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  MOONCHILD

  DARK MOON PRISON, BOOK ONE

  - dark reverse harem omegaverse romance -

  Copyright © 2020 by Cara Wylde

  Cover by Emma Griffin

  All rights are reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in book reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter One – Wisteria

  Chapter Two – Officer Stone

  Chapter Three – Wisteria

  Chapter Four – Father Rivera

  Chapter Five – Wisteria

  Chapter Six – Warden Green

  Chapter Seven – Wisteria

  Chapter Eight – Officer Stone

  Chapter Nine – Wisteria

  Chapter Ten – Warden Green

  Chapter Eleven – Wisteria

  Chapter Twelve – Father Rivera

  Chapter Thirteen – Wisteria

  Chapter Fourteen – Officer Stone

  Chapter Fifteen – Wisteria

  Chapter Sixteen – Father Rivera

  Chapter Seventeen – Wisteria

  Chapter Eighteen – Warden Green

  Chapter Nineteen – Wisteria

  Chapter Twenty – Officer Stone

  Penumbra, A Prequel – Teaser

  About the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  Wisteria

  Right before dawn, in those minutes leading up to the sun shooting its first rays over the horizon, it was always darkest. Silence hung in the air like a heavy cloak smothering everything that whispered, whimpered, breathed. And I had my eyes closed, tapping into this utter stillness, allowing it to enter my bones and petrify them, turn my blood into molasses; my blood flowed slower and slower, until it stopped. Arteries clogged, my heart tripped over its own faint beats. Right before dawn, my body was stone and sugar. Because no one could hurt stone. No one would crack it open to get to the sweetness inside, because no one would know it was there. I wasn’t sure it was there myself… And as I lied on this hard, beaten-up mattress, in this bed I’d never slept in before, behind walls so thick that I couldn’t hear the wind outside, the murmurs of nature getting ready to burst with life the moment the sun kissed its leaves, I tried to tune in… Tune in and feel something else than the paralyzing fear of being trapped, so trapped that I wasn’t even sure it was dawn and the sky was streaked with rays of light. Maybe, I was imagining everything. Maybe, I wasn’t yet awake, and I was dreaming.

  An alarm blared from somewhere above, and artificial lights chased the darkness away, penetrating my skull like blinding fire even through my stubbornly closed lids.

  “Top of the morning, inmates! Line up for first count!”

  There was sarcasm in the deep, manly voice that jolted us all awake. A groan came from the other side of the room. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a minute. I was here. A gray, cramped cell. And I wasn’t alone.

  “What a treat to finally have a young, pretty cellie,” the woman said. I kept silent, and she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. I heard her soles thud on the floor. “Not much of a talker, are you?” She sighed. “I’m Roz. What’s your name?”

  I didn’t answer. I peeled my eyes off the ceiling and turned my head to look at her. She was tall and large, a massive woman with gray hair and small, blue eyes. Her hair fell in waves on her shoulders, thick and coarse. It needed a good brush.

