Feral Omega: A Dark Reverse Harem Omegaverse Romance (Ghost Alpha Unit Book 1)

Whiskey’s shrill yelp pierces the air, cutting through the dull hum of the compound. A feral grin spreads across my face as I round the corner. Sounds like our wild little rabbit has finally awoken.

Could be he just crossed Wraith again, but that was more of a ‘got kicked in the balls’ yelp than a ‘had every bone in his body crushed’ scream.

I stride down the infirmary hallway, the scuffed toes of my boots ringing on the concrete. Whiskey’s bitching drifts out from the open door, grating on my nerves.

‘She’s fucking crazy! I think she bit my finger off!’

I shove the door open to find him cradling his very much intact yet bleeding hand, seething and grimacing dramatically. In the corner, a huddled figure glares at him with icy defiance.

Ivy.

My breath catches in my throat as I drink her in. She’s all wildfire hair and feral eyes, her slight frame coiled tight as a snake about to strike. Despite the shapeless cotton shift hanging off her narrow shoulders, there’s an innate grace to her, a lethal beauty that has heat unfurling low in my gut.

This one’s no tame little bunny, that’s for damn sure.

‘Well, well,’ I drawl, crossing my arms over my chest. ‘What did you do to piss off the pretty little omega, Whiskey? Stick your dick where it doesn’t belong?’

He whips around with a glare, flinging out his injured hand. ‘She just went crazy, man! One minute I was asking her some questions, the next—chomp!’

I bark out a laugh at the indignant look on his face, like he can’t fathom why anyone wouldn’t fall at his feet. Dumb bastard never could take a hint.

‘You’re lucky that’s all she took a bite out of,’ I taunt, raking my gaze over him with obvious disdain. ‘Though I can’t say the world wouldn’t be better off without your tiny pecker anyway.’

Whiskey’s cheeks flush, his eyes narrowing to slits. ‘It’s nine inches and as thick around as a beer can. Only time you ever saw it was when I was climbing out of a frozen fucking lake. Asshole.’

I snort. ‘Go show Plague your little wounds before gangrene sets in. God knows where your hands have been.’

But for once, the mouthy little prick—though Plague was right, he’s not so little lately—knows to keep his trap shut. He shoots me one last venomous glare before turning on his heel and storming out, slamming the door behind him hard enough to rattle it in the frame.

‘Fuck you, Valek,’ I hear him mutter when he thinks he’s out of earshot.

An expectant hush falls over the room. Ivy watches me through lowered lashes, her shoulders tense and lips pressed into a thin line. Despite her bravado, I can scent her fear—a sharp, musky undertone to the warm vanilla scent wreathing her. It makes my mouth water, has the darker impulses inside me stirring restlessly.

I hold her gaze for a long moment, letting the silence stretch out between us.

‘Sorry about Whiskey,’ I say with a casual shrug. ‘He doesn’t always think with the right head, if you know what I mean.’

She blinks at me, long dark lashes fanning over those high, sculpted cheekbones. Doesn’t say a word. Just watches, poised like a deer catching the scent of a wolf on the wind.

Smart girl.

I can’t resist pushing a little, testing the limits of that vaunted self-control.

‘I’m Valek,’ I continue, taking a deliberate step into the room. ‘In case you forgot. I’m sure the initial introduction to all of us at once was a little overwhelming.’

Her chin lifts a fraction, lips parting like she might actually speak. But in the end, she just presses them together again, a muscle ticking in that sharply defined jaw.

My grin widens. Oh, I’m going to have fun with this one.

‘Since you’re being so shy, how about I take you for a walk?’ I offer, gesturing at the bare concrete walls around us. ‘You’ve been cooped up in this shithole for too long. Could do with a bit of fresh air, yes?’

Ivy’s eyes flick toward the door, her pupils blown wide for the briefest of moments before she regains control.

But I saw it. That flicker of longing, that desperate need to escape these walls, even briefly.

Smart little rabbit. But she’ll find there’s no running from the jaws of the wolf, not for long.

‘A… walk?’ The words are little more than a husky rasp, the first sound I’ve heard from those lush lips.

I nod, holding her gaze steadily. ‘Just a turn around the grounds. Promise I’ll have you back before dinner.’

Her pupils flare again at that, a subtle tell giving away the fact that she’s already weighing her options. Looking for exits, for flaws in my plan that she can exploit.

My grin widens to show a hint of teeth. Let her look. Let her plan and plot all she wants.

