Wild by Sara Fields

Chapter 6

Revna

The temple priests and priestesses treated me like royalty. Each meal was like a celebration with the table laden with more food than I could ever hope to consume by myself. During the day, I was mostly free to roam the halls and I explored as much as I could in hopes of learning something about the place I’d been sold to. Aside from the overabundance of elegantly carved depictions from the gods, there was nothing that alerted me to any nefarious dealings here. As far as I could tell, this city revered omegas so much so that they worshipped them as something akin to the goddesses and gods that watched over our world.

There were other women here with me, at least a dozen of them. They gathered closely amongst themselves and whispered something about a ceremony. Their giddy excitement was contagious, but when I drew close enough to try to make out what they were saying, their whispers quieted. Some of them turned their eyes on me with open admiration, while yet others stared at me with hatred and something that was akin to jealousy, but I wasn’t quite sure.

I kept to myself, spending my time in the library or with my own thoughts within the safety of the moon garden. I couldn’t shake the image of the alpha who had taken me in hand from my mind, no matter how hard I tried. Everywhere I turned, I hoped to catch a glimpse of him, but I couldn’t find him. I could scent him all around me and nowhere at all, which was the worst thing of all.

The incessant throbbing between my legs never ebbed away. If anything, it only grew stronger as more time passed. It felt as though he was just out of my reach and when I was alone, I found myself gliding my own fingers along my bare thighs as I recalled what his touch had felt like against my naked skin.

I still hadn’t been given any underwear to wear beneath this silky dress, which made me far more aware of my nakedness than I cared for. It was short enough so that I couldn’t bend over for fear of exposing myself to anyone else. It was mortifying.

There was one girl in the gardens besides me at that moment and I moved closer to her in hopes of learning a bit more about why we were here. As I approached her, she didn’t move away, and I took that as a hopeful sign as I sat down beside her.

“Hi. I’m Revna,” I began timidly.

“I’ve heard,” she answered. I expected animosity, but I was met with none. “My name is Lucina,” she added.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“You don’t know?”

“My home is far away from here. I didn’t even know that this city existed beyond the mountains.” I turned my head, searching her pretty hazel eyes. She appeared calm, although slightly hesitant, so I did nothing to push her.

“Rosethorne has been here for centuries. It is strange to hear that you haven’t heard of it,” she answered. The wind picked up and her fiery red hair whipped around her face. She brushed it away and slowly began to braid it so that it was at least a little tamed in the breeze that always seemed to surround us. “Truth be told though, we don’t get many outsiders here. Once people arrive, they generally don’t chance the dangers of the wilds beyond the walls ever again.”

“What dangers do you speak of?” I pressed.

“We are not allowed to speak of such things,” she replied.

“What do you mean?”

She turned her head and looked around, passing her gaze along the priests that were all around us.

“Here in the temple, someone is always listening when the omegas gather. They allow us our freedom, but that only goes so far,” she said calmly.

I casually looked in the same direction, taking note of her words. I hadn’t noticed before, but those that typically guided us throughout the temple were interspaced all around us in a way that allowed them to be close enough to hear what we spoke of as they watched over us. I swallowed anxiously. I should have picked up on that sooner.

Although they afforded us the freedom to go about our day in peace, it appeared that we were no more than glorified prisoners.

“I’ve never seen a city built like this,” I murmured.

“It’s meant to protect those that deserve protecting,” she answered.

“You mean to protect us,” I countered, and her lips clamped shut.

She didn’t have to say anything, but I knew there was more to it than that. There was one more glaring question in my mind, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking it.

“Protect us from what?”

She sighed.

“I look forward to the day when the tulips bloom every year,” she said. “Come spring, the city grows lively with excitement and trepidation for the annual ceremony. You can almost feel it in the air as the scent of flowers grows heavy on the wind.”

“A ceremony,” I echoed, and she nodded.

“Each year an omega is chosen and with her, she brings peace and prosperity to the city in her wake,” Lucina continued.

I stayed quiet, wanting to hear what she had to say.

