Page 91 of Filthy Royal

She’d never liked Brock. Or the way he’d looked at her. And she definitely didn’t like the tales he’d spread about her being a user and a whore.

Still, she found it hard to fathom he was dead. Harder yet to accept that, thanks to his big mouth, all her plans were in danger of imploding.

“Sweet’s overrated.” She forced a shrug and finally took a longer look around the space. The stacks of supplies and lack of dust suggested Damien and the kid had been here long enough to make themselves at home and reinforce the cells and the exit door to the room. It didn’t appear this was where they slept, though. More like—she shivered—where they worked.

There were manacles bolted to the ground, a single, rusty chair in the center of the room, and… dark red spatters on the floor beneath it and on the walls.

She’d come to terms with her own death long ago, but… not yet. And not like this.

“I’m not telling you anything”—she glared at her captor— “until you tell me who’s in that other cage.”

“Do not fuck with me.” Damien’s roar shook the crystal.

“Looks like the hothead’s still there below the surface.”

He jerked back as if struck. Then caught himself, a muscle jumping in his jaw. And, Goddess help her, she wanted to lick it.

“I’d be very careful if I were you, Omega.” His voice had dropped to a dangerous rumble. It should have terrified her.

All it did was make her wetter; the darkness hungrier. When it came to him, she’d never been able to keep her emotions in check. “You’re the one who should be careful, Alpha.”

“Perhaps we should all take a breath?” The dark-haired kid popped up on Damien’s right, proving he was either seriously brave or unbelievably stupid.

Still, he wasn’t wrong. Things had always been tumultuous between her and Damien, but this… this seething storm was a whole new level of precarious.

“I don’t need a fucking breath.” Damien glared at him, then at her. “What I need is for this omega to realize how much trouble she’s in.”

She wondered who the kid was. He had the same muscled physique as Damien, though leaner, and the same dark hair and golden eyes. Same jawline too. The smattering of faded burn scars on his neck, forearms, and handsome face only added to the sense that, like the male at his side, he was exactly the kind of mouthwatering trouble most omegas longed for.

She had a vague memory of the other Alpha referring to himself as Damien’s brother, but Damien had never mentioned a younger sibling when they were together.

Was that one more thing that had changed?

Slam!The side of Damien’s fist struck the cage. “Are you listening, Omega? This is not some joke. What will it take to get you to behave? If I need to give both your brother and pretty-boy Stormhart the same treatment as Brock, I will.”

Rage surged through her, a thousand jolts of pure, black fury.

“Don’t you dare!” Her palms hit the crystal.

A crack appeared in the cell wall—and grew, snaking into numerous branches that skittered along the crystal.

Usually, she reined in the darkness, doing her best to maintain control. But screw that.

For once, she wanted to let it out.

6

SCARLETT

“What the fuck?” His mouth hanging open, the kid stared at the cracks advancing across the crystal.

“Get back.” Damien shoved the younger Alpha toward the far side of the room. “Scarlett, you too! Move away from the wall before it shatters, and you get hurt.”

Her heart turned over. Even now, even through all the hate, he tried to protect her.

Could she do any less for him?

“No, you get back.” Their gazes locked, and she caught the moment his eyes widened, and he realized it was her causing the damage.

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