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“This is called a breeding bench. It’s modeled after what dog breeders once used before the Dredge. To hold the bitch still. My uncle used one for our dogs. He was obsessed with pure breeds. Anything else was unacceptable. He once killed an entire litter of mutt puppies.” A tickle traces down my spine where she runs her finger. “Sometimes, he let me watch the breeding. I was fascinated by the way the female just stood there. Her choices stripped. She looked so powerful to me.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Remus talks about you incessantly. About your purity. Your chastity. It sickens me.”
“Listen to me. I want nothing to do with Remus. I promise you.”
“Again with the jealousy. You think this is jealousy, bitch?”
“What is it, then?”
“Pure entertainment.” She lifts the gun toward Titus. “Before we get to that, I want you to break every bone in Will’s body. Leave his neck for last.”
“No! Please!” I wriggle in the binds, as if there’s any chance of escape, and crane my neck in search of Titus. “Please, don’t!”
“For someone who doesn’t care much about him, you sure are making a lot of noise.”
The Alpha hasn’t moved yet.
“Please! Don’t hurt him, Titus. Please.”
“I gave you an order.” Agatha lifts the gun toward Titus. “Do as I told you.”
“Enough!” Jarvis lurches toward Agatha, and in the next blink, Titus issues a blow to his chest that knocks him to the ground, where he lies unmoving. The man’s heart probably stopped the moment Titus’s fist made contact.
Eyes wide, Agatha giggles, her gaze shifting from Jarvis to Titus. “Now Will. Break his bones.”
Once again, Titus doesn’t move.
Cold steel hits my temple, where she holds the gun to my head, and that’s when the Alpha’s muscles finally flex into tight fists. “I don’t need to remind you what happens when a human gets shot with a dart. Do I, Titus?” Another long pause, and Agatha pets the top of my head. “I wonder how long she’ll last. A minute? Ninety seconds?”
Like a machine, Titus sets into motion and strides across the room toward Will. Screams rip from my chest as I watch him stand before my friend, towering over the much smaller soldier. Will’s cries echo over my own, and in one brief snap, they die to silence. The Alpha steps away to show Will slumped over in the chair.
The cry that tears out of me is inhuman and raspy, brimming with misery and pain. Cold, numbing shock washes over me like a wave, pulling me under. Tears blur his form, and I have to look away.
Agatha lowers the gun and groans. “Titus, you are beyond frustrating sometimes. I should punish you for defying me.” On an exasperated huff, she swipes up her glass from the nightstand and takes a sip from it. “But I suppose you carried out the most important task. So instead, I’ll reward you by allowing you to take this female.” She saunters toward him, but keeps her distance at the same time, holding the gun out in front of her. “She’s yours. Ravage her. I know you fancy her, so now’s your chance.”
I turn my attention back on Will.
My friend.
The only one who came after me out here. Who risked his life to find me. Murdered as coldly and carelessly as if he never existed, at all.
By a beast. A heartless bastard of a man who probably can’t wait to ravage me like the animal he is.
Body trembling against the posts propping me up, I can’t bring myself to look at him. This vile, disgusting creature, no less abhorrent than the mutation he fought on my behalf.
“Go on, Titus. She’s yours. Take her violently. Fuck her like a savage.”
Every second that passes, I slip further into the place between here and somewhere else. A void inside my head where they can’t touch me.
“If you don’t want her, I’m certain my uncle will take her. What do you say? Will you stake your claim to her, or let him have her?”
Another moment passes, and Titus strides over to me.
Wriggling against the binds, I shake my head and tug hard to get loose of the belts strapping me down.
Titus disappears behind me. The rustling of his clothing announces his intentions.