“It is a great honor to be selected. Not every omega here will get that chance,” she added.

“If the entire city looks forward to such a big celebration, it must be pretty special,” I finally answered.

“It is. Every omega here hopes to be granted such an incredible opportunity. The time is growing close and all of us are looking forward to finding out who it will be,” she continued.

“Who chooses the omega that’s going to take part?” I asked.

“The gods,” she answered.

“How?”

She didn’t answer.

“Some years there’s rumors of who it might be. Sometimes we’re right and sometimes we’re wrong, but this year we’re quite certain of who it might be,” she mused. She stared down at the ground and reached for a pink tulip, fingering its petals gently.

“Who? Do you think it might be you this year?”

“No. It won’t be me,” she replied softly.

“Then who?”

She turned her head toward me and lifted her head enough to scent the air, before she settled her gaze on me.

“I hadn’t been as sure as the others until now, but it appears that the gods have already made their choice,” she replied.

“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling more uneasy as the conversation continued.

“This year, that omega is you,” she said knowingly, and her eyes turned dark.

“What? How do you know?” I pressed.

Her gaze dropped to my thighs.

“If you were to slip your fingers between your legs, you’d know,” she answered, and I froze.

It was then I noticed that the priests all around me had started to gather. I stood up and they moved toward me with assured purpose, and I took several steps backwards. Wildly, I looked for an escape route, but I found none.

“The gods have blessed you, Revna. This year, this city is going to worship you,” Lucina murmured, and a cold chill gripped at my insides like a vise.

“I don’t know what this means,” I gasped.

“Soon, you will, Revna,” she answered, and I was lost in the heaviness of her words. The guards that had been listening to us moved in and surrounded me, leaving me with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

“If it’s such an honor, they should choose someone else,” I spat and I noticed that all of the other omegas had gathered in the gardens a bit away from us. They were kneeling and had their palms pressed together in prayer.

“The gods do not explain their choices. They have chosen you and that is how it will be,” Lucina explained resolutely.

“When will I see you again? Please. I want to know more,” I pressed.

She shook her head.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” she whispered. The priests allowed me no more time to speak with her though. Instead, they grasped at my wrists and bound them together behind my back. I fought with everything in my power to escape them, but there were too many. I kicked and pulled at my arms even though I knew that it was useless. Before long, my arms were bound, and they lifted me cleanly off the ground so that they could tie my ankles together too.

“Why won’t I see you again, Lucina?” I shrieked and I could hardly hear her shy voice over top of the omegas praying and the priests all around me telling me to calm down in hushed soothing whispers that did anything but comfort me.

“Because the chosen ones never come back.”

Before I could answer, a cloth was forced over my mouth. In my shock, I sucked in a sudden breath and the overwhelming scent of flowers poured over me.

Fuck.

I tried to stop myself from pulling in any more air, but it was impossible, and darkness blossomed at the edges of my vision. The more I held my breath, the more my lungs burned and when it became too much to bear, I was forced to draw in another.

The darkness bloomed wider until I couldn’t see anything at all.

All I knew was blackness and fear as I descended into the dark oblivion of unconsciousness.

* * *

I woke up in a soft bed, surrounded by plush pillows and blankets. The dark dregs of sleep clung to me and I tried to remember where I was and what had happened to me, but it all felt so hazy. I opened my eyes, feeling as though I was deep underwater. I blinked several times in an effort to clear my blurry vision and it seemed to help. I groaned and tried to push myself up, struggling against the softness that enveloped me. Finally, I managed to crawl up to a seated position and I drew my legs in toward me in protection of the unknown.

I was in a bedroom of some kind and a rather nice one at that. There was a large shelf full of extra pillows and blankets, neatly folded and stacked.

Why would I need more than what was already on the bed with me?

There was a table stacked with food, fruits and vegetables and every manner of bread that I could think of. There was fresh meat and cheeses, as well as dried jerky and various desserts along with it.

There were several massive jugs of water, as well as wine, and I gazed back at all of it with apprehension. There was enough food to last for at least a week, if not more.

