Page 40 of Desperate Omega

A growl from Brik startles me out of those thoughts.

“I think Markus is lying,” he says. “I think he’s not telling us the full story.”

“What do you mean?” Markus snarls back at him.

“What do I mean? Just look at you. You say you’re an alpha of the Central Ruins, but where are your piercings, huh? Where is your pack? What are you doing wandering through the wildlands all alone, and how did you happen to show up so conveniently when Syra was in trouble?”

Brik looks at Thorus.

“Master, I believe this alpha is a traitor to the tribe. I believe he conspired with the omega named Delphine. I believe he planned the whole damn thing.”

I shake my head.

Brik is wrong. I’ve known Markus since we were children. He may be a stalker, and he might be a little crazy too, but he’s certainly no traitor.

I start to say as much, but before I have a chance to, Markus roars and dives across the fire at Brik.

CHAPTER 17: SYRA

This time, Thorus makes no attempt to intervene, and I can only watch in horror as the two younger alphas collide. Markus’s hands go straight for his opponent’s throat, and Brik, taken by surprise, tumbles back onto the stony floor of the cave.

He recovers quickly, however, and with a smooth, rolling maneuver kicks Markus off and sends him flying.

Markus lands on his feet and spins to face Brik.

For a moment, the two alphas stare each other down with gleaming eyes. Their muscles are tense and stark in the light from the fire. Their teeth are bared.

“Stop it!” I shout.

My cry is directed at both of the young alphas. Markus may have started this fight, but Brik definitely instigated it, and he’s obviously more than happy to continue it.

I don’t want that. Markus is my friend, even if I haven’t seen him in almost ten years, and I don’t want him to get hurt. And as much as I despise Brik for the way he manipulated me, I don’t want to see him get hurt either.

I don’t want them to fight each other.

I don’t.

So why, when the two alphas ignore my plea and charge toward each other snarling, do I experience a sudden flutter of desire deep within my core?

The sensation is unmistakable.

My estrus is returning.

The sight of the two warring alphas is bringing it back.

That shameful realization causes my face to flood with heat, but a moment later the hard smack of skin striking skin jars me back to reality. I watch in terror as the two alpha males roll across the floor of the cavern, punching, kicking, and biting as they go. They are both completely naked, and in spite of their violence, they are both still fully aroused.

It’s my scent that’s causing their arousal. It’s also what is causing them to fight. Brik’s accusations may have been the trigger for Markus’s attack, but the two have had it in for each other ever since this morning, and the reason is clear. They are fighting over me, competing for ownership of my body, for the right to fuck me, to knot me, to breed me.

That shouldn’t turn me on.

It really shouldn’t.

Somehow, I manage to drag my eyes away from the battle and look across the fire at Thorus. The older alpha is still making no attempt to put a stop to the violence. In fact, he doesn’t even seem to be aware that there is a fight going on at all.

Thorus isn’t looking at the warring alphas; he’s looking at me. His dark eyes stare at me over the flames, studying my reaction. His attention only fans the flames of my growing need.

My nipples harden as my eyes lock with his.