Page 35

MARLOWE

I shivered in the dark, the sound of dripping water and tiny feet scurrying along the floor echoing off the walls. I had woken up only an hour or two ago, my body aching. It was like the flu but ten times worse. Even blinking was painful.

A cold, silver choker was wrapped around my neck like a collar, keeping me from shifting or using any magic.

Not that I had the energy to do either.

I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t move, and I could barely think. I just existed in this windowless void in a never-ending state of misery.

There was no way to tell how long I’d been out. Even hunger pangs couldn’t help me gauge a timeline, because it was hard to distinguish them from the overall hurt.

Could I even possibly be dead?

The growing sound of footsteps approaching came from somewhere outside the room until stopping close by. A lock clicked open, light flooding the space. My eyes burned and I shut them, a small whimper sounding from my chest.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

The sound of the king’s voice scratched with sharp nails at every one of my nerve endings. I felt him crouch behind me where I lay on my side. “Oh Marlowe, my beloved. What a pathetic little sight you are.”

His fingers brushing against my cheek burned, and my attempts to keep silent from the pain failed when a weak cry escaped my lips.

Maybe I shouldn’t have mouthed off. In the woods, I had made up my mind to play his game, and pretend to be his docile, loving fiancée rather than fight against him. Catching flies with honey over vinegar, whatever.

But after hearing how shifters lived here and more about what his plans were… he was a monster, even more depraved than I’d originally guessed. He was going to kill a lot of people, and Ezra was happily going along with it due to his mommy and daddy issues.

Well, if I wasn’t dead yet, that meant he still needed me, although for what exactly I still wasn’t clear.

What was the best move?

“I can make this all go away,”

he said quietly. From where his hand rested on my face, a small feeling of relief began to grow, spreading down my neck and to my chest. Then he removed his touch, and the pain returned like a sharp wave. I whined, tears spilling freely from my eyes.

“You need simply apologize.”

God, I couldn’t take the pain anymore, but giving in to him could hurt me worse later on.

“Please, it hurts me to see you like this,” he cooed.

His words, dripping with condescending concern, helped me make up my mind. I didn’t want to make this easy for him, no matter the cost.

“No.”

He hissed and grabbed my hair, yanking my head back as I stifled a scream. “Why must you be so stubborn? Submit to me, omega.”

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply through my nose. Every cell in my body was on fire but I couldn’t back down. I was running on pure spite now. And if he did end up killing me, then at least he couldn’t use me to see his plan through.

“I want you to love me, to be my wife.”

His hand tightened its grip, and I clenched my teeth. “I was prepared to make many concessions to see that through. But if you insist on disobedience, then I will have to settle on your agreeability by way of threat.”

“Hurt me all you want,”

I spat. “I will never obey you.”

He chuckled darkly. “Oh, you sweet, naive little thing. I’m not just going to hurt you.”

His lips lowered to my ear. “For each day you defy me, I will have Ezra bring me the head of one of your alphas. You have five now, correct? Will it take five days? Rank them for me, in order of which you like the most to the least.”

My body went cold, and my heart nearly stopped. “No,”

I whispered. “Please, this is between us, you can’t…”

“I am the king; I can do whatever I want. And right now, I want your total submission. I want you sitting at my feet and eating out of my hand, ready and willing to do my every bidding. And if I have to destroy five middling alphas to accomplish that, I will. Gladly.”

If I hadn’t felt like I’d been burned alive and then stabbed by thousands of poisoned knives, maybe I could have come up with a better strategy. But my current condition combined with the threats to my pack meant he had me right where he wanted me, and I had only one path forward now if I wanted to protect them. Because as much as I wanted to spit in his face, it wasn’t worth their lives.

“Fine,”

I replied. “You win. I’m sorry.”

He exhaled deeply, placing a hand on my hip. The pain left my body immediately, my breathing no longer labored. But he didn’t let go.

Alaroth remained behind me, one hand in my hair and the other sliding up and down my side. The heat from the magic pooled in my core, and I gasped, trying to wriggle out of his hold as an orgasm began building inside me.

“It would be rude not to accept my gift,”

he chided, so I closed my eyes and rode it out, thinking of my pack. I panted as my climax built, moaning my release while his fingers lightly grazed my ass.

It didn’t even mean anything—this magic required no skill on his part to seduce me, it was all an involuntary bodily reaction. So it irked me that he thought he had won something, like I had succumbed to his charms in some way.

He breathed in deeply, much too proud of himself, and gave me a kiss on the cheek as I tried to hide my revulsion. “Beautiful. Now imagine how good you would feel with my cock inside you.”

Ugh, gross. Never.

Alaroth picked me up and carried me outside in the hallway lined with heavy, locked doors. Guards and sconces alternated against the walls between them until we reached a staircase leading up out of his dungeon.

“I really can be quite sweet and loving,”

he told me as we ascended. “All I want is to dote on you.”

I didn’t answer. What could I even say at that moment? He knew whatever affection I showed him would be fake, but he seemed perfectly happy with that. As long as I appeared in love with him, he didn’t care what I was actually feeling.

Bright light poured through the windows that appeared as we made our way up, and I wondered how long I’d been out. For one night, at least.

The sound of his boots echoed along the marble interior of his castle. “Why are you so quiet? You speak freely with your brother, and I love the sound of your voice.”

I knew it was a stupid thing to say before it even came out of my mouth, but he’d also asked a very stupid question. “Maybe because he doesn’t hurt me when I disagree with him.”

He rested his cheek on the top of my head. “Oh, Marlowe. Until I am assured of your devotion, I’m afraid the lines you cannot cross with me must be absolute. But once you are mine, in my bed every night and screaming my name as you come, looking at me with nothing but pure adoration in your eyes, then you can say whatever despicable things you’d like and I will forgive you instantly.”

I scoffed. “So I have to fuck you before I can say ‘Fuck you?’”

“Precisely,”

he laughed.

I was glad one of us found this so funny.

We headed back to the omega room, and as soon as we entered, they all squealed and surrounded us. Florian practically ripped me from the King’s arms, squeezing me tightly, while the females all patted my hair and skin, looking me over for injuries.

“Marlowe, are you alright?”

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t be so wicked with her!”

“Are you hungry?”

“I’ll draw a hot bath for you, right away.”

He smiled. “I am glad she is back in good hands. See that you are all ready by sundown, our engagement ball is this evening.”

“Tonight?”

Dove asked, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. “How exciting! Oh, what shall we wear?”

“Your clothes will be delivered soon. And Marlowe?”

Everyone paused as Alaroth addressed me. “Tonight you will be introduced to my court. You’ve felt my wrath when you’ve insulted me in private. Do not underestimate what I’m capable of should you try again in public.”

With that he left the room, locking the door behind him.

Florian shook as he held me, and the females whimpered in fear.

“What did you say to him?”

River asked.

I wriggled out of Florian’s arms, landing on two shaky feet, and then headed towards the bathroom.

“The truth.”