In the end, she’ll realize the only way out of this is through me.

Ivy rises in one lithe, fluid motion, the shapeless dress skimming over curves that promise all sorts of sinful delights beneath. She holds my stare for one beat, two, those blue eyes blazing with defiance and something darker, hungrier.

Then she brushes past me without a word, heading straight for the door. It amuses me to no end to think about how unhappy the rest of the Ghosts would be about this little field trip.

Good. Means I’m doing something right for once.

I catch up to Ivy in a few long strides, falling into step just behind her. Close enough to catch her scent on every breath.

‘Where are you taking me?’ she asks quietly, hoarsely.

I grin, scanning the hallway for the closest exit. ‘Just out for a stroll, pet.’

Her shoulders go rigid at the endearment, but she doesn’t rise to the bait. Doesn’t take the swing I was hoping for. This one’s got iron discipline, I’ll give her that.

We reach the heavy steel door that leads outside, and I pull it open, gesturing for her to go in front of me. For a beat, she hesitates, weighing her options. Then she ducks through, emerging into the pale morning light.

I follow, letting the door ease shut behind us with a heavy thunk. We stand in silence for a moment, Ivy squinting against the sun’s glare. I watch the play of light and shadow over her features, tracing the sharp line of her cheekbone, the point of her chin.

‘This way,’ I say gruffly, steering her toward the tree line with a hand on her lower back.

She stiffens at my touch, but doesn’t pull away. Just darts a sidelong glance at me from beneath those sinfully thick lashes. Trying to gauge my intent, my threat level.

Good fucking luck, little rabbit.

I guide her into the shade of the pines, leading her along a winding game trail. All around us, the forest presses close—dark, looming shapes cloaked in shadow and dappled sunlight. An untamed wilderness, treacherous and unforgiving.

Just how I like it.

Ivy seems to sense the danger too. Her head swivels this way and that, nostrils flaring as she scents the air. Looking for predators, no doubt. Her sense of smell is not as attuned as an alpha’s, but in this feral state, I’m sure all her senses are activated. Plotting her escape, her clever little mind already spinning out scenarios and contingencies.

I resist the urge to laugh. She really has no idea what she’s up against out here.

We walk in silence for a while, the only sounds the crunch of our boots on the loamy earth and the faint calls of birds high overhead. I can feel the weight of her gaze, those eyes constantly assessing, always watchful.

Finally, we reach a small clearing, ringed by towering pines that blot out the sun. Perfect.

‘Here,’ I say, gesturing for her to sit on a fallen log. ‘Might as well enjoy the peace while we’ve got it.’

Ivy eyes the log warily before perching on the very edge, back ramrod straight and hands clenched in her lap. She’s like a little bird, all tensed muscle and fluttering nerves, ready to take flight at the slightest provocation.

I settle onto the log beside her, leaving a careful distance between us. No need to spook her further—not yet, anyway. Instead, I lean back and cross my ankles, the very picture of relaxation.

‘Enjoying your freedom, little rabbit?’ I ask lightly.

She doesn’t answer, just gives a small shake of her head. Smart enough not to take the bait, but not quite smart enough to hide the way her gaze keeps darting toward the tree line, searching for gaps, for openings.

‘What, you’d rather be back in that sterile box they call the infirmary?’ I press, unable to resist needling her. ‘At least out here you can breathe real air, not that recycled shit they pump through the vents.’

A muscle ticks in her jaw, but she remains silent, glaring straight ahead. Stubborn little thing, this one.

‘Come on,’ I goad with a lazy smile. ‘You can’t tell me you’re not just itching to make a break for it. To put all that feral spirit of yours to good use and disappear into the trees.’

Her chin lifts a fraction, eyes narrowing to icy slits. Got her riled up now, her inner fire stoked higher.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Good. I want to see that fury, that hatred burning hot and bright. I want to bask in it, let it sear me to the bone.

‘If you are thinking about it,’ I say, leaning in until I can feel the warmth of her body, smell the rapid kick of her pulse, ‘you’d better make sure you grab some weapons first.’

She goes utterly still at that, not even seeming to breathe. I let the weight of my stare linger on her, trailing over her slight form in blatant appraisal.

‘These woods are full of beasts, little one. Beasts that would tear into that pretty flesh without a second thought.’ I lean closer, close enough that I could count those ridiculously long eyelashes if I wanted to. ‘You wouldn’t last a night out there unprotected.’

