherfucker,” he snarls at the rock above him, acting as if it attacked him.

It takes everything in me not to smile.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Killian asks as he moves a little closer. I take a big bite of the jerky, trying to eat as fast as I can. The last thing I need is for these alphas to get pissed and take my food away. “It’s okay.” He angles his head down, looking up at my face. “What’s your name?” His voice is soft and inviting. Not sharp, loud, or mean. He must be up to something.

“Are we sure she can talk?” Tristan turns with a bottle of water in his hand. He twists the lid off, then sets it down a few feet from me. I appreciate that he keeps his distance, not forcing me to take it from him.

“She spoke yesterday,” Killian says. “It was only a few words, but she did talk.”

“I know Angelica said she’s verbal, but maybe she only knows a few words?” Basil gives an unsure shrug.

Killian’s dark eyes drift over my face, and his jaw juts forward, thinking. “Perhaps.”

“Just give the girl a new name,” Tristan’s voice is loud. Maybe even annoyed. I’m really not sure. He’s so hard to read. “She’ll eventually figure out what her name is.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Basil says, then he turns to me and smiles. “What do you think, omega? What should we call you?” He pauses as if waiting for me to tell him. “How about Fanny?”

“Fanny?” I blurt out, unable to stop myself. “My name is Beth. Please don’t call me Fanny.” All three alphas go still when I speak. Killian and Basil’s eyes go wide, but Tristan smirks before turning to look at Basil.

“Fanny,” the big alpha snorts, smacking Basil’s arm. “That’s fucking priceless.”

Basil shoots him a quick scowl, before grumbling, “What’s wrong with Fanny?”

Tristan chuckles deep in his chest, and Killian smiles, the shock finally wearing off.

“It’s nice to meet you, Beth.” The blond alpha gives a little bow of his head. “I’m Killian.” He presses his hand to his chest. “I’m the leader of this pack.”

I stay tense, not buying his overly polite act as he introduces the rest of the alphas.

“This is Basil,” he says, and the green-eyed alpha smiles sweetly at me. “And Tristan.” The mountain of a man just nods once. His body is as tense as mine, but his eyes remain soft and curious. I might trust him the least. There’s too much of a disconnect between the way his body moves and the emotion in his eyes. It’s off-putting.

“I want to go home,” I say forcefully.

Basil goes stiff, and I swear some of the color drains from his face. “Fuck,” he says under his breath. “You were kidnapped. Weren’t you?”

I swallow thickly before nodding.

“Goddamnit,” Basil yells at Killian. “I told you. I knew the Morder couldn’t possibly have ethically collected that many omegas.”

“Did you think we volunteered to be caged and sold?” I snap.

The anger in Basil’s eyes immediately fades as shame takes hold. “Of course not,” he says much softer this time. “But we were told the omegas they carried were abandoned or surrendered by families that couldn’t protect them.”

I really want to mock him for thinking something so stupid, but he already looks so gutted.

“Where is home?” Killian asks, catching me off guard. Is he considering returning me to my family?

“I live here. In the woods.” I rub my hands over the tops of my thighs. My legs are cold and my palms are sweaty.

“Where in the woods?” Killian’s voice is surprisingly patient, despite my vague answer.

Dropping my gaze, I try to remember any landmarks. “Near the river.” I snap my head up, looking at Killian. “The winding stream that curls south along the river.”

“Which river?”

Frustration takes hold, and I shake my head. “I don’t know.” My voice pitches higher as desperate emotion grips me. “We live on a mountainside. There’s an old oak tree that got split in two during a thunderstorm last fall. My pack alpha’s name is Burke.” I babble, praying any of this is familiar to one of them, but I know it’s not likely.

My family is very private. Secluded. During the day, my mother and I don’t venture past the garden—except for when I sneak out with Linden. But even then, I didn’t go past the river’s edge. And my alphas only visit with packs they’ve known for years. Packs that mostly wander, very few of them settling down.

“I’m so sorry, Beth.” Sympathy pulls at Killian’s features, making the corners of his mouth turn down. “I would take you home so I could ask for your hand properly, but?—”

“My other fathers are Tony and Scott.” My voice rises as panic sets in. “My mother is Deanna. I have five brothers. The oldest, Darrion, just turned fifteen.”

“Omega.” Killian gives me a sad smile. “I don’t know your kin.”

I want to scream and cry, and demand that they figure it out and take me home. It’s crazy, but I desperately want to go home. While I’m well aware of the monster waiting for me back home, I’m more scared of what these alphas want from me. After all, Burke only hits me when I provoke him. Maybe once I find my way back, I can convince him that I’ll be better. More obedient.

I’ll make him want to keep me.

“Please eat,” Basil says, eyeing the orange still sitting on the plate. But I’m no longer hungry. The jerky sits heavy in my belly, making me wish I had eaten slower. “I think after we get to our house, and get you clean and fed, you’ll feel better.”

I definitely won’t feel better.

“Is it just you three?” I ask, remembering them talking about someone named Jason or Jerad. Something like that.

