Outcast Island (Exiled Sector)

Venom Island

CHAPTER 1: CAJA

A loud crack shakes the foundation of my cage, causing the hairs along my arms to dance.

Whimpers sound all around me.

Sobs, too.

I’m new to this hell, yet I’ve known it would be my fate all my life. My Alpha—the one whose seed gave me life—told me of my destiny long, long ago.

“Once you’re of age, you’re going to Alpha Carlos’s playground,” he spat at me, disgusted by my very existence.

I was an Omega. Useless. Only worth whatever price the Bariloche Sector Alpha was willing to pay for my existence.

It turns out that price wasn’t much, hence the bruise marring my jaw.

“I should have killed you when you were a pup,” my Alpha snarled before shoving me into this cage.

How many days ago was that? I wonder, my arms curling around my abdomen as I fight the shivers traversing my bare spine. When did I last eat or drink anything?

Time is elusive here. A taunt. A way to enforce obedience and terrify the inhabitants of this underground prison.

I swallow as another shudder rattles my cage. I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s intense.

“What is that?” one of the nearby Omegas asks, her voice just above a whisper.

“I don’t know,” another replies, her accent thick and foreign to my wolf ears.

I tuck my knees even tighter into my chest, my spine against the crisscrossed bars at my back. I can’t stand in my cage, only kneel, which I choose not to do because the metal bottom digs into my exposed skin.

Another tremble vibrates my being as the booms grow louder and more powerful.

Inside, my animal whines, terrified of what’s happening. Outwardly, I control my breathing and try to regulate my heartbeat.

My Alpha taught me to be quiet and motionless. He hated my voice. Loathed any sounds I made at all.

“The only thing an Omega is good for is taking a knot,” he would say. “And I can’t fucking knot you. So be thankful I let you breathe at all.”

I was his only female child; all the others were males who felt the same way as my Alpha.

“Useless,” they told me every day.

Because nothing I did was ever right. They hated my cooking. Hated my cleaning. Hated my very existence.

And so did the other Omegas.

“You have no reason to cry,” my caregiver—an Omega who wasn’t my mother but the female my Alpha put in charge of my upbringing—once snapped. “They never touch you, and they’ll never knot you. So just do your damn job, Caja, and clean up this mess.”

I think I was eight then. Maybe nine?

At least a decade ago , I marvel. Because it felt like a hundred years ago.

Thunder reverberates around me, nearly causing my heart to jump out of my chest. But I quickly school my features, determined to face whatever is coming with a calm facade.

It’s the best way to avoid punishment , I remind myself. Just accept fate. Be quiet. And disappear into the background .

Only that becomes harder and harder to do as the rumbling grows louder with each passing second. Until suddenly, silence falls entirely.

I stop breathing, my ears straining to pick up on any subtle shifts in the air, any undercurrent of danger.

Nothing.

I exhale.

Inhale.

Listen again.

Still quiet.

But a burning scent trickles into the air, causing my nose to wrinkle in response.

Someone whimpers again in the room.

Another whine.

And smoke starts to thicken around us.

Followed by the faint echo of crackling.

A fire , I realize, my calm facade slipping as my heart kicks off into a chaotic rhythm in my chest. Something’s on fire. And I’m trapped in a cage.

Oh, moons…

I press my palm to the metal, my fingers only partially able to slide through the holes in the crisscrossed pattern. I haven’t tried escaping or moving much at all since my Alpha unceremoniously dumped me here. There wasn’t a point. If I ran, I would be hunted, rutted, and potentially killed. That was what happened to Omegas in my home pack.

I have every reason to believe the same will happen here.

But I don’t want to be burned to death.

I push against the metal, my fear rising as the acrid stench grows stronger and stronger. Just like the flickering crinkle of an approaching flame.

Shit, shit, shit…

The cage won’t budge.

Stealing a deep breath—and wincing as the smoke infiltrates my lungs—I study the edges of the cage, then the place where my Alpha locked me inside.

Is there a way to ? —

Pounding fills my ears in the next instant, the reverberation of Alpha growls adding a deep base to the otherwise ominous soundtrack.

I freeze, then jolt backward to hold my knees against my bare chest once more, determined to represent the epitome of docile.

A door slams open, sending a jitter down my spine that I try to fight. But my pulse betrays me, my heart beating a little too fast.

“ Fuck ,” an Alpha snarls. “Enrique! Elias! There are more down here!”

My ears prick upward as harsh footsteps follow the male’s shouting.

“They’re in fucking cages!” the Alpha adds, sounding livid.

I curl into myself as tight as I can, not wanting to be on the receiving end of that fury. Because he sounds like he wants to kill everyone in sight. And I know all too well what Alphas do when furious.

He skips my cage, going toward the back of the room.

My shoulders fall a bit, temporary relief allowing my nerves to calm. Only for the hairs along my arms to stand on end once more as two burly shadows enter the space.

