Good stuff, I'm glad to see I can still look forward to getting an Omega fix.  Was starting to feel like I might need the lifespan of an Omega myself to see the next update.  :p 

Out of curiousity, about how far along is the story of Consequences as a whole at this point?

So glad to finally see another chapter for this story--though, I seriously hope it's not another long wait for the next one, whether it's fetishy or not (though I think the best stories mix the smut and the substance in about equal amounts).  Sierra's an awesome giantess, and I can't wait to see what will happen when she's put into the upcoming hunting situation...which, along with the hard, reluctant choices Sierra might need to make, hopefully also has some stomping and crushing tossed into the chapter.

I'd definitely echo sithlordnergal--the situation is about as horrible as it could possibly be (well, almost), and not just for Bridget and Lexi.

This whole situation should shake and rattle AEGIS and the Omegas to their very core; it is really, really hard to understate what a colossal failure of the system this has been. 

They've taken someone who is arguably what they can only wish and dream every Alpha in the world was like, and subjected her to absolutely horrifying punishments that would leave any normal person with severe psychological and especially emotional scarring (seriously, how was giving her to Bridget a good idea, Hart?  Even if Lexi did it, either Bridget goes too easy on her, or it's a far too traumatic experience for both Alpha and Omega than it ever should've been).  AEGIS has literally done the exact polar opposite of its mission.  I don't think I can come up with a worse failure than this--this will likely always be the absolute nadir in AEGIS, maybe even Omega, history. 

If I was in Lexi's shoes, though, I know I would've been absolutely incredulous at Bridget's reaction; Bridget being so quick to start punishing her, obviously believing whole-heartedly that Lexi had done this, but when Lexi actually 'confesses', she refuses to believe it, even when it comes from the proverbial horse's mouth?  Bridget claims she 'knows' Lexi well enough to know that the Alpha's explanation 'couldn't be true', yet, again, started with brutally humiliating punishment the second she brings Lexi home.  I suppose maybe it has something to do with "the Fire" inside Omegas.

I do appreciate the foreshadowing and such, though, especially with this latest chapter hearkening back to the memory of the two building a dam and Bridget saving Lexi from the river.  Very well-crafted.  I really hope the next chapter comes out ASAP, I seriously need to start getting some closure on this story.

Now that I've had some time to reflect on my initial feelings about the conclusion, I think what it really comes down to is that I kinda expected/assumed the healing process for Lexi and Bridget to get a good chunk of examination and story time, even if Lexi and Bridget separating for a time is necessary (and it is).  To me, that's the other side of the coin that's just as integral to the story being complete as the Wrongful Punishment and the Innocence Revealed.  It was shown how Bridget and Lexi's relationship was broken by this event, by Lexi being punished by Bridget for a crime she didn't commit, but we don't get to see, really, how those pieces are picked up and put back together (even though it will never be as it was before; the pieces can fit, but the crack lines will always show, so to speak).

Lexi and Bridget confronting one another would be the climax of said healing process, no matter whether it ended happily, sadly, or bittersweet.  Even if Lexi just couldn't ever face Bridget again, and that's how it ended, that's still a conclusion, as sad as it would be.  As it is now, we're left with Lexi going off somewhere to somehow heal, and we're told Bridget is off somewhere nondescript also doing some healing, but it's left extremely vague.  I guess, to me, there's a ton of potential great story in that healing process and the rift between the two sisters that is left unexplored.

Maybe it's this process that's set to be explored in the next installment teased at by the Alma Warren piece, but...it just feels like, at least to me, that the healing process belongs in this story, not the next, which can focus on other things.  Hell, there's so much potential in the "healing" process for story that it could probably even be its own Omega story to follow Inheritance, if need be. To me, Inheritance just won't feel complete without it.  At the least, I kinda wanted to see what's going through Bridget's mind once it's all over (after interrogating Nathaniel) and she has time to think and consider, maybe even just her talking with Kayla and Evelyn.  And even if it will be explored in the next installment, that won't be for a long, long time, given how Ackbar's too busy to finish Consequences anytime soon.

