Three months ago, if someone had told me I would be this happy to see my scent matches, I would have laughed until I cried.
They hurt me with their words, their neglect, and their refusal to look at me, let alone touch me. I swore I would hate them back just as hard.Forever.
Now, as Callum’s dad holds a needle to my throat, they look like they would burn down the world to save me.
“You shouldn’t have come,” I say, trying not to breathe too hard.
Breathing hard means the needle William is holding to my throat presses into my skin. Wilke’s had a needle upstairs that he said the contents would trigger my heat. If I go into heat now, I have no idea what my scent is going to do to the four alphas in this room.
Nothing good.
William’s hand tightens in my hair, and I wince. Callum’s lips flatten as his dad chuckles. “Now, son. Not so fast. There are things we need to discuss.Sit.”
“We’re not sitting anywhere,” Callum bites out.
Archer catches my eye. “Are you okay?”
“Not really, but you’re here now, so that’s something, right?” I say, trying for humor. He doesn’t smile. Neither do I. Now doesn’t seem like the time. “Is Lottie safe?”
Torin nods. “She’s safe.”
It’s like being back in the Haven Academy ballroom, and they’re claiming me as their omega when Callum tells William, “Give her to us, or we’ll take her.”
“You’re not in control here, son,” Callum’s dad says, his left finger caressing the side of my neck and brushing one of my claiming bites.
Shuddering, I lean away from his touch.
Callum clenches his jaw. “Don’t touch her.”
William yanks my hair. The motion pulls painfully at my scalp, and I cry out. But with my arms pinned to my sides, courtesy of the thick rope he used to tie me to this dining room chair, I couldn’t dislodge him even if I wanted to.
“I’ll do what I want, the way I always have,” William says calmly. “Andyouwill do what I want.”
“She’s not part of this,” Torin says, moving forward a quarter of an inch.
William’s laughter rings out. “Of course she is.Stopright where you are.”
Torin jerks to a stop, and I desperately hope he hasn’t noticed Archer has moved closer, slowly approaching from his left.
“Let her go,” Callum repeats.
“Andwhywould I do that?” William’s voice hardens. “All you had to do—all I expected from you—was to be my son. To bemineand nothers.”
“I didn’tbelongto Mom,” Callum snaps. “I was never an object for you to control. She lovedme,and I loved her. Youdon’t know the first thing about love. You never have and you never will.”
“She wasweak.” Spittle flies from William’s mouth, hitting my left cheek.
“She wasstrong,” Callum snaps, his gaze locked on his dad while Torin and Archer move closer with their eyes fixed on the needle at my neck. “Stronger than you. She was an omega, and she wasstillstronger than you. You tried to control her, but her love for me was so much stronger than you ever knew. She would have died before she let me become like you. Shediddie to stop me from becoming like you.”
Callum’s torment-filled eyes dart to me. “I nearly destroyed my mate because I started turning into you. But I never will. Let her go, or I will tear you limb from limb.”
William’s laughter rings out, deep and throaty. “And what do you think I’ll do with this needle if you push me too far, son? This dose won’t trigger her heat. It will stop her heart.”
No one breathes.
I keep hoping he’s threatening to use the needle on me to get what he wants. But I see the fear filling Callum’s eyes, and I know the truth. His dad will stab me in the neck if he’s pushed too far. It’s no idle threat, no matter how much I might want it to be.
Callum takes a breath and lets it out. “Back up, Archer. Torin, move away as well.”
