Savage Prince by Alison Aimes

22

Tess followed behind Maxheim.

It was strange but nice to be reminded that she wasn’t on her own anymore, having to fight every battle herself.

They tracked the muffled sounds to the last cell on the right.

With a soft cry, she slid to her knees beside the broken body of the young female sprawled on the ground. “Mauve.”

Blood poured from wounds at her young friend’s chest and throat.

Soft gray eyes blinked open. “Tesstala.” Barely a gasp of air, but audible nonetheless. “You came.”

“Yes.” She skirted closer. The guilt was near overwhelming. The grief, too.

She’d come, but far too late. All her promises of escape. All her talk of freedom. It would never be for this one girl.

Mauve sucked down a frightened breath, and Tess realized she must have noticed the huge Alpha over her shoulder. “He won’t hurt you.”

Somewhere along the way, she’d come to believe that with every fiber of her being.

“They were looking for you.” Crimson leaked from Mauve’s mouth onto her chin. “You. Rav. Aldar. Th-they kept beating us all, but we didn’t know anything.”

“I’m so sorry.” Tess had seen so much ugliness as a slave. She’d caused so much violence and death herself, but this hurt worse than anything she’d suffered to date.

“Rav . . . got the others out. But it was too late for me. H-He had to leave me behind.”

They’d both failed her.

“Hurts.”

“Oh, Mauve.” Tess’s hand hovered over her friend, afraid to touch her and make it worse. She felt so useless. Like always. She might not be restrained in that tiny auction cage anymore, but she was as powerless as ever.

The girl’s body shook. “I’m scared.”

Tess’s heart lurched and then squeezed so tight she thought she might shatter. Rage and pain swirled inside her, the darkness gathering as her gift sparked. Just like always. Helplessness gripped her in its chokehold as the savage indifference of the galaxy made itself known once again.

It was bad enough that young, sweet Mauve had to die. But to die afraid. In pain. How could the universe be so cruel?

The poor girl’s breath rattled in her chest, and she moaned in agony.

Maxheim stepped closer, his leg brushing her side.

“Tess.” His voice was soft. “She’s suffering. Let me make it fast. Let me take away her pain.”

It took her a heartbeat to understand what he was suggesting.

She shook her head and yet . . . a part of her knew he was right. Taking away Mauve’s pain was what mattered—and he was willing to do what it took. Even when it was hard.

He laid his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll make it painless. She’ll be free.”

She sucked down a breath, but not simply at the power of his words.

At his touch, something sparked inside her. Something primal, something instinctual. Something powerful.

It was the same pure peace and shocking lust she always felt at his touch, but this time a part of her knew it wasn’t just meant for the two of them.

Without thinking, she grabbed Mauve’s hand and threaded her fingers with her friend’s, blood sticking their palms together even as the peace from Maxheim surged through her.

The dying female gasped, her body tightening before her muscles went lax, and the lines of pain at her lips and eyes lessened. “How . . . how are you doing that?”

“Teamwork.” She smiled down at her friend.

Behind Tess, Maxheim’s fingers contracted around her shoulder, but he didn’t release her or say a word. But she felt the rush of awe from him to her. It gave her even more power—and sent more of that beautiful golden light flooding into her friend.

“No wonder all those males liked to touch you.” The strain in Mauve’s expression was gone.

Tess didn’t bother telling her friend her gift had never been like this before. Until Maxheim.

Mauve’s hold tightened, suddenly imbued with more strength than Tess would have expected. “I’m not afraid anymore.”

Tess’s throat thickened. Words impossible.

Maxheim’s hand on her shoulder remained steady.

“It’s okay, Tess.” Now Mauve was the one offering support. “I’m finally going to be free.”

Her friend’s eyes drifted closed. There was no more terrible death rattle. No more lines of pain.

Tess gripped the girl’s hand until her chest stopped moving. Until the only sound was her own tears.

All the time, the hand at her back remained in place, her Alpha’s commanding will and calming presence a pillar of comfort. Until Mauve was perfectly still.

“It’s over now, Tess.”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Yes, baby. It is, and you did so good.”

She sucked down a sob. “Even for a hellion?”

“Especially for a hellion.” He pulled her into his arms. “Come here.”

His big hands made slow strokes up and down her back. “You were amazing.”

Her breathing hitched. “It still doesn’t feel like enough.”

“I know.” A slow, deep rumble echoed from his chest and slid into her.

