Page 77 of Queen of Diamonds

Would he even notice?

I found the two of them outside. Zed had Glade against the wall, fist around her throat and collar.

He was fighting with himself as they stared at each other, the last dregs of sanity holding him still, even as he trapped her.

“Zed!” I grabbed him, ripping him back from her. He let out a snarl, throwing his weight against me for a moment, then catching himself.

Dammit.

There would be no redirecting. His snow santal was icy and primal. He truly was one hair away from a full-blown rut.

And Glade? She was… well, damn she was turned on, pupils blown, dark cardamom leaching into the air around her like an aphrodisiac.

Shit…

“Zed!” I spat. “Get it together. You’re going to regret this.”

His chest heaved as he stared from me to Glade.

Was he present enough to answer?

Could I pull him back?

He was staring at her exactly like a rutting Alpha could be expected to stare at an Omega. A scent matched Omega. Currently perfuming up the fucking space with need.

This was a mess. We still despised her for what she’d done, no matter what breaks in the clouds she occasionally offered.

I seized him, giving him a shake. “You cannot go into a rut and hate-fuck your mate after you put a shock collar around her neck.”

Zed’s answering snarl was a little worrying, and Glade’s lips parted. For a second I swore she was going to argue.

She better fucking not.

“Leave,” I said. “Slowly. Back out.” I nodded at the door to the warehouse. The collar meant that was the only direction she could go.

I had to get Zed out of here. Now. I had to get him to the cages. A boxing ring. Anything.

“But—” Glade began.

“I’m taking him out,” I said.

“Knight, you can’t.”

“Why?” I glared back at her.

“You can’t drive like that,” she hissed.

“Like what?”

But I knew. Her scent, his hormones, the surge of primal energy through the bond. It was… goddammit.

We couldn’t both rut right now.

Not with her here.

“I don’t…” Fuck, it was hard to think. “There’s a place… in walking distance.”

“No!” She sounded stunned. “What if you run into people on the way? An Omega?—”

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