The second wave hit just before dawn.
One moment, I was curled in a corner of the cage, barely asleep. The next, my body ignited like dry kindling. My skin flushed. My thighs clenched. My womb twisted in on itself with aching, hungry cramps.
"No… no, not again," I whispered, gripping the bars.
The scent returned—stronger than before. My own. Slick, sweet, wanton. It filled the cage, curling around me like a shameful perfume.
My heat wasn't fading.
It was escalating.
My body wants the knot again.
I banged on the bars. "Let me out! I need—I need—"
I didn't know what I needed. Only that my body craved more.
Footsteps approached.
I braced for Kael.
But it wasn't him.
Two tall female wolves stood outside the cage, dressed in leather and fur. One was scarred and sneering. The other looked bored.
"Alpha wants her inspected," the scarred one said. "Make sure she's ready."
"Ready?" I croaked. "For what?"
They opened the cage.
I tried to scramble back, but hands were on me, rough and practiced. They dragged me out, stripped me bare again, and shoved me down onto a stone platform in full view of the pack.
Everyone could see.
My legs were spread, arms pinned behind my back.
Humiliation surged like bile in my throat.
"Still slick," one muttered, dragging her fingers through me. "Dripping."
"Womb's pulsing. Heat spike confirmed."
I thrashed. "Don't touch me!"
A slap cracked across my face.
"You don't speak," the scarred one snapped. "You obey."
Then he arrived.
Alpha Kael.
Striding toward me, bare-chested again, eyes blazing with cruel satisfaction.
He looked at me like I was prey. Property. A thing.
"You're ready," he said.
"Please," I whimpered. "Don't… not again."
Kael raised a brow. "Again?"
He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back. I gasped, locked in his gaze.
"Let me teach you a rule, little Omega," he murmured darkly. "You don't get to ask me for anything. You earn it."
He turned to the pack. "Strip her completely."
I was already naked, but they tore away even the thin blanket draped over my shoulders. My body was bare, trembling, drenched in scent.
"I told you before," Kael said to the crowd. "She is not just an Omega. She is my Omega. And she'll learn her place—right here."
He pushed me down, face to stone, ass in the air.
I sobbed.
Not from pain yet.
From shame.
Kael's fingers traced over me. Teasing. Possessive. Then sharp—his hand smacked across my ass, hard. I cried out, the sound echoing through the camp.
"You disrespected your Alpha," he growled. "You refused his knot."
"I—I didn't—"
Another smack. Then another. My skin stung, burned. But worse was the arousal growing again between my thighs.
"Your punishment is simple," he said.
He pulled me up onto my knees, spun me to face him.
"You're going to beg for it."
My lips parted.
"What?"
"You're going to look me in the eye and beg me to knot you," he said. "In front of my entire pack."
The wolves stood in silent anticipation, eyes locked on me.
"Or I leave you in the cage until your body eats itself alive from heat."
My pride screamed no.
But my body… betrayed me.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I whispered, "Please…"
"Louder."
"Please, Alpha…"
He grabbed my throat, gently but firmly. "Tell them what you want."
"I want…" My lips trembled. "I want your knot."
Kael smiled.
"That wasn't so hard."
He spun me again, shoved me down.
And without warning—he took me.
No teasing this time.
No slow invasion.
He drove into me like a weapon, tearing a scream from my throat.
The pain and pleasure fused again—white-hot and overwhelming. Every nerve in my body lit up. My heat exploded like a second sun in my gut.
Kael didn't thrust. He slammed.
Rhythmic. Merciless. Every thrust pushed me closer to the edge.
"You begged for this," he growled into my ear. "So take it. Take every inch of me."
My hands clawed at the stone. I was moaning, sobbing, shattering.
Then I felt it.
The knot.
Swelling. Thickening. Forcing my body to stretch open around it again.
I didn't say no this time.
I cried out—needy, broken, wrecked.
"Alpha—!"
With one final thrust, the knot popped inside.
I screamed his name as he filled me again.
Hot.
Heavy.
Endless.
The crowd howled in approval.
Kael leaned over me, voice low and wicked.
"You're learning, little Omega," he whispered. "Soon, you'll beg without being told."
My body convulsed, slick and stuffed. The knot locked me to him, and my shame dripped down my thighs.
And even then—some part of me wanted more.