Page 7 of Knotted By the Demon

As I moved to lift him, his blue barrette fell from his hair, and his eyes fluttered open, barely focusing. I froze.Silver. His eyes were silver, dull, and cloudy but striking enough to hold me in place. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to, which I didn’t.

For a brief second, those silver eyes sharpened, locking onto mine. In that moment, I saw the depths of his pain, his fear, hisexhaustion. His scent, though still sweet, now had a burnt sting to it, like burnt candy.

Then his lips parted, and he whispered, “Kill me, please.”

The words sent a shiver down my spine, colder than the night air. I’d heard pleas before, but never like this. Never from someone who sounded so hollow, so completely broken. And yet, there was a flicker of something else there, too, buried beneath the pain.Hope. A twisted, fading hope that someone would end his suffering.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him, lifting him with a gentleness I didn’t know I possessed. He whimpered, causing a dozen emotions to zip through me like a lightning strike. The strongest of all was the desire to protect this little omega who was in so much pain that he’d rather die than live.

I paused when a low rumble sounded. My gaze snapped to the tree line, searching for another intruder. It took me a few seconds to realize the sound was coming from me. I was... I was purring for this omega, something I’d never done before. It was a deep and instinctual sound meant to soothe and calm. A gift from an alpha to his omega.

And this little rabbit was reacting to my purr perfectly. His body relaxed slightly. His head rested against my chest as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The scent of honey and something floral surrounded me, making my mouth water, raising my protective instincts to levels they’d never seen before.

“Fuck!” I muttered a curse under my breath, adjusting my grip and setting off back toward my cabin.

Whether I wanted this or not, I had an omega to tend to. He wasn’t dying tonight. Not on my watch. Tomorrow, I’d lead him to the edge of my property, even give him some cash and some of my scent masking spray, and tell him where the nearest safe haven clinic was in these parts.

That was all I could do for him. He was lucky I was willing to do that much. Normally, I’d kill intruders and let the gators clean up the mess. The thought of gators sinking their sharp teeth into the man in my arms clutched at my heart. I ignored the pain. I couldn’t get involved with an omega. I just couldn’t.

I was halfway to my cabin when another aroma drifted toward me, a tangy citrus note blending with cinnamon, cutting through the sweetness of the omega’s fragrance. I stopped, nostrils flaring as I breathed in the new scent. My already hard cock throbbed, knot pulsing. This smell was just as enticing, just as tempting as the person in my arms.

It wasn’t an omega scent, though. And the smell was too strong to be a beta. Yet, too bright and vibrant to be an alpha. Also, this scent wasn’t foreign to me. I’d caught traces of it before, lingering near my traps on days when I’d found the animals released. But it hadn’t been this strong, this... delectable.

I froze.The thief!That’s who that fucking scent belonged to. And they were here now, or else the smell wouldn’t be so crisp.This motherfucker!A low growl rumbled from my chest, and I resumed walking, my pace brisk. I didn’t need this right now. I didn’t need to deal with another stranger, especially not one who thought they could steal from me.

But as I neared the source of the scent, I spotted a figure stepping out from behind a tree, heading directly toward me. It was a female, slender but curvy in all the right places. That was the first thing I noticed about her. The second thing I noticed was her hair – a mass of red curls that tumbled around her shoulders like a halo of fire.

She was smaller than I’d expected for someone with the audacity to mess with my traps. She strode forward with a confidence that was equal parts reckless and admirable. Her hazel eyes met mine, fierce and unwavering, and I felt somethingstrange surge through me, a thrill, a pulse of adrenaline, a surge of excitement.

This woman was trouble, the kind I tried to avoid. Yet, I found myself striding toward the beta, carrying an omega in my arms. The woman continued forward also, her eyes fixed on my omega, lips pressed into a determined line.

She was muttering something under her breath, her gaze sharp and accusing, as if she’d already made up her mind about me. The last thing I needed was a self-righteous beta getting in my way. A beta with a scent much stronger than most betas.

“Put him down,” she demanded, looking ready to go to war for the stranger in my arms. “Look at him. What did you do to him, you brute?”

She really thought I was the one who’d hurt him. She widened her stance, her sweet scent taking on a sour edge.Lemons. When she was mad, this little beta smelled of lemons.Interesting. This little beta wasn’t here to talk. She was here to fight. To fightme. Someone who was over twice her size. An alpha. A rogue. A killer.

Yet, she was trying to go up against me. Either she was insane, or she was extremely brave. I was leaning toward insane. I cocked my head, almost amused despite myself. Did this little beta think she could take me on? Her eyes narrowed, her jaw set, her posture screaming a challenge.

Yeah, she really did think she could take me. The scent of jasmine and citrus wrapped around me, making my heart race and stoking a low, dangerous heat within me. I’d spent years on my own, never needing anyone, never wanting anyone.

And yet, within the span of a single evening, I’d found an omega who made my chest ache and a beta whose defiance made my pulse race. For a moment, I wondered if I was dreaming, if my imagination had conjured up this evening. It wasn’t time fora rut. I shouldn’t be imagining things like this. This had to be real.

“Did you hear me, alpha?” she sneered that last word like it was sour on her tongue.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. Her gaze narrowed, frustration flashing in her eyes, and she took another step forward. The wind blew, lifting strands of her flaming red hair, making her look like an avenging angel come to save the precious omega and defeat the big bad demon.

Beautiful and full of fight, that’s what she was, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She squared her shoulders, clenched her fists, and then charged without warning.Oh, shit!This little beta was truly going to attack me.

How fucking...cute!

CHAPTER FOUR

DEMON

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Her first swing missed by an inch as I sidestepped.

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