End of Chapter 37

Klaus laughed, a bark escaping his throat. And it felt as if it echoed in Zen because Quinn was growing closer to the truth so fucking close. "Indulge me," Klaus told her. "What else do you know?"

"They fuck. They scream. Inside those monsters, are people still waiting for something they don't have. People that know that they're killing, some of them are still lucid," she answered. "But I don't think it's just about feasting on hearts." She paused and then, seemed to blink, a strange look in her eyes. "I've seen one." She frowned. "It was fucking weird. It ate the hearts of my team. Then it started crying, speaking, sobbing its fucking eyes out. I was going to kill it but—"

Zen's breath hitched in his throat. Icarus interrupted then; his voice sharp. "It became human again?"

"The ink dripped off him, and then he killed himself," she answered. "He took an Alpha's body and jumped. I didn't think much of it." Jumped. The words rang in Zen's mind, and he stared at her, suddenly realising that he'd do the same if he were in that position. That if he found Quinn, dead in his arms, her heart in his mouth—

Klaus snorted, but they could all tell that he was shaken. "That doesn't fucking help us, it was an abomination." His eyes flashed. "That being couldn't stand the thought that he'd been killing hundreds, that is all. His mind broke after years spent roaming the lands as Lonely."

But Zen had to ask, had to speak. "What did he say?"

Quinn regarded him then, frowning, eyes catching with his. "I love you." Zen's heart seemed to stop then, wavering. The pulse of pain in his throat suddenly disappeared. The world seemed to stop, and then start again. He breathed.

"What?"

"It said 'I love you' to the Alpha in his arms." No. Zen's heart pounded. No. No. NO. Quinn shrugged. "I have more." Her eyes swayed back to Klaus. "If you'll let me work on this. I could help."

Klaus seemed rattled. They knew he was shaken, and maybe that was why he was starting to agree to her request. "We are in charge of this research; we have bodies to study, hundreds of researchers, you must know that just one little Beta with a bit of fighting experience won't help us."

"I know you don't want your people panicking over what must seem like a punishment from the Gods," she answered. "Sooner or later, you'll have religious fanatics feasting on Alpha's hearts because they think that eating it first will save them from an uncertain fate." Her words struck too close, startling them into a horrified silence. "But you've yet to figure out a solution to save the people in the capital. Eventually, all you'll have is fear. You're going to have a city of bloodshed, of people doing everything they can, losing their minds to fear."

"And what can you do?"

"I can help you find one."

"Find what?"

"A Lonely that has feasted on a heart that is right for him. A Lonely in the wastelands that is almost sane," she seemed to find her answers in Klaus's expression because she smiled. "You need one for research."

"We have one," Klaus's answer was sharp.

But Zen knew that they didn't, that not one of the scientists that had eaten the hearts of their Alphas had truly transformed into an inky monster. That while they all had lived, those Omegas had yet to completely transform into Lonely. As Quinn had guessed, the only reason why they ventured into feasting on Alpha's heart was because the Lonely wanted those hearts.

There just wasn't enough time, enough research, enough lives to play with.

They were growing desperate.

And that made Zen realise now, that they might have been too hasty with Quinn's death sentence. His fist clenched. How could they be sure that eating her heart would save them all? That the experience of others wasn't unique? That it would be that easy? Quinn had once been Euodia, and they had already eaten her heart. Surely, they should be immune and yet Helios had almost transformed. The knowledge of that burned on his tongue, and he felt as if he should spill the truth, and yet he couldn't, fearing for her life.

The rate of Lonely transformation had no true indicator, some transformed faster than others. There was a good number that feasted on their Alpha's hearts, and yet they had all transformed into Lonelys weeks later, erupting in the capital. The scientists had called them impatient, too hasty, had claimed that they had not cultivated the relationship, had not feasted on a willing Alpha. That those packs did not convince the Alpha to happily offer her heart and soul for their survival. That they too had not pushed themselves to their maximum, had taken the easy way out with a quick kill.

The pain and suffering were essential. They had to steal the Alpha's strength, had to face her allure.

But three packs had succeeded and were now all happy and with child. That had been enough to pump hope into their people. But was that truly the reason why they survived? They had more failures than successes. Zen coughed, pain rupturing within him. He couldn't describe the sudden burn, the sudden hunger that erupted from within him, crawling up his spine. He concealed another wet splutter behind his palm, and Helios shot him an odd look.

Quinn continued speaking. "The ones in the wasteland are older, just let me try."

There was a pause, and then Klaus conceded. "Then you'll have to do something for us as well," Klaus smiled. "There's a ball."

"A ball?"

"One where we invite the elite Omegas to participate, to assure them that we've got everything under control. You'll have to come and be a good Alpha, bow your head and be quiet. Kneel at our feet. Obey them. They need to know that you won't hurt us, that you have been indoctrinated. If you pass that test, I'll let you work on the research of the Lonely."

Icarus's lips pursed into a snarl. "She's not ready for that shit."

Elysian snapped out. "She's too weak to—"

Klaus's answer was cold. "Make your decision."

"I will go," Quinn answered with a shrug, a cruel angry smile on her lips. "After all, I am still your Alpha."

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