Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

PLAGUE

T he sun beats down mercilessly on the barren landscape, the heat shimmering off the cracked earth in dizzying waves. Sweat trickles down my spine as I shift uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the battered off-road vehicle Valek's friend was "kind" enough to hook us up with. Considering it's broken down three times already and still smells like burnt diesel, I'm pretty sure he was just trying to kill us by getting us stranded in the desert.

Beside me, Valek drives with a single-minded focus, his eyes hidden behind dark goggles and mouth set in a grim line. He hasn't said a word in hours. Not since we left the seedy underbelly of the black market behind .

But his silence does little to ease the tension crackling between us, the unspoken frustration and resentment that simmers just beneath the surface. We've been at each other's throats since the moment we set out on this godforsaken mission. Our tempers fray more and more with each passing mile.

And now, after a full day of traveling through the wasteland, I'm starting to wonder if it was all for nothing. If Geo, with his sly smiles and calculating eyes, was just leading us on a wild goose chase. Sending us to our deaths in the irradiated desert.

At least it isn't utterly filthy out here. Not enough lifeforms for filth. I'm going to need a bath in a vat of acid after today.

"We've been driving for hours," I say, my voice rough and grating in the oppressive silence. "Are you certain Geo's intel is good? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like he sent us on a one-way trip to nowhere."

Valek's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his temple. "Geo's intel is always good," he says, his words clipped and terse. "He may be a snake, but he knows better than to cross me."

I snort, shaking my head in disbelief. "Right. Because you're just so terrifying with your knives and psychotic grin. Newsflash, Valek. We're all killers here. Geo included."

Valek's head snaps toward me, his eyes flashing behind the dark lenses. "Watch your mouth, princess," he snarls, his voice low and dangerous. "Or I'll show you just how terrifying I can be."

I open my mouth to tell him where he can shove his threats when something catches my eye on the horizon. A glint of metal, but not ruins. A flash of something that doesn't quite belong in this desolate landscape.

"Wait," I say, leaning forward in my seat. "What's that?"

Could be a fucking mirage for all I know.

Valek follows my gaze, his brow furrowing as he squints into the distance. When his eyes find the same mark, one of those terrifying grins spreads slowly across his face.

"That, princess," he says, his voice dripping with satisfaction, "is Belvast."

I stare at the ramshackle collection of buildings that rise up from the barren earth, a haphazard jumble of shining metal and crumbling concrete. It looks more like a graveyard than a town, a monument to the decay and despair that plague the Outer Reaches .

But Valek seems unfazed by the grim sight, his eyes gleaming with a feral sort of anticipation. "Raven's hideout can't be far," he says, gunning the engine. "Keep your eyes peeled."

I bite back a retort, scanning the desolate landscape for any sign of life. But there's nothing, just an endless expanse of scorched earth dotted with occasional wreckage, the remnants of a world long since fallen to absolute ruin.

And then, just as I'm about to give up hope, I see it. A dilapidated house shell, its walls pockmarked with bullet holes and the roof caved in like a shattered skull. It's a far cry from the sleek, high-tech compounds I'm used to, but something about it sets my teeth on edge, a prickling sense of unease that crawls up my spine.

"There," I say, pointing to the ruined structure. "That has to be it."

Valek nods, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good eye," he says. "Let's go say hello."

I give him a grunt in response. He never gives compliments to anyone he isn't trying to fuck over. Best case scenario, he just wants me to feel like part of this godforsaken mission and not like his sidekick .

He pulls the vehicle to a stop, the engine sputtering and dying with a rattling cough. I climb out, my boots crunching on the rocky ground as I stretch my aching muscles, trying in vain to shake off the lingering stiffness from hours of sitting.

Oh, god. There's sand under my clothes. Sand and sweat.

I'd better not fucking die like this.

Valek is already moving, his steps swift and silent as he approaches the ruined house. I fall into step beside him, my hand drifting instinctively to the dagger at my belt.

We're barely ten feet from the door when it happens. A sharp crack splits the air, the unmistakable report of a shotgun blast. I drop to the ground on instinct, rolling to the side as a hail of buckshot rips through the space where I'd been standing.

