Savage Prince by Alison Aimes
33
“No.” Maxheim’s single refusal broke the silence.
“Alpha—”
“Do not push me on this.”
“I have to. Don’t you see—”
He stormed away. Slammed his fist into the wall. “This is the same damn argument we had before.”
“It’s not.” She spoke fast. “You were right on the Federation shuttle. When I offered to exchange myself for my friends last time, I was giving up because a part of me did believe all I could offer anyone was destruction, pain, and death. That’s not true anymore. Thanks to you, I know I have more to give—which is exactly why I can’t sit by and do nothing.”
Shoulders tense, he struck the wall again.
“Maxheim, stop.”
With a roar, he spun toward her once more. “How can you even ask that of me? I thought you fucking loved me.”
“I do. It’s because I love you. I know you’ll never survive it if you lose another family member because of this.”
“You think I’ll survive losing you?”
“You’ll have to. Your family relies on you, and long before I came into your life, they were yours.”
“I won’t choose.”
“That’s why I’m asking you to let me choose for you.” Her breathing hitched. “I will never regret meeting you in that disgusting dingy auction room. I will never regret learning that a male like you exists. Or finding a place that truly feels like home. Or any of the infinite beautiful moments you’ve given me during our time together.”
Pain flared in his gaze. “No. This is not fucking goodbye.”
She spoke over him. “I was a slave for so long. All I knew was helplessness, despair, and rage. Then I met you, and everything changed. You gave me hope, a home, joy, safety. You helped me find my power and showed me I could bring not just pain, but peace too.” Her throat grew thick. All she wanted was to feel his arms around her one last time. “I know it is omegas who have the gifts, but what you did for me feels like the greatest legacy of all. You gave me back myself and set me free in ways I never imagined.”
“Tess. Baby.” He reached for her.
She took a step back. “That’s why you have to let me go.”
His hands dropped to his sides.
“Because if we choose ourselves over all the others we care for, if we deny them the very hope, home, joy, and safety you’ve shown me, all we have will wither. We’ll be left with nothing. You know it as well as I.”
“Don’t ask this of me, Tess.” The pain in his voice almost broke her. “Let me be fucking selfish for once. Choose me.”
“I am.”
He laughed, but there was no humor in his voice. “By taking away the one thing that’s mine. You have a fucking funny way of showing it.”
“Maxheim, the worry for the twins is eating you alive. So is your guilt about the danger to your family brought on by the refusal to give me up. Do you think I can’t see that? I love you enough to help you choose. I love you enough to do this for you and have no regrets. I can bring some small sense of peace to you if you’ll only let me. You’re the one who showed me I have more to offer than just pain and death, Let me prove it to you.”
Rage flared in his gaze. “Through desertion? Abandonment? I’ve lost enough fucking loved ones in my life!” He grabbed her shoulders, shook her once.
She sucked down a sharp breath, the stab of pain agonizing. A few dark tendrils burst into the air. Like at the auctions. Like when the other Alphas touched her.
But this was Maxheim.
Startled, they both reacted at once.
He let go, stumbling back, palms up.
She wrapped her arms around herself, chest heaving as she tried to process what had happened. Fortunately, the sting from his touch was already melting away.
“What the hells was that?” The torment on his face was a thousand times worse than his anger had been.
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing.” His hands clenched by his side. “I heard you. I felt it too. Pain. And darkness.”
She shook her head. Denying it.
“Yes.” He looked crushed.
She was equally shattered. “It’s just a glitch. Growing pains with my gift.”
Maxheim backed up farther.
“Don’t let it end like this.” She moved toward him.
The regret on his face vanished, replaced once more by fury. “This is not the end.” He stormed past her, taking care to give her a wide berth as he marched toward the door.
“You’re confined to this room until further notice.”
“Maxheim, no!”
Ignoring her, he swiveled around and, flinging the door open, spoke to the guards on the other side. “Kill anyone who’s not Skolov who tries to come through that door. I don’t care who they are. Even Council. Do you hear me?”
The guards nodded, gripping their weapons tighter. War with the Brotherhood was not something to be taken lightly.
“Don’t do this, Maxheim.” She followed behind.
She’d been caged once already. She did not want to go back to that, even if the new cell was luxurious and light. It was still a prison and always would be.
“You gave me a choice once. Don’t take that away now.”
He stilled, then spun, corralling her back into the room with his body. “You talk of choice?” He snarled the words at her. “You’ve given me none.”
“I tried. You wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t talk to me. You shut me out.”
A muscle flexed in his cheek. “I won’t lose you.”
“But you will.”
Their gazes clashed.
He sucked down a breath. “We’ll work this out. When we have more time. When the danger has passed. You’ll see this was the right choice.”
He turned to go. Then he halted, his back still to her.
Her heart sped up. A tiny spurt of hope flaring. He’d changed his mind. He’d realized just how badly this would destroy them.
But he didn’t turn to her.
Instead, he spoke to the head guard. “Make sure there’s a light on at all times.”
She stumbled to her seat, his request breaking her heart all over again.
He loved her. Truly. Deeply.
He’d left her with a light but plunged her into darkness all the same.
“Maxheim, please!”
But it was too late.
He slammed the door shut behind him, the lock clicking shut with an ominous snick.
The slam was so great it rattled the walls—and the bookshelves.
A few shelves toppled, along with her gift.
It fell from its stand and hit another shelf on the way down, making a faint cracking sound as it tumbled to the floor.
“No.” She rushed forward, scooping the ice castle in her palms, cradling it close.
A hairline fracture snaked right up the middle of the castle’s front wall.
Just like the one in her heart.