Page 201 of Filthy Royal

Scarlett choked up. No wonder it came so naturally to Damien to be her protector and shield. He’d been doing it since he was a kid for those he loved.

“And”—his sister’s voice wobbled— “I’ll never forget that you were there for me in my darkest hour.”

Scarlett wondered what that was about.

“It’s been my honor,” Damien whispered.

Ugh.Scarlett swiped at her eyes. The last thing she needed was for Damien’s first glimpse to be of her all teary-eyed. Given her Alpha’s protective inclinations, she’d never leave this bed again—and not in a good way.

The door to Damien’s sleeping quarters slid open.

“Hey, beautiful.” Her Alpha loomed in the doorway, mouthwatering as ever.

“Damien.” Locking down any inclination to wince, she pushed to sitting and opened her arms. “Thank the Goddess you’re safe.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.” He reached her side, sweeping her gently into his arms. “Fucking scared the hells out of me when I saw the place.” He pressed his lips to her temple. “But now that I’m holding you, I’m much better. What about you? How are you feeling?”

“Better now too.” She smiled up at him. “Tell me, what happened with Crex?”

“You first. What do you remember from the raid?”

She thought back. “I was asleep when the ruckus started. I heard noises. The crash of furniture and fighting. Anya’s scream. Then Kadon and Maddox yelling at Anya and me to hide, but it was too late. There were Alphas in my room, dressed in Consortium uniforms. One was reporting into his comms that they’d found me when two others reached out to drag me from the bed.” She hesitated and then admitted her least favorite part. “M-my gift exploded. The males flew backward. I was in a daze,” she admitted. “The pain was immense.”

“Omega,” he crooned softly, holding her tighter but somehow more carefully too. As if she might break apart in his arms.

Scarlett burrowed deeper into his hold, still struggling to believe this was her life now. That this was them after so much angst. “I could hear the other guards shouting not to touch me. To use the tranquilizer first.”

Damien cursed. “A tranq? Hells.”

She nodded, knowing he wouldn’t like that last part. Or any of what was coming next, so she figured it was best to get through it as fast as possible, for both their sakes.

“I wanted to run, but they’d blocked the exit.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I was afraid. I could hear Kadon, Maddox, and Anya struggling. Fighting. And… and I was just so angry. I could feel my gift raging. I tried to keep it in. For Anya, Maddox, and Kadon’s sake. But then, one of the guards aimed a tranq blaster at me, and… I lost it.” She blew out a breath. “The rest’s fragmented. Pain. Screams. Pieces of the ceiling and floor collapsing around me. Then nothing.”

“It’s okay, Scarlett. You’re here with me now. I got you.” Damien’s palm pressed into her spine, steadying her.

“Honestly, I’m fine.” Her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, she stiffened her spine. “I think it’s just the aftermath. Anya told me Maddox ran into the room, leaped over the hole in the floor, dodged a bunch of falling debris, and grabbed me. Thankfully, my gift had burned out by then.”

“Yeah, Maddox says you and your gift turned the tide, taking out the bulk of the guards and making it possible for them to handle the stragglers. I’m proud of you, Omega.”

That was nice to hear. Nice to know, too, that her gift had been a help and not just a hindrance of potentially epic and disastrous proportions. Especially since she was now weak, lying in this stupid bed, covered in bruises. “I’m just glad no one we care about got hurt.”

“Besides you.” Damien’s growled words were laced with admonishment, as if he wasn’t okay with her forgetting that important part.

“Point is, we made it. Kadon, with some help from Anya, took care of the last of the guards while Maddox carried me out.”

Damien ran his nose along hers. “That’s why I’m buying the kid ten crates of that purple-skinned food he likes so much and letting him sneak out to meet whoever the hells he wants once we’re back home.”

Scarlett giggled. Of course.

Leave it to Damien to make her laugh.

Still grinning, she said, “Now it’s your turn.” She leaned into him. Telling the story had taken it out of her more than she’d expected. “What happened with Crex?”

“Tell me first how you are really feeling.” He ran his gaze over the bruises on her skin.

She sat up straighter. “I’m fine. Really.”

“Omega.” The rough, cautionary rumble shot straight to her core. As did the way his hand slipped beneath her shirt to slide up her thigh, then along the taming chain at her hip, his fingers playing with its links; another subtle warning to give him the truth.

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