Page 21 of Cruel Knots

My gaze falls on the photo frames standing on a small round table. Picking up the skirt of my gown, I move toward them. Most of them are photographs from the time when Dad was healthy and standing on his two legs.

I gaze at the carefree smile on my face. Back then, I felt like a princess in this house. Dad doted on me and gave me the freedom to stay back in the school dorms, although I was coming home on most days to see Damien and his brothers. I had friends and was free to do whatever I liked.

Walking toward a bedside cabinet, I open the last drawer and take out an old journal. Flicking to the last page, I gaze at an old polaroid photo of me and my three best friends.

A shy but happy smile lights up my face. Damien and his brothers surround me, grinning broadly. The sun shines down on us, promising a beautiful summer. None of us could’ve imagined the horrible future we were all heading toward.

An ache goes through me. They died because of me. Callum might’ve spared their lives if he hadn’t seen me kissing them that night.

But how could I have known that my kiss would turn into a curse?

The sound of hard leather soles slapping against the marble floor reaches my ears. I hurriedly put the photograph back inside the pages of the journal and kick the drawer shut.

Next second, the door opens and Callum enters the room.

His dark eyes light up as soon as he sees me. Striding toward me, he stops a few feet away, taking me in from head to foot.

“You’re beautiful, Lucia,” he whispers. Closing his eyes, he inhales a deep breath. “And, you smell divine. I’m almost reluctant to let you leave this room and take you to the hotel. No man, other than me, has the right to breathe in your delectable perfume.”

His dark pupils expand as he takes in large whiffs of the air. His canines seem to grow longer as he steps closer to me and leans in.

“You look like an angel, Lucy,” he whispers in my ear. “I can’t wait to tear this dress off you and sink my teeth into your sweet flesh.”

“You’re sick, brother.” My voice is steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Callum straightens, silently fuming at my rejection.

“No matter how you feel, we belong together,” he hisses through clenched teeth. “I’ll make you see the truth of it tonight. With the way you’re perfuming right now, I’m sure you’ll go into heat tonight.”

His words send a cold shiver through me. “What’re you talking about? My perfuming could be happening because of stress.”

A malicious grin lifts the corners of his lips. “It’s not stress, Lucy. You’re going into heat.”

“That’s impossible,” I shout, fisting my hands at my sides. “I’m on blockers. There’s no way I can go into heat.”

Deep chuckles rise from his throat as he fixes me with a mocking grin. “That’s what you think, Sister.”

“What the hell are you talking about?!” I demand.

“I replaced your blocker pills with fake ones,” he says, continuing to grin at me. “You’ve been off them for over a month now.”

I can only stare at him, barely able to believe him. “How could you do something like that?” I choke out.

“You’re my sister,” he says, wiping off his smile. “I’m the one who decides when you go into heat. Besides, people will expect you to become a bonded omega after the wedding. I don’t want to force a bond on you, so I made sure you’d go into a natural heat.”

My blood turns into ice. Callum is making sure I’ll never escape his control.

Within a few hours, I’ll be locked in a fake marriage. Once I go into heat, my brother will steal the last bits of my soul. My heart would continue to beat but I’ll be dead inside.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he says, gently wiping the tear sliding down my cheek. “You’ll ruin your makeup.” Leaning in, he kisses my head. “I’m glad you’re ready. We’ll be leaving soon.” With that, he turns away and walks out of the door.

I gaze out of the window. The fall sky is a clear blue and the leaves are a shade of gold and coral. It’s a beautiful fall morning and perfect for a wedding.

It’s too bad the wedding I’m headed to is worse than the gallows.

I want to tear off the beautiful gown, jump out of the window, and keep running without looking back. Hurt and sadness chokes my throat, rendering me incapable of sucking in a full breath.

Can I ever escape my brother’s twisted fantasies about me? Will no one come to save me?

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