Chosen

I hope you all enjoy this slightly longer chapter! There is more narrative in this installment. If you're just here for the sex, skip to page 2.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on the previous chapters, and thank you to SJM for coining the term "alphahole."

"How much farther?"

"Not much. Just half a mile down this way."

I woke to the sound of disembodied voices. It took a moment for me to remember what had happened. The car crash. The gunshots. The hands that dragged me from the car. Suddenly, the General's words from our first night came back to me:

I am a high-ranking military officer. Many might wish to take what I possess.

Kidnapped. I had been kidnapped.

But I wasn't tied up. My hands and feet were both free. Still, I remained motionless, not wanting to signal to anyone that I was awake. I let my eyes adjust, as I took in my surroundings. I was in the trunk of another SUV-type car.

There was a sudden shift, and my body rolled until it hit the side of the car with a dull

thud

.

"I told you we should have tied her up," the disembodied voices continued. The scent in the car told me they were Betas.

"She'll be out for another hour at least," the other Beta responded. "Besides, she's an Omega -- what's she gonna do?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course they assumed an Omega would be helpless. I guess I

had

been helpless back in the other car, when they kidnapped me. But now I knew what was going on and could plan my next move.

Not that I had long to plan. The car was slowing down. I didn't want to know what was waiting for me on the other side. This was my chance.

Lightning fast, I opened the trunk using the inside handle and jumped out from the still-moving car. In the moment of free fall, I briefly questioned whether this was the right decision. But then I landed in the gravel road, rolling for several feet before coming to a stop.

Motherfucker, that hurt

. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. I could tell from the shouts that the Betas were already after me.

I scrambled to my feet and took off. Gravel and leaves crunched under my feet as I sprinted with everything I had. The area was wooded, with thick, densely-packed trees that blocked out most of the sunlight. I veered from the gravel into the woods. Maybe I could lose them in the trees?

I glanced back. They were gaining on me. Ignoring the burn in my lungs, I urged my feet to go faster and faster and --

Thunk.

I collided into something hard and solid. At first I thought it was a tree. But I realized, as hands seized my arms and the scent reached my nostrils, that it wasn't a tree. It was an Alpha.

"Not so fast," the Alpha said. Before I knew what was happening, my world turned upside down. The Alpha had tossed me over his shoulder as if I was bag of flour. He began to walk towards the Betas.

"Put me down!" I demanded. There was little I could do. With one hand, the Alpha kept a solid hold around my waist. The other hand pinned my bare legs to his chest, so that I couldn't kick him. Still, I pounded my fists into his ridiculously broad back.

"Stop it," the Alpha commanded. "You're embarrassing yourself."

"Yes, because it's my fault that Omegas aren't taught self-defense!"

"In Gaiela they are," he muttered under his breath. I ignored his lies and continued pummeling my fists into his back. My fists probably felt like mosquito bites to his hulking form, but it was the only discourse I had.

"Put me the fuck down, or I swear to God --"

"Language," the Alpha growled. I gasped as I felt a sudden, sharp smack on my ass. That motherfucker had

spanked

me.

I couldn't see anything other than the Alpha's admittedly toned backside. Still, we must have reached the Betas because the Alpha stopped.

"You didn't tie her up?" the Alpha asked disdainfully.

"She's an Omega, we thought --" The Alpha produced a low rumble that cut off the Beta's words. "Sorry, Logan. It won't happen again."

Without a response, Logan continued walking. He climbed a few steps, and I heard the sound of a door opening. The light grew dim as we entered a building.

I strained my neck to look around. It was a single-room log cabin. The decor was rustic and perhaps a little outdated, but otherwise looked fairly clean. I wondered what they used it for when they weren't kidnapping Omegas.

I continued my ineffectual pummeling of my kidnapper's back. Logan, ignoring my punches, marched farther inside the cabin until he opened another door. My world went lopsided again. Suddenly, I was standing. Then, freezing rain fell from the ceiling. The bastard had shoved me into the shower and turned on the frigid water.

The water had the intended effect. In my shock, I stopped hitting him. He captured both of my wrists in one hand and pinned them to the wall above my head. I immediately felt exposed and vulnerable, but I ignored my instincts to submit.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I shouted, still struggling. This time, he ignored my language.

