-

*

Quinn

Float was not without its limitations,

Its services required an exchange of money based upon its own private economy. Gold was the best, always a material of worth when hedged upon inflation and prices of time. But the rings of a pull tab, the paper stamps and the rusty coins that were used as currency between Alphas were worth far below its original price within Float's algorithm.

But she supposed for a hundred pull tabs, a pack of fresh meat from the online grocer was a worthy exchange as compared to the week-old body of a radiation charged animal. It took a lot to pay for nice things—things like vehicles, generators, gas cookers and weapons. And Quinn had not been prepared for her kidnap.

Even water and food would be difficult to purchase from Float without the plentiful resource of the wasteland—so full of junk that she could obtain and fix easily with her tools. And the requests for items from the rich Omegas, in which she could charge a pretty sum for the dangers she had to go through.

It took only a day for her livelihood to vanish into the wind. Quinn was fucked, and she knew that when she opened her eyes to the darkness, tasted the dryness, sandpaper in her mouth. She blinked, temples throbbing to the whispers of women that sat around her, squinted hard into nothingness.

Then darted her fingers to the collar around her neck, buzzing upon her skin and emitting a soft blue glow. A murmur of Float's name did not lead to its appearance but rather a heavy sting upon her throat and she whimpered, silenced her voice into her palm.

Shit, they'd done something to her magic.

Her face was bare; freed, and visible without the obnoxious blue of her mask. Her body was no longer clothed in the leathers and bullet-proof vests but left with the cotton of her bra and panties. The fabric stained with dirt and the sludge of waste on the ground, soaking through her skin. As her eyes adjusted, she noticed now that the Alphas of No-Man's land were huddled around her in groups, five women to a cage. Each with manacles to their hands, and collars that hissed with electricity.

A tug of her head, and she noted that her restraints seemed to pull towards a corner of the cage, there was no chain for her to cut, the mechanism completely magical to keep them from running. Another sweep of her eyes and she squinted at the bars, much wider than she anticipated.

"Don't touch them, they've got running electricity." It was the Alpha from the inn that spoke, but without the burnt ends of a cig and looking a hundred times worse for wear. What remained of her hair was shaved clean off her scalp and there was now a purpling bruise beneath her eyes. Hair. Quinn reached upwards, felt the cool wind of now bald, hairless skin. "Yeah, they shaved us all."

"For lice?" Quinn hissed, blinked twice, and stared at the other girls that sat huddled beside them. She now caught the bounce of light on their scalp, noticed the nudity of their forms. Those that did not wear underwear were left with nothing but the torn remains of their clothes.

"Maybe," she'd shrugged, seemed bored but there was a tic in her jaw. "Some of the girls were crying when they did it." The older Alpha grunted, her eyes sliding to the side. "Guess you were right about it being a trap. I'm surprised that you're here."

"I tried to escape," Quinn replied, heard the taunt in the Alpha's voice but this was no place to make enemies. "I ran and they caught me outside, knocked me out cold. There were shifters stationed around the block. Thought I could get away on my bike, but I wasn't quick enough."

"Name's Xin," the Alpha offered, sighed and crossed her legs. "Wasn't any better through the portal, stepped in and we were all herded into cages like dumb little bunnies. There wasn't much we could do once they had the magic blockers running, and guns shoved into our faces. Then they shot us all with something, next thing I know I'm waking up here." Her expression curdled, grew sour as she glared towards the bars. "They're preparing for something."

"I'm Quinn," she gave Xin a small smile. "No one tried to run?"

"Oh, we did," Xin shrugged. "A couple of girls were a little touchy too. Idiotic brats, they forget that its not like the past. Had their hands sliced clean off. Almost bled out on the floor if the medic didn't come. After that no one else tried anything." She spoke no more because light flooded the room, heavy doors pulling open with a long heavy skreich.

An army of Omega soldiers marched into the prison, their armour glistening in the light, visors shielding their faces. She couldn't smell them, not even the musk of the Alphas in the room. And Quinn supposed it had to do with the collars on their necks.

The Omegas didn't speak, roughly tugging at whatever mechanism that kept her manacles tied to the cells. But the heaves of her restraints had her on her feet, some of the women stumbling and tripping as they were pulled up to a stand.

Quinn was let out with a harsh shove, hissing under her breath as an invisible whip slashed upon her skin burning her flesh. A heavy shock of pain that sent her jumping forward and towards the light. Inside she was trembling, felt the disappearance of her sedentary lifestyle flowing steadily through her fingers.

They were blindfolded just before they left their cell, a heavy spell placed on her forehead blocked her sight, a messy charm that seemed too difficult. Technology supplemented with spell craft. Bare footed, she was shoved down a path with the raspy gasps from her Alpha peers. None dared to speak, and only small groans could be heard as they stumbled through.

