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The razored edge of his voice cut through any attempts Devin might have made to placate him. It sent a chill through her core, ice flowing in her veins as he turned the shadowed darkness of his bright eyes towards her.
“People have been whispering tales about Kahler,” Max said, growing gentle once more having given his warning. “He’s the Alpha of Alderbrook, your Alpha works for him.”
“I know who he is.” Devin would have kicked herself in that moment had she the capacity. She shouldn’t have told him any of it, any possibilities of her being used as a pawn kept hidden.
“Then you know what they say?”
“N-No. People don’t talk about him to me.”
“That he got his Omega back and then all of a sudden, he’s different.” Max regarded her with piqued interest, callused fingers tipping her chin from left to right as he viewed her in this different light. “Stronger even than he was before, able to take on challenges that should have killed him. His reach is expanding tenfold. He’s encroaching on territories he shouldn’t be able to, taking their Alphas down without a hitch.”
“Alphas grow stronger all the time.” Devin would have laughed as she repeated what Kahler himself had said about her and Rey. Had he somehow forced Quinn to claim him? Devin couldn’t imagine the ghostlike waif being able to handle such an overwhelming undertaking, but she must be stronger than Devin gave her credit for if she’d made it this far with Kahler as a mate to begin with.
“Not like this, honey.” Max was intrigued now, settling his weight against her as he took another breath at her shoulder.
“You don’t know it would work like that,” Devin whispered to the ceiling as she tried to ignore everything he was doing. Somehow it was far more dangerous than she thought groping hands and lustful calls would be.
“Why? Because you claimed him first?” Max gave a low chuckle, the sound sliding along Devin’s spine in a greasy wash. “Alphas do it all the time, honey. You’re stronger than any other Omega I’ve come across.”
“Because I don’t want you!”
“I could make it so you did.”
Threat hanging heavy in the air, Max pressed his lower body tighter against Devin. Pushing the threat of his burgeoning erection against her thigh as he voiced a quiet growl.
“No! I don’t want this. Don’t do this.” Devin shoved at the broad chest above her, struggling to get Max away from where he nuzzled the trembling pulse below her jaw.
“I’d make it good for you,” Max murmured, ignoring Devin’s attempts to waylay him as he placed open mouthed kisses against her neck. His perturbed growl ruined whatever effect he sought as his lips found Rey’s vicious claiming mark, large and well scarred.
“What is it with you Alphas thinking forcing a response makes us okay with it,” Devin hissed, baring her teeth as she contemplated biting him. She thought better of it for no other reason than he might think it meant something else entirely. “You have no idea what it does to us afterwards.”
“You’re worried about after? Well, let’s see. There’d be a whole lot of you crying out my name during some of the best sex you’ll ever have,” Max said as he nudged Devin’s chin aside to go after the unblemished side of her neck. “Then when you couldn’t take anymore, I’d get you any food you want. Lots of it, to grow that baby in your belly strong. After that I’d bring you back here and lavish you with my attention, make you scream my name while you ride my fa—”
“Shut up,” Devin snarled, and now she did bite him. Without thinking of any repercussions, she turned her head and sunk her teeth deep into the thick muscle of his arm.
Max tensed above her, growing still as a growl built from deep within his chest. Growing louder even after Devin pried her mouth from him, she dared to snarl in his face with his blood staining her teeth.
Maybe it was the outright aggression, or perhaps it was the primal scene of seeing his blood painting her lips, but something shattered in Max’s bright green eyes. His call was dark and filthy, a lurid worm snaking its way through her body as he slanted his mouth over hers. Licking at the coppery taste of his blood, he snarled when she snapped her teeth at him. Seeing it as challenge and provocation both, he lowered his chest to hers and gave another vicious call.
This one bowed her back, shuddering through her bones until Devin lay dazed beneath him. She expected it to begin now, the loss of herself to instinct as she sat miserable and screaming within her mind. Only it didn’t happen that way.
She snapped.
Clawing at the Alpha, she bit and kicked for all she was worth. Denying him at every turn, she blocked his advances and parried with her own violence. She didn’t want this, and that vicious blackness aided her now. Keeping her remote and disjointed from the moment as she dismissed all other possible outcomes to this insanity. Her fingers caught and held in the skin of his stubble roughened cheek, four livid streaks blooming against the sun darkened skin before Devin’s hands found his neck.
They fought like that for what felt like ages. Devin’s limbs trembled with the effort, and she seemed no closer to victory, but the Alpha above her had stopped trying to mount her for the moment. So intent on stopping her attempt to kill him by a thousand cuts, he’d forgotten his initial purpose. Max remained on top of her, but only because it seemed he feared what she’d be capable of if let loose.
Trembling and exhausted, she glared at him when he finally sat back. Putting some space between them, she calmed even further. It was in her thoughts to follow, to keep on the attack, but the rolling tide of shadowed darkness threatened to consume her whole. Devin became worried there would be no coming back from that if she let it.
She remembered all too well what that space felt like when she’d tried to destroy the bond. Devin didn’t want to return to that.
Line drawn in the sand, they held an uneasy peace as Max held up his hands and slid from the bed. Utterly naked and without shame as he traversed the bedroom, he dragged on a pair of pants and walked out.
It was a long time later that Devin realized she hadn’t heard the lock. By then she was weak and shivering again, curled under the blankets for what little warmth they imparted. She felt frozen down to the marrow of her bones.
Later, she would try her escape. For now, she needed to rest.
Chapter Eleven
