Page 178 of Filthy Royal

“No one’s posturing, baby.” Damien kept his gaze pinned on the other two males. “This is in fucking earnest, and I will take out any fucker who tries to claim you as theirs, even your blood.”

“Unbelievable.” Scarlett muttered the word under her breath, her attention shifting to Anya, who appeared almost amused. But she had several older brothers, so she was used to this. Apparently, Scarlett was not. “Enough!” She bristled in his hold. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her so angry. “This standoff ends now. Luc, you’re my brother, and I love you, but I’m not going anywhere without Damien. Kadon, your friendship means so much, but there’s no more need for pretense here.”

Damien registered the fear and relief that flickered through Stormhart’s eyes when Scarlett spoke, and he realized their contract had been as much a prison for the other male as it had been for her.

“I’m not the one you wanted to claim,” Scarlett told Stormhart. “And it’s time for us to break our contract, so we can both be with the ones we truly want.”

Music to his damned ears. Damien squeezed her tighter.

Except then, Scarlett raised her chin and, still pissed, took him on, proving she was so much stronger than she gave herself credit for. “And you? You need to calm down because if I wanted to go with them, I would, but I don’t. I don’t want to go anywhere you’re not ever again.”

His arms contracted around her; her words so sweet he didn’t care that she’d delivered them in a furious tone.

“First chance we get”—he pressed a kiss to her upturned nose— “we’re officially voiding that other contract and submitting our own. Because those fools may be too dumb to follow their instincts and claim each other, but that’s not me. Always and forever, beautiful. You are my prime omega, and I’m your Alpha lord, and that’s how it was always meant to be.”

Her expression softened, just as he’d hoped, as she mouthedalways and foreverback to him.

However, her brain must have caught up with what else he’d said, because she stiffened in his hold. “Wait. You said, ‘Those fools may be too dumb to follow their instincts and claim each other.’ You know?”

Damien registered the shock on her face and the reeling expressions of the two males standing across the tunnel, clutching their inoperative weapons.

Fucking family drama. As if he didn’t have enough of his own.

“About Luc and Stormhart? Yes. You think I don’t know what a male’s groans and grunts sound like? As soon as I heard those sex sounds blaring from the monitor on Darvish’s desk, I knew, and all the tension I’d observed between them suddenly made sense. I just don’t give a shit.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Luc’s denial came fast, but it lacked any heat.

Scarlett, mouth opening and closing twice, seemed less certain of what to say.

“Wait.” Damien held up a palm. “Let me amend that. If you cared that your brother andex-Alpha were stepping out on you, I would too. But you don’t, so I don’t either.”

She blinked slowly, and he could tell she was still trying to come to terms with his revelations. Behind her, the two Alphas also appeared to be struggling with how to react.

“Best to have it all out in the open.” When no one else spoke, and Scarlett continued to just blink at him, Damien heaved a long sigh. “We need a moment.” His gaze shifted to the kid and Anya. “Keep watch. Either of them moves, tell me, and I’ll tear out their throats.”

“Damien!”

Ignoring Scarlett’s protest, he carried her away from the others for more privacy, stepping over more than a few prone bodies to do so. Because they needed to settle this quickly. He’d been waiting for her to tell him, and she finally had, but when it was way too late for him to handle it as smoothly as he’d have liked. So fast, blunt, and dirty would have to do.

He set her on her feet and wrapped his hands around her shoulders so they stood face to face.

“I hate the Federation because of its self-righteous, hypocritical rules for Alphas and omegas. And, despite being a necessary evil, I don’t much like the Brotherhood for the same reason. Too stuffy, too old, too rigid in their thinking. Most of their laws are ridiculous and shortsighted, and just plain controlling. Makes no damned sense that it’s illegal for Alphas to be together if they want, but that’s true for a lot of the galaxy’s shit regulations and traditions. As for me, I don’t care who someone gets it on with, much less loves, as long as they afford me the same courtesy.”

“I… I never… that is… I hoped, but… still, you’re glaring at them even now.”

“I don’t exactly have the warm fuzzies when it comes to your brother and Stormhart, but not because they’re fucking each other—that might well be the most interesting thing about them. The reason they piss me off is that they didn’t want me with you in the first place, and they’re continuing to take that stance now, and even more significantly, they’ve done a shit job of protecting you.”

“That’s not true.” Scarlett leaped to their defense. “They did the best they could.”

“On this, we’ll have to agree to disagree.” Damien let her into his thoughts again. “It’s not like I did an amazing job either.” He blew out a breath. “And you’re giving me a second chance. So, even though I don’t like it, I’m getting used to the idea that I need to do that for them too.”

“Yes. You do.” Her smile was so bright that even the bruises on her chest and throat appeared fainter in comparison. “You really don’t mind.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact. But he answered anyway.

“That they’re rutting and knotting each other doesn’t matter to me.” He held up a hand. “Wait. Another amendment.”

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