Page 18 of Sweet Torment

We failed the test, and she’s been paying for it ever since.

And fuck, the way she looks now. Thinner, yes. But her pupils are blown out. Her breathing’s too quick, too shallow. She’s fraying at the edges, coming apart right in front of us, and a primal part of me knows a storm is coming.

The signs are unmistakable. And despite everything—the glass, the collar, the absolute shitshow of our making—my cock stirs.

Because apparently, I’m just that fucked up.

“Did you awaken?” I ask, my voice cutting through the noise of the others. I need the facts.

Bianca’s eyes snap to mine, and for a second, there’s pure panic before she schools her expression. “Not yet.”

“Omega.” The word is a key, and I watch it turn the lock. She reacts instantly. A shiver racks her frame, and she rubs her thighs together, a small, unconscious move that sends blood rushing south so fast I feel lightheaded.

“The bond,” I say, the pieces clicking into place with cold, grim logic. “When you and Weller bonded... it triggered your body, didn’t it?”

She meets my eyes, the fear so raw it’s like a physical presence between us. “Yeah.”

Holy fuck. After all these years, Weller’s bond triggered what Montgomery had suppressed. But Montgomery’s still controlling it somehow—he must be. The bastard’s probably documenting every second of this.

It’s ironic that we were the solution to her body, while she was the solution to ours.

“You’re going into heat.” The words hang, and everyone finally shuts the fuck up.

Bianca’s face goes defiant. “Doesn’t matter.”

“The fuck it—” Owen’s temper flares, too blunt for this delicate situation.

“How could you think it doesn’t matter?” Freddie interrupts, the easy warmth in his voice replaced with disbelief.

“You’re locked up with a fucking collar on, going into heat… it’s all that matters.” Owen plants his fists against the glass, and I’m concerned he’ll start pounding on it. He’s always been the first to shatter.

“I’m handling it,” she snaps, and there it is—that beautiful, infuriating fire that makes me want to argue with her until she’s breathless and laughing. My body responds even as my mind calculates the odds of this going the way she plans. They’re not good.

“How exactly does one handle this?” I ask, my tone deceptively casual. Because to my knowledge, omegas don’t have much control over their bodies during their heat, so even if she feels like she can control it…

“I made a deal,” she grimaces, looking away.

The temperature in the room plummets. I tap a rhythm against my thigh, trying to think past the white-hot rage building in my chest.

Not at her. But this situation is so fucked.

“What kind of deal?” Weller’s voice is quiet, but strained. Through their bond, he must be feeling more from her than we can see because his hands are shaking against the glass.

Bianca’s gaze sweeps over us, lingering on me last. “I can’t talk about the details, but I signed a contract for one year.”

“A year?” A harsh, ugly laugh tears out of me. A deal with Montgomery for a year of her life. A year where he could do anything to her. A year she may never recover from. “Brilliant. Why not just gift-wrap yourself with a bow while you’re at it?”

My mind’s already considering all that Dr. Montgomery will have control over. Her body. Her mind. Her experiences. Everything.

And if anyone else touches her during that time, I’ll rip them apart.

“You’re so fucking reckless,” Owen snarls. Hurt flashes in her eyes, and it feels like a stab to my own heart.

“Don’t be a dick, Owen. I did it for all of you. You clearly weren’t making any progress on your own.” The truth of that is a bitter pill.

Owen’s vibrating with pure alpha energy. “You had no right. You’re mine.”

“And you’re free. That is what matters to me.” She steps closer to the glass, eyes blazing.