Unhinged Omega: A Dark Reverse Harem Omegaverse Romance (Ghost Alpha Unit Book 4)

I watch the door close behind Geo with a confusing mixture of relief and fresh wariness. His one-eyed stare had been intense, searching, like he was trying to solve a puzzle. I’m not sure I like the idea of being anyone’s puzzle, especially not a dangerous alpha who clearly runs this place like his personal kingdom.

But at least he’s agreed to help.

The Knight shifts on the bed beside me, the expensive mattress groaning under his weight. His glowing blue eyes are fixed on the door, as if he expects Geo to burst back in at any moment.

‘He’s gone,’ I say softly, my hand still resting on his arm. The steady heat of him seeps into my palm, warming me through. ‘It’s just us now.’

The Knight rumbles low in his chest, a sound I’m starting to recognize as acknowledgment rather than threat. It’s strange how quickly I’ve learned to interpret his various growls and rumbles. Like learning a new language made entirely of primal sounds.

‘Can we talk?’ I ask, turning to face him more fully. The silk of Raven’s borrowed robe whispers around me as I move. ‘I mean, can you talk?’

He just stares at me, those blue eyes unblinking behind his ornate mask. The silver gleams in the soft light of the room, the craftsmanship making him look almost regal despite the scars and metal visible on the rest of his body.

‘I know your mouth is…’ I hesitate, searching for a word that won’t offend him. ‘Um. Different. But is that why you don’t speak? Or is it something else?’

More staring.

Then he slowly lifts his human hand and taps his mask vaguely, followed by his temple.

Holy shit.

Progress.

‘Both?’ I guess, trying not to show my excitement that he’s making more specific gestures.

A jerky nod.

‘So physically, it’s difficult, but also…’ I trail off, trying to understand. ‘You’ve forgotten how? Or you never learned?’

His massive shoulders rise and fall in what might be a shrug. It’s such a human gesture that it catches me off guard. Then he taps his temple again, more insistently this time.

‘Your mind won’t let you,’ I murmur, understanding dawning. ‘Even if you wanted to.’

Another nod, slower this time. His glowing eyes seem to dim slightly, and I catch a glimpse of something that might be shame.

‘Hey,’ I say gently, reaching up to touch his mask without thinking. ‘It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.’

He jerks back from my touch with a warning growl, his hand flying up to protect his mask. I immediately withdraw my hand, cursing my thoughtlessness.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say quickly. ‘I wasn’t going to take it off. I promise.’

The growl subsides, but he still watches me warily. His massive frame is tense, ready to spring away at the slightest provocation.

‘Would you take it off?’ I ask carefully. ‘Just for a moment? So I can see…’

He shakes his head immediately, the movement sharp and decisive. No room for negotiation there.

‘Okay,’ I say, holding up my hands in surrender. ‘That’s fine. It was just a thought…’

The tension in his shoulders eases slightly, but I can tell he’s still on edge. Trust is a fragile thing between us, built on the strange foundation of shared nightmares and one heat-induced coupling.

I don’t want to shatter what we have.

‘Well, at least you’re communicating more now,’ I say, attempting to lighten the mood. ‘Even feral alphas respond to an omega’s touch, apparently.’

The Knight sighs—actually sighs—and I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me. It’s such a human sound, so at odds with the appearance that had me terrified just days ago. Yesterday? My sense of time is beyond screwed up.

‘Sorry,’ I say, not feeling sorry at all. ‘But you have to admit, it’s kind of funny. Tamed by pussy. Imagine that.’

He gives me a look that somehow manages to be withering even through the mask. I laugh again, the sound echoing in the opulent room.

‘Don’t worry,’ I tell him, touching his hand before I can think better of it. Luckily, that seems to be okay. ‘Your secret’s safe with me. I won’t tell anyone you’re actually a big softie underneath all those… muscles and metal and… teeth.’

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. The Knight tenses immediately, a warning growl building in his chest as he shifts to position himself between me and the potential threat.

‘Come in,’ I call, placing a calming hand on the Knight’s arm again.

The door opens to reveal a disheveled man in a white coat. The doctor, I presume. He looks like he’s seen better days—his hair is mussed, his eyes bloodshot, and there’s a slight tremor in his hands as he carries his medical bag into the room.

‘Dr. Ryefield,’ he introduces himself with a curt nod. His gaze flicks nervously to the Knight, then back to me. ‘Geo sent me to check on your…’ He gulps loudly. ‘Friend.’

‘Thank you for coming,’ I say, feeling a bit better when I see he’s scared shitless. I don’t like doctors, but a frightened one may be tolerable. ‘I’m Cosima. This is… Knight.’

