Page 21 of Bonds of Hate

Logan shrugs. “If she can’t stand the heat, then avoid the fire. I can’t bother with an Omega who will freak out every time someone else is in the room when we fuck.”

Omegas are supposed to be the ultimate submissive while Alphas are purely dominant. Only an idiot actually believes that’s how it works in real life. Sure, we all get urges, but that’s just human nature. People also get urges to pull fire alarms or drive their cars onto the sidewalk when it’s full of pedestrians. Most of the time, we don’t give into them.

Alpha packs sharing an Omega happens often enough, especially with how rare the dynamic has gotten. I’ve met more than one Omega who gets off on the idea of being the center of that much male attention. Several Alphas, muscled bodies working in concert to master the playground of her body. What woman wouldn’t want that if she could get it?

“Doesn’t help that you made a reward sound like a punishment,” I point out, unable to hide my mild annoyance. We could be balls deep in a panting Omega right now if Logan would get over himself and stop scaring them away. “Give me five minutes with one, and I’ll have her slicker than a pool slide. Then we’ll see if you still think the harem betas you toss around are better.”

Poe makes a noise of disgust in his throat, but doesn’t say anything. The phraseman of few wordsis usually an understatement where he is concerned. I swear, I thought the guy was a mute for at least the first year of knowing him. But no one is more useful in a fight, especially if it needs to get dirty.

Being absolutely unhinged is always beneficial in sticky situations.

He has his own issues with women, though. He’ll take Logan’s leftovers just like the rest of us, but we’ve learnedour lesson about letting him be alone with any of them. It’s a good thing that betas in the harem are easy to replace.

“Fuck off, Poe. We’ll give the Omega to you if we want her back in pieces.”

Poe gives me a smile that is all teeth before flipping me the bird with both hands. He drops his head back against the wall to stare up at the ceiling, clearly bored with this conversation and content with the visions of bloody and crying Omegas probably dancing in his head.

Expression rueful, Cillian pushes himself off the wall and bows low in Logan’s general direction. The gesture is sardonic, but his expression remains placid. “I’ll fetch the next one.”

“As much fun as this is, you know you’re going to have to choose one of them eventually, yes?” I question, leaning against the back of the heavy gilded chair where Prince Logan is currently reclining. The wood creaks from the added weight of 250+ pounds of muscled bulk. “Or I could take the choice off your hands if you like. What do you say?”

“Is anything going to come out of your mouth that isn’t another annoying question?” Logan asks.

Am I the only sane one left? The guy is choosing an Omega to fuck and breed, not planning a foreign invasion. This is not that serious.

“It’s already almost dinner time and I haven’t worked out yet,” I remind him. “I miss leg day and it throws off my entire week. Just pick an Omega already.”

Okay, that sounded whiny, but come the fuck on. This is boring and forever taking. I’m officially over it.

Logan groans, rubbing his temples with bothhands. “Whoever I choose is going to be around all the damn time. Dinners, events, my father has made it clear this is going to be some sort of public spectacle. I can’t just stick her in the harem and be done with her when I’m not in the mood for whimpering Omega bullshit. I need more than a pretty face and a ready cunt.”

There go my eyes again.

“Good luck with that, brother. All Omegas are the same.” I poke at the veined muscle of my right bicep, mentally calculating how my macros will need to change for the day if I can’t make any time for the gym. “I already feel myself deflating.”

“Tell you what,” Logan sighs. “I’ll let you do arm curls with the next one if you shut the fuck up right now.”

The more frustrated I make him, the closer we get to being done with this.“Deal.”

Cillian clears his throat as he opens the door. The look on his face is strained, an expression unlike any I’ve ever seen on him before. “I have the next one here for you, Prince Logan.”

The smell of her hits me before the door opens wide enough to actually lay eyes on her. Her scent isn’t floral like the others. The notes are still sweet. All Omegas burst like sugar on your tongue when they slick, but the undercurrent is muskier, like bergamot or amber.

Distinctive.

Familiar.

Definitely something I’ve smelled before.

It’s champagne, I realize.

Cherries and champagne.

For the first time all day, my missing workout is officially the last thing on my mind.

Chapter Four

MAYA

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