All that being said, this is still my favorite story on this site, but that's precisely why I feel so strongly about it, why closure/a satisfying ending for it is so important to me, and why I've never written this long a post for any other story on this site.  Thanks, Jacksmith, for writing it.

@Kusanagi

Again, I see where you're coming from--how does attacking a system and a person that supports Betas supposedly help Betas? I'm not supporting Nathaniel here, but I think he can be understood as a character.  There's two parts to Nathaniel on this--the rational part, and the emotional part.

For the rational part, in Nathaniel's mind, the Omega's system has failed.  Sure, it might have saved some lives, but not nearly as many as he thinks it could--with so many Alphas continuing to abuse Betas in the shadows, as Lexi's mother had been for years, and would've continued to do under the Omegas' noses if it hadn't been for Lexi turning her own mother in.

Because of this, he tried to take matters into his own hands and essentially send a message to Alphas that Betas can fight back, but also, if the Omega's system is fallible one way, it can be fallible in other ways, too (and if Omegas were going to realize how fallible they are when it comes to protecting Betas, they would've done it already).

Furthermore, the only way things could get worse, to him, is if Omegas disappear, and that isn't happening anytime soon, so either this helps the cause of Betas, or things remain as shit as they currently are, so he might as well take his shot.

However, the emotional part is what ruins the impact of the plan.  It was absolutely a mistake to target Lexi; she was the last person he should've targeted, objectively speaking, not just because she's the Alpha that all Betas wish all Alphas were like, but due to his personal history with her, too.  However, he can't help himself because he harbors bitter resentment--he can't touch the person who actually killed his parents, but he can target her daughter, and furthermore, he probably hated how happy Lexi ended up after the ordeal, when he himself was clearly severely traumatized and probably not helped nearly as much by AEGIS, even though he was more of a victim than Lexi was.  There were probably an endless number of better targets for such a scheme, but he chose Lexi, and not for any rational reason.

Again, this isn't to say that I support Nathaniel or think he's right--I'm just explaining what I gather is his point of view.  Even if you don't agree with it, you can understand it.

Oh god, the wait is going to be absolutely suffocating to find out what happens next--this is why I hate reading not-already-finished stories, especially great ones, but I can't help myself, and can only hope maybe the ending chapters get churned out at a quicker pace.

Echoing a below poster's concern, it's hard to see two chapters being able to clear everything up, and I hope it doesn't just skip over things/explain them with exposition isntead of showing what happens--there's nothing worse than a great story that trips at the finish line/ending.  But perhaps those chapters will be much longer, don't know--you've gotten us this far, guess it's best to just give you the benefit of the doubt that you know what you're doing, story-wise.  Don't get me wrong--I wouldn't voice concerns like this unless I thought the story was awesome.

Really enjoying the story so far, and I'm even more glad to hear through the comments that the story is only going to be around 12 chapters long--so many stories, on this site or otherwise, fall into that trap of being endless in length.  Something like this, tightly focused on about two characters, is definitely a work best suited to a length of around that size.

Good stuff as usual, though does this mean no Omega update today?

While it didn't draw me in quite like Inheritance did, this was still a wonderful story and a fun new romp in the Omegaverse; though I think Inheritance just drew me in much more not because of any difference in writing quality, but because the general concept just grabbed me, personally (innocent person punished for crimes she didn't commit, especially at the hands of a giant friend who thinks she's guilty). 

Overall, though, this story helped sate some desire for more Omega stories, and is still definitely better than most anything else on the site, so thanks once again, Jacksmith, for writing it. 

I'm still greatly looking forward to the "sequel" to Inheritance, as well (crossing fingers for satisfying Bridget/Lexi meetup).  I was hoping that since Ackbar's busyness was due to class work load and such that he might be finishing Consequences relatively soon (another story I really want to see the conclusion to), as I figured he'd be on Christmas break now and have some time to write.  Know anything about his state of affairs, Jacksmith?