I moved to the side of the bed and pressed my feet to the floor. On one wall was a massive mirror and as I stared at it, a sinking realization passed over me.

It felt as though I was being watched even though I could see no one at all.

I didn’t like that one bit.

There was a door off to the side and I slowly walked to it. It opened, but it only led to an extravagant bathing room. There was one other door made entirely of hard steel and when I tried the handle, I found it locked shut.

There was no way out. I was trapped inside with no explanation at all.

“Because the chosen ones never come back…”

My fragmented memory finally started to piece itself back together and I was left with the haunting last words that Lucina had called to me. I sat back down on the bed, feeling lost and afraid.

What was this place?

I rubbed my wrists, only just noticing the vivid marks of a braided rope on my skin. I’d been tied for some time. My dress was still in place and I quickly rushed to take stock of the rest of my body. I was glad to find that nothing hurt and when I pressed my legs together, I realized that I wasn’t sore either. If anything, I felt more rested than I had in a good long while.

I did feel warm though, but that wasn’t the only thing that had changed.

My wetness had grown from the last I remembered. I was wet enough so that it was beginning to drip down the curved expanse of my inner thighs.

Hesitantly, I glided my fingers down my legs. I needed to feel it myself to know that it was real. I cried out softly as my fingertips slid through my copious slick with ease.

My clit throbbed hard, and I closed my eyes with absolute fear.

There could only be one thing that was happening.

I was going into heat.

I kept myself clear of alphas for so long I’d almost forgotten it was even a possibility anymore, but Ivar had touched me. He’d forced my arousal to the surface with the power of his delectable purr and painful growls. I’d had the first orgasm of my life over his knee and now the ramifications of that were beginning to take hold.

I’d let him touch me. I’d given in and now I was going to pay the price.

Alone.

All around me was silence. I couldn’t hear anything and that settled on me so heavily that I wanted to cry.

This was his fault. He’d forced this on me, and I was never going to forgive him for it.

Lucina had mentioned that the gods had chosen an omega, and I hadn’t known what she’d meant, but I did now. I’d been selected because I was entering the initial stages of estrous. If I’d never let him touch me, none of this would have happened. Another omega would have been chosen and I’d be safe in the moon garden all by myself right now.

Rather than fear of what was to come, I focused on my fury because that made all of this easier to bear.

I felt so hot. The satin of my dress felt itchy on my skin and I was grateful for the lack of panties beneath it for the first time. Every inch of me felt swollen and as I traced my fingers over top of my skin in an effort to soothe myself, it only grew worse.

I tried to think of anything but the alpha who’d bared my bottom only to spank it bright red. I tried not to think of his touch against my clit and the scent of him surrounding me, but I couldn’t stop myself.

A soft cry escaped my lips.

My core twisted so hard in a vicious cramp that I bent forward from the force of it. With a quiet whimper, I pressed my thighs together even as a rush of slick poured down. If this continued, I’d soak the bed with my own arousal. I chewed my lip, glancing at the mirror on the wall. If anyone saw me like this, I’d be mortified.

Soon enough, thoughts of my shame faded under the power of my oncoming heat. My skin grew even warmer, my core twisted harder, and the initial wetness between my thighs only increased until it coated my legs.

Deep inside my chest, my heartbeat quickened. With every passing moment, my panting grew louder and my need greater until it became my entire focus.

I glanced around the room and my gaze was drawn to the water. I stood and padded over to the table, pouring myself a full glass and downing it in what seemed like a single gulp. I filled it again and drank every drop before I put it down on the table and promptly turned my attention away from it.

I then looked at the sheer number of pillows and blankets neatly folded on the shelves in front of me. Before I could stop myself, I walked over to them and traced my hands along the soft furs. My fingers curled around the softest one and without even thinking, I yanked it off the shelf. Then I pulled another off. And another and another until they were all crumpled beside me on the floor.

