Page 80 of Knot Their Arrangement

I used to be stronger.

Back when I had access to my accounts, I maintained regular self-defence classes. Built strength and skill that made Maharaja wary of pushing me too far. But months of limited resources and hiding have taken their toll. The muscle memory is there, but the power behind it has waned.

I try to lunge for the door, but he slams me back against the seat. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs.

"Kutte! Main tumhari aurat nahin hoon!"I spit the words at him, calling him a dog and reminding him that I am not his woman. "I walked away!"

His hand shoots out, wrapping around my throat as he forces me still. His face inches from mine, spittle flying as he roars.

"YOU are MY fucking property!"

The burnt rubber scent of his rage fills the confined space, making it hard to breathe even without his grip on my neck. His eyes hold a manic gleam that I recognize from the stories whispered about Lakshmi's final moments.

Is this how she felt at the end?

Trapped in his car, realizing too late the true depth of his cruelty?

Every instinct screams at me to submit, to go limp and compliant like a proper Omega. But something deeper, more primal, refuses to yield. The same spark that gave me the courage to run from my wedding now demands I fight, even if it's futile.

The elegant saree I wore with such pride earlier now feels like a hindrance, the yards of fabric restricting my movement. The diamonds on my borrowed sandals catch the streetlight, mocking me with their beauty.

All the trappings of status and wealth mean nothing in the face of raw violence.

My mind races to Damon and Kieran, to the safety I felt in their presence. How different their touch had been – respectful, caring, focused on mutual pleasure rather than dominance. The memory feels like a dream now, something too pure to exist in this nightmare reality.

Will they look for me when they realize I'm gone?

Would they even know where to start?

The irony of my situation isn't lost on me.

I ran from an arranged marriage only to find myself in even greater danger months later. All because I dared to believe I could have one night of freedom, one taste of what real connection feels like.

Maharaja's grip tightens, his fingers pressing against my windpipe with calculated pressure. Not enough to cut off air completely, but enough to remind me of my vulnerability.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you?" His voice drops to a whisper that somehow carries more menace than his shouts. "That you could shame me in front of our entire community and just...disappear?"

The scar on his face seems to writhe in the dim light, a testament to another Omega who dared to defy him. Lakshmi might have marked him, but she paid for that defiance with her life. I’m once again reminded how this man used his power so the official investigation ruled it an accident, but every Omega in our circle knows the truth.

Just like they'll probably never find my body if this man loses his marbles and decides I’m the next victim to die by his own hands.

The thought sends ice through my veins.

This isn't just about reclaiming a runaway bride anymore. The darkness in his eyes speaks of months of festering rage, of carefully planned retribution. How long could he have been lingering at Cardinal? Did Prince Rajveer contact him immediately to tell him my location?"

I try to remember the self-defence techniques I learned, but panic makes it hard to focus. Every option seems to end with me in worse danger. If I fight back and fail, his retaliation will be swift and brutal. If I submit, I'm accepting a fate worse than death.

Even if I dare think of escaping somehow, where would I run? The parking lot is deserted at this hour, the few other cars likely belonging to Cardinal's wealthy patrons who won't want to get involved in someone else's drama.

The diamond sandals Kieran so carefully placed on my feet now feel like shackles. I couldn't run in them if I tried, and kicking them off would cost precious seconds I don't have.

"The pack has missed you," Maharaja continues, his thumb tracing my jawline with mock tenderness. "They've been so...eager to remind you of your place."

The implication in his words makes bile rise in my throat.

I remember how they would look at me during engagement parties, their eyes holding promises of violence masked as passion. How my father would encourage me to sit close to them, to let them touch me under the guise of getting to know my future family.

All those nights I spent planning my escape...

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