Page 56 of Cruel Knots

Callum’s face darkens with rage, heightening my anxiety for Dad and the working staff at home. He’s going to unleash his rage and hate on them.

I watch as Callum walks out of the hall. A heavy breath escapes me as my body sags against Damien.

For the first time in my life, I witnessed Callum’s defeat. I could’ve never imagined the rogue alphas holding me hostage would become the knights who’ll drive the monster away.

16

Lucia

Damien guides me back to my new prison. Throughout the way, he stays quiet and looks ahead while I stare intently at his badly disfigured face, trying to find a glimpse of the boy I once knew.

Opening the door to my room, he gently shoves me forward.

“Wait! Don’t go just yet,” I say as he turns away. Throwing myself at him, I cling to his arm.

He stares down at me coldly. “What do you want?”

“Did we know each other seven years ago?” I ask as my desperation spikes. “Are you the same Damien who was my friend?”

Something flickers behind those ice-blue eyes. “That Damien’s dead.”

I refuse to believe him. “You and your brothers were my childhood friends, weren’t you? Is that how you know me and Callum? My brother hurt you guys all those years ago and that’s the reason you want to hurt me to punish him.”

Stepping toward me, he leans forward.

Out of instinct, I squeeze my eyes shut. Immediately, I regret my reaction to him.

Callum is the one who destroyed his perfectly handsome face. My brother is the reason he looks like a disfigured freak now. I’m the last person to act scared and disgusted at the sight of him.

“I’m sor—” Before I can apologize, he’s already turned away from me. The door slams shut behind him.

My lips quiver as my heart aches.

I can only imagine the terror and pain Damien must’ve gone through when Callum cut up his face like that. He must’ve shed so much blood. His beautiful smile is still etched in my memories.

Damien will never look in a mirror and see himself smiling again, I realize, my heart squeezing painfully. Callum robbed him of that too.

“All because of me,” I moan bitterly as tears run down my cheeks.

I think of Leon and the scar cutting across his left eye. That’s got to be Callum’s doing as well.

For the first time, I understand the reason behind their hatred for me. They think I supported Callum’s decision to hurt them and kill them.

I punch the mattress in my frustration. The truth is far from what they’re imagining. I never forgave my brother for taking them away from me.

Seven years have passed by and I still miss them every single day.

I punch the mattress over and over again, finding no means to escape the bitter emotions rising inside me.

“What did that bed do to you?” An unfamiliar female voice sounds from behind me.

Turning around, I see Lilja, Damien’s sister, standing at the threshold and leaning against the doorframe.

Quickly brushing my tears away, I straighten up.

She saunters across the room toward me. Coming to sit beside me on the edge of the bed, she hooks a finger under my chin and lifts my face to her.

“I can see why they’re going through such troubles for you,” she says in a soft voice while her dark brown eyes study me intently. Shifting closer, she moves a lock of my hair away. “Are you into women?”

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