I unfolded one and laid it out on the floor. I grabbed the softest fur blanket and spread it out on top of the first. It didn’t feel right yet, so I took all the pillows off the shelves too. I leaned a number of them against the bottom of the bed, surrounding myself in plushness as best that I could. It took me a long time to feel comfortable in the pile and I rearranged and added to it until I finally felt like it was perfect. When it was done, I sighed with open relief.

I licked my lips as I remembered myself and I whined as the weight of what I’d just done settled on me.

I was nesting. I was preparing myself to be taken hard by an alpha, to spread my legs and beg for a knot that likely wouldn’t come.

I keened with terror even though I was still alone. I didn’t know if the temple would send someone to relieve my heat or if I was going to go through something that was said to be worse than death itself all by myself.

Right now, I wasn’t sure if that would be a blessing or a curse, but I knew that it was going to be rough.

Already I felt like I was boiling. My skin felt like it was about to simmer right off me and suddenly, it was too much to have it covered by my dress. I practically tore it in my rush to take it off. I didn’t care if anyone was watching anymore. For several moments after I’d ripped it off, I breathed in pure relief, but that didn’t last long.

I cried out as I wound my arms around my waist. My core was clenching so hard, so much so that it felt like it was trying to fight its way out of my body. I lay down on my side and curled my knees to my chest as I felt my core squeeze tighter. It was slowly approaching the depths of agony and I knew it was only going to get worse.

I reached between my thighs and whimpered with what I found. My skin was sticky with slick and when I pulled my fingers away, the wetness glistened as the light danced on my skin.

My instincts were taking over. As much as I’d tried to prepare myself to stem off this moment, I knew now that was all a measure in futility. There was no stopping this.

I was going into heat whether I wanted to or not.

My pussy was so sensitive. I couldn’t think of anything but the constant pulsing of my clit and when I hesitantly pressed my fingers back between my thighs, I sucked in a breath the moment I brushed against it.

Oh, fuck.

For a second, the blazing heat that was rushing through my veins abated and I rushed to touch myself again. With the flats of my fingers, I began to mimic what Ivar had done not too long ago. At first, I was a bit hesitant. I’d never done this myself before. It didn’t take long to learn what made me cry out with pleasure though.

I pressed harder, circling my clit with intention, faster and faster until I felt the cliff of orgasm approaching. I moved my fingers more vigorously, forcing myself closer to the edge until I hurtled right off of it. At once, my body seized tight, and I cried out as mind-rending pleasure rushed through me. My back arched and I continued touching myself, forcing that single orgasm up higher and higher until it exploded in a fiery blaze of white-hot bliss.

When it was all over, a cooling sensation passed over my body and I sighed with relief. I laid back down on the soft blankets beneath me as I enjoyed the feelings of satisfaction settling over me in its wake. I could just breathe and that felt wonderful.

For a minute or two, I felt normal, as if my single orgasm had kept my oncoming estrous at bay, and I desperately hoped it was over. I closed my eyes and leaned back, just resting my head on a pillow as I pulled myself together once more.

It wasn’t long afterwards that my temperature began to rise again, and my core twisted with an all too familiar arousal once more. Wanting to feel the sensation of normalcy once more, I slid my fingers back over my clit and forced myself to orgasm again.

For a while, making myself come felt like it offered release from my oncoming heat. I enjoyed each orgasm and the momentary relief that followed.

At least I did. At first.

The relief didn’t last very long.

My skin felt like it was being broiled, as if it was about to burst into flames at any second. My lungs felt so constricted. Drawing in each breath felt like needles tearing me apart from the inside out. My core twisted tighter and before I even realized it, a low wail of despair was bouncing off the walls all around me.

After a moment, I realized that sound was coming from me and I started to cry.

It only got worse.

I clutched at the blankets around me as if they could offer some form of comfort as my tears rolled down my cheeks at the same time my slick pooled beneath me.

I was all alone. I needed an alpha. I needed Ivar and he wasn’t going to be there to save me from myself. I wasn’t sure if I would survive this without him. I screamed his name, but he didn’t come.

I suffered alone.