Page 221 of Filthy Royal

Kadon cleared his throat. “It was a privilege and an honor to serve as your Alpha lord. And I hope you know…” His voice wavered. “Despite my mistakes, my selfishness, my fears, I hope you know how much I love you.”

A rush of overwhelming gratitude, sorrow, and exaltation came over her.

Now she understood what was happening.

She understood why Damien’s brothers were there, all of them somber, serious, and a little scary, but staring at her and her Alpha with the kind of affection that made her excited to get to know each one.

She understood why Anya and the other omegas were there, waiting to become the sisters of her heart and to be there however she and Damien needed.

She understood, too, why Kadon and Luc were there. Her family. And now Damien’s also.

“We are all a family now.” She swallowed hard and forced the words out past the swirl of messy, beautiful emotions seething inside. “Thank you, Kadon, for watching out for me and Luc while we waited for our chance to be with the right ones for us. I hope you know I love you too.”

“And I hope you both know,” Damien growled, pulling her to his side so she was pressed against him, “that even though we all realize it’s a sister and brotherly love, you’ll be keeping those words of affection to yourselves.”

She couldn’t tell if her Alpha was joking or not, but shockingly, even as a storm of emotions raged inside and shadows and bursts of color flickered across the walls, she smothered a giggle.

Trust Damien to make her smile amidst all this. Trust him to know exactly what she needed.

What they both needed.

Her breath came faster, excitement whipping through her. She hadn’t realized how badly she wanted this—until now.

“Go on then, Stormhart.” Damien was back in command mode.

“Right.” Kadon stood straighter as he held up the contract. “I hereby renounce all claim to Scarlett of the Consortium as my prime omega.” He smiled at her as he recited the traditional words used to sever such a connection. “I give up all privileges as her Alpha lord and relinquish all rights.” Then he added something she’d never heard before: “But I do not cede my right to serve as one of her protectors.”

Damien growled low.

“With these words,” Kadon continued, “I set her free to live, to love, to be whoever she is meant to be.”

Kadon took a deep breath and performed a formal bow, then pricked his thumb with a fang and smeared his blood onto the screen. They all watched as it was absorbed into the crystal, making it official.

Their union was over.

Scarlett felt the dissolution from her chest to the tips of her toes. But it wasn’t painful or brutal. It was glorious. A parting that ripped away a dark, heavy weight and left her light. As if truly unburdened.

She inhaled a deep breath, and when her gaze locked with Kadon’s, she saw the same rightness reflected in his eyes.

Forced to bind to the wrong souls, they’d been stuck. Now they were free.

“Fucking finally.” Damien’s hold tightened.

He turned to face her once again. “Now you become mine in one more way.”

Her heart beat faster.

“Scarlett of my heart.” He gripped her shoulders, his fingers caressing her skin. “Second chances are rare in our galaxy. Forgiveness, trust, and deep, all-consuming love even more so.” His voice thickened. “I’m a simple male. Most of my life lived in violence, struggling to survive. To endure. But the moment I met you, you colored my world. You’ve shown me there’s so much more to life than I ever knew. I wish”—his deep voice shook, but he pushed on— “I wish I could wipe away every pain, cut down every obstacle in your path. I wish… I wish I could give us forever.”

Her breath stuttered inside her chest.

“But as you’ve told me time and again,” he continued, “it seems even I can’t do everything. But I can promise to be with you every step. To give you all within my power to give. To treat every rotation with you as the gift that it is and love you with everything inside me for as long as you’ll allow.”

She clutched his forearms, swayed by the beauty of his vows.

“In this lifetime,” he rasped. “In the next, and in every one after that, I will always find you.”

Soft, muted sobs came from nearby.

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