Page 25 of Cruel Knots

Even if they had other plans for me, they’d soon be driven mad with the fragrance of my arousal. They won’t care whether they love me or hate me. They’ll have only one thing on their minds.

Me.

“You should leave me alone,” I say in a trembling voice. “I could go into heat at any moment.”

“The fuck?” the tall, lean man mutters. “Aren’t you on some kind of suppressors or blockers?”

“My meds were switched,” I say with a self-deprecating chuckle. “So, if you truly hate me and want to hurt me, you just have to leave me alone. My heat will torture me over the next couple of days, so if hurting me is your main purpose, you won’t even have to lift a finger.”

A painful cramp attacks my belly, making me double up. Letting out a groan, I go down on my knees and clutch my stomach. “It’s happening,” I gasp as my perfume fills the dark underground basement. “You can’t stay here any longer.”

The cold, dark chamber smells of sweet caramel and vanilla, reminding me of the most sumptuous baked desserts. Liquid fire rushes through my veins, heating every inch of my body. A fevered haze spreads over my senses.

A whimper escapes me. I squeeze my eyes from the pain in my lower belly while my core flutters with an intense desire.

Omegas need their pack and a safe, warm nest during their heat. All I have is this underground basement and a group of strange alphas with unclear intentions.

This is still better, I decide, realizing that it’s a hundred times better than begging Callum to help me through my heat. I hate him so much that I don’t even mind dying from the pain assaulting every inch of my body.

“I can’t stand this,” the tall, lean alpha growls. “We have to help her.”

“Do you want to risk binding her to us?” his companion hisses.

“Princess is ours, isn’t she?” the lean alpha shouts. “She’s always been ours. Besides, who cares if we bite her in the heat of the moment? We can always break the bond. She’ll be shattered by us in more ways than one.”

His words are cruel but there’s something about the way he calls me “Princess”. Mikhail used to do that a lot, my mind whispers.

Even when I’m in so much pain, all I can think about is them.

Even though they’re long gone, I’m still in love with Damien, Leon, and Mikhail. As a young omega, I dreamed of being a part of their pack. If Callum didn’t wreck our lives, I’m sure I’d be spending my first heat with them.

Tears seep from between my closed eyelashes as extreme pain thrashes my body. These men could be stray alphas who kidnap weak omegas to rut them. When they’re done, they throw the poor woman away, leaving her to die in most cases before moving on to someone else.

My life is such a wreck, that I no longer care what they do to me. They’re welcome to break me to pieces and sink their teeth into my flesh. As long as I don’t have to go back to Callum, I’ll happily endure all torture.

“Fuck this!” the man at my feet growls. “I want her. If you think you can walk away from her, then go.” Moving closer to me, he raises his knife and makes a sudden swiping motion.

A gasp escapes me as part of my skirt easily detaches and falls away.

A hint of self-preservation flickers within me, making me squirm away from him.

The leaner guy moves forward. Kneeling beside me, he lays a hand on my arm. He doesn’t hurt me but I shrink away from him.

His hold tightens. “Be still, Princess.”

My terror-stricken mind immediately thinks of Damien and his brothers. They used to call me “princess” too but their calls were sweet and filled with affection. It’s almost disgusting how these crazy men are stirring up my memories of my best friends.

“Don’t move,” the tallest stranger commands, injecting heavy dominance in his voice. “He’ll cut you if you do.”

“What?” I mumble, feeling the cold bite of metal against my wrist. Looking down, I realize that the alpha holding the knife has inserted the blade inside my snug lace sleeve.

My gaze stays stuck as he lifts the blade upward, cutting open my sleeve like butter.

“Be very still,” the leaner man at my side cautions as his companion steadily moves the blade, cutting along my sleeve.

Fear flows through my veins like icy water but fails to dampen the fires of lust burning in my core. One wrong move and the blade will cut into my flesh but I just want to feel the stranger’s touch on my skin.

Warm lips press along the side of my neck, sending a shiver through me. A gasp escapes my parted lips as I force myself to stay still. The cold blade continues moving along my arm, cutting away the gown’s sleeves.

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