"What does she mean, let me be captured?" Emira asked as she looked at the three men standing before her. Or rather, two of them. Kael stood there in silence, his face unreadable, his gaze fixed somewhere past her shoulder.
She did not expect him to answer. In fact, she had already dismissed the thought of hearing his voice at all. His gaze seemed to have reverted to the one that looked at her before they... before they happened.
And yet, it was Kael who spoke instead of Lance or Zen. "It means exactly that, Emira," he said quietly. "It means letting you be captured, Emira. Aldren wanted you imprisoned. He believed it was the best way to keep you contained. To make sure you wouldn’t create any trouble."
He paused briefly, then added, his voice steady, almost detached, "The grand witch had the ame thought. Especially after you freed the Dark master. So, we allowed it."
The words settled heavily in the air and suddenly, Emira felt weak in the knees.
Anyone else could have said it. Zen. Lance. Even Aldren himself could have told her that he captured her with the knowledge.
If it had come from any of them, she might have been able to accept it. She might have found a way to understand and find a way to talk herself out of blaming them.
But it came from Kael. From the one person she had never expected to hear words of betrayal from.
She felt something tighten painfully in her chest. Hearing Kael admit it so plainly and without hesitation or guilt, hurt far more than she had imagined.
She sent him a searching look wondering if something him prove that all that he was saying was false. Just then, Ramona broke the silence between them and stepped forward.
"Since you’ve escaped, I think we can do better. The Grand Witch wanted to ensure you were safe, but I want to kill you, you filthy Omega. You really thought that you could take them away from me. Now, I will have my chance for revenge. I will..."
Just then, Ramona extended her hand as if to touch her but in the next instant, she lunged forward violently, her fingers clawing as she aimed straight for Emira’s face.
Emira barely had time to react at the unexpected attack but thankfully she caught Ramona’s wrist mid air as instinct took over. The force of the attack made her breath catch and the impact almost sent her staggering. But Ramona seemed prepared for it and quickly tried another move, trying to kick her.
In self defense, Emira tightened her grip on Ramona and shoved hard causing the woman to stumble several steps back, almost falling to the floor.
"How dare you touch me!" Ramona screamed, ready to rush back at her...
Before Emira could say anything, Lance and Zen moved in between.
Lance grabbed Emira from behind, his arm locking around her shoulders as he pulled her back sharply while Zen stepped in front of Ramona at the same time, his hand holding Ramona in place but while his other hand pushed Emira away harshly, causing her to lose her balance and fall back against Lance.
"Enough," Zen said harshly as he glared at Emira. "Don’t even think of hurting her, Emira."
Emira let out a strangled gasp, even as pain shot through her shoulders and all the way down her body from Lance’s tight hold on her... She tried to put some distance between the two people glaring at her, even as her heart broke into millions of pieces. They were protecting Ramona an not her...
"You shouldn’t have touched our mate," Zen said coldly.
Emira felt a slow bitterness inside her. Every word they uttered and every action they took seemed to be meant to wound her deeply today. Their mate. Ramona was their mate...
Emira went still. Her chest burned as she tried to breathe properly. She slowly straightened, shaking Lance off at last, her movements stiff with pain.
Ramona stared at her, wide-eyed at first. Then she laughed.
"You see? I am their choice. You will never be the first choice, no matter what you do and what viles or seduction techniques you use."
Her eyes slid back to Emira, slow and cruel. Then she smiled.
"Hold her," Ramona said calmly. "Hold her still so I can hit her properly this time."
For a moment, Emira thought she had misheard.
She looked at Lance, waiting. Waiting for hesitation. Waiting for refusal. Waiting for anything.
But Lance moved at once.
He stepped in behind her again, faster this time, and caught her arms firmly. His grip was tight, unyielding, pinning her in place. Emira sucked in a sharp breath, shock freezing her where she stood.
"Lance..." Her voice came out hoarse. "Let go."
He did not answer.
The realization struck her harder than any blow could have. He was not stopping Ramona. He was helping her.
Ramona stepped closer, satisfaction written openly on her face. "Good," she said softly. "Now stay still."
Emira’s heart thundered in her chest. For a second, everything felt unreal, as if she were watching this from far away. These were the same people who had once sworn to protect her. The same men who had looked at her as if she mattered.
She forced herself to breathe.
No, she told herself. Do not break now.
Ramona drew her arm back, her hand curling into a fist. Her expression twisted with hatred as she swung forward, aiming straight for Emira’s face.
Emira saw it coming.
Instinct screamed at her to fight back, but Lance’s hold kept her pinned. She tried to twist free and failed. Pain flared in her shoulders as she struggled, but his grip did not loosen.
She turned her head sharply at the last second, trying to avoid the blow. Her eyes squeezed shut.
She waited for the impact.
It never came.
Instead, she felt a sudden rush of air brush against her chin. A sharp sound echoed through the room, the sound of flesh meeting flesh—but not hers.
Emira’s eyes flew open.
A hand had caught Ramona’s fist mid-swing.