Purring.

He was purring for her.

The same miraculous peace she had felt before rippled through her once more.

She burrowed in deeper.

“I will send men to retrieve Mauve and the others. We’ll have them returned to their families. At least they’ll know what happened. At least they’ll make their way back home.”

She clung to him harder, that slow rumbled purr soothing her as he stroked her hair.

He gave her peace, just as she’d given Mauve.

She didn’t understand how this male, who should have been her enemy, kept being her ally and her anchor. But it wasn’t simply a fluke.

What had happened with Mauve proved that.

He made her gift better than it was. Made her better than she was. And just like Maxheim had told her, she really could be so much more than just an omega slave and killer, if only she was brave enough to cast off her invisible shackles as easily as she had her real ones.

But had she realized this too late?

“I’m sorry Rav slipped away again.” She whispered the words against Maxheim’s skin. “I’m sorry the twins are still out there.”

He held her tighter. “We’ll find them. My soldiers are already sifting through his papers and the net around him is getting tighter. We’ll find your friends. Rav can’t hide forever. Nor can his employer. Whoever’s behind this will pay.”

She believed him.

But time was not on their side.

Rav’s escape was a crushing blow.

The Brotherhood wasn’t going away. They wanted blood and, without Byrel’s information to appease them, they would continue to make trouble.

Whoever had killed her fellow slaves was also still out there, hunting Rav, and from what Mauve had said, her too.

Plus, every moment Rav remained free was another heartbeat the twins were kept from their family and her friends were at risk.

She’d found a freedom and power in Maxheim’s arms she hadn’t expected, alongside a pleasure she had never imagined possible. But she couldn’t ignore the reality that trading herself to Byrel for the information Maxheim needed was becoming more and more likely the only option they had.

“I know what you’re thinking, omega.” His hold tightened. “Don’t.”

“But—”

Maxheim’s comms crackled, cutting her off.

This time, she wasn’t surprised. Even if they weren’t with him, his brothers were always nearby. Always a source of support.

She had never seen that kind of loyalty before.

He left one arm around her but gave her a stern, warning look that said they were clearly done with their conversation before it had even begun.

Then he answered. “Rav’s not here. His employer got here before us and chased him away.”

Several curses came through the line. Followed by, “You need to get back here.”

Maxheim tensed. “Why? What’s going on?”

“The Brotherhood Council is growing more demanding, and Dahlia’s gone into labor. Nikolai wants us all close in case it gets ugly fast.”

“No. There’s too much heat.” Maxheim shook his head. “Whoever did this is not only looking for Byrel. They’re after my omega too. Probably to use her as bait. I don’t want to lead them back to the family, especially now.”

“Nikolai said you’d say that. He told us to tell you to come anyway. That the best chance you have to protect yourself and your omega is here with us at the compound.”

Through the bond, Tess could sense Maxheim’s continued resistance, his reluctance to endanger his family.

His brothers read his silence correctly as well. “Whoever this enemy is, they have vast resources. You can’t take care of this on your own and keep her safe. The only shot you have of protecting her from this death squad is to bring her here.”

Maxheim growled low. He didn’t like it.

She held her breath, unsure even what to wish for.

“Nikolai also said to tell you, all that aside, he just wants you here. There’s no one he trusts more, and his offspring is coming. He needs his right-hand Alpha here.”

That single line changed everything. “We’re on our way.”

The change came so fast, she wasn’t prepared when Maxheim suddenly swept her into his arms. “Come on, beautiful. Time to go home.”

Home? She hadn’t had one of those in a long time.

Hope and nerves rippled through her in equal measure. She prayed she wasn’t bringing more trouble to his family’s doorstep as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight.

Maxheim had proven over and over that he was nothing like the other Alphas she’d come across, and it was time to stop letting her doubts win. Her instincts might have failed her in the past with Rav, but that didn’t mean she had to stop trusting altogether.

She didn’t know what would happen with the Brotherhood Council or if she’d truly be able to escape her past and Rav, but in this way, she could at least cast off the old shackles that had kept her bound and afraid.

Think bigger was going to become her new creed.

“Yes.” She dragged her nails in slow, teasing circles against the back of his neck. “Take me back to the shuttle, Maxheim. Take me to your bed. I want to forget all the ugliness. I want to make another choice.”

He growled low. “Good girl. I told you before. Whenever you choose me, I will always bring you pleasure.”