Page 1 of Convincing the Heartbroken Beta

Chapter One

Sascha jerked awake in the cold, dark prison cell he’d been locked in for months. For exactly how long, he had no idea. The thin mat he was curled on did almost nothing to protect him from the damp chill of the small room. After tugging the one wool blanket he was allowed around his body, he rose up on one elbow. Now that his captors had confirmed he was pregnant, he’d been getting treated somewhat better. Although, he was hardly living in luxury.

He blinked the sleep away, not sure if he’d been dreaming the loud bang, or if something dire was happening. Sascha bit his lip as he strained to hear in the almost pitch black. Only the faint glow from a bulb around the corner of the long hall cast any light.

Maybe Jasper survived his escape. Maybe help has arrived.

Sascha’s hand traveled to his slightly rounded belly. His friend didn’t know about the pregnancy because they hadn’t spoken in weeks. He’d only discovered from one of the other omega prisoners that Jasper had escaped when he’d passed him as he’d taken his turn in the shower. That omega had been beaten on the spot for daring to speak with him at all. The words exchanged had been whispered, so he doubted the guard knew what he’d said, but that didn’t matter. Speaking to each other was a punishable offense—like so many other ridiculous things.

Sascha had only escaped the same fate because he was pregnant.

Sounds like shouts and—gunfire?—could be heard from somewhere far off. Behind the cement walls of the prison and below ground, it was impossible to ever hear what was going on outside. No birds or wind or the soothing sound of the sea. Not even the howl of a wolf. Just the shouts of the guards or the captive omegas’ whimpers and sighs.

Sascha gasped. The sounds drew closer and, this time, he was certain the noise was gunfire. His mouth went dry, terror clawing at his throat. He’d dreamed for so long about being rescued—that the Alliance would discover they were being held captive by these unknown Russian doctors and Yukon Delta Pack rogue wolves—but what if he was caught in the crossfire? He covered his belly with both hands.

What if the Russians decide to destroy the evidence?

Despair overtook him as a shroud of utter helplessness washed over him. For months he’d been trying to find a way to break free, so he knew it was impossible. How Jasper had managed it, he had no idea. But now, here he was, trapped and defenseless. Unable to protect himself or his unborn child.

Sascha yelped. One of the hulking guards had seemed to appear from nowhere right as the cries and screams of his fellow omegas erupted. With the jangle of keys and a loud clang of the cell door as it slammed against the stone wall, the guard lunged at him.

“Get up, you little piece of shit!”

His first instinct was to recoil, but that only seemed to infuriate the guard more. He grabbed Sascha’s arm then jerked him to his feet.

“Come on!”

He shoved Sascha from the cell, and Sasha stumbled, barely catching himself before he face-planted. Some of the omegas were weeping, some moaning from recent beatings—all of them cowering as they huddled together in the hall. Sascha screamed along with several others as a muffled explosion made the building shake, dust and ceiling particles raining down.

Chaos broke out as the guards herded them down the corridor toward the labs, kicking or prodding them with the butts of their rifles if they weren’t moving fast enough.

Are they trying to keep us from being found? Why the labs?

He had no idea what to think, hadn’t been able to figure out half of what had happened to him since he’d been imprisoned.

Sascha tripped over his own feet and was pushed between his shoulder blades by one of his captors. He fought to keep from falling and tried to pick up the pace. He wasn’t as weak as he’d once been since he was now getting more food, but still not as strong as he should be. Sascha’s lungs burned as he struggled to keep up and he cradled his swollen belly. Light flutters from the baby began as if in protest.

They reached a room at the farthest end of the hall in the laboratory section of the building, and those who weren’t quick enough to enter the room were kicked or slapped. Many of his fellow omegas used each other for support as they stumbled or fell. Ahead of them, two of the guards flung tables and equipment aside and cleared a space against the farthest wall. As they were prodded toward the now open area, Sascha’s gut tightened.

Something’s not right.

The building they were in had grown eerily silent, yet the sounds of battle still raged in the distance. Sascha wasn’t sure how many structures made up the walled complex. When he’d been brought to the facility by members of his traitorous pack, it had been the middle of the night and he’d been drugged.

“Up against the wall!” one of the guards barked at them.

Sascha screamed and covered his face with his arms as several guards pointed their rifles at him and his fellow omegas. Shots erupted, a terrible noise that seemed to envelop him. He fell to his knees, curling into ball to protect his baby. The agonizing cries of the other prisoners mixed with the yells of the guards and voices he didn’t recognize.

Sascha tensed in fear as his arm was grabbed. He lifted his gaze and met the eyes of Jasper’s father, one of the worst of the treacherous Deltas. Chaos still surrounded him but the dark intent in the man was clear. His lips drew back in a snarl as he tugged on Sascha’s arm, dragging him away from what Sascha now realized was the aftermath of an attempted execution.

“You’re coming with me,” He growled.

Sascha’s mind switched off as terror gripped him, his insides liquefying while he fought for his and his baby’s very existence. A voice shouted in his mind that if he allowed Jasper’s father to take him, he’d never see his mom or Jasper again. Jasper’s father kept yelling, dragging him, but Sascha wouldn’t allow the words to pierce through his brain.

Must get away, get away, get away…

Sascha fell back as Jasper’s father and another shifter grappled in a vicious struggle. He couldn’t bear to watch the hand-to-hand battle rage between them. A shot rang out right and Sascha screamed. With a final curse, Jasper’s father fell to the floor in a heap. Sascha couldn’t stop shaking and he thought he might be sick. He needed to get away, to leave not only his prison, but the stink of death and destruction.

“Hey. Are you all right?”