Page 23 of Knotted By the Demon

“What. Happened. To. Her. Wrist?” I growled low, a sound I’d never made before.

Demon’s shoulders tense, his hands stilling on Sofia’s wrist. Her gaze locked onto mine. Something in my eyes must’ve alarmed her because her smile brightened, but it was stiff, vastly different from her pure, happy smile. This one was forced.

“I’m fine,” she told me. “It doesn’t even hurt.”

Hurt. Pain.Was she in pain? Before I knew it, I was on my feet, my sore feet, limping over to her. My ankle throbbed, but I needed to be at her side.

“Sit down, Greek,” Sofia rushed to say. “You’re still healing.”

Too late.I was now perched on the edge of her couch, staring down at the bruises on her wrists, ignoring my own. Mine didn’t matter. I was used to the lingering pain. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d gone a full day without hurting. Agony was my constant companion. What hurt right now was the fact that she was in pain. She couldn’t be in pain. Not ever. I wouldn’t allow it.

“How did this happen?” I asked, balling my hands into fists, though I really wanted to shake the alpha and demand how he let this happen to her.

She swallowed, her gaze dropping to Demon. She looked even smaller now that I was closer to her. And I could feel the heat emanating from her body, chasing away the eternal chill that seemed to have sunken into my bones over the years. Then there was her scent... how could a beta smell so sweet?

Her gaze rose to mine again, and I almost got lost in her hazel eyes. The freckles splattered across her face were adorable. I wanted to count them with my mouth, kissing each one as I tallied them up. Her flaming hair fit her personality perfectly. I imagined myself fisting it, making a mess of it as I pleasured her.

I’d been told that I wasn’t a good lover, that I was an unnatural omega because I didn’t crave being touched, licked, or sucked. Yet, for her, I’d learned to be better at it. For her, I’d learn to be the perfect omega.

Her lips parted, bringing my gaze to her pink lips. I bit my tongue to keep from leaning down and pressing my mouth against hers to see if her lips were as soft as they looked. This woman was the definition of beautiful. The kind of beauty others would kill to possess. I would not let them have her.

I would not let them hurt her, break her, ruin her. I had to protect her.Mine, my omega purred. I didn’t realize it was me growling until her gaze rose to mine, her eyes widening, her scent spiking, filling the air with her sweet perfume.

“I’m okay, Greek,” she whispered.

“What happened?” I choked, trying not to breathe in too much of her, afraid of what I’d do if I let her fragrance go to my head.

“Big guy here tied me up and told me to stay still. But of course, I’m a rebel, and I tried to get free, not stopping even when I felt the ropes biting into my skin. Though he’s completelyat fault for tying me up in the first place, I’m the one who hurt myself.” Her gaze dropped to the alpha, and I instantly wanted her eyes back on me, only me,MINE.

“Big guy here almost fainted when he realized I’d hurt myself on the ropes. He applied medicine and put the handkerchiefs on me to keep the ropes from touching my bruised skin.”

She faced me again. Finally, her eyes were back on me. The knot in my chest eased a little.

“You can calm down, omega. I promise you, I’m fine. But thanks for worrying about me. I appreciate it.”

I replayed her words over and over in my head, allowing them to settle over me. I had to repeat them three times before my fists relaxed, my palms now resting on my legs as I sat beside her, breathing in her scent. I should move. I should return to the couch I’d been on. But my body wouldn’t do it. I didn’t want to leave this beta’s side. In fact, I wanted to be even closer to her.

“Is it okay if Demon goes back to freeing me now?” she asked me.

That’s when I noticed that Demon hadn’t moved since my first growl filled the air. I swallowed, growing nervous. Had I angered him? I truly don’t know what had come over me. Seeing her hurt triggered something inside me. I couldn’t stop myself from reacting. But had my actions placed us both in trouble with the alpha? Would he kick us out because of me?

I’d screwed up again. And now my Sofia would have to suffer because of it.

CHAPTER TEN

GREEK

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I was always messing things up. I wanted to protect my Sofia. However, I knew I couldn’t do so on my own. I couldn’t even protect myself. We needed shelter and food. A storm was coming. What was I supposed to do if the alpha kicked us out because of my actions? My panicked agaze swung to Sofia. She winked at me, then stared down at Demon.

“Greek is okay with you finishing what you were doing,” she told him, not sounding panicked or nervous. “Seeing the bruises on me shocked him. However, he now knows you never meant for it to happen. But no more tying me up... unless I ask you to. Got it?”

Demon grunted, his jaw tightening as he gently turned her wrists over in his hands, his fingers brushing against the bruised flesh like he was committing every mark to memory. The low growl rumbling from his chest wasn’t directed at her or me but at the situation, at the damage he’d inadvertently caused.

Sofia smiled. “I’ll be fine, big guy,” she said softly, her voice carrying a tenderness that eased some of the tension in the room. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

But Demon didn’t respond. His blue eyes flicked up to hers, intense and full of something I couldn’t quite name. Regret?Guilt? Whatever it was, it made my chest ache. He finally moved to her ankles, his hands working the ropes loose with the same care he’d shown her wrists. I couldn’t look away.

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