We’re led into the cave and lined up, but I’m tense and in desperate need of release. I glance at the others, all looking just as keen, and I growl, again pulling against my restraints. My head is full, the sounds of screaming on replay, and that headyscent of sex is in the air. My blood pumps fast through my veins, and my cock stands tall, desperate to feel the clench of a woman.
The second I’m released, I home in on the target, rushing forward before the others. She’s in the centre of the room with her head lowered, resting on her knees. I reach her first, grabbing her arm and pulling her to stand so I can get her naked. But the second we make contact, she gasps, and I freeze. Her terrified green eyes burn into mine, and then her scent hits me. “Wynter,” I mutter.
She pulls free. “They’re watching,” she whispers, backing away slowly, her eyes darting from me to the warriors who have now joined me. “You all have to act like you normally would.”
I glance behind me at the others, who are looking just as confused. And then jealousy rips through me, wondering if she’s been talking to them too. When she realises we’re not moving after her, she turns to run, crashing against the door and banging hard, screaming to be let out. There’s no fucking way the other warriors are touching her.
I advance on her, and she turns, pressing her back to the door. “They can’t see,” she whispers, her lips hardly moving, “how I really feel about you.” I grab her wrist and slam it above her head. She uses her free hand to try to fight me off. “Pretend you hate me,” she adds.
“Easy,” I mutter, grabbing her flailing hand and placing it in my other hand above her head. “Sanchez.”
I grip the black dress at the neck—the dress I’ve pictured ripping off many times—and I tug hard. The sound of the material shredding rings out around the room. I sense the warriors all behind me, waiting for a chance to jump in, but they won’t get it. I’ll kill every last one before they get near her.
I pull her against me, and she lets out a desperate cry for help. When I turn to face the other warriors, the look in my eyes must warn them to back off because they slowly part. I keepher in front of me, moving to the middle of the room where the raised stone is set. I push her to lie back, placing my large hand against her stomach. I don’t remove her underwear—there’s no other man here who will see her naked—but I move her cotton knickers to one side and edge my dick closer. She stops fighting, like she’s resigned to the fact it’s going to happen, and she turns her head to one side, squeezing her eyes closed.
I press at her opening, closing my eyes as I push forward fast, breaking through her tightly clenched opening and groaning in pleasure as I fill her. Wynter screams, her entire body tensing with pain. The sound pierces my already sensitive ears, and I slam a hand over her mouth.
I want to take it slow and make this feeling last forever, but my body acts upon instinct, ramming into her uncontrollably to chase the sensation I’m addicted to. I zone out, unable to hear her muffled sobs, only focussing on finishing quickly to end her torture. I feel one of the warriors pulling at my shoulder, and I reach back, shoving him away. The others move closer, all touching themselves. I growl, placing my arms over her protectively. “No,” I warn.
Maximus gives a knowing nod, throwing his head back and coming on the floor. I lean closer to Wynter, my movements jerking as my body begins to shake. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, inhaling the scent of her as I come hard, shaking as I empty everything into her.
The groans of the other warriors tell me it’s safe to release her, and the second I do, she shoves me away. I stumble back a step and watch as she rolls from the stone and springs to her feet. The effort is too much, and regret fills her expression as she doubles over in pain, grabbing onto the wall for support as though it might hold her together. I want to reach out, to be there for her, but Zeus’s sharp look reminds me they’restill watching, and our entanglement might get her into serious trouble.
Powerless, I watch as she folds into herself, curling up on the floor as her sobs echo through the silence.
The door creaks open, the guards’ heavy boots marking their arrival. The cold, unfeeling metal of the cuffs wraps around my wrists, but my gaze is anchored to her—helpless as her pain consumes her. Pain that I caused.
What have I done?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WYNTER
I’m not sure how long I stay curled up on the stone floor, but it was long enough for the cold to soak through to my bones, causing me to shiver uncontrollably.
My plan to act fearless soon left me the second Wrath took my arm. I wasn’t scared of him—I was scared my father would see how I feel about him, certain he’d have him killed just to spite me.
But nothing could have prepared me for the feral way in which Wrath took me. I’ve never experienced pain and humiliation like it, knowing they were all sitting behind their darkened glass, excited by my downfall. Knowing that no matter how Wrath feels about me, he’s unable to control what they’ve bred into him. A desire to take. A desire to breed. A desire to fuck. And yet, I still feel grateful it was him and not the others. I sensed the jealousy radiating from him, and it drove him to protect me from them. Having that pain four times over may have finished me off.
The door opens, and a guard stands over me. I don’t move until he swoops down and grips my arm tightly, hauling me to my feet. The stiffness in my bones causes a burning ache, and Icry out in surprise. His soulless eyes don’t flinch as he drags me through to my father’s office.
I notice the chair I sat in opposite the desk is now gone, forcing me to stand before him. I lay an arm over my chest while my other dangles in front of my private area. He sneers, giving the guard a nod to leave.
“Not so gleeful?” he asks, pouring himself another drink. When I don’t respond, he laughs. “Finally, a way to wipe that smug grin off your face.” His words stir up the anger I’ve pushed down, and I snatch his drink from the desk and knock it back in one. He stares open-mouthed as I gag in response to the liquid burning my throat.
“Fuck you,” I manage to squeeze out before coughing.
He stands, rounding the desk quickly. I stumble back as he crowds me, his large frame shadowing mine. “I should hang you,” he hisses close to my ear.
“Then do it,” I snarl.
“You’d enjoy it,” he snaps.
“I will never give you the satisfaction you crave,” I warn. “I will not beg ever again. I will not sob for your mercy. That,” I warn, pointing to the door, “was the last time I will ever cry in front of you.”
I gasp when his hand wraps around my throat, squeezing tight enough to cut off air. “I have watched you for many years whispering poison into your mother’s ear, trying desperately to turn Summer against me. All because you’re an ungrateful little bitch.” He spits in my face, releasing my neck and taking a step back. I drag air into my lungs, anger pulsating through me as I wipe his spittle from my cheek. “I gave you a home. I fed you, clothed you. Let you live amongst us even though you are not my blood.”
“You made the rules,” I cry. “I didn’t ask to be born into this fucked-up world that you created for your own selfish needs.Which god do you believe in?” I scream. “Which god chose you to make the rules?”
