Page 26 of Captured

Fury flashed in Deacon’s eyes before his usual calm fell back into place. Straightening, he raised his other hand to cup her cheek, thumb brushing just under her eye.

“You have to be punished. I’m offering you a chance to live. You can spend your heat chained in a room for the men, then you’ll work for me until your debt is paid. I think that’s fair.”

Ice ran through Flea’s veins, the edges of her vision dimming as her lungs refused to pull in oxygen. If being mated to a strange alpha who wanted to turn her into a proper omega was bad, being used by multiple while she was too delirious to fight would be hell. And the likelihood of being put to work in one of the whore houses afterward was nothing more than a death sentence. A slow, painful death.

“Honestly, you’re probably better off just tossing me off the roof and being done with it.”

There was a sliver of chance she’d survive the fall. They were only one story up and depending on how she landed she may only suffer a few broken bones. She might be able to get by, or at worst have to drag herself back to the Collection Center and beg them to take her back. She could always try to escape again.

Or, if she did die, at least it was better than the future Deacon offered.

His lips tipped up in a smirk but the coldness in his eyes let her know it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“You owe the men for what you did to them too, so I think letting them take turns is the better option. It’ll prepare you to earn back what you cost me.”

The world around them ceased to exist, Flea’s focus narrowing to the single threat before her. All thought stopped, the animal part of her brain taking over as she tightened her hold on the alpha’s wrist. Using what little strength she’d recovered, she ignored the pain from his hold on her locks and raised her legs to wrap around Deacon’s chest. Straining, she bent her head until she could latch her teeth into the firm flesh of his arm beneath his tight coat.

His grip loosened just enough for her to move her legs over his shoulders, squeezing her thighs around his neck as she jerked her head and twisted. Hot, metallic blood flooded her mouth, threatening to gag her. She knew she had no chance of breaking his neck, or even truly choking him, but a part of her wanted to savage him. To cause as much pain as she could, even though she should have been trying to get away. To leave a mark he wouldn’t forget.

Deacon’s other hand tried to pry her teeth from his arm, fingers digging into her cheeks as other hands grabbed her body. The rest of the world came rushing back as large palms encircled her skull and her jaw was forced open. She coughed and spit as growls echoed in her ears, her temple throbbing as if she’d been punched, though she didn’t remember the blow. Curses followed her as she was pulled from Deacon’s body and slammed to the rooftop, an alpha gripping both arms as another pinned her legs.

Stickiness coated her chin and cheeks, the taste of copper refusing to leave her mouth. When her eyes found Deacon he was holding his bare arm, inspecting the bleeding crescent she’d left.

Blazing brown irises locked on hers as she began to laugh. Deacon would never forgive her for what she’d done, and the fact that she’d evaded him for so long afterward made it worse. Now, there was no chance of weaseling her way out of his punishment, so the next best option was to infuriate him until he slipped and put her out of her misery.

Cause that’s all her life would be if he got her back to his base. Pain and misery.

“I’ll willingly bond with any alpha who frees me from Deacon. Kill him, take his place, and you can have me on top of everything he claims.”

Her words were gasped out amidst giggles that refused to stop.

“Or, if I get free on my own, I’ll kill you all. Any male who touches me will die. I’ll go back to the soldiers, tell them where your base is. Your safehouses. Your stashes. Who works for you on the upper levels and how you get your product.”

She stopped for breath, marking which men were eyeing Deacon. Worry creased more than a few brows though most kept their expressions blank.

Deacon’s gaze stayed locked on her, the fury boiling inside him clear for all to see. His chest heaved, jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth. Flea turned all her focus back to him, lifting her head and letting the hysterical mirth fade away.

“I’ll ruin you, Deacon. One way or another. Kill me now, because you know I’ll find a way to escape.”

He was on the edge, fists clenched and muscles flexing as he swayed. She held her breath, refusing to look away, challenging him.

It almost worked.

Tears blurred her vision as he turned away. Sobs caught in her throat, cutting off her air, but not enough to give her the out she’d hoped for. When the two alphas pinning her to the roof stood and lifted her, body swinging between them, she let loose the scream of fury that bubbled up at being thwarted. Twisting and fighting, she did everything she could to make them lose their hold, but her strength was tapped.

Eventually she fell limp, head dangling, wondering if she had any chances left, or if this was the end for her. For some reason her thoughts turned back to Gra’ar, wondering how he was going to explain returning without her.

Wondering what if he’d been one of the alphas who’d tried to buy her.

Wondering if the heat she’d seen in his golden eyes when he looked at her had been real, or just her imagination.

Chapter Eighteen

Gra’ar

He took the time while he waited in the stairwell to assess his injuries. None were serious, but considering what was likely to happen when he got Flea back he still made the effort to place a few stitches in the larger wounds. At least the cold helped the bleeding stop faster.

Gra’ar waited as long as he could stand before slipping the door open once more. The silent hinges were a blessing, and he paused with the door barely cracked to look for anyone watching the door. It was lazy of his pursuers not to have checked the stairwell to be sure he was gone, but they likely assumed he had no reason to linger with a brothel coin in his pocket.

---