Chapter 24
twenty-four
RHYS
The one advantage to having a fucked-up childhood is how prepared you are for the horrors of reality.
I’ve always known the world was a shitty, backwards place. So other people? Rarely surprise me.
This woman, though.
This snake.
I can’t unriddle her from one moment to the next. Two days ago, she was practically crying when I cornered her. Tonight? She drew blood without a shred of remorse.
We can reflect on how fucking hot that was later.
For now, I need more information. This omega reads me way too easily. It won’t be long until she gets to the heart of how fucked up my Alpha is. Unless I figure her out first.
She slithered into our pack and took this deal for a reason, damn it. I’ll never be able to beat her at her game until I figure out what it is.
I just wish I could find a way to care while my cock is rock-fucking-solid.
But since I can’t think or judge or fucking breathe while she’s looking up at me like this…
My Alpha roars, enraged. But my knot pumps fuller, so I ignore him. Making a decision I might hate myself for later.
“Alright, viper,” I dare her. “Get on your knees.”
Maybe I’m losing my mind—or I’m foggy because she woke me out of my first real sleep in weeks. Either way, my stomach lurches when she hesitates. But a second later, as she sinks to the carpeted floor? I find myself wishing she would make good on the violent gleam in her green eyes.
But just in case wishes do come true, I hold my hand open, curling my fingers twice. “Give me the knife.”
She grumbles, true disappointment weighing her thin black brows. Another surprise. Was this woman seriously going to hold me at knife-point while she sucked my cock?
Jesus. That really shouldn’t make me harder.
Briar doesn’t surrender the dagger, but she does slip it back into her garter. The frilly scrap is practical, clearly, but it’s also an aesthetic piece of this fetching little ensemble she has on.
Normally, lace and satin don’t do much for me. Once you’ve fucked enough women, such charms begin to feel redundant, at best…
But this set suits Briar. The dark green color and thick bands of intricate lace; it almost looks like snake skin. The sort of beautiful markings that signal piercing fangs and vicious venom.
Perfect for the omega slowly poisoning our pack.
Or for me, if you believe the nickname she so lovingly bestowed.
Dainty fingers fly to the seam of my pants, cupping my balls too tightly. I whistle through my teeth, and she bares her white snarl with an answering hiss.
“Tapping out already, venom?” Her fist torques tighter. She feels my body stiffen and flashes a beatific smile. “You sure you want to play with me? You said you like anger, but I’ve got to warn you—I’m pretty fucking mad.”
I can see how true that is; feel it in her careless roughness.
My cock twitches, growing fuller.
She blinks at it. A swoop of vindication soars through my chest when genuine surprise swirls in her emerald irises.
The feeling is short-lived. The second she catches my mouth curling upward, Briar claws open the front of my trousers and practically rips my dick out.
Oh shit.
Why am I so hard?
I can’t remember the last time I leaked pre-cum for anyone. Possibly never? But before my cock finishes bobbing in front of her face, I’m already producing thin, pearly drops.
Briar notices. Her tongue darts out, wetting her plump, pink lips as her focus slides down my shaft, to the knot underneath.
Which is also about to burst.
Seriously? Fuck me.
A victorious flash of bemusement sweeps across her face. Some of the tension drops off her shoulders.
But that’s fine—I have an easy solution to regain the upper hand.
My belt rasps through its loops as I whip it free. She stills, gaze widening, something almost like fear expanding there.
The monster in my middle growls. She hears him and quivers. I find myself petting the smooth skin of her cheek… in a gesture that just might be reassuring.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” I mutter, looping the belt’s tail through its metal buckle. “But I will use it to control you. If you can handle it.”
Briar’s pert little tits stutter as she represses another shiver. Likely fighting herself over how much the thought of ceding control turns her on.
I can’t smell her perfume, but I’m not blind. I see how her thighs squeeze together. Despite that, I only get a brief nod, her eyes as wary as ever.
At this point? With my pulse pounding in the base of my dick like it’s trying to beat its way out of me? I’ll take it.
Dropping the loop around her head, I pull her hair free, ignoring how the silken smoke slides through my fingers. Instead, I instantly tug on the loose leather strap. It slips through the open buckle, forming a collar around her unmarked throat.
My pissed-off Alpha rumbles again. I roll my eyes at him. No one is bonding anyone. It’s just a little leash, I argue. Sheesh.
He tries to fight back, but I cut him off with a snarl of my own, earning a sideways glance from the omega on her knees. The same what-the-fuck-is-your-problem look she’s given me countless times.
I definitely do not find it amusing.
Just to prove a point—to her or myself—I pull the belt harder. She gasps, hands automatically seeking purchase on my covered thighs. Pointed black nails prick me through the fabric.
