Page 23 of Bonds of Hate

Even Logan’s body language changes, muscles uncoiling as he settles into a chair far too reminiscent of a throne. He lounges. Indolent.

“I’m sure you’ve been told lots of things over the past year by whatever bottom-feeding Alpha you ended up with.” He gives my body a lazy perusal, nostrils flaring as he takes a breath deep enough to swell his chest. “But this interview is for unbonded Omegas. Not fickle sluts who’ve decided theywant a crown.”

I don’t wince at the wordslut, even if it creates a falling sensation in my stomach. He intended it as an insult and hit his target, though not for the reason he likely thinks.

Without breaking eye contact, I push up the loose sleeves of my dress so my wrists and the inner bend of my arms are bare. The hot gazes of three volatile Alphas follow the movement as I yank down my neckline low enough to reveal my shoulders and the creamy expanse of my chest, just above the curve of my breasts.

“No claiming marks,” I state. “And I had to submit a recent medical exam to your security team before they would even allow me to pass through the gates. No one has bonded me.”

Poe makes a sound of disgust. “She’s lying. That’s all Omegas do.”

Ares licks his lips in an exaggerated display that doesn’t match the shrewd assessment in his eyes. “Only one way to find out.”

The prince’s voice is little more than a deep growl. “Is that what you really want, Maya? To be bonded — to me?”

My teeth would clack together in fear if I had even slightly less control of my body right now. Logan doesn’t give me so much as a hint of what he might be thinking. For all I know, his plan is to string me along for a few more minutes out of sheer entertainment before kicking me out of the room. But I keep my head held high and force myself to meet his dispassionate gaze.

Modesty does not come naturally to me, but I give it my best try. “If you’ll have me.”

“If I’ll have you,” Logan mocks, not hiding his derision. “You’re the one who ran out of here like your hair was onfire the last year. You honestly expect me to think that much has changed?”

I bite my tongue so hard that I taste blood. “I would never presume to tell you what to think, Prince Logan.”

“What a perfect Omega response,” he practically purrs.

Eyes still downcast, I don’t realize he has come around the desk to stand within inches of me until I feel the heat of his body.

He stands close enough that his breath stirs the tiny hairs on my forehead as he speaks. “And I don’t believe a fucking word of it.”

I’m still in the room, I remind myself. The last girl ran out crying and had to be comforted. He hasn’t yet told me to get out. This could certainly be going worse.

But maneuvering himself within arm’s reach…every alarm bell in my head is blaring for me to run.

Keeping my gaze focused on his polished shoes, I answer him. “What can I say to convince you?”

“Say? Nothing. I can’t trust anything that comes out your mouth, pretty as it might be.”

“Why are you wasting time with this?” Poe spits out.

It’s impossible to know if his hatred of me is personal or just a reflection of his loyalty to Logan, but it’s problematic all the same.

“Playing with your food isn’t a waste of time,” Ares says, amusement in his voice. “You do it because it’s fun.”

The leather of his sword holsters creaks as Poe shifts from one foot to the other, an obvious sign of his agitation. “Like I said, a waste of damn time.”

Fingers firmly grip my chin, not quite hardenough to hurt, but he forces my head back until I meet eyes like polished amber.

Logan studies me, focusing impassively on each feature like he is cataloguing some new species of wildlife under a microscope. His attention lingers for an extra second on my hair, the moment so brief that I almost miss it. “I gave you a taste of what it would be like as my Omega and it scared you so much that you practically fell off the face of the planet. Embarrassing me before the entire court. What could have possibly changed so much in a year that you would come crawling back now?”

“Choose me and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

The nightmare of this past year isn’t something I will share with anyone, but he doesn’t need to know that. I’ll say anything he wants to hear if it gets me through this moment.

He has to choose me. I’m out of other options.

“You would crawl? Beg? Serve? Anything I asked of you?”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Yes.”

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