Page 84 of Fortune Fae Academy
“Shall I make the preparations, Alpha?” a Beta asked Roderik. He briefly looked at me, and when his nostrils flared, I knew he had orders for when my toxin came in. It was strong enough for him to smell it, which meant there was enough for Roderik to extract what he needed.
Fucking assholes. This was all planned.
The Beta glanced at Amell for good measure, as if making sure it was okay to interject, then relaxed when Amell nodded.
Roderik leaned on me, making it take serious effort to remain upright as my body screamed in protest.
“Preparations for what, exactly?” Gina asked with a calm, collected voice as she pointedly looked Roderik in the eyes.
His proverbial hackles went straight up at the blatant disrespect. An Omega was only supposed to speak when spoken to—although it seemed to be a trend that the Omegas in Roderik’s life didn’t always adhere to that rule anymore.
He could have chosen to punish her, but instead, he entertained her with a response. “Preparations for me to knot that pretty little thing you’re holding on to,” he said, earning a pained sound of surprise from Mina.
Gina’s eyes widened and her nostrils flared. She looked directly at me. “Do not give him that fucking toxin, Axel. I don’t care if he kills us both. Don’t you dare—”
Roderik turned on me, sending pain lancing through my jaw as he sank his teeth directly into my toxin pouch.
And drank from the source.
Mina releasedan audible gasp as I watched Roderik hold Axel down. Fear must have rooted her to the spot, because her arm had such a strong lock around mine that there was no way I was going to be able to move.
Not that I could anyway. Sensation radiated through my jaw in an echo of agony, forcing me to feel a dulled version of what Axel must have been enduring.
Roderik worked his bite and his throat bobbed.
He’s drinking.
Was he drinking his blood? Or…
My eyes widened when I felt the fresh burn in my jaw, a place where Axel’s toxin pouch must be located.
Roderik was taking his dose of Omega-mating toxin, and he was taking itnow.
My Alpha wasn’t the sort to break easily, but his pain swept through our bond enough to make my chest lock up, preventing me from breathing.
“Axel,” I said, squeezing the word out with the last of my oxygen before black spots sprinkled over my vision.
Why are you giving it to him?I asked, because I needed to know why he would betray me like this.
I… didn’t. Not on purpose,he replied in my mind.My body just makes it, Gina. I can’t fucking help it.
You’ve been here all night. Why now?I demanded.
When he didn’t respond, the obvious answer came to me. He’d already said why in so many words.
His body made the toxin… when I was around.
This is my fault. Dust, Axel. I’m so sorry.
It was Mina I should be apologizing to. She finally looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Gina?” she asked, my name a plea to do something before it was too late. Her eyes flashed with silver, reading my future. She couldn’t see her own future, but she must have seen enough to know this wasn’t going to end well, because her mouth parted on a silent cry.
There wasn’t anything I could do… was there?
Roderik released Axel, making a new wave of pain swim through my system. I wasn’t very good with my mental and emotional connections with my mates—and this was no exception.
Gina?Seifiek asked in my mind.
What’s happening?Rowan echoed.
