Page 21 of Bound to the Guard

The memories threaten to overwhelm me. “It was agony. Like acid in my blood. But he didn’t care. He kept pushing, kept increasing the doses, no matter how much I screamed…”

“Seven, I’m so sorry. That’s beyond monstrous.” Horror and anger war on Damien’s face. “He had no right to experiment on you. No one does.”

Shame burns my cheeks. “He said it was because of my scent. That I made the perfect subject because my natural pheromones were so weak, so unappealing to Alphas who buy subjects to breed.”

A bitter laugh escapes me. “Guess I should be grateful, huh? Being weak is the only reason I survived. At least until the experiments went too far, and I became a faulty test subject. Then he tossed me onto the auction block. A couple of Alphas tried to breed me, but I was too defective.”

“No. Seven, listen to me. You are not defective. Nothing is wrong with your scent.” His dark eyes blaze with intensity, holding mine. “In fact, your natural scent is one of the most appealing things about you. It’s uniquely you, warm and earthy, with a hint of spice. Like cinnamon and cloves. I’ve never smelled pheromones like it, but it’s not bad.”

Uncomprehending, I stare at him as my heart jack-rabbits. “You’re lying. You have to be. Every Alpha I met told me I reek. That I smell sour…or rank…”

My nose burns with the threat of tears.

“Then they were fools.” Damien scoots close enough to draw my wrist to his nose, inhaling. “Nothing sour or rank about this scent.”

Damien’s words echo in my mind. I want to believe him, to latch onto his kindness and sincerity. But the last year of being beaten and broken, of being told I’m worthless day after day, whispers that he’s wrong.

“I…” I falter, unsure how to put the tangled mess of my thoughts into words. “I want to believe you. I do. But…”

Damien nuzzles my hand. “I will never lie to you, Seven. Not ever. I swear it, on my life.”

Tears blur my vision, that fragile spark of hope fanning brighter.

“It’s hard to believe in people again after everything you’ve been through,” he murmurs soothingly. “Trust won’t come easy. Just know I will never, ever hurt you.”

My chest aches with how much I want to believe him. But the scars on my skin, the memories that plague my nightmares, make it hard to have faith in anyone.

Even someone as kind and patient as Damien.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Damien’s pheromones push outward, wrapping me up in a comforting scent. “We’ll take it one day at a time. I’ll prove that you can trust me, that you’re safe with me. No matter how long it takes.”

I squeeze my eyes shut tight, but it can’t stop the tears from leaking out, trailing across the bridge of my nose and down my temple to form a damp spot on the floor beneath my cheek. I don’t know how to handle this kind of gentle understanding, this unconditional acceptance. It’s terrifying, but also the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced.

Slowly, I open my eyes. “Okay.”

Damien’s face softens as he settles back on his pillow. There’s enough room on it for me if I dare to crawl closer, but I’m not brave enough.

Not yet.

7

Iwake with a start, pressed against solid warmth.

My heartbeat quickens as I realize a body lies next to me. Damien’s body. Panic surges through me, confusion clouding my thoughts. I’m not supposed to be this close.

Alphas touch first, not Omegas. Never Omegas. The rules were beaten into me by my second Alpha, who in the end couldn’t stand to be near me.

Instinct takes over, and I jerk away, desperate to put distance between us. Pain explodes in the back of my skull as my head cracks against the underside of the bed frame, and a whimper escapes my lips. It hurts, a throbbing ache radiating through my head.

I curl in on myself, caught between the instinct to flee and the need to protect my body from further harm. My breath comes in quick gasps. I shouldn’t have moved. Shouldn’t have touched him.

Stupid. Stupid.

Damien’s sleep-laden voice reaches my ears. “Seven?”

I flinch, bracing for anger or punishment that never comes.

Damien shifts beside me, and his attention settles on my hunched form. “Are you okay? What happened?”

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