No hope.
He’s trapped me in his web, cutting off all routes of escape.
I die either way.
If I don’t do as he says, he’ll tell my father the most damning thing he can. I’ll be charged with treason and sent to prison, where I’ll surely be killed by the Soldiers of Saint Aldous—if they don’t decide to keep me alive for my affinity. I don’t know which fate would be worse: death or enslavement.
But if I do as he says and leave my bedroom door unlocked when he visits for Yule, he will destroy me. And he’ll take his time. The sting from his slap will be nothing compared to the pain he’ll inflict when he slips into my bedroom. When he forces my legs apart and bonds me to him forever with his bite.
And that will only be the beginning.
He has plans for me, for when we’re mated, plans to break me and get me to obey him. My obedience will never be enough for him, though.
He won’t be content until I’m nothing more than an empty shell, hollowed out by his torment.
He won’t be content until he can control me—and my magic.
Until I’m crushed beneath his heel, and he sits at the right hand of Baphomet’s Prince, whatever that means.
I once thought he’d be civil with me in public and punish me in private, but today has stripped that belief away.
He’ll treat me how he wants—how he must—regardless of where we are.
If he mates me, Radwillbreak me.
I’m not strong enough to survive what he has planned for me.
When hurting me isn’t enough, he’ll turn on the men I love. He already tortured Simon nearly to death without a second thought. He’ll do worse, I’m sure of it.
And when I’m broken and biddable, he’ll have my affinity at his fingertips.
He’ll use it how he sees fit, and there isn’t a saints-damned thing I’ll be able to do about it. He’ll turn me against anyone who dares resist the Soldiers of Saint Aldous, force me to pry the answers from their minds and hurt them when I can’t.
And then he will force me to lead armies against my own kind. He’ll make me enslave and eradicate omegas.
Saints, I can’t let my affinity fall into his hands. The Soldiers would be capable of so much more cruelty with the unique powers I possess at their fingertips.
He can’t control my affinity without a collar or a bite, and I can’t let him put either on my neck.
I glance up at him through my lashes, damp from the tears I’ve had to blink away.
I can’t let that happen.
I’ll lock my door at Yule and take my chances with my father. I’ll beg Ian to teach me the strongest wards he knows, and saints above, I’ll practice stunning spells every single night so I can incapacitate him.
I want to believe it’ll be enough.
Ihaveto believe it’ll be enough.
But in my heart of hearts, I know it won’t be.
We finally pull into the circular drive outside All Saints Hall, and Rad yanks me close when he helps me from the car, banding an arm around me and fisting his hand in my dress.
“Go crawl back to your degenerate alphas with my handprint on your pretty face and know there isn’t a damn thing they can do about it. Youwillbe mine.”
* * *
The momentthe limousine pulls away from All Saints Hall, Marcus pulls me into a tight hug, his winter-wind-and-pine scent wrapping around me. It’s enough to numb me, and I’ll take what relief I can get.