Valek is already moving, his knives flashing in the harsh sunlight. He lunges toward the source of the shot with what appears to be unadulterated glee at the idea of bloodshed. But before he can close the distance, a lean figure steps out from behind the ruined wall, a shotgun leveled at Valek's chest.

"Well, well," the figure drawls, his voice muffled behind a black mask that covers the lower half of his face. "Look what the wasteland dragged in. A couple of lost little lambs ripe for the slaughter."

I push myself to my feet, my hand tightening on the hilt of my knife. But Valek holds up a hand, his eyes never leaving the masked man.

"Raven," he says, his voice calm and even. I remember Geo mentioning Valek should keep his accent muted, but I'm still not sure if that was a joke. "Geo sent us."

The man stiffens, his head cocking to the side as he regards us with a new intensity. "Geo?" he repeats, his voice laced with suspicion. "Why didn't you say so?"

He lowers the shotgun, reaching up to tug the mask down around his neck. My eyes widen behind my own mask in shock. This… isn't what I expected.

He's beautiful. Obnoxiously so, with chiseled features and piercing blue eyes. His hair is a tousled mop of golden curls, his skin bronzed by the unforgiving sun. Looks like a damn statue from an Old Town fountain came to life.

"Well, come on in, boys," he says, a lazy yet no less menacing grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let's talk business."

He turns and strides into the ruined house, leaving us to follow in his wake. I glance at Valek, my brow furrowing beneath my mask.

"Are you sure about this?" I murmur, keeping my voice low. "He doesn't exactly seem like the trustworthy type."

Valek snorts, a harsh, humorless sound. "No one out here is trustworthy, princess. But Raven's the best chance we've got at getting the intel we need."

He follows Raven into the house, his steps sure and confident. And after a moment's hesitation, I trail after him, my unease growing with every step.

The interior of the house is just as dilapidated as the exterior, a jumble of broken furniture and crumbling walls. But Raven navigates the chaos with ease, leading us to a small, cluttered room that might have once been a kitchen.

"So," he says, leaning back against a rusted countertop and crossing his arms over his chest. "What brings a couple of Council dogs to my humble abode?"

I bristle at the nickname, my lip curling beneath my mask. But Valek just gives him a humorless smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"What gave it away?" he asks in a wry tone.

"His hair, for one thing," Raven says, casting a pointed glance my way. "Those aren't the greasy tresses of an Outlander."

I touch the low ponytail I thought was subtle enough against my back, scowling at him.

"For another, you carry yourselves like military," he says with a shrug. "No amount of grime and costuming can cover that. Not with these eyes. I survive by knowing how to spot a tin soldier. But don't worry. You certainly wouldn't be the first."

"We're looking for information," Valek says, his voice flat and emotionless. "About the Council, and their involvement in certain... unsavory activities." His lips curl around the word with a slight snarl.

"The Council?" Raven echoes, arching an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you know more than I do?"

"We're not talking about the things they keep in the books," I say pointedly.

A flicker of amusement dances in Raven's eyes. "Oh? You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that, pretty boy."

Pretty boy ? Rich coming from him.

Valek leans forward, his voice dropping to a low, intense murmur. "Omega trafficking," he says, each word precise and measured. "We have reason to believe the Council is involved in the trade, using their influence to funnel omegas to the highest bidder."

Raven stares at us for a small eternity, his expression unreadable.

"Is this a joke?" he finally asks, his voice dripping with sardonic amusement. He grins at us, sharp and mocking. "Because if so, it's not a very funny one."

I glance at Valek, my frustration boiling over. "I told you," I snap at him, my voice tight with irritation. "Geo was just fucking with us."

But Raven holds up a hand, his grin fading into something more serious. "No, no," he says, shaking his head. "I don't mean it like that. What I mean is, of course the Council is involved in the omega trade. They've got their hands in every aspect of illicit business out here, from guns to drugs to flesh."

I glower at him, but I'm listening.

He leans back, his keen eyes glinting with a sort of cruel amusement. "But you're right about one thing. They've taken a special interest in omegas lately. Seems like every lowlife with a pulse is scrambling to get their hands on one, especially after that law mandating omegas are only given to packs of four or more. But exceptions can always be made... for the right price. And I'll give you one guess who supplies those second-rate customers. Rather convenient, isn't it?"