  “They brought you in last night. You were out,” she snickered. “What did they give you, eh? Some of the good stuff, I bet.” She smacked her lips. When she saw I was determined to stay silent, she shook her head, pushed herself to her feet, and proceeded to brush her teeth and get dressed. All the while, she kept talking. “My cellie before you was an old hag. Hated her with a passion. She farted in her sleep and snored like a chainsaw. I broke her nose once.” She snickered again. “Thought I was helping, you know? But nah. She just snored even worse after that. She died last month. Been cellie-less since then. Thank God you’re here, so I have someone to talk to. Been bored out of my mind.” She put on her gray overalls and twisted her wispy hair in a loose bun. Hands in her pockets, she turned to me and studied me for a long minute. “Look at you. All nubile and gorgeous. Blond hair, big doe eyes. That body… Do you even eat, or…? No wait! I know, I know… You must be one of those lucky girls who can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound.” A grin pulled at the corner of her lips, and I noticed most of her teeth were rotten. “What did you do to get thrown in here?” She took a step toward me and subtly sniffed the air. “Omega. I had a feeling, but now it’s clear. You look like one. Smell like one.” She leaned over my bed, and I sprung up, pressed my back to the wall and drew my knees to my chest. “I bet you taste like one, too,” she continued in a lower voice, licking her lips suggestively. “What did you do to get thrown in here, indeed?” After another few seconds of silence, she shook her head and tsked. “It must be bad, if you don’t want to tell me. You’re the first Omega to grace the fine cells of Dark Moon Prison, so it must be really, really bad.” She straightened her back and cocked her head, still waiting for me to say something. “You’re not going to tell me your name, at least? How rude. Well, don’t worry. I’ll find out on my own. What you’re called, what pack you belong to, why you’re here… There are no secrets in prison. Someone will know, someone will talk. If not the inmates, then the guards.” She let out a sinister chuckle. “In fact, you know what? I like this. A game. A puzzle. A mystery. Much more fun to think of at night instead of having to listen to that old fart’s snoring. God rest her soul,” she laughed. “I appreciate it. Truly.”

  She turned away, facing the locked door of our cell. I watched her back for a while. The same man who’d woken us before, yelled again: “Open on the first floor!” Another guard below yelled: “Open on the ground floor!” And I knew the cells were distributed on two floors. I should have gotten out of the bed, found my clothes, washed my face. What was happening here was clear. My worst nightmares had come true. Nightmares – in the literal sense of the word. I’d dreamed of being tied up last night, of being tortured and humiliated. I’d dreamed of a dark cell with no windows, no bed, no toilet, not even a sink to wash the blood off my hands in… But no. I wasn’t dirty anymore. I had to remind myself that someone had washed me before bringing me here. And this cell was fine, not like the one in my dream. The reality wasn’t worse than the nightmare. Or maybe it was, and I just couldn’t remember that well… Couldn’t remember what had happened last night, what had happened before I woke up in this bed, with Roz talking my ears off. I touched my temple.

  With a screech, all the cell doors opened at once.

  “Hey, cellie. You have to get up for first count.” She turned to me and caught me staring. “What are you looking at, doe? Get up, or you’ll upset Officer Stone.”

  I blinked. Officer Stone? The name sounded familiar.

  Name…

  That was why I hadn’t told Roz my name. Not because I wanted to make some sort of stand by refusing to talk. I wasn’t mute, either. I didn’t tell her because I couldn’t remember what it was. I couldn’t remember anything. Why was I here, locked up at Dark Moon Prison? It could have been anyone’s guess…

  “Suit yoursel
f,” she whispered. “If Stone snaps, it’s on you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m trying to be a good cellmate here.” She was mumbling now. “Whatever. You’ll understand how lucky you are they put you in with me soon enough.”

  I got out of the bed and noticed I wasn’t wearing much – a pair of hideous grandma panties, and a white bra that was too big for my round, B-cup breasts. I tried not to think about it. I didn’t remember putting them on myself, and that was worrisome. I found some clothes in a corner and put them on. There was no mirror in here, which made sense… I would’ve liked to take a look at myself, make sure I was still the same. I knew I had long blond hair, but I wasn’t sure about the color of my eyes, nor about my features in general. I felt confused. I pinched the bridge of my nose, groaned, and stepped next to Roz. My neck itched, so I moved my hand down. My fingers met the cold metal of a collar. My eyes widened, and I turned to Roz, silently begging her for help.

  She laughed. “This is a prison for werewolves! What? You thought they were going to let us shift at will?” She pointed at her own collar. “This is to make sure they control our shifts. I’m a Beta, you’re an Omega… We pose no threat to them. But think about all the Alphas in cell block A. Most of them are stronger and crazier than the guards. There’s nothing to worry about, though. If you think about it, the collars keep us safe, protect us from ourselves and, most importantly, from each other. You don’t want those Alpha scum jumping your bones. You wouldn’t survive it. You’re so tiny and frail, look at you.” She laughed again. “It will be interesting to see how you adapt. Prison is no walk in the park, doe.”

