He lifted his head from my Scent Gland, right where their teeth imprints littered.
His face was shadowed, so I couldn’t get a read on his expression.
“You belong to me.” He said it so intensely, so focused. “Tous.”
“Let me go,” I hissed.
“No.”
I struggled a few more times. He dropped more weight on me, curling me into his chest until he restrained me completely. I stopped fighting, panting from the effort. His cock was alreadyhard, and if I kept up my writhing, I would be in the same turned-on boat, and my body was too fucking tired.
It didn’t take long for his hard, warm body to lull me to sleep.
Chapter 40
Igasped as I woke. My body was tense and aching. Wiggling my legs only made me realize how tightly I was bundled in the blanket. It felt like a straitjacket. I writhed inside it until I was free, and shoved it off.
Sinclair must have put me on the bed.
I shuffled to the bathroom to brush my teeth. My internal clock was all messed up, making time feel like some far-off thing. I washed my face and looked in the mirror, something I’d been refusing to do.
Smudges decorated the bottom of my eyes, and how pale I was didn’t do me any favors. I grabbed one of the clean towels above the toilet, swiped it across my face, and placed it on the edge of the counter. Then I looked at what I had been refusing to—my claiming bites.
I focused on the deep red imprints of their teeth marks. Two sets spanned across my throat.
I touched them, pressing my fingertips into the red marks. My skin was a bit raised. I shivered and dropped my hand as I turned to leave the bathroom. Hunger cramped my stomach, and I shuffled down the hall. It was eerie being back here after being surrounded by routines and white, bland walls.
The soft murmur of conversation echoed down the hall, and I slowed, my stomach dropping to my toes.
A pain so visceral urged me to curl into a ball in the corner and never come out. I exhaled slowly and inched closer to listen clearly. It gave me a flashback to discovering they were taking suppressants, and my insides recoiled. I couldn’t let the fear win. I pushed forward, shoving away the crowding doubt and worry.
“. . . smear their name. It has to be public enough that word spreads.”
“Yet, they won’t attend unless it’s a private event.”
“We make them think there’s an NDA.” I could hear Elias’ shrug in his laid-back tone.
“A setup. I like it,” Sinclair murmured. “As much as I hate these events, it would draw them in.”
“We need distractions and chaos,” Kyan started, his tone hesitant. “And we know Omegas bring that when around Alphas.”
“Another auction gala.” Elias’ hum reeked of approval. “They won’t be able to resist one of those.”
“We’ll have to play it up. Talk about an Omega we’re auctioning off for her heat.”
Every inch of my body turned to ice.
Auctioned Omegas . . . that was illegal as all hell. No wonder they always had access to fucking Omegas.Literally.
“Briar won’t like it.” Elias sighed.
“That was my thought, too,” Kyan sounded dejected. “She’ll have more reason to deny us.”
“I won’t risk it,” Elias said, tone brooking no argument.
“We don’t tell her?”
I scoffed, and whatever Kyan was beginning to say cut off. I took the leftover few steps into the kitchen, where they were all leaning at different angles.