“We have a beta at home.” A slow-spreading smile brightens Basil’s face. “His name is Jeremy, and he’s very excited to meet you.” There’s a soft wonder in his voice, almost as if everything happening is a dream come true for him. But it’s a horrific nightmare for me.

I keep my expression blank, making it clear that I don’t really care. “Where are you taking me?” I ask, my tone firm. Almost cutting.

“Home.” Killian stands, and I force myself to take another big bite of the jerky.

I need to fill my belly as much as I can. If I get a chance to escape, it might be a while before I can find food. While I’m very good at finding berries and bird nests, it’s early fall, which means there won’t be much of either. I wish I was a better hunter.

“Get dressed.” Killian tosses a pair of gray sweatpants toward me. They land next to the bottle of water.

I wedge the last piece of jerky into my mouth. It’s almost too big, making my cheeks push out on both sides. The corner of Tristan’s mouth twitches and he ducks his head, hiding what I assume is a smile.

“We need to leave soon if we want to make it there by dinnertime.” Killian rummages through one of the bags.

The other two alphas get up, quickly gathering their things. I lean forward and grab the sweatpants and water. I take a long drink, gulping down as much as I can. Then I get dressed.

Pulling on the pants, I notice the thick wool socks on my feet. They look homemade. The seam along the toes is a little uneven and the blue material changes halfway up the right foot, going from a deep navy blue to a softer, sky blue. Where did they come from?

“Let’s go, sweetheart.”

A strong arm wraps around my middle, and I’m lifted. Killian manhandles me so he has one arm under my ass and the other at my back. My legs dangle on either side of his hips, pressing my core against his firm belly.

Rage and fear burst inside my chest, and I lash out. “Hey!’ I slam my fist against his chest. He doesn’t even blink. “Put me down,” I demand.

“Trust me, Beth,” he says as he moves to the mouth of the cave. “It’s a long walk.” He ducks, holding me tight to his warm body. “You’ll want to be carried.”

I open my mouth to argue, but a crash of thunder erupts outside the cave, making me flinch. Gripping Killian’s shoulder, I turn and look out over the dreary forest. The sky is a dark gray and the leaves hang low, weighed down by the pounding downpour.

Tristan steps up next to Killian. He inhales deeply, savoring the smell of wet earth. “I fucking love the rain.” He puffs out his chest, hitching his belt up a little higher, but all I can see is the knife secured to his hip. “It’s good for the soul.” Then he pushes his hand into his backpack. He pulls out some kind of weird, yellow fabric. It’s stiff and makes a crunchy noise when he unfolds it. It sounds like it’s coated in some kind of plastic.

“I’ve got it.” Basil takes the weird fabric from Tristan. He drapes it over me, tucking it around my shoulders and waist. He touches my back, clearly wanting me to lean against Killian’s chest, but I refuse. I stay upright, keeping as much space between the two of us as I comfortably can.

“You’re a determined little thing. Aren’t you?” Killian’s dark blue eyes flash with excitement.

“I don’t need to be carried,” I grumble, knowing full well he won’t put me down.

“Your feet should stay dry.” Basil moves around Killian so I can see his face. “Hopefully, it won’t rain the whole way.” He smiles before carefully covering my head. The way he’s looking at me makes me uncomfortable. His friendly smile and twinkling eyes are just a sign of well-hidden violence.

Burke was the same way. Around common friends, he always put on a show. He laughed with the kids, was affectionate with his mates, and made jokes about our home being filled with too many little ones. But once they left, the real monster always came out to play.

Brutal.

Hateful.

Vicious.

Killian steps forward and rain taps hard against the top of my head. The sound echoes loudly in my ears, I can barely hear anything else. But my hair doesn’t get wet. Neither does my back or legs. The weird fabric must be waterproof. I have a wool jacket I wear in the winter. It takes a while for water to seep through the thick fabric, but it couldn’t handle this kind of weather.

Lighting flashes, illuminating the dark trees for half a second, then thunder cracks once again. This time, it sounds like it hits right at my back, and the ground shakes. I let out a frightened yip, slamming my body against Killian’s.

He instantly wraps his arm around me, holding me tight. “It’s okay,” he whispers. “I’ve got you.”

Dammit .

I hate being this close to the alpha, but it’s cold, and he’s so warm. Determined to keep something between us, I tuck my arms against my chest, making sure he can’t feel how hard my nipples are. It’s not him. It’s the chill in the air. I have zero desire to be with any of these alphas.

Trying to settle my spiraling nerves, I inhale deeply, but it has the opposite effect. Killian’s intense scent of cherries and whiskey fills my nose, making my pulse quicken and my mouth water.

I do love cherries. Especially, soaked in rum. I’ve never had them with whiskey. My mother always said any burn of the alcohol ruins the sweetness, but Killian smells so good. It’s a sharp woodsy aroma, with subtle hints of sweetness.

But none of that matters.

Even with his wonderful scent, Killian is just another horrible alpha that I have to deal with.

All three of them are.

And the second I have the chance to get free, I’m taking it. Even if that means gutting every last one of them.