It’s less of a mouthful than the Knight. I tell myself that’s the only reason I’ve made it more of a real name. That it has nothing to do with the strange feelings I’m developing for the alpha I’ve been terrified of my entire life.

‘Yes, I know who you are,’ he says, setting his bag down on a nearby table. ‘Everyone in this hellhole knows who you are by now.’

Wonderful. Just what I need. More attention.

Knight’s growl deepens as the doctor approaches, his massive frame coiling with tension. I tighten my grip on his arm, willing him to stay calm.

‘It’s okay,’ I murmur to him. ‘He’s here to help. Remember?’

The growling subsides to a low rumble, but Knight’s burning blue eyes never leave the doctor as he unpacks his supplies.

‘I need to examine his wounds,’ Dr. Ryefield says, pulling on a pair of latex gloves with practiced efficiency. ‘Can you control him?’

I bristle at the implication. ‘He’s not a pet.’

‘No,’ the doctor agrees, eyeing Knight’s metal claws warily. ‘He’s much more dangerous than that. But Geo says you have some sort of… influence over him.’

I exchange a glance with Knight. ‘We have an understanding,’ I say finally. ‘He won’t hurt you unless you try to hurt me. In which case, well… that would be a different story.’

‘Fantastic,’ the doctor mutters dryly. ‘No pressure at all.’

Despite his obvious fear, Dr. Ryefield approaches the bed with professional composure. ‘I need to see the wounds on your back first,’ he tells Knight directly, as if speaking to a normal patient. ‘Can you turn around for me?’

To my surprise, Knight complies without prompting, shifting on the bed with an irritated growl to present his scarred back to the doctor. I move with him, keeping one hand on his arm, as much for my own comfort as his.

‘Good lord,’ Dr. Ryefield breathes as he takes in the extent of the damage. ‘What happened to you?’

Knight, of course, doesn’t answer.

‘Explosions and bullets,’ I say.

The doctor hums thoughtfully as he begins to clean the wounds. Knight flinches at the first touch of antiseptic, another low growl rumbling in his chest, but he doesn’t pull away. I move my hand to his and squeeze it. As much as I can, anyway. My hand barely wraps around half his palm.

‘These aren’t just from a fight,’ Dr. Ryefield says after a moment, his fingers gently probing the deep vertical gashes on either side of Knight’s spine. Knight flinches in clear pain and my heart clenches. ‘These are surgical. Or they were, before something was ripped out.’

I lean forward, peering over Knight’s massive shoulder. The wounds are deep and ragged, as if something had been forcibly removed. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m not sure,’ the doctor admits, reaching for a suture kit. ‘But judging by the placement and the surrounding scar tissue, I’d guess some sort of structure connected to his nervous system, given how they align with his upper spine.’ He begins to stitch the first wound closed with neat, precise movements. ‘Whoever did this to him didn’t care about his comfort. Or his survival, for that matter.’

Knight remains perfectly still as the doctor works, but I can feel the tension radiating from him. His breathing is carefully controlled, each exhale measured as if he’s counting the seconds until this is over.

‘Can’t you give him something for the pain?’ I ask, worried. I know antiseptic, let alone anesthetics, are in short supply out here, but there has to be something.

Dr. Ryefield glances up with a look that’s not unsympathetic. ‘I’m afraid the metabolism of an alpha who’s capable of surviving injuries like this would burn through anything I have on hand almost immediately. It would just be more needles for no benefit.’

‘Oh.’

Even though we’re both sitting on the bed, I still have to stretch my arm up to reach his bone-white hair. I card my hand through it, trying to soothe him. He relaxes fractionally at my touch. Still, each time the needle slides into his skin and the stitches tug, Knight winces. His scarred skin feels cold and clammy to the touch.

‘This is far beyond anything I’ve encountered,’ the doctor continues, stitching up the next set of wounds. ‘I’ve heard of experiments being performed, especially in Vrissia, but this is… particularly extreme.’ He pauses, his gaze lifting to Knight’s masked face. ‘I need to check for head injuries as well. Can you remove your mask for me?’noveldrama

‘Oh, he won’t do that,’ I say quickly, squeezing Knight’s hand as hard as I can in hopes I can convince him through my touch to not tear the room apart. ‘The mask stays on.’

The doctor reaches for it anyway. Knight jerks away with a snarl, his hand flying up to protect his mask just as it did when I asked. Dr. Ryefield stumbles back, nearly dropping his suture kit.

‘See? Told you,’ I add, trying to keep my voice light despite my irritation and the tense energy crackling in the air. This doctor may not be as terrible as the others I’ve encountered, but not even the benign ones listen to omegas.

Dr. Ryefield swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. ‘Right. Well, I’ll just… continue with the rest, then.’

