Page 17 of Knotted By the Demon

"Be strong, omega," I told him, my voice barely above a whisper. "The worst of it is over. Let's hope for better days going forward."

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from my own eyes. Damn it, why was I getting so emotional? This wasn't about me. Yet, those words applied to me, too.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

"For what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He hesitated, seeming to search for the right words. "For being... you. Whoever you are."

A small smile tugged at my lips. "My name is Sofia."

"That's a pretty name," he murmured, and I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Not really," I demurred. "It's simple. I've always wanted to change it."

To my surprise, a spark of interest lit his eyes. "Never change it. It’s perfect for you. In Greek, it means wisdom."

"Really?" I asked, intrigued.

He nodded, a faraway look crossing his face. "My mother used to read a lot of Greek literature. She even named me Greek."

"Your name is Greek?" I couldn't hide my surprise.

He nodded again, a hint of self-consciousness creeping into his scent. "Strange name, huh?"

I considered for a moment. "No. Well, yeah," I admitted with a small laugh. "But I love it. It fits you."

A blush tinted his cheeks, making him look even more adorable. "Thank you, Sofia."

"You're welcome, Greek," I replied, savoring the way his name felt on my tongue.

I smiled at Greek, warmth blooming in my chest as we held each other's gaze. For a moment, the world beyond this room ceased to exist. There was only us, two lost souls finding a fragile connection amidst the chaos.

We remained that way, both of us, staring at each other and smiling until we heard the alpha’s footsteps heading in our direction. Greek tensed, his gaze dropping to the floor. And just like that, the spell was broken.

CHAPTER EIGHT

SOFIA

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The alpha returned, carrying a tray stacked with food, just as much as he’d brought for me earlier. I watched as he knelt beside Greek, carefully placing the tray on the center table. Panic flashed in Greek's stormy eyes as they darted to mine. My chest tightened at his obvious fear.

"It's okay," I assured him, summoning a reassuring smile. "The food's safe. I've eaten it, and I haven't died yet."

The alpha's head whipped around, fixing me with a piercing glare. A low growl rumbled from his chest. He’d growled over a dozen times since we’ve been here. I swear that was the only sound he knew how to make.

Greek flinched at the sound, his shoulders hunching, making himself seem smaller. The alpha, focused on me, missed this telling reaction.Damn it.He was scaring the omega with his constant growls.

Before I could think better of it, I snapped, "Stop growling before you scare our...” I caught myself just in time, the wordsour omegadying on my lips. Heat rushed to my face as I cleared my throat. "Before you scare Greek," I amended.

But it was too late. I was pretty sure the alpha knew what I’d been so close to saying. It was there in the way his mouthtwitched before he schooled his features back into that growly expression of his.

“By the way, his name is Greek. And my name is Sofia. What’s your name, alpha?”

Greek stared at me, his eyes still wide with shock, probably wondering why I was being so chatty with our captor. But then he turned his gaze toward the rogue alpha, looking both curious and hesitant.

The alpha in question, however, didn’t look either of us in the eye. Instead, he kept his focus fixed on the tray, his fingers tightening visibly around its edge. The tendons in his hands stood out, betraying his tension.

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