“You fucking homewrecker!” Ballus snarled. “You—You come in and steal my omega—”
“You lost him the moment you treated him like shit,” Hades growled. “I’ve let your assholery go on for long enough. Aaren doesn’t deserve to have you talking down to him; no omega does. Just because you’re too ignorant to appreciate what you had, doesn’t mean you should make him think he’s worth less than you. Because guess what? Aaren is brave, and kind, and he’s a thousand times the person you’ll ever be.”
“He’s a fucking cheater and a slut,” Ballus hissed, throwing another punch at Hades. Hades dodged it. “Who else has he slept with, huh? I bet it’s not just you. I bet he spreads his legs for all the drunks at the bar.”
The raging fury that Hades repressed week after week, each time he had to hear Ballus ripping apart Aaren’s confidence—all of it came rushing up from the pit he had stuffed it in. It seared through his veins and tinted his vision red.
“No,” Hades said quietly, his focus going knife-sharp.
He grabbed Ballus’ shirt and hauled him in, at the same time he cracked his fist across Ballus’ face, the sheer power snapping Ballus’ head back.
“Fuck!” Ballus snarled, ripping himself away. “You made me bite my tongue!”
“That’s all your tongue is good for, it seems,” Hades snapped. He stalked forward and grabbed Ballus by the throat, slamming him against the wall.
Ballus flailed, fists flying. One clean punch was enough to stun him.
It would be so easy to end him in one move. But Ballus did not deserve that kindness.
“For months, you’ve treated Aaren like he’s lower than dirt,” Hades began, keeping his voice steady even though he wanted to roar.
“He’s just an omega,” Ballus said, raising his fist to punch Hades.
Hades grabbed his arm and twisted viciously, until Ballus cried out in pain. “And you’re just a piece of crap,” Hades said. Hepunched Ballus again to shut him up, then turned him around to face the wall, twisting both his arms behind his back to the point of pain. Ballus struggled helplessly.
“You’re just a weak, helpless alpha,” Hades purred in Ballus’ ear. “How does it feel to be so powerless?”
“I’m not!” Ballus snapped. He heaved against Hades. Hades twisted his arms higher. Any more, and Ballus’ shoulders would be dislocated. But it would make it too easy to end him.
“All this time, you’ve told yourself how weak omegas are. But right now, you’re just as helpless, aren’t you?” Hades said. He grabbed Ballus’ hair and smashed his face into the wall. Then he did it again, just to hear Ballus’ nose crunch.
Ballus roared and heaved. Hades let him go to see what he would do.
Like he anticipated, Ballus whirled around, leaping at Hades with another punch.
“You should’ve gotten better at that,” Hades said, twisting to the side so Ballus barreled on ahead. “You’re telegraphing every move like an elephant clomping through a room. Quite embarrassing.”
Ballus bared his teeth. But instead of rounding on Hades, his attention landed on Aaren.
“You,” he seethed.
A little too late, Hades realized that he had allowed Ballus to get between him and Aaren.
No matter how fast he was, no matter how much better at fighting he was, a bolt of ice shot through his stomach anyway. Aaren was unprotected right now.
“I’m going to crush you,” Ballus yelled at Aaren. “I’ll teach you what it means to betray me—”
Hades tackled him to the floor, landing heavily on him.
Ballus kicked and struggled. “Let me go! I’m going to rip that omega apart. I’m going to give him my cock and show him who really owns him—”
“No,” Hades snarled. “No matter what an omega does, you will not lay a finger on them.”
“He’s mine! I can do whatever I want to him,” Ballus yelled, trying to punch Hades.
“He’s no longer yours. You’re threatening his life now,” Hades growled, his violence swelling into a vivid red haze. “Get out of here, sweetheart.”
“But—” Aaren said.
