A shrill ringing echoed in the tiny, cement room and he frowned, pulling it out.
“What?” he barked into the cell. He listened for a moment before a smile that made my stomach turn filled his face. Without sparing me a glance he was out the door, the others right behind him.
One paused and turned to me as if contemplating how to handle me. That singular moment gave me clarity. It was the same omega who was at the gym that day, the one making Cassie uncomfortable.
Now I knew why. They were there for recon.
The question was, how did they find us when we hadn’t even told Victor our location?
Before I could consider anything further he was stalking toward me. He cocked his hand back and hit me with something heavy, darkness sweeping me under before I could react.
Chapter
Thirty-One
Aries
"Don’t fucking touch her!” The animalistic roar and gravel-fueled voice had a shiver running through me as it woke me out of a dead sleep. My head was pulsing painfully and my entire body ached sharply.
Something shifted closer, then a hand brushed down my collarbone, then between my breasts.
The snarl that echoed out had my eyes snapping open. The face in front of me was unfamiliar and I moved on instinct, kicking out and sending the man sprawling onto his ass. HIs face flashed with pure hatred and I struck again despite being shackled at my hands. Years of using the punching bag and building my strength meant I was quick and steady with my blows, hitting him once in the side where I could crack a rib, then right in the dick.
“You fucking whore!” he bit out, lunging for me. Despite another blow he managed a hit right in my stomach. I doubled over and he gripped my ponytail, holding me while he rainedmore hits on me. He didn’t stop until I was wheezing out my breaths.
The asshole was breathing heavily now, his hands covered in my blood. Each breath hurt him from the scowl on his face every time he tried to inhale.
Unfortunately for him, I was angry now and he was within reach. He thought he’d taken me out but I struck again, my foot connecting with his nose, blood spurting out as it crunched under my shoe.
“Don’t. Fucking. Touch. Me.”
“I’m coming,” Nikolai snarled out, his voice had my gaze snapping to the other side of the room, peering through the darkness to see my mate tied to a chair.
No. Chained to a chair.
He fought against it, slamming his body back and sending the chair flying backward. I couldn’t watch any longer, my focus scanning the room while keeping an eye out on the man heaped on the floor, trying to stop the flow of blood.
It wasn’t a big space, more like a basement in a standard house. The stairs nearby cast enough light down that I could make out two other forms.
Leon and Luca.
So, where was Ronan?!
The one mate I hadn’t bit yet was the one I couldn’t feel but needed to. Fuck.
“Where is Ronan? If you hurt him I swear I’ll kill you myself,” I growled.
“He’s going to watch his entire world fall apart. My dear brother can wake up to find himself alone like he deserves,” the man bit out, his tone nasally thanks to the broken nose. He stood, squaring his shoulders in front of me in what I’m sure would be a really intimidating stance to some. To me he looked pathetic.
“Why would you treat your brother like this?” I asked, the disgust in my tone making him narrow his eyes. “Ronan is a good alpha.”
“Of course, he looks like one, everything has been handed to him!” he thundered.
“Looks to me like he earned it. He has the respect of the Crows, his pack, and his omega,” I said. The obvious dismissal in my tone had the asshole lunging for me again, his hands wrapping around my throat. He squeezed hard enough I had to force myself not to react or panic, waiting for him to give out. My vision was spotty but my lack of reaction had him releasing me.
That and the guttural roar sounding off behind him.
“Don’t touch her!” Nikolai screamed again. Alessio snarled and stalked closer to Nik, punching him in an attempt to quiet my alpha down.