A shudder wracks her body, but she holds my gaze, defiant to the last. I grin, all teeth and dark promise.

‘I could show you, you know. How to defend yourself properly.’ My voice is a low, dangerous purr. An offer and a threat all wrapped into one silken tone. ‘Maybe then you’d have a chance of getting out of these woods alive.’

Ivy stares at me for a long, breathless moment. Then, slowly, she shakes her head.

The fire in her eyes says it all. She’d rather take her chances with the beasts in the night than accept any help from me.

My grin widens. Oh, this one is going to be fun to break. I can already tell.

‘Suit yourself, princess,’ I say, rocking back onto my heels. ‘But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you end up as wolf chow.’

She holds my stare, that stubborn tilt to her chin never wavering. God, she’s gorgeous like this—all wild fury and untamed defiance. The perfect combination of beauty and ferocity, a siren calling to the darkest depths of my soul.

Yeah. I could get used to this.

The sound of approaching footsteps shatters the moment, heavy and purposeful. A familiar scent hits my senses—leather and smoke, alpha musk and banked rage.

Thane.

‘What the fuck is going on here?’ His voice is a low, dangerous growl as he stalks into the clearing.

I twist to face him, slouching back against the log in a show of nonchalance. ‘Just getting a bit of fresh air, boss. Thought our rabbit could use a break from being cooped up.’

His obsidian gaze pins me, the weight of his fury like a physical force. ‘You took her outside? Without my permission?’

I shrug, keeping my expression carefully blank. ‘Seemed a shame to waste a nice day.’

Ivy shrinks back at the venom in his tone, pressing herself against the opposite end of the log. Can’t say I blame her. When Thane gets riled up, the man’s like an avalanche, all that tightly leashed rage and power rolling over everything in its path.

‘You know the rules, Valek,’ he growls, stalking closer with every word as if he thinks that intimidates me. ‘She’s on lockdown for a reason. We can’t have her running off into the fucking woods!’

‘Well then,’ I drawl, rising to my feet in one lazy motion, ‘maybe you shouldn’t have left that dipshit Whiskey in charge of watching her.’

Thane’s jaw ticks, fury and something darker flickering in those fathomless eyes. He opens his mouth, no doubt to ream me a new one, when a flurry of motion catches my eye.

Ivy is on her feet, bolting for the tree line.

For a heartbeat, Thane and I both freeze, stunned by the sheer audacity of her move.

Then I’m giving chase, my longer legs devouring the distance between us. I could just use my alpha bark to stop her in her tracks, but the thrill of the chase is too tantalizing to resist, and there’s no way she’s getting away from me anyway. It’s no surprise Thane doesn’t use his. The overgrown Boy Scout loves nothing more than waxing poetic about flowery bullshit like trust and patience.

I catch her around the waist just as she reaches the trees, spinning her around and pinning her against the rough bark of a pine.

She bares her teeth at me in a feral snarl, clawing and kicking. But I’m too strong, my grip unbreakable as I press the hard line of my body against hers.

‘Easy there, little rabbit,’ I growl, bending until my face is a hair’s breadth from hers. ‘You want to go play in the woods, be my guest. But I warned you about being prepared.’

Ivy stills beneath me, chest heaving. Those blazing blue-green eyes bore into mine, equal parts hatred and hunger burning in their depths.

And just like that, I’m utterly lost, drowning in her scent and fire, consumed by the need to break her, to claim her, to make this fierce untamed creature mine in every sense of the word.

A low, warning growl snaps me back to reality. I glance over my shoulder to find Thane looming behind me, his face like thunder.

‘Let. Her. Go.’ Each word is bitten off, laced with alpha command.

For a beat, I consider not listening. Consider letting the darkness take over, letting the bloodlust surge until I tear into him, all for the sake of keeping this blazing creature for myself. Make his face match his brother’s.

But the moment passes. I’m nothing if not patient. Reluctantly, I release Ivy, letting her stagger back a pace. Thane moves between us, his massive frame blocking her from my view.

‘Get back to the compound,’ he snarls at me, the words dripping. ‘Now.’

I meet his glare for a defiant second, just to let him know I’m only backing down because I want to, not because I’m responding to his alpha bark. Perhaps that would work on some other idiot, but not me. Then I turn on my heel and stalk off into the trees, the phantom burn of Ivy’s heated stare searing my back all the way.

I’ll get her alone again soon enough. And when I do, all bets are off.

The hunt is on.