The examination continues in tense silence. The doctor works methodically, cleaning and stitching the wounds he can reach, applying antiseptic to the others. Knight endures it all without complaint, though I can tell by the set of his shoulders and the occasional rumble in his chest that he’s far from comfortable.

I’ll have to make it up to him later.

‘The flesh wounds should heal well enough with proper care,’ Dr. Ryefield says finally, packing up his supplies. ‘Keep them clean, change the dressings daily, and try to limit movement for at least a week.’ He hesitates, glancing between us. ‘Though I suspect that last part might be challenging, given the circumstances.’

I nod, already knowing we won’t be staying here long enough for an ideal recovery. ‘Thank you, doctor. We appreciate your help.’

Dr. Ryefield pauses at the door, his expression softening slightly. ‘He’s been through a lot,’ he says quietly. ‘More than most could survive. Whatever they did to him… it wasn’t just physical.’

I swallow hard, my hand finding Knight’s again without conscious thought. ‘I know.’

The doctor nods once, then slips out the door, leaving us alone again.

Knight exhales slowly as the door closes. I turn to face him, taking in the neat stitches now adorning his scarred skin.

‘Better?’ I ask softly.

He nods, those blue eyes finding mine. There’s something different in his gaze now. Something strangely vulnerable. It makes my heart do a strange little flip in my chest.

‘Good,’ I murmur, reaching up to brush a strand of white hair away from his mask. This time, he doesn’t flinch away from my touch. ‘You should rest.’

Knight makes no move to lie down, though. Instead, he watches me with that intense blue gaze that seems to see right through me. It should be unnerving. It was unnerving, once.

But now…

Now I find myself leaning into it. Wanting it.

The realization hits me. I like the way he looks at me. Like I’m the center of his universe. Like nothing else matters but me.

And I can’t deny the way my pulse quickens at the thought. The way heat pools low in my belly at the memory of his massive body over mine, inside me, filling me so completely I thought I might break.

I swallow hard, suddenly aware of how thin Raven’s silk robe is. How it clings to my curves, still slightly damp from my shower. Knight’s gaze drops to where the fabric gaps slightly at my chest, and I hear his breathing hitch.

‘You should rest,’ I repeat, my voice embarrassingly breathless. ‘Doctor’s orders.’

He makes no move to lie down. Instead, his massive hand reaches out, hovering just above my knee where the robe has parted. He doesn’t touch me. He’s waiting for permission.

My heart hammers against my ribs as I nod.

His human hand settles on my upper thigh, warm and heavy. The contrast between his rough scars and my smooth skin is beautiful in its own strange way. His thumb traces small circles over the pinkish omega mark on my hip, and I have to bite my lip to stifle a gasp.

‘We shouldn’t,’ I whisper, even as I lean into his touch. ‘You’re injured…’

Not that it stopped him before, though.

Knight rumbles low in his chest again, the sound vibrating through me like a physical caress. His hand slides higher, pushing the silk robe up as it goes.

Gods help me, I want him again.

And not just because of heat or necessity or any of the excuses I could hide behind before.

I want him because he’s the most terrifying, beautiful, devoted creature I’ve ever encountered. Because he looks at me not just like I hung the moon and stars, but like I am the moon and stars. Because when I’m with him, I feel powerful in a way I never have before.

Because the fact that he’s fucking terrifying just makes him hotter somehow.

His hand reaches the apex of my thighs, and I can’t hold back the moan that escapes me as his fingers brush against my already slick folds. His touch is gentle, almost reverent, as he explores me.

‘Wait,’ I gasp, placing my hand over his to still his movements. ‘Not… not yet.’

Knight freezes immediately, his hand withdrawing as if burned. I catch his wrist before he can pull away completely.

‘I didn’t say stop,’ I clarify, my cheeks heating. ‘Just… slow down. We have time.’

Relief floods his eyes, and I realize he thought I was rejecting him. The idea that this massive, terrifying alpha could be insecure about anything is almost laughable. And yet, the evidence is right there in those blue eyes that are searching mine.

‘Come here,’ I murmur, tugging gently on his arm.

He moves closer, the mattress dipping under his weight as he shifts. I reach up, my fingers tracing the edge of his mask where it meets his jaw. He tenses but doesn’t pull away.

‘I won’t take it off,’ I promise. ‘But I want to try something.’

Slowly, giving him plenty of time to stop me, I lean forward and press my lips to the smooth silver surface of his mask, right where his mouth would be. It’s cool against my lips, the metal warming quickly from my breath.

Knight goes completely still, his breathing stopping entirely. For a moment, I worry I’ve crossed a line.

But then he reaches up and touches the silver where I just kissed him and a shudder runs through his massive frame. The most quiet, broken growl I’ve ever heard escapes him.

It breaks my heart.

And seals my fate.