Chapter Eighteen

Raven

I didn’t wear what an omega normally would to an event held at a nightclub. I wore clothes that would easily tear if I had to shift midway through the evening. I refused to be a victim. I was determined to get everyone out.

When I arrived, there were a handful of other omegas there, holding drinks and swaying to the music, but everything felt forced. Felt off.

“Welcome. Did you RSVP?” An alpha put his hand on my shoulder. It was all I could do not to flinch.

“I did.” I pulled up the app on my phone, flipped the screen to show them, and they nodded and led me to a check-in table.

“Excellent. We need to take your phone. I’m sure you understand.”

I very much did not understand, but I handed it over anyway. They slipped it into a bag, claiming it was to ensure privacy, and tossed it into a large box.

If I wasn’t here on a mission, I’d have thought it a warning I should leave— or at least try to. Phone or not, my tracker sat just above my hipbone, beneath my skin.

“You have an alpha?” He looked at my shoulder. I should’ve gone all turtleneck for this.

“Did. He died.” I conveniently neglected to mention Sutton.

“And you support yourself now?” He was fishing. Of course he was.

“If you can call scraping by supporting myself. Some days I think I should find a pack, but mine doesn’t want me back.” I leaned in and faux whispered, “I mated the wrong species.”

That got me a nod of understanding, and our conversation ended as a few people came in behind me, young and filled with giggles. They had no idea what was about to happen.

I didn’t either. But at least I knew the end game and was prepared.

“Drinks are around the corner.” An alpha I hadn’t met ye, pointed.

“Thanks.” I wove my way through the few omegas, having no intention of drinking anything.

Pretty quickly, I noticed the omegas wore the same necklace. If this were a regular nightclub, I’d have thought it was a trend. But it wasn’t a regular nightclub.

And these omegas looked broken, fake smiles plastered on their face, but also fear just below the surface.

“Hi, I’m Rave,” I said to a group of omegas, forcing a smile.

They nodded.

“I like your necklace.”

They looked to each other before one said in a very low voice, “Thanks. It was a present.”

“Cool. Can I see it?” Maybe I could figure out what was off about them.

The omega shook their head. “No. It stays on all the time.” They paled and rushed to add, “I mean, I don’t like taking it off.”

“It stays on,” another put in.

“Well, it looks great on you. I’m going to grab a drink. Want one?” All of their hands were empty but each declined.

I went to the bar, grabbed a drink, and pretended to sip. It smelled not quite right. The contents would stay in the glass, as I’d already planned, but at least I had a prop as I wandered through the crowd again.

The music was loud like at any club, but the energy in the room wasn’t right.

I found a couple of omegas without necklaces. Like me, they were hoping to find their match. And, unlike the other omegas, they seemed happy to be there.

“There are hardly any alphas,” one whined. “I could be at Stan’s for dart night. They might not have forever alphas there, but I’d at least know I’d come before the night was over.”

Dating was weird.

“They said the alphas come later,” an omega with red hair explained. “They follow the human model—give the omegas free entrance, free drinks, and appetizers, then the alphas show up.”

“What else did they tell you? Because they’ve given me no information.” I didn’t want to sound like I was prodding, but also, I needed to prod.

“Not much.”

“I tried to leave because it was boring, but they gave me this.” A brunet held up a gift bag. “They said, ‘Stick around. It’ll get better.’”

“Can I see? I didn’t get mine yet.” Assuming it was meant to be a favor.

Inside the bag was a necklace like the others wore, but thinner, with a slip-on clasp.

“Did you get one too?” I asked the others.

Only a couple had.

The music grew louder, and the omegas wearing their necklaces shifted uneasily as the ones I was with danced. Something wasn’t right.

A hand landed on my shoulder.

“Omega, you’re not enjoying your drink. Anything wrong?”

“Well, you know… empty calories,” I said, probably sounding like a human. For some reason, it worked.

“Got you. Skinny margarita time. Come with me.”

He grabbed my wrist and towed me to the bar where he handed me a drink. “This is not optional. Omega, drink.”

Had I been there for a fun night out, I’d have shifted and severed his Achilles tendon before he knew what happened. But I wasn’t, and it was drink or be kicked out. I downed it, forcing a smile. “Delicious.” It was gross, but I think that was the nature of the beverage and not what was in it.

“Good omega,” he said. “I have a present for you.”

It was a necklace like the others wore, not the ones in the gift bags.

I thanked him, but I shouldn’t have. He put it around my neck and instantly felt wrong. Brain fog set in.

“You’ll be thanking me later, omega.” He sneered. “You’ve already got what they need.”

His lips brushed my ear, and I nearly vomited.

“You’re going to fetch a good price.”

I tried to pull away, but my knees went wobbly. I tried to call forth my jackal, but he was gone.

“Don’t try,” the man said. “Between the drink and the necklace, you’re ours now. Come quietly or die.”

I wanted to fight, but I couldn’t. Instead, I did the only thing I could—I tapped where the chip was four times, just as Tyrus told me to do.

I wasn’t sure it would work. Just moving felt impossible.

But something had to give.

I was barely through the doorway and into the back of the room when everything went black.