Page 46 of Outcast Island

But such technology was expensive. That paired with the evidence of a Beta feeder had me wondering where all the money was coming from. The Älva Nest was old and powerful, but not necessarily wealthy.

Getting rich off of my Omega’s blood?I surmise as a warning growl rumbles in my chest. My Omega siphons away the ragethe moment it manifests, allowing me to remain silent for the exchange.

I haven’t yet decided how many vampires are going to die today. It depends what comes out of their mouths.

So far, it’s not looking good. But I turn my attention to the two other vampires who look like male versions of the master of the Älva Nest.

Are those your brothers?I wonder, not that my Omega can hear me, but based on the submissive shift in her gaze, they likely are.

And they weren’t very nice to her.

And when I sniff, I note they too have fed on the Beta still kneeling on the ground. I had assumed the damage to the Beta had been caused by my Omega’s father, but it very well could have been one of them.

I mentally tally three deaths on my counter.

Shifting my attention to the only female in the room, I can easily guess who she is. Her mother hasn’t retained her youth as well as an Omega should, meaning she’s likely malnourished and mistreated. Her golden hair is brighter than her daughter’s, but the rest of her seems dim all the way to the darkness of her round eyes.

“Guðrún?” her mother asks hopefully. She straightens as her dark eyes blink. She’s the only one in the room who hasn’t recently fed. She stares at her daughter as if she’s seeing a ghost. “Is that you?”

Her father growls, making the Omega sink back into her chair as she bows her head, sending her hair covering her face. “No talking, Freja. Hm?” When she doesn’t respond, he snaps his fingers, making her flinch.

“Yes, King Torben.”

I don’t correct him that he hadjustordered his poor Omega not to talk, so she had only been trying to obey him by not responding.

The asshole turns on me with a feral grin as his red eyes flicker, and I know more idiocy is going to spew from his mouth. “So, you’ve brought my daughter home.” His nostrils flare as he glances at her. “Strange, is her heat over so soon? It only seems to be lingering.” He shrugs before he lifts himself off his chair that he treats as a throne. “No matter. I know she’s defective, so I suppose a mini-heat is all I can hope for when it comes to Guðrún.”

“I’m not defective,” my feisty Omega says with an impressive growl of her own. She steps away from the protection of my arms and faces her father.

She has to peer up at him. She’s still an Omega and physically small, especially when standing next to another Alpha.

But to me, she’s the strongest warrior of us all.

He raises a brow as he looks down at her. “No? Then tell me, little Guðrún, why is it you’re talking back to an Alpha? Even your training at Bariloche Sector and a trip to Outcast Island hasn’t broken you.” He throws his hands up. “And now you come back to me after barely satisfying an Alpha for a few hours? At least I know he knotted you, so maybe there’s hope for you yet. Your tracker is broken.” He winks at me, making me want to slash his face open—but this is my Omega’s moment. I will give it to her. “Must have a nice sized cock on that one to reach that far. So that proves you can definitely take an Alpha’s knot.”

One of the males grunts as he stands. He has a streak of silver in his dark hair and one of his eyes is white. His features are younger than his father, but the battle scars marring his face suggests he must be at least fifty years old—and has a penchant for finding trouble. “Why do you tolerate a Ygg Vampire amongus, father? Who cares if he finally got my sister to go into a heat. His job is done.” He extends his fangs. “Let me kill him.”

I stiffen as I ready myself to command the asshole to pluck out his remaining working eye whenKing Torbenholds up a hand. “No. I am a vampire of my word. I told the Vampire Alpha he would be rewarded for forcing her into a heat where others had failed.” He glances up at me with challenge written across his flexing jaw. “Assuming he’s willing to abandon his Ygg ties and ally himself with the Älva Nest.”

“We’re going to start a new nest,” my Omega sneers.

My dick jumps at the declaration from my Omega, but I don’t bloodmist her back to the safety of my nest so I can make good on that promise.

Her father has to die.

I would have preferred to lop off his head and leave, but as a king of a nest, he is a lot older than me. It won’t be that easy, and I doubt my command ability will even work on him.

I have only encountered a handful of royals on Outcast Island, and those that had the unfortunate luck of crossing my path had been half-sanguinated. Commanding them had been manageable.

Based on the glowing red gaze of King Toren’s eyes, he makes sure he is always well-fed.

The brothers, though, are much younger and more likely susceptible to my power.

The other finally speaks with lethal tones, spewing blood from his mouth that suggests he’s the one who had maimed the Beta. “I say he can only join us if he can beat me in a fight,” he says with a grin that shows off sharp fangs.

My Omega stiffens with fear. But that fear seems to be more of a trained reaction rather than worry that I can’t take care of myself.

“You’re not getting near him, Uhtred,” she says.

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