"Calm. Down," he commanded. My hands may have been pinned, but now my feet were free. I stamped down hard, aiming for his foot, but he was too quick for me. Dodging my foot, he pressed his tree-trunk thighs against mine, trapping them against the shower wall. I persisted in my struggles for a few more moments, until I felt something growing against his thigh. Apparently, I had accomplished the opposite of what I intended. I froze.

"Good," Logan said. He ignored the way his hard length pressed against my thigh. "Now I'm going to release you, and you're not going to hit me. Are we clear?" I mumbled my assent. Apparently that was enough, as he released my hands. He turned off the shower. Both of us were drenched now. My dress clung to my body, and my nipples had pebbled beneath the cold water. His gaze dropped briefly before coming back up. I resisted the urge to squirm beneath his gaze. Logan straightened to his full height -- two heads above me -- and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What were you thinking?" he asked sardonically. His posture exuded the typical Alpha arrogance. "That you could outrun two trained Betas?"

"What did you expect?" I hissed. "For me to comply with my kidnappers?"

"You could thank me, you know." He leaned casually against the bathroom wall. "For this reprieve from the General."

I gave him a suspicious glance. "What do you know about the General?"

"Only what I know about the rest of the Alphas in your country."

"As if you're so different," I retorted. "I've just traded one alphahole for another."

A bemused smile replaced his smug expression. "Unfortunately, you're stuck with this alphahole for the next week, maybe two. We're going to stay here. You're going to cooperate with all of our demands and, in return, you'll be reunited with the General unharmed."

"What kind of

demands

?" I hissed. I knew what kind of

demands

Alphas typically made of Omegas. I'd already been fucked against my will by one Alpha, and I'd be damned if I let it happen again.

"Mostly that you stay in the cabin and avoid hitting me," he responded. "Until the General agrees to make the exchange."

"This is about that rebel leader," I said, realization dawning on me. I remembered the conversation with Daphne and Isla at the Omega gathering. "The one who was captured. You're going to exchange me with him?"

"We consider ourselves liberators, not rebels. But, yes, that's the plan," Logan responded. "I wanted to capture a high-ranking official, rather than the General's plaything." My eyes narrowed. "But you were easier to get to."

"How did you get me off base?"

Logan scoffed. "As if I'd give you that kind of information. Remember, we're returning you to the General eventually."

Before I could respond, he twisted the shower knob, and freezing rain spouted again from the shower head above my head. I remembered then that the General hadn't allowed me to bathe after our last...fucking. My cheeks heated despite the cold water. Logan could no doubt scent the leftover mix of cum and slick.

"Take a shower," Logan commanded. "There are clothes waiting for you on the shelf when you're done." Then, he left.

---

In some ways, being a rebel prisoner wasn't all that different from being the General's mate. My prison was a little more rustic this time, but at least I didn't have to deal with the General fucking me several times a day.

Instead, books were my constant companion. The cabin had a surprising number of books, and I spent my days devouring the words. Most of the books were written in the common tongue, thank goodness, but featured Gaielan stories and characters. The Alpha characters were just as insufferable as real life, but the Omega characters weren't relegated to breeding and child-rearing and party-planning. They were allowed to have jobs and apartments and thoughts and opinions of their own. It reminded me of the way that Moira used to talk, of the world that she dreamed.

Logan was my other constant companion. He spent most of his time on his cell phone, speaking rapid-fire Gaielan. I assumed he was discussing rebel plans and military tactics. Every other day, he would leave me alone in the cabin to pick up supplies. He left the door unlocked. I could escape, but where would I go? I assumed we were near the Gaielan border, but I had no real idea of our location. Would I be able to reach help before dark? How would Gaielans treat an enemy Omega?

At night, I slept on the twin bed, and Logan took up residence on the couch. To my relief, he was true to his word: The Alpha didn't touch me.

On the third day, I woke up to a tugging on my toe. "Wake up." I opened my eyes to Logan standing over me, jiggling my single exposed foot with his hand.

"What?" I asked groggily. "What time is it?"

"It's time for your self-defense lessons."

This caught my attention. I sat up. "My what?"

"I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself. We don't have much time, but at least you'll know a little bit more than when you came here."

"Wh -- wh -- why would you do that?" I stuttered in shock.

