Savage Prince by Alison Aimes

11

“It was green skin. I swear it.” The thick-necked guard wheezed, his body jerking within his restraints, his toes barely scrapping the ground. “You’ve got to believe me.”

“Liar!” Also hanging by his arms, the other guard’s breath tripped out in frantic pants. “Aldar’s skin was blue and orange stripped. I caught a glimpse one rotation when the breeze pulled his robe back from his arm.”

“This is getting us nowhere.” Damien slammed his fist into the belly of the second guard.

Maxheim prowled deeper into the room and finally, finally, sucked down his first full breath since he’d stormed from his shuttle. He’d fucking lost it for a little while there, but he was better now. Especially since he was about to get some answers.

His brothers had strung Aldar’s guards up from the same hooks used on the omegas.

Seemed only fair.

Damien gave him a chin nod. Alexi raised an eyebrow. Maxheim really hoped that might be the end of any longer discussion with his brothers.

He rolled up his sleeves and moved to join them. He was looking forward to hitting something. He had a lot of frustration to work out.

He was a strategist. An ice-cold operator who always got what he wanted. And what he wanted was the omega currently chained to his bed—and not just her sweet, fuckable body, but her trust and loyalty too.

But after only a short time, he could tell she was as fucked up as him, understandably broken, wisely cynical, loyal to a bastard he hated, and, worst of all, she had no interest in being his prime omega.

Worse, his erratic behavior wasn’t exactly inspiring her to change her mind.

Nor was the fact that he wanted to kill the closest thing she had to family.

Pleasuring her into submission was amazing, but it wasn’t going to work as a relationship builder in the long run.

He needed a new game plan.

Trouble was, he didn’t yet know what that looked like—and that wasn’t the only problem he needed to solve.

The list of shit he needed to contend with was long and growing by the heartbeat.

“You okay?” Alexi was staring at him as if he’d lost his mind.

Which made Maxheim realize he was standing in front of strung-up guard number one with his fist clenched and cocked—and not doing a damned thing.

Hells. He really needed to focus.

“Yup.” He slammed his fist into the guard’s belly and heard him scream.

He felt no guilt. Fuckers had bullied and humiliated his omega. He intended for every one of Aldar’s guards to suffer.

Alexi eyed the wheezing guard. “Guess you’re back.”

“I never left.”

“Hmmm.”

“Got something else you’d like to say?” Maxheim stared at his brother.

Alexi’s smirk was impossible to miss. “Do you?”

“Private conversation. Over there.” Jaw tight, Maxheim pointed to the farthest corner and strode over without another glance.

His brothers followed, crowding close. Damien looked wary. Alexi’s expression was all smug challenge.

Maxheim took a breath. “I apologize. I fucked up.”

Total silence.

“What?” He didn’t mean to sound defensive, but his brothers were doing that annoying thing where they looked at each other and then at him and then back at each other.

Alexi was the first to recover. “I just . . . I don’t think this has ever happened before.”

“Are you saying I don’t man up and take responsibility for my mistakes?”

“I think he’s saying,” cut in Damien, “that you’ve never made one before. At least not that we can remember.”

He’d made plenty, but now wasn’t the time for his litany of regrets.

Through his comms messaging, he’d done his best to give his brothers all the cursory details about the omega, the fated-mate situation, her gift, his growing suspicions regarding Aldar and Byrel and the two males who’d come to take Tess, but clearly that had not been enough to satisfy either of them.

“Say what you’ve got to say,” he told them, “and let’s move on. I already delayed us enough. It’s time to get back to business.”

“Does Nikolai know?”

“The bare minimum. I gave him the briefest update but haven’t had a moment to give him the full story. I’ll let him know more when we have a sec. Or you can. I’ve got nothing to hide.”

“The omega—”

“Mine. End of discussion.”

“Really?” This time, both of Alexi’s eyebrows hovered at his hairline. “Seems like just the beginning.”

“Not from where I’m standing.” Maxheim paused. “Though she might disagree. But I’ll get that squared away soon enough.”

Alexi looked skeptical.

Damien nodded vigorously. “You will. You can be very persuasive.”

“Hells, yeah.” The pit in Maxheim’s stomach eased. Damien was right. He had this.

“Nikolai thought it was going to be easy with his omega,” pointed out Alexi. “It wasn’t.”

“I told you before, I’m not Nikolai.” Though, like his brother, he had gone a little crazy. There was no denying that.

But that was because he’d been unprepared—and then overconfident.

Now that he understood how easy it was for him to lose his shit around Tess, he’d do better. Next time, he’d brace himself, compartmentalize, ignore his jacked-up cock, and remain in control. He’d put aside the personal and focus on the practical to persuade her his intentions were above board, but that he also required her cooperation.

It was a simple matter of mind over dick—and he was a master at control.

He could do this. He would do this. For her, for him, and for the whole family. He’d gain her trust and any useful information she had. A win-win.

“The rest of the Brotherhood will want to make an example of her.” Damien looked ready to go to war right now. “They don’t like to leave anyone who kills their own alive.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“You? Alone?” Damien didn’t sound happy.

