Page 90 of The Librarian and Her Alphas

“No, I’m not!” I squeal, running toward the basement. I hear him chuckling, but I escape so he can be productive today.

The door creaks when I open it, and a damp smell reaches my nostrils. It’s a little dark and dingy down the stairs, so I reach for the light switch on the wall. There isn’t one, so I assume there must be a switch at the bottom of the stairs.

Grabbing the wooden handrail, I make my way down slowly, careful not to trip on my feet or any debris on the steps. When I reach the bottom, I fumble around for the light switch. The darkness is oppressive, and my eyes take time to adjust to the gloom. I finally find the pull cord, and light floods the space when I sense something behind me.

A familiar scent pulls at my senses- lemongrass.

Zorin.

My eyes widen, realization rushing through me, but before I can react, Zorin’s arm is around my throat, and his other hand covers my mouth. I claw at his hand, desperate to get away, but he only tightens his grip, cutting off my air supply.

“Make one sound, you stupid bitch, and I’ll fucking kill you,” he growls menacingly in my ear. “No one gets away from me.”

I’m terrified.

All the blood in my veins has turned to ice. I want to beg him to stop, to leave me alone, but his grip against my windpipe is crushing.

Even if I wanted to, I can’t make a sound to call for help.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” he hisses, spittle flying onto my cheek. “You think your little plan saved you from me? Well, you’re wrong.” I whimper at the malice in his voice. “I’ve caught you now, bad omega, and I’m going to mark you before your new pack even gets the chance. That way, you’ll be forced to be mine.”

I scream against the hand covering my mouth in vain. Not one sound escapes as he chuckles darkly behind me.

CHAPTER29

Lena

Zorin’s grip on me is so tight that it borders on painful.

His fingers dig into my skin, nails clawing at my flesh. I struggle against his hold, terrified of what he might do to me and my babies. He has already threatened to kill me if I make a sound, and I fear he will follow through on his sickening promise if I’m not careful.

“Stop moving, or I will kill you,” he whispers heavily into my ear, crushing me against his chest. “I can smell your arousal.”

I can’t scream, so I stop moving to calm down. I need to think clearly.Why is he doing this? What is his endgame? And where are Aleks and Raul?

A lone alpha out here is confusing to me. A pack usually stays together. He was in Little Rock alone, and now he’s in the basement of my pack’s home alone. Aleks and Raul are nowhere to be seen, and I can’t smell them nearby. A shiver runs through me as fear spikes my blood even more. If they aren’t here, they could be anywhere, and the thought terrifies me.

Zorin may be deranged, but Aleks and Raul are just as unpredictable.

“I think it’s time to leave, little omega,” Zorin mutters. The soft, controlled way he speaks sends goosebumps prickling across my skin. “I don’t want to mark you here in this dingy basement.”

The thought of being marked by him and claimed forever makes me sick. I can’t believe I craved it years ago, and their acceptance of me.

He hums as if in thought, then chuckles ominously in my ear.

“Mhm hmph,” I try to scream, but his hand over my mouth blocks any noise from escaping.

“I think I’ll take you somewhere nice and secluded where I can knot you, then mark you. That way, you’ll be thoroughly compliant to your true alpha.”

He takes a step backward, dragging me toward a small hatch in the corner that I hadn’t noticed before—a hidden exit leading into the back garden.

Pure panic explodes inside me.

Adrenaline pulses through my bloodstream, pushing past fear. I know instinctively that if he gets me outside, I’m done for.

My feet scrape against the concrete as I kick, twist, and claw at his hold, desperation giving me strength. His grip only tightens, cruel and relentless, as he drags me faster toward the exit hatch.

Protect yourself. A voice in my mind screams at me.Protect your babies.

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