Page 81 of Filthy Royal

Scarlett grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t.”

But he was already gone, barreling forward.

Kadon rushed at him, horns and claws unleashed.

The darkness flared inside her, fast and hard. More wall tiles crashed to the ground as she fought to maintain control. “Stop! You can’t—”

There was a crackle and a flash of light, and Kadon dropped to his knees, then crashed to the floor face-first.

A young Alpha who resembled Damien stared down at Kadon’s prone form, taser in hand. “Payback for knocking out my brother while he was drugged, tournament cheater.”

“What did you do?” Horror pumping through her, she ran toward the downed Alpha.

Only to be yanked back as an unforgiving hand wrapped around her wrist.

“Mine.” Damien pinned her to him.

“Let me go.” She thrashed in his hold.

“Omega, Stormhart’s not dead. Just out.” The younger Alpha used his boot to roll Kadon over, revealing the rise and fall of his chest. “But that could change real fast if you don’t settle down. Now both of you need to—”

“Everyone, face down on the floor, hands at the back of your heads.” Another commanding voice boomed down the corridor.

A new disaster.

Prince Jai had returned, and he’d brought backup. At least fifteen Consortium guards, all of them armed not with tasers, but with deadly lasers.

How had everything spiraled so out of control so fast?

“You’ve got three heartbeats to do as ordered.” A vindictive smirk crossed the prince’s face before he added, “Or the guards start lighting you all up, starting with the omega.”

An ominous crackle rent the air—the sound of lasers being turned to full force.

Scarlett braced for the strike, only to be scooped up and tossed over Damien’s shoulder.

He leaped to one side. A flare of green light hit the wall where she’d just stood.

The darkness inside her coiled tighter, skittering through her veins and blackening the wall.

Tucked behind one of the few statues still upright, her feet touched the ground.

“Stay.” Damien turned and attacked, his body a blur.

Screams erupted. Bones cracked. The stench of blood thickened the air.

Guards’ dead bodies dropped to the ground.

She thought she heard Prince Jai scream—then fall silent.

Utter chaos surrounded her.

Some rational part of her whispered that this was her chance to slip away.

Her body refused to obey.

Instead, with her every breath, more of Damien’s mouthwatering leather-and-ice scent teased her nostrils; more of his power glided across her skin. Her will weakened after four long planetary rotations away from him. The heat consumed her, fracturing her sanity and stealing her ability to think.

The heat… was back. And she… she was losing it once again. Rational… thought… slipping… away.

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