“I don’t want this blowing back on any of you.”

“We can handle ourselves.” This time it was Alexi who spoke, his voice tight. “You may think otherwise, but you’re wrong. So, what’s the plan? Because we know you have one. You always do.”

“I don’t want to add to whatever issues you’re both dealing with right now.” When they both just stared at him, he added, “But fine! Yes. The plan is we’ll rally as many of our allies as we can—and make deals with anyone else. Nikolai has already begun.”

“And if it isn’t enough?” Alexi pushed. “If we still don’t have the Brotherhood’s backing?”

Maxheim paused. “We’ll deal with that if the time comes.” The unspoken message was clear: war.

“Got it.” Damien didn’t hesitate.

Alexi looked warier, but he nodded. “If that’s what it takes. You can count on us.”

The weight on Maxheim’s chest increased. Usually, he was the one fixing the problem, not making it worse.

He knew what his brothers were thinking. Interrogating the omega and then giving her over to the Brotherhood Council would be the easiest and the safest option, solidifying alliances and paving the way for their family to have the resources and backing needed to get the twins back and take out this nameless enemy.

They weren’t wrong.

“We’ve been in tighter spots.” Damien was trying to be helpful. “At least you have the Sartin contract and that alliance to smooth any rough waters.”

“No.” Maxheim gave it to them straight. “I don’t.” The idea of laying hands on another female after having touched, tasted, and knotted his omega revolted him.

“What do you mean?” Damien looked confused, but Alexi understood right away.

“Come on, Maxheim. You can have both. You weren’t particularly possessive over Raquel and it’s not like most Alphas don’t have a prime omega and a stable of property omegas.”

“Not me.” He forestalled the rest of Alexi’s tirade. He’d cared for Raquel because he wasn’t a total Alphahole, but it was a polite gesture compared to the primal way his instincts roared to life at the thought of Tess. “I already put in a call to the Sartin head telling him the deal is off.”

His brother rubbed a hand down his square jaw. “Were they pissed?”

“Without a doubt, but they’ll have to adjust. I already asked Nikolai to go into my private funds and wire them triple the termination fee for breaking the contract. If that’s not enough, I’ll pay whatever recompense they require. I hadn’t met Tess when I accepted their offer. I don’t like going back on a deal, but some things are nonnegotiable.”

“Just like that?”

“Yup.”

“What a mess.”

“True.” Maxheim didn’t see the point in disagreeing. “But it won’t stop me from doing whatever it takes to get the twins back.”

Alexi blew out a breath, some of the anger leaking from his expression. “That was never in question.”

Damien nodded. “You always protect this family first. No matter what.”

It was true. He always had. He always would.

But he’d never had anything else that mattered to him. Never had a mate that was his alone to protect and guard.

“Let me talk to the Sartin head.” To Maxheim’s surprise, it was Alexi who offered. The same Alexi who, if he wasn’t fighting or fucking, was usually missing in action. “Maybe I can smooth things out. They’d be a better ally than enemy if we’re about to piss the Brotherhood off again and keep one of their killers for our own.”

“You hate them.” Damien sounded even more surprised than Maxheim. “Even more than the rest of us.”

“With good reason.” The shadows from the past darkened Alexi’s blue eyes to near black. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t use my charm to help my family.” He winked, his everything-is-alright mask falling back into place. “‘Cause let’s face it, I’ve got a hells of a lot more than either of you.”

Maxheim studied him—and then did what he rarely did. “Thanks.” He clapped his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “That would be much appreciated.”

Another round of shocked silence occurred.

“Of course.” Alexi spoke at last, swallowing hard as if he had something stuck in his throat. “You can count on me.”

Even Damien seemed unable or unwilling to offer a smart-ass comment.

More awkward silence blanketed the air until Alexi broke it again. “You seem remarkably calm. I guess you really aren’t like Nikolai.”

Maxheim hid a cringe. He hadn’t been so fucking calm a few minutes ago.

Nor was he feeling all that serene despite his determination to compartmentalize.

Every minute away from his omega dragged like an hour.

He’d thought himself incapable of feeling. Clearly, he just hadn’t yet met a certain broken, violet-eyed, too-brave-for-her-own-good omega. Now, his biggest problem wasn’t too little emotion, but too much—and no practice with how to regulate it.

He cleared his throat. “It’s . . . a little more intense than I expected.” Understatement of the century. “But I understand what’s at stake.” He paused. “I’ve got this.”

He let his gaze shift to the two guards they’d been interrogating. “So, you ready to get back to it so we can track down Byrel and find out what happened to the twins?”

“Ready.”

As one, they circled the guards once more.

“Please. I told you the truth before. I swear.” The second guard started sobbing immediately. “The other guy is lying.”

“No, he is.” Blood poured from the first guard’s mouth.

“One of you is lying, and I intend to find out which.” Alexi pulled back his fist, preparing to slam it into the first guard’s face.

“Hold up.” Maxheim’s quiet command had his brother stilling.

Maxheim cracked his knuckles. Talking with his brothers had settled him a bit.

Truth was, all he wanted to do was wale on these bastards and then hightail it as fast as he could back to the shuttle and his omega.