A surge of revulsion flares in my chest, but I force myself to remain calm, to keep my voice steady as I ask the question that's been burning in my mind.

"And you?" I ask, my words clipped and terse. "Do you deal in omegas, Raven?"

He looks at me, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my rigid posture, the barely contained fury radiating from every line of my body. And for a moment, I think he might take offense. Might lash out at the implied accusation.

But then he laughs, a harsh, grating sound that sets my teeth on edge. "Me? Nah, that's not really my style. Too much trouble, too little profit. But I know people who do. People with deep pockets and even deeper connections."

Valek leans forward, his eyes glinting with predatory intensity. "Can you get us an in?" he asks, his voice low and urgent. "We need proof. Hard evidence of the Council's involvement. Something that will hold up in court when the time comes."

Raven looks at us, his head cocked to the side like his namesake. "Why?" he asks curiously. "You boys in the market for an omega of your own? There are easier ways to acquire one than blackmailing the Council. Even for you."

My hand twitches toward the knife at my belt. But Valek just laughs, a humorless sound that echoes off the crumbling walls.

"We already have an omega," he says, his voice flat and emotionless. "All we need is information. The kind that can bring the Council to its knees."

Raven nods, a speculative gleam in his eyes. "I might be able to work something out," he says, his voice slow and considering. "But it's going to cost you. Big time. No one risks getting involved with the Council for a mediocre payday."

"Money's not an issue," Valek says, his voice cold and confident. "Name your price."

Raven grins, a flash of white teeth in the gloom. "Oh, I'll do better than that," he purrs. "I'll get you your evidence, your smoking gun to take down the Council. But in return, I want a favor to come due at any point of my choosing. The kind that can't be bought with credits or coin. Can't hurt to have the Ghosts in my pocket. I could do a few things with a five-man army out here."

Valek and I exchange a look, and Raven laughs at our disbelief.

"What, you think I'd let anyone walk through that door without knowing who they are?" he asks, sneering. "Geo told me you were coming."

"I told you we couldn't trust that slick son of a bitch," I mutter.

Valek just ignores me, his jaw ticking in irritation. "Done," he says, his voice leaving no room for argument. "But if you cross us, if you try to fuck us over in any way... I'll make you wish you'd never been born. For starters, I'll take your face."

"And I'll help," I add. "I know just where to cut."

Raven gives a harsh laugh. "Oh, sweethearts, you have no idea who you're dealing with. But don't worry... I always keep my word. Especially when it comes to sticking it to the Council."

He pushes off the counter, his movements fluid and graceful. "Give me a few days," he says, his voice businesslike and brisk. "I'll reach out to my contacts, see what I can dig up. In the meantime, try not to get yourselves killed. The Outer Reaches are a dangerous place, even for big, bad wolves like you."

With that, he strides out of the room, leaving us alone in the cluttered, dilapidated space. It's so silent in here, I can hear a rat—or a rat-sized cockroach, which is unfathomably worse—rustling the papers uncomfortably close to my boots. I turn to Valek, my eyes narrowing behind my mask .

"Are you sure about this?" I mutter. "Feels like making a deal with the devil. He's just playing games."

But he just shrugs, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Everyone is a devil in this world, princess. Including you and me," he says. "And if it means punishing the Council for playing us like fools, Raven's little game is a game I'm more than willing to play."

Of course that's what he's upset about. Not the fact that they're treating omegas like exotic livestock to be bought and sold and exploited, but the fact that his ego is bruised.

I suppose there's reliability in how predictably self-serving he is.

I nod, a grim sort of determination settling over me like a shroud. He's right, as much as it pains me to admit it. We've come too far, risked too much, to turn back now. And if Raven is the key to unlocking the Council's secrets, to bringing their twisted empire crashing down around their ears...

Then so be it.

We'll dance with the devil through the fires of hell itself. Because in the end, there's only one thing that matters. Only one thing worth fighting for.

Ivy.

And we'll do whatever it takes to keep our omega safe. To build a world where she can finally be free. Even if it means sacrificing everything else along the way.

Even if it means dying.