This time, I really do smirk. “What’s the matter, viper? You tapping out already?”
Having her own taunt thrown back at her does the trick. She casts me a look of pure disdain, glorious fury shining through the golden streaks carved into her jade irises. An exhale tickles my scrotum—her slight hitch the only indication she’s off-balance.
And then she swallows me.
Fucking FUCK.
Wet heat forms a velvet seal behind her lips. The plush cushions slide halfway down my length before she hums, flashing an appreciative look at my groin. Almost as if she wasn’t expecting to enjoy the feel of me.
Is she—She has done this before… right?
I don’t have the capacity to make a determination, since I’m currently fighting for my motherfucking life.
Jesus Christ. Has head always felt this good? What the hell am I doing with my life? Working? Wasting free time on food and sleep?
The error of my ways seems crystal clear as Briar’s tongue slips up the underside of my cock, swirling over the head in a fluid loop. More pre-cum seeps out and she moans.
The sharp sound is like a dart to the balls. They draw up, my knot pulsing fuller. It feels incredible… until Briar wraps her hand around it and twists.
Oh fuck.
It hurts in the best possible way. Sensation radiates through my base. A growl rips up my throat when she presses harder. My wrist snaps to the right, tightening her makeshift collar until she wheezes around my dick.
“I can go rougher,” I warn.
My little viper eases up on her fangs, unlocking her grip and moving to lightly scratch at my balls with her pointed nails. She glares the whole time; I smother the sparks igniting behind my sternum, stabbing a swell that registers dangerously close to fondness.
This woman literally cut you, I remind myself, watching as she takes my length deeper. Made you bleed.
Yeah, but she’s also about to make me come.
And I’ve barely started with her.
My fist clenches around the belt. This time, I pull slowly, letting her feel each incremental addition of pressure.
She likes that. Her spine snaps straight. Her thighs clamp closed. And her perfume must be extremely potent, because I manage to catch the edges of it this time.
Something tart and dark. My mouth waters, imagining the taste of her slick fresh from the source.
The thought has me pumping my hips, stuffing my girth farther than she’s taken it before. Briar gasps again, arching her neck to accommodate the thrusts. She can’t, though.
And isn’t that my whole point? Breaking her down? Proving her pride is foolish? Showing her how thoroughly I would wreck her?
I don’t fucking know anymore. Because when a sliver of fear lodges itself in her features, my rhythm slows.
Briar doesn’t approve. Instead of taking the reprieve, she doubles down. Mind-bending suction tugs my throbbing erection past her lips, cramming my cock halfway into her throat.
Goddamn motherfucking—
I groan, shoving deeper on instinct. Wanting more of the glorious fury that flares in her gaze. She starts to gag again, but this time, her sharp nails dig into my hips, holding on. Making it clear she wants this.
Who the hell knows why? Perhaps she realized she was enjoying it a bit too much and wanted to reel herself in. I get that.
But it’s too fucking late for me.
The sloppy trail of saliva dripping down her chin is mesmerizing. I swipe my thumb through it, pushing past the corner of her mouth, rubbing the sensitive pad along her canine. When I press and she gags, I know it’s aching as much as mine are.
So her Omega must be as batshit crazy as I am.
My Alpha rages, shoving wordless need at me. Yearning for his mate, hating that I’m doing this with someone else.
I drown him out by bucking harder and faster, choking Briar on every plunge.
She takes it with a garbled moan, shimmery tears gathering in her eyes. Glossing the gorgeous anger and helpless pleasure clashing over her features.
“Fuck, that’s it,” I grunt, my body spinning out of control. “I knew you’d look hot as fuck with my cock in your throat and tears in your eyes. Such a pretty baby, gagging for my cum.”
Briar pulls off long enough to gulp one last breath, releasing a desperate whine before she sinks her swollen lips all the way down to my knot in one go. The second the plush pink curves graze my taut, hot skin, cum sizzles up my shaft.
With a roar, I tear myself out of her mouth and grip my knot, milking it. Shooting a blazing layer of white across her chest. Up the infuriatingly unbitten column of her neck, to the proud jut of her chin.
As soon as it ends, Briar drops back on her heels, panting, and I fall forward. Catching myself against the wall with one palm while the other…
Winds up in her hair.
Petting her head.
Jesus Christ. I have to get out of here.
Briar beats me to it, though. My fingers are still drawing slow circles on her crown when she blinks out of her hazy-eyed stupor. Horror slowly fills her face. Without a word, she suddenly rips my abandoned belt from her neck and bolts to her feet.
I watch her run, tears and spit still streaming from her face.
Which should mean I won.
In theory.