She tasted the chemicals in the air before ice was sprayed upon her skin. Jets of water dousing her from head to toe that had the Alphas screeching from the cold. It swept over her flesh, sliced into what remained of her undergarments, her naked body revealed and exposed to the wind. But there was no decency for a prisoner, and she was hurried along with a stinging slap to her ass. Her heart was pounding, her mind twisting through her memories.

How much had Elysian said was real? And how much of it was false? The population crisis must be true, but why would they capture a Beta? A Beta that could never satisfy an Omega. A Beta that would have difficulties reproducing, a Beta that could only produce the weakest of children. That was also the reason why Solar—Her lips pursed—Solar had lost Euodia's child.

Quinn was deadweight in a law of reproduction and perhaps she could twist that in her favour. Just as long as the seven Kings did not know of her, as long as they could not find her, as long as Helios did not smell her. She exhaled, felt the collar tight around her neck, but now it seemed to weigh heavy on her throat.

Cold and shivering through the blindfold she was led stumbling and naked into a new space and then lined up quickly. The voices now were different, the antiseptic stronger, the beeps of machinery ringing through the murmurs.

She bit back a hiss as something pricked her hands, and then there was a burn of a mark upon her ass. She flinched back arching, biting back a scream as heated metal throbbed upon her flesh, the scent of burnt meat sweeping into the air.

A brand.

"Interesting," was the words from her new captor. The Omega before her chuckled, and she felt a chill ice up her spine as a rod slid down her cheek. "You're a Beta, one that survived in the wastelands. I'd never expect that from someone as weak as you."

There was a hum from the side, another moving to stand before her. She didn't have to look to know that they were both staring at her naked body. And her hands squeezed, clasping her wrist for strength. At least in this world, it was nice to know that they hated her touch.

"You've yet to have your Rut," was the pleased sound from the Omega before her. "But you're twenty-five? It's probably impossible for you then, especially with the size of that clit." She flushed, grew pink at their words, felt the awareness burn across her limbs.

"I shouldn't be here—" Electricity pulsated across her tongue, and she winced, the Omega clucking his tongue in disapproval. She swallowed, felt the pain well up over her new wounds, tasting rust in her mouth. The collar fell from her throat, her neck momentarily empty. And panic shot through her, pounding in her chest.

"Only speak when you're spoken to Beta. Bend over, touch your ankles."

She paused, but something swept her forward tugging her down to her knees, metal rods pulling her open and prodding at her insides. Quinn trembled, felt the fear twist down her spine, beading on her skin, cold and clammy with sweat.

But she tried her best to keep calm, straining to listen to the doctors that examined her. Float sprang into action silently providing her with better hearing with a gentle hum, working through the soundproof room and whatever spells that they had erected to keep her out. But it seemed that they'd grown lax with knowledge of her designation had assumed that she would not have enhanced hearing like the vampires and the werewolves, which made it easy for Float to slip through.

"A Beta could never produce strong children. As a pack, I would not choose her." His voice echoed in her ears.

"Perhaps, but was there ever a choice in the matter? I hear from those that have been successful that it's a rush of need like no other. No Omega will fear her with how weak she is, and even though she won't have strong children. It also means that she does not have Ruts. We have plenty of Omegas who would love to have her."

There was a low laugh, as papers flipped. "She's not a vampire, wolf or fey. Just a weak little human. It's rare to see one this weak from No-Man's town. Unlike the sluts in the line, I'd pick her."

"Precisely, and she's not pumping out all those disgusting pheromones. The previous ones were like a fucking barnyard. This one you can barely smell her, but it's a little floral?"

"It's fruity," the other agreed. "They do say scent compatibility is one of the best identifiers of a perfect match, and with such a pretty smell I'm sure there'll be plenty who'd want to try with her. But breeding will be a problem, everything she produces will be weak and that's also not what we want." There was a sigh. "Should we just kill her?" Quinn inhaled at his words, fingers tightening.

"We don't have enough women. It doesn't matter if her seed doesn't stick, she just has to feed a pack."

There was a small laugh, and Quinn frowned. Goddamn it, so she was right. They didn't just want another pack member to procreate with. A 'citizen' of the New Kingdom. They wanted cattle. They wanted Alpha blood, fluids, and emotions. They wanted food. She swallowed thickly. Just like Helios it seemed that Omegas no longer worked.

"I'd give her a D-rank, send her off to work somewhere with the other invalids. Some of the lower-ranked Omegas might pick up on something on her one day. We'll see."

"Blood bank then?"

"Blood bank."