“Shit,” one of them says. “This must be a new shipment.”

“New shipment?” the third repeats.

“Yeah,” he grouses, his irritation seeming to pour off of him in waves. “Alphas from all over the world trade their Omegas to Carlos for all sorts of shit—used Omega toys, serums, drugs, psychedelics, you name it.”

The third Alpha snorts. “Makes me wish he could die again.”

“If only,” the Alpha drawls, his focus shifting my way. “I’ve got this one.”

My heart stops, as does my breathing. The irritated one is coming for me. He’s going to ? —

“Shh,” he hushes, a strange rumble igniting in his chest as he approaches my cage.

I cock my head, confused by the foreign vibration. It’s a very curious growl. Or maybe… maybe not a growl at all.

“I’m not going to hurt you, little one,” he tells me before ripping the lock off my cage door—the action betraying his true intentions.

I can’t help pressing back into the wires behind me, my body instantly on high alert.

But he doesn’t try to yank me out of the crate. Instead, he holds out a hand, his voice lowering as he murmurs, “Come on out, sweetheart. We need to go outside, then we’ll get you somewhere safe.”

Safe? I repeat in my head. Nowhere is safe .

This world was overrun by a zombielike plague, killing most of humankind and leaving several supernaturals dead as well.

Not my kind, though.

X-Clan wolves are immune. Some others are, too.

But we’re controlled by Alphas. And Alphas are the epitome of dangerous.

There is no such concept as safe .

“Please?” he asks, the word one I don’t think I’ve ever heard used in my presence. I know what it means because I often utter it when requesting food or water. But for an Alpha to say it? To me?

How utterly bizarre .

Several other cages rattle as Omegas are freed one by one, the other Alphas saying similar things to them as this one has said to me.

“Up the stairs,” the third Alpha says to a pair of shivering females. “Sven and Kazek will show you where to go.”

The Omegas scatter, not bothering to question the Alpha’s words or even hesitate before following his command.

Yet I sit here very much questioning the male in front of me.

He crouches a little, his face shrouded in darkness. However, a hint of yellow flashes at me as his wolf stares me down. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeats, but in Spanish this time. “You can trust me.”

I frown, confused by his shift in languages.

When I don’t respond, he says something else, only this time I don’t understand what he’s saying at all, as it’s all gibberish.

He tries once more, his sounds more guttural and harsher in nature.

“Russian, maybe?” the third Alpha suggests as he comes to stand by my cage.

“I don’t know Russian. Only English, Spanish, Italian, and German.”

“Hmm,” the male hums, bending to peer into my cage.

I flinch away from him, more afraid of him than the other male. I’m not sure why, but the one who spoke all the languages just seems less intimidating.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” the third Alpha says, speaking English. “I’m Elias. If you scent me, you’ll know I’m already mated.”

I’m not sure why that matters, so I just stare at him.

“This is Enrique. He’s not mated, but he believes in consent.” The third Alpha— Elias —glances at his friend. “Right?”

“Yes,” the less intimidating one says but doesn’t elaborate.

“We’re here to burn this hellhole to the ground. But to do that, I need you to leave that cage and go upstairs,” Elias tells me.

I blink at him. Burn it to the ground? Is that why I’m smelling fire?

Enrique repeats what Elias said, only in Spanish, then switches to the other languages he knows.

“I understand English,” I finally tell him. “And Spanish.”

He says nothing for a long moment, his gaze seeming to search mine despite the darkness around us. Perhaps his wolf sight is better than mine because all I see are the shadows of his face, but I can feel the intensity of his eyes.

He holds out his hand for me again, his arm having dropped when Elias joined him at the cage. “Will you please come upstairs with me?” he asks in Spanish rather than English.

I swallow. It’s akin to suicide to deny an Alpha. I’m not sure why I haven’t obeyed him yet. It was purely instinctual not to, which is strange given how often I’ve followed Alpha orders over the years.

Clearing my throat, I finally push forward, but slowly because of the tight space.

Enrique takes a step backward, his hand still poised in offering as I reach the open door.

I glance from him to the floor, trying to determine the best way to get down, as my cage is perched on a table. If I were in wolf form, I would simply jump. But on two legs—and without the appropriate room to stand—I’m more likely to fall flat on my face from here.

Being hungry and thirsty isn’t helping matters, either.

Closing my eyes, I blow out a breath and finally place my hand in Enrique’s large palm. Electricity hums up my arm in response to the simple touch. That electric current only grows stronger as he gently pulls me out of the cage and into his arms before setting me on my feet.

I wobble, my legs and back sore from being bent for so long. Wincing, I try to step forward, only to lose my balance entirely and end up tucked against a big Alpha chest.

That vibration sound he made earlier rumbles back to life, stirring a quivering sensation in my lower belly. That’s a very pleasing growl , I decide.

It makes me want to melt into his broad chest and nuzzle his pecs.

“I’ve never heard an Alpha do this,” I confide softly as he starts carrying me up the stairs. “What is it?”

