Page 47 of Cruel Knots

“I brought her inside,” Leon says stubbornly. “We’ve got to find out the truth before proceeding further. It’s important we do, Damien.”

Mikhail stays silent but watches me intently.

“Where are you keeping her?” I ask instead.

“One of the rooms in the southern quarter,” Leon replies.

“Callum will be coming here soon,” I say, thinking about the photographs and the map I sent him last night. “I guess we’ll keep an eye on Lucia until then.”

“So, we’re keeping her?” Leon asks in a hopeful voice as I get up from my chair and walk toward the doorway.

“For now,” I answer shortly and walk out of the kitchen.

14

Lucia

Leon brought me to a barely furnished room inside the ancient mansion. A part of me expected to see more chains and manacles hanging from the ceiling but astonishingly, there’s nothing much to see except for a single cot lined up against the wall.

Moving toward it, I sit on the edge.

Even though it’s barely been an hour since Leon was inside me, I feel a familiar hunger flaring up deep within me. “Oh, goddess,” I groan, clutching my lower belly as the dull throbs turn into painful spasms.

My eyes squeeze shut as I get off the bed and walk to the door. Unsurprisingly, the it’s locked from outside.

A feverish haze spreads over my senses. Since, this is the third day of my natural heat, even medicines wouldn’t help me. The pain in my abdomen will continue to get worse. Fire flows through my veins, telling me I need an alpha to take care of me right away.

Defeat and desperation flare in my chest. Tears prick my eyes as I realize no one is coming to help me.

I go back to the cot and lie down on it. My instincts yearn for a bigger, more comfortable bed but this arrangement is still far better than the cold, dark basement. Even though the room is bare, at least it’s clean.

The scent of vanilla and caramel spreads in the air, suffocating me. Without an alpha’s presence, my heat lashes at me.

This room has a clear window, allowing me to catch glimpses of the clear blue sky. I want to go and open it but the cramps in my belly make it impossible for me to get up from the bed.

Closing my eyes, I let the tears roll down my cheeks.

Suddenly, the sound of the door being opened makes me open my eyes. Blinking through the haze of tears, I glimpse a tall, dark figure.

“Lucia,” he calls out to me. His voice is heavy with concern as he moves closer to me.

A whimper escapes me. “It hurts.”

The man kneels before the bed and gently moves away a sweaty strand of hair away from my eyes. The act allows me to take a closer look at him. Immediately, I recoil.

It’s Damien, the scar-faced alpha who scares me the most.

His ice-blue eyes pierce me with their intensity. “Tell me you don’t need me,” he says in a deep, rough voice. “And, I’ll walk out of here and leave you alone.”

A gasp escapes me as another painful spasm goes through me.

Taking halting breaths, I sense something new in the air. The scent of dark chocolate and warm bourbon cuts through the sweetness of my perfume, allowing me to breathe better.

Some of my pain recedes, bringing me a touch of comfort.

It’s a moment before I realize Damien’s pheromones are affecting me. My logical mind maybe scared of him but a deep-seated instinct tells me to trust him.

Damien gets to his feet and turns away from me. But before he can take a step, I jump up and clutch his wrist. “Don’t leave me here. Please...”

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