  I nodded. Heavy steps approached our cell, and I straightened my back instinctively. A man that was built like a mountain came into view. He stopped in front of Roz and I, legs spread apart, a grin on his cruel lips. He had dark hair that was cut short to his skull, military style. Brown eyes that were almost black, a square jaw sporting a dark shadow that made him look even more dangerous, and muscles everywhere. His blue and black uniform was tight in all the right places, not leaving much to the imagination. An impressive array of weapons hung from his belt. He stole a quick glance at Roz, and she took a step back. His eyes fell on me, and I thought he would move on the second he made sure we were both where we were supposed to be, but he didn’t. His eyes took me in, from head to toe, lingering on my curves, granted the gray overalls didn’t really show off my body. The way he scanned me… It gave me the feeling that he already knew what was underneath my baggy clothes. That made my face burn hot.

  “How did you sleep, mut?”

  His voice startled me. It sounded so familiar, just like his name. I looked up into his dark orbs, a question written all over my face. Was he talking to me?

  “Oh, I forgot. You don’t talk.” He chuckled.

  Why was he behaving like we’d met before? My brows furrowed in an attempt to remember him. There was a pull in my chest, like a cord that vibrated and whispered about a bond. I longed for something, and he was the only one who could quench that longing. I must have met him before – it was the only logical explanation. But he seemed so… rough and vicious. While I felt inexplicably drawn to him, there was also something within me that screamed I had to stay away from him, had to avoid him at all cost. Roz had said it was a bad idea to upset Officer Stone. Looking into his dark brown eyes right now, I realized I agreed with her.

  He leaned in and brushed the back of his hand across my cheek. It wasn’t a gentle gesture, and where he touched me, my skin went up in flames. The heat spread to my neck, my chest, my arms. In seconds, I was burning hot with a fever, and I couldn’t believe he’d just caused it. No, it couldn’t have been him. It was my reaction to him, as if my body had some sort of allergy to his touch. But that didn’t make much sense, either. I stumbled back and grabbed the bars of the cell just in time. My fingers went to my forehead. I was burning, indeed, and my stomach churned with sudden sickness. I swallowed hard, not wanting to make a fool of myself by showing Officer Stone how much his presence affected me.

  “You’ll talk soon enough,” he said, seemingly unaware of my distress. “We’ve gone through this before, and we can do it again. I have all the time in the world.” He winked at me and finally moved to the next cell.

  I stared after him with wide eyes. Roz stepped up behind me to whisper in my ear.

  “Well, well, well… Would you look at that? You and Alaric Stone have history, eh? You’re full of surprises, doe.” She must have felt my fever, because she backed away quickly. “You should go to the infirmary. You were as white as a ghost a minute ago, and now you look like a beetroot.”

  I shook my head.

  She shrugged. “Maybe a cold shower is all the medicine you need.” She threw a towel at me. “Welcome to your first day in prison. Showers first, then breakfast. After you, doe.”

  I folded the towel and accepted the unopened toiletry kit she handed me. The horrible clothes, the towel, and the small kit that barely had enough to last me a few days was probably all I was going to get for free. I would have to buy the rest of what I needed in the commissary, but… with what money? Did I have any? Did I have anyone on the outside who would help me? Who would visit me and tell me what the hell was going on and what I’d done to deserve all this?

  I must have done something…

  When I didn’t move from my spot, Roz lost her patience and pushed past me. I followed her dutifully. For now, she was the only person I knew in here, and losing sight of her would have been a mistake.

  As we walked down corridors, the other female inmates sniffed me, stared at me, and whispered behind my back. They were all Betas and Alphas. Granted Alpha women were very rare, an Omega in prison was even more of an oddity. I stuck close to Roz.