"Get dressed. I'll tell you outside."

Normally I would have resisted Alpha commands, but I was intrigued. I followed him outside. The leaves crunched beneath our feet as he led us to a clearing in the woods. The air was brisk with the changing of the seasons. The first snow would be soon. I wondered if I'd still be here to see it.

I stood across from him warily. Was this a trick? What did he have planned? My imprisonment had been astonishingly comfortable before now, and an Alpha teaching an Omega self-defense -- it was hard to believe. Was the other shoe about to drop?

I crossed my arms defensively over my chest. "Why are you doing this?"

"You know that in Gaiela, all the dynamics are mixed?" he asked. I nodded. "That means we don't sequester the Omegas. We don't force them to take heat suppressants. In the days before and during heat, Omegas isolate themselves. The rest of the time, they go to school with Alphas and Betas, and work with Alphas and Betas."

The idea was so far from what I knew that it sounded impossible. Like a dream that Moira would describe. Logan continued. "For the most part, it works well. There are strict social rules that keep Alphas in line, that keep them from acting like...alphaholes." He smiled, recalling my use of the word. "But, the system isn't perfect. Sometimes Alphas, or even Betas, get out of line. So, all Omegas are taught basic self-defense. To protect themselves should the situation arise."

"Aren't you worried I'll use whatever you teach me against you?" I asked suspiciously.

"You're welcome to try," he chuckled. "But I doubt that our training will get that far."

I must have still looked suspicious, but it didn't deter him. "Let's start with what you did wrong on the first day. When you

tried

throwing punches." I shot him a nasty look for the emphasis on

tried.

"You're never going to out-punch an Alpha. You're weaker, your fists are smaller, and you risk breaking your hand. It's better to use your elbows and knees. Those bones are stronger than the bones in your hand and can do a lot more damage. Imagine, for instance, an Alpha coming up behind you. It's much easier to elbow him in the gut than to try to turn around and punch him. Make sense?"

I nodded.

"But, what if he pins your elbows to your side?" Logan continued. "You can use his weight against him. Here, let me show you." He gestured me over. I approached, hesitantly. I still couldn't believe that he was actually teaching me self-defense. For most people, the idea that Omegas could protect themselves was absolutely ludicrous. That's what Alphas were for.

From behind, he wrapped his arms around me, pinning my elbows to the side. His chest pressed against my back. "Do you see what I mean?" His voice was a caress against my neck. He hadn't touched me since that first day. This time I noticed the rough callouses on his hands. The way his massive hands wrapped completely around my arms. Unbidden, I felt a tingling down my spine. Logan, either unaware or unaffected, continued with the lesson.

"Now, drop your weight down quickly, shift your hips to the side, and kick one leg out towards the attacker." I did as he said. Logan released me, and I felt the loss of his hands. "Great job," he said. "That will send your attacker to the ground, or at least get them to release you. Then you can send an elbow to their groin."

A wicked smile formed across my face as I thought about using this tactic against the General.

"Show me more."

---

Our daily defense lessons continued. I learned how to stop an outside strike, how to escape a two-handed choke-hold from behind. I relished it. Not only was it the first time an Alpha had given me some goddamn agency -- even if the Alpha in question was, in fact, my kidnapper -- but I also enjoyed the physical exercise. The chance to sweat, to release some frustration. I tried not to think about how it would end, once he returned me to the General.

On the sixth day, I woke up to Logan jostling my shoulder. This was our new daily ritual: He woke me up, we trained for several hours, then ate breakfast.

Not today though. Groaning, I pulled the blanket over my face. It was hot under the blanket, but better than facing the light. The light pouring through the window seemed too harsh, too bright. There was a dull but steady pain in my head.

"Come on, Alessia. Time to train."

"Not today," I muttered, rolling to face away from him.

"You're going to miss a day of training?" Logan asked in disbelief. He knew how much I had been enjoying our sessions.

"I feel...off," I responded. "Like I'm getting sick. I think I just need to sleep."

"You should at least eat breakfast."

My stomach roiled at the thought of food. I shook my head. "I just want to stay in bed."

"Have it your way," he shrugged. "I'm going on a supply run. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Ignoring him, I tugged the covers back over my head and fell back to sleep.

