Page 45 of One Flew Over the Omega's Nest: Part One
Pure torture.
"Something is different about you." Adela frowns, stabbing a piece of her chicken. "You sure they didn't really drag you to Zombieland?"
We haven’t told Adela what I overheard while the doctors thought I was still unconscious. Mostly because we didn't want to put her in danger, and secondly…well, it doesn't exactly affect her, seeing as she's a beta.
"I'm sure." I give her a tight smile. "They just upped my instinct inhibitor dosage, and I can't seem to scent anythin’ off Hayden. It's just…unsettlin'."
It's only been a few hours since my mortifying breakdown, and between trying to figure out how I'm going to sneak back into the abandoned wing and finding Turnip, I haven't really had time to process everything.
"Oh," Adela's face turns sad as she reaches over and takes my hand, "I'm sorry Jo. That must be hard."
"I just hope they don't get me next time." Hayden suppresses a shiver as he flicks his lighter open and closed. "It's bad enough that I can’t smell your apple pie goodness, Fireball, but to smell nothing? I can't imagine."
I give him a droll look. "Thanks."
He winces. "Sorry, Jo. But hey, are you excited for tonight?"
Frowning, I drop a piece of biscuit into my pocket for Turnip. "What's tonight?"
Adela rubs a hand on her stomach, sighing. "It's fight night tonight. Attendance is required…didn't anyone tell you?"
"I…" I guess Westdidmention the fights. "I only knew they happened. Not when or where."
"The when is Saturdays at eight, and the where…well, we'll take you there." Hayden winks.
Kole pulls his fist back, and when it makes contact with the other alpha's jaw, there’s an audible crunch.
"Oh shit," Hayden laughs next to me. He leans in close, his voice low in my ear so I can hear him over the crowd. "I wonder what Monroe did to deservethat?"
The fights are in a building that looks eerily like the one I used to take gym in during high school. Instead of a basketball court though, it's a boxing ring, but I swear the bleachers are exactly the same. The seats are filled, and it's strange to see my fellow inmates cheering and booing, orderlies taking bets between each other, and the doctors at the front furiously scribbling notes while others record on old-school video cameras. There are no security cameras in this building, otherwise I feel like they would just use the footage from those.
The first couple of fights were nothing to write home about, some scuffles between a few different betas that lasted a few minutes. Then they brought out Kole. And hoo-boy, is he a sight to behold. He's on his fourth fight of the night and he shows no signs of being winded, just sweaty.
I don’t know how he’s still standing. I know Whitmore told Brooks to give him the same concoction they gave me, but Kole looks as alpha-like as ever.
I watch with rapt fascination as Kole leans over the fallen alpha, grabbing the neck of his jumpsuit and continuing to lay into him. The alpha on the floor is all but unconscious, and while I don't know what he did to deserve Kole's ire, this seems a little far. I have to admit, I'm glad I left Turnip in my room because I'm sure the deafening noise would freak her out.
"Why isn't he stoppin’?" I ask, watching as Kole starts to kick at the alpha. He doesn't even look like he's enjoying himself. That doesn't stop the feral crowd though, getting louder and more worked up the more he beats the helpless guy.
"He can't stop until the airhorn goes," Adela says next to me, rubbing at her belly. "He fights every week, but I don't think he wants to be here."
"So, it's a punishment?" I ask, and jerk back when the loud-as-fuck airhorn goes off, signaling the end of the match.
Kole's shoulders sag, and he wipes the sweat from his brow. His jumpsuit is tied at the waist as usual, but instead of a wife beater, he's bare-chested, sweat glistening on his tawny skin. I'm vaguely aware of the way my tongue darts out to wet my bottom lip as I watch him.
"See something you like, Fireball?" Hayden whispers in my ear, making me jump.
Grabbing his jaw with my hand, I lean forward and shove my tongue in his mouth. He groans under my touch, and I pull back, grinning. "I like you."
He grins, shaking his head. "You're an omega. It's completely natural to want more than one alpha."
Before I can say anything, Adela reaches over and flicks Hayden's shoulder. "You can't say things like that."
He looks at her, shocked for a moment like he can't believe she just flicked him, and then he smirks. "Nobody is talking about packing up, Adela."
The airhorn blasts again, and we turn our attention back to the fights, Hayden's words echoing in my head. I mean, I always resisted the idea of a pack. Daddy sold Mabel off to one for crying out loud. It was always a symbol of the end of my freedom. A death sentence, in a way. After I killed Daddy and Declan found me, romance was the last thing on my mind.
Though I suppose, if Iweregoing to build my own pack, picking and choosing from the country's most notorious insane asylum seems pretty on-brand for me.