  I must have done something, right? It was at the back of my mind… Blood. I’d been covered in blood. I looked at my hands, and sure enough, there was the proof. Blood and dirt under my fingernails. I closed my fists tightly and tucked them underneath the towel, so no one could see. My body was sore all over. My muscles hurt, my skin was still burning, and there was a stinging sensation on my buttocks as I moved and the rough fabric of my overalls brushed against my skin there. It was almost worse than the fever.

  “Here we are,” Roz said, stepping aside so I could take in the showers. “Only girls in here, so don’t be shy.”

  There was a female guard watching the inmates stand in line for the showers, making sure no one blocked them for too long. I had to be quick, then. Roz allowed me to go before her, and I gave her a grateful nod. She didn’t seem that bad. Maybe I was lucky they’d put me in with her. I turned on the water and tipped my head back, letting the lukewarm spray hit my closed lids.

  “What did I tell you?” Roz stepped in, avoiding getting wet as much as she could, and grabbed a hold of the faucet. “A freezing cold shower if you want to get rid of that fever.”

  The next thing I knew, ice cold water hit my skin, and I screamed and jumped back, bumping into Roz and sending her sprawling on the floor.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” the female guard yelled. “Inmate, leave the Omega alone!” She grabbed Roz by the arm and pulled her up, then turned to me. “And you, stop it! Stop it right now! Shut up!”

  I was still screaming. Tears ran down my cheeks, and all I could do was stare at the cold water splashing at my feet, unable to reach over and turn it off.

  “Shut the fuck up, inmate!”

  The other inmates were alarmed now. Some were laughing, others started screaming in unison. And I couldn’t move, couldn’t stop crying, couldn’t look away from the freezing water, couldn’t even take a single step back. I felt the guard’s hand wrap around my arm. She was trying to pull me back, but I was paralyzed. Roz was laughing hysterically, as if she hadn’t had so much fun in a long time.

  “What the hell is going on in here?” Officer Stone’s unmistakable voice boomed over the laughter and the screaming. “Shut. The fuck
. Up! You crazy bitches!”

  “She started it,” the female guard said. “And why the fuck is she so strong? I can’t even budge her. She’s a goddamn Omega, she’s not supposed to be… this… strong…” She truly was pulling at my arm with all her might.

  “Leave her to me. And get everyone out. Now!”

  Officer Stone reached past my naked, trembling body and turned off the water. He stepped in front of me, and when his hands cupped my face, I looked up into his eyes.

  “Wisteria,” he whispered.

  And I realized that, from then on, I would hang on to his every word.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Officer Stone

  I couldn’t let her out of my sight. Warden Green had cut the interrogation short the night before, just when I was starting to make some progress. The situation was frustrating. The new inmate should have never been put with the others. She was dangerous. Fortunately, he’d officially put me in charge of her, and I was allowed to use any means I deemed fit to make the Omega confess. Even with word from above that her case was being reopened, a confession was still the only way to find out what had really happened. When I saw her in her cell, it didn’t come as a surprise to me that she was mute once more. Warden Green had rendered a perfectly good job irrelevant. Now I had to start all over again.

  I finished first count and found my way toward the showers. Normally, I wasn’t allowed in there. Female guards were in charge of cell block B, but this was a special situation. The Omega was my responsibility. She’d been brought to Dark Moon Prison the day before, early in the morning. Since then, I’d been watching her, helping Doctor Sylvan with everything he needed, and trying to get a confession out of her, so all this madness could end. Now that she was here – the most ferocious murderer the shifter world had ever seen, – too many eyes were on us. That was fine by me, honestly, since I’d always done my job. I had nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. But Warden Callan Green had a few skeletons in his closet that he didn’t want exposed as a side effect of the media’s attention. The Administration was breathing down our necks, too, and now I’d just found out that someone powerful had taken an interest in the Omega killer. So, no, I couldn’t let her out of my sight, even if that meant getting complaints from the female inmates that I was watching them shower.