Page 195 of Filthy Royal

She willed away the last vestiges of the nightmares trying to prick holes in her newfound hope. “That would be amazing.”

“You know what else would be amazing?” He slid down, pressing kisses to her throat, her collarbone, the valley between her breasts, leaving shivers of pleasure in his wake.

“What?” Lust thickened her voice.

When he reached her belly, right above the taming chain, she expected him to put his lips there too.

Instead, he surprised her by rising to his knees, his expression intense as his fangs dropped, and her heart beat faster.

“This.” Gaze locked with hers, he pressed his thumb to the tip of a fang. “This is the most amazing thing of all.”

A drop of blood beaded on the pad of his finger.

“Alpha?” Scarlett held her breath.

His eyes never wavering from hers, he pressed his bloodied thumb to her skin, moving his hand in a way she’d grown to recognize.

Her heart squeezed tight. Slick pooled on the inside of her folds.

M I N E

The words he’d written on her in mud had been washed away.

Now, proving he’d bleed to keep it there, he’d seared his promise of love and protection into her skin for a second time.

“That’s what’s most amazing, Omega.” Contentment glittered in his stare. “That you are well and truly mine, and we will never be separated again.”

She felt his blood vow right to her soul. It was raw, primal, and barbaric; it was messy, and it was theirs.

“Yours.” Seizing hold of his hand, she guided it to the carved ridges of his stomach—since she knew he’d lose his mind if she tried to cut herself—and, with a quick flick of her wrist, smeared her initials on his flesh. “Mine.”

“Fuck, yes.” His eyes, already hungry, already streaked with red, grew more so as he stared down at her claim.

Then, gaze returning to her face, he drew his thumb to his mouth and sucked the small wound. “I’ve been bleeding since I left you, Scarlett, but every step I took, I can see now it had a purpose. I needed to learn what truly matters to me: and it’s not fame or a rep or even money or glory—hells, it’s not even making my brothers proud. It’s you.” He stared down at her. “It’s being there for you. Supporting you. Shouldering your burden. It’s proving to you that I can be the male who’ll always choose you and be there for you in whatever way you need. You wreck me in the best possible way, Omega.”

“You heal me in even better ways, Damien.”

“I hope so.” He lowered himself until he hovered just above her. “My mother was gone before I could do much more than walk and feed myself. Being near the bottom of the Skolov litter, I was always one of the kids taken care of, even when we were hiding out in mountain caves, scrounging for food, hunted by our enemies. I hated it. I hated feeling useless and a burden on my family, and I think…” He swallowed hard. “That’s part of why it hit me so hard when I thought you’d chosen Kadon over me. I wanted to be your everything, Scarlett. I still do.”

“You are.” She lifted her hand and cupped his strong jaw.

He nuzzled her palm. “I’m going to fucking worship you for the rest of your life, Scarlett. Revere that soft skin, that sweet pussy, and that scared, wounded heart.”

Her breath hitched.

“I know I’m not what everyone needs, but I am what you need. A bold, brash brawler, an Enforcer who likes it raw and dark and will take down anyone who tries to hurt you. Who’d give his life to keep you safe.”

No longer able to take it, she reared upward and cradled his face, her lips claiming his. “I would do the same for you. Always.”

A knock shook the door. “We’ve got news.”

33

DAMIEN

“Idon’t see anyone.” Luc shifted impatiently.

“Agreed.” Cloak on and back pressed to the alley wall, Damien scanned the rear entrance to Crex’s place. “It’s strangely quiet.”

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