He stills on the steps, the abrupt halt making me realize my faux pas.

I just questioned an Alpha.

Oh, what in the moons was I thinking?

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” I immediately add, my head bowing as much as I can in my position against his torso. “I… I won’t speak again.”

“You can speak however much you like,” he replies, that vibration heightening with his words. “And it’s a purr, peque?o tesoro.”

Little treasure , I translate, shivering. That seems like an abnormal thing to call me. Perhaps I misheard him?

He starts up the stairs once more, not saying anything else.

I remain quiet as well, then flinch as light hits my eyes from above. It’s blinding. Too bright. Overwhelming. And it makes it impossible for me to see what we’re doing. Not that I have any choice in where we’re going or what will happen once we get there.

“She’s underfed but otherwise appears to be unhurt,” I hear him say.

“All right. Take her to the tree line,” a deep voice replies. Another Alpha. “We’ve set up a few blankets with food and water. She’ll need to be on one of the later flights.”

“Will do,” Enrique replies, the world moving as he starts walking.

It isn’t until the scent of forest hits me that my eyesight begins to recover, and by then, Enrique is setting me down on something soft.

“Try to eat,” he tells me. “Ander will be by soon with an update on what happens next.”

That sounds foreboding, I think, but just nod in response. Mostly because I don’t know what else to say or do.

His knuckles brush against my cheek, drawing my gaze up to his face, causing my breath to catch in my throat.

Because wow .

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Sexy fucking Alpha.

And his eyes are a beautiful shade of black that remind me of the night.

I’ve never seen an Alpha like this. No scars. No harsh lines. No unkempt hair or spittle running down his chin.

Just perfectly chiseled features. And dimples , I think as his full lips turn upward a little. “Hi, little wolf.” His knuckles brush my cheek again just as someone calls his name from behind him. “Eat, peque?o tesoro. One of us will be back soon to check on you.”

He stands, making me realize he was crouching by the blanket before. Now that he’s at full height, I can’t help gaping up at him. He’s positively massive. If I stood beside him, the top of my head might reach his chest.

Yet I’m not scared of him.

Maybe because of the way he looks at me, or perhaps it’s his tone. Or that purr , I think as he walks away. My gaze drops to his backside, my cheeks warming as I admire his firm ass in those tight jeans.

I don’t think I’ve ever ogled an Alpha before, but this one… this one is worthy of admiration.

“Do you want a blanket?” someone whispers beside me, reminding me that I’m not alone out here. Part of me already knew that, mostly because my nose notified me of the other scents. But my focus was entirely on Enrique before.

Now I glance at the three other Omegas huddling by the food, their eyes wide as they stare at me.

A blonde with long braids holds something toward me, suggesting she’s the one who asked me about a blanket.

I nod and take it, wrapping the fabric around my bare skin. I’ve been without clothes for so long that I hardly register the warmth the blanket brings. Every part of me is cold.

Or, at least, every part of me was cold.

My side is warm.

The side that was against Alpha Enrique’s chest moments ago.

It’s almost as though his natural heat had bled into my skin, marking me as his.

I rather like that thought.

“They’re grouping us together in different shipments,” the Omega with the braids informs me. “None of us know where we’re going.”

I look at her again, noting her blue eyes and pale skin. Very different from my dark hair, black eyes, and tan complexion. The shape of her eyes is different, too. Unique. I’ve never seen anyone with her features. Nor have I ever smelled a wolf like her.

Not an X-Clan wolf , I decide.

The female beside her isn’t one either.

Actually, I don’t think the woman beside her is a wolf at all.

“What are you?” I wonder out loud, my gaze on the blondish-brown-haired being of unknown descent.

She blinks a pair of startling red eyes at me, glances at the others, then returns her focus to me once more. “Um. I’m a vampire.”

My gaze widens. “Oh.” That’s… that’s interesting. “And you?” I ask the one with long braids.

“Ulv wolf,” she tells me.

“I see. I’m an X-Clan wolf,” I say, earning a nod from the third Omega, who I can tell is the same type as me because of her scent.

“What’s your name?” the Ulv wolf asks.

“Caja,” I tell her. “You?”

“Hel,” she replies, then gestures to the vampire as she adds, “This is ?Guerún. We just met.”

“And I’m Paige,” the X-Clan wolf says before Hel can introduce her. “I’ve only been here for a few days.”

“Same,” Hel echoes.

“Me, too,” ?Guerún murmurs.

Perhaps that’s why we’re all grouped together—we’re the new shipment, as Enrique said a bit ago.

“Hopefully, we won’t be staying for much longer,” I say, my gaze finding the Alpha in question across an open green space. He stands with his arms folded over his broad chest, his gaze on two Alphas of similar size and stature.

“Are they taking us somewhere worse?” the vampire asks in a low whisper.

“I don’t know,” Hel replies. “But I think we’re going to find out soon.”