---

I'm on fire.

I woke up several hours later. My skin, glistening with sweat, burned as if ablaze.

Hot. So hot.

With effort, I turned my head, glancing at the fireplace. The remaining wood smoldered gently. There was no great inferno to explain this heat.

Sick

, I thought.

I must be sick.

My entire body

throbbed.

What had been a slight headache had transformed into a pounding drumbeat against my skull. Every nerve felt exposed. The blanket, formerly soft and comforting, now scratched at my inflamed skin. I threw it off me, to the foot of the bed. But that wasn't right. Taking the blanket, I arranged it instead around the head of the bed.

The hellfire in my skin was soon joined by a tight, heavy feeling in my stomach.

Nausea.

I barely resisted the urge to vomit, wrapping my arms tightly around my core. It wasn't enough. I needed more arms, or another, bigger set of arms, to soothe the aches inside me.

I stared only half-aware out the window across from the bed. After several minutes, I realized it was snowing.

I should open the window.

That would break this fever, extinguish the inferno inside me. But I couldn't -- wouldn't -- move from my fetal position on the bed.

If I am going to die,

my half-addled brain reasoned,

then I want to die right here on this bed.

At that moment, dying seemed preferable to enduring this hell.

I remained huddled on the bed, a mindless, shivering ball of exposed nerves, until the door opened. With all my remaining strength, I pushed myself to a seated position.

"Logan. I think I'm -- " His expression halted my words. His eyes grew wide, and he took a deep inhale through his nose. That's when I realized. I wasn't sick.

"Oh god," he whispered. "You're in -- "

"Heat," I whispered back with horror.

He stomped over to the bed, seized me by the tops of my arms, and lifted me to my feet. Even standing on the bed, I was still only at eye level with him. The pressure of his hands offered a hint of relief. The throbbing lessened, and my nerves felt a little less exposed. At the same time, the tight, heavy feeling in my stomach intensified. This time I knew what it was.

The need to breed.

Turning me so that I faced away from him, Logan pressed his face into the back of my hair. "Fuck," he whispered, as if in awe. "I never..." A second realization hit me then. Gaielan Omegas isolate themselves during this time. He had never scented an Omega in heat.

And I had never scented an Alpha while

in heat.

God, it was --

intoxicating

. The heady rush. The electricity rippling across my skin. I turned around to face Logan, pressing my nose into his chest. My pussy clenched in response. Slick dripped down my thighs and perfumed the air.

Suddenly, he released me, and I collapsed back onto the bed. Logan took a seat in the chair across from the bed. The long, hard outline of his cock tented his form-fitting pants. My mouth began to water.

Stop it.

I heard Moira's voice inside my head. The voice grew stronger.

STOP it. You don't want him. It's just the heat. You're more than your Omega instincts.

It was true. I didn't want to give myself over to this heat-induced lust. But at the same time, I couldn't stand this hellish heat, the pounding pain behind my skin. My instincts told me I needed an Alpha -- needed Logan -- to soothe the burning ache inside me.

I rolled back into the fetal position, facing away from him. My mind and my body warred with their two conflicting demands.

"I should've known you were near heat," Logan said. I barely heard him. "This morning, when you refused to eat, when you refused to train. Now your eyes -- "

Omega pupils dilated during heat. I vaguely remembered that from Omega school. But at that moment, cold, academic facts were far from my mind. I could only focus on the potent Alpha scent that already permeated the room.

After a few moments, I turned back to face him. "I can't..." I cried out, "I can't be here with you right now. Please -- " My cry turned into a whimper as a sharp stab of pain sliced through my abdomen. More slick released from thighs. I didn't know what I was begging for. Did I want him to leave, so that I could face my heat alone? Or did I want him to stay and rut me through it?

"The roads..." His voice was hoarse. "The roads are blocked because of the snow storm. I had to walk the last half mile here on foot." He began pacing next to the bed. "Fuck!" he shouted.

Logan sat back down and ran his fingers through his hair. "Here's what we're going to do." His voice shook with restraint. "You're going to stay on the bed. I'm going to sit over here." He dragged his chair across the room, as far away from me as possible. "With luck, the storm will wear itself out in a few hours. Then I can go outside and," he inhaled visibly, "escape your scent."