She’d sounded so damned upset about the restraint, but he’d been so pissed.

Jealous, if he was being honest.

Which was stupid, petty, asinine, and something he was going to have to come to grips with and get over. Because whatever Rav Byrel had been to her in the past, if Maxheim wanted to be any part of her future, he’d never get there by being an out-of-control ass.

He’d also never get there if he didn’t start thinking smart—and the more he replayed what the guards had been shouting when he first arrived, the more he realized he’d almost missed something important.

“Both these guards are telling the truth,” he told his brothers.

“Come again?” barked Damien.

Even the two guards looked confused.

Maxheim blew out a breath. He’d considered this possibility before—along with a whole host of other messed up ideas that were becoming more likely by the heartbeat—but now, he was sure.

“Aldar always wore a cloak and a hood and gloves. He kept his face and body hidden at all times. We assumed that was to hide his identity, but what if it was to hide something else—like the fact that he wasn’t actually one guy, but many?”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we keep hearing different stories because they actually saw different things. I’m saying there isn’t one Aldar, but several guys playing the part of the auction crime boss.” I’m saying someone has been fucking with my omega’s head—and I don’t like it.

“Why would someone do that?” Damien looked skeptical, but he’d always been a straight-shooter, no bullshit kind of Alpha. “Seems like a lot of pretense and effort.”

However, Alexi, who was far more comfortable in the gray—and way sneakier—was already nodding in agreement. “Shit. Yes. That actually does make sense. It’s smart and definitely worth the effort. It could be a safety precaution. Having a double would mean that when the Brotherhood discovered what he was up to and came after him, the real puppet master behind the auctions would remain safe.”

“It’s crafty.” Damien was coming on board. “Like a lot of the moves by our faceless enemy.”

“Agreed.” Maxheim’s gut was certain. “We need a deep dive into the real Aldar, and we need it now. My guess? He’s been dead for a while.”

Both brothers nodded vigorously. “Good thinking.”

Maxheim waited.

The silence grew awkward.

He gave up waiting. He just wanted to get back to his omega. “So . . .”

Eyes squinting, both brothers looked at him. Alexi cocked his head. “So?”

“So, which of you is going to look into Aldar and report back?”

They reared back as if slapped.

“You’re asking us—” they shared a wide-eyed look and then stared his way once more, “—to do it?”

“Yes. Is that a problem?”

Another look exchanged.

“No,” Alexi spoke fast. “Not a problem at all. It’s, ah, great. Just unusual.”

“Glad that’s settled.”

“Great. Good. I’ll finish up here,” volunteered Damien. “Before meeting you both back at the shuttle.”

His brother phrased it as a done deal, but Maxheim heard the underlying question buried beneath.

Probably because finish up here meant wrapping up the interrogations and closing up any loose ends—namely the guards hanging from the hooks.

Normally, Maxheim wouldn’t have left the kid to do it alone, but just this once he was thinking it would be okay. He could parcel out a little of the responsibility without abandoning his duty and his family, right?

Sure, he could stay, but his omega had sounded upset when he’d left. Now that he’d cooled down, he could see he’d been a royal, jealous ass.

Actions, rather than words, were probably going to get him a lot farther with Tess and that understandable cynicism of hers. If he wanted her trust, he was going to have to provide her with a reason to give it.

“Sounds like a plan.” He nodded at his brothers and ignored yet another look passed between them. “I’ll return to the omega. I want to ask her about Aldar.”

“Ah, is that what the kids are calling it these rotations?” Per usual, Alexi was ready to give him shit, though he sounded less put out and more as if he was teasing. Kind of like when they were younger.

“Believe me, little brother, when I want time and space to fuck my omega, you will know.”

His brother’s eyebrows went high. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Nothing would be nice. For once.”

“A-are you making a joke?” Alexi looked shocked.

Damien gaped as if someone had just told him up was down.

Come on. He wasn’t that much of a humorless bastard. Was he?

He shook his head. He didn’t have time for this bullshit.

He had a situation to fix.

“Just get to work and report back.” With that as his goodbye, he strode through the auction house, pleased to see that his crew had effectively shut down the place and taken control of the building.

It couldn’t have been easy.

Thanks to Tess’s gift and his crew, the place was littered with dead bodies and the stale scent of sex and blood.

Aldar’s omegas, however, were already safely onboard the shuttle.

And while Aldar and Byrel were still unaccounted for, he’d find them eventually.

He’d find the twins too.

He could still do it all. Nothing had changed.

Almost back to feeling like himself, he strode to the shuttle.

It was just where he’d left it, locked up tight.

The door slid opened as he came near.

He had a feeling this situation with Aldar and Byrel was going to get worse before it got better and that his omega was not going to be happy with what they learned, but he’d handle it.

Like he’d handle her. Just as he did everything else.

He had this.

He kept up a steady pace as he headed up the gangplank and into the shuttle.

His confidence remained—until he got to the door to his bedroom and heard a low, broken moan. Like that of a wounded animal.

“Tess!” Far from cool or under control, he slammed his hand against the door panel and barreled through.