The Golden Line (Knotted 1)

He wanted her attention, broadcasting it with a soft tug at her roots.

They rape and mutilate their Omegas.

Esin’s soft spoken warning to Uriel had done its work, just as the savage’s purr was waging war against her fear.

When she still refused to look away from the view, battle roughened fingers tripped over the front of her throat, a large thumb pushing her jaw until Morgaine was forced to stare upward. His face sat in her view, inches from hers, but still she kept her gaze diverted. The male touched her lower lip with his thumb, pulling it to the side in a sweep, even as a low noise came from his throat.

Her eyes were on home.

The fingers on her neck trilled, the grip on her hair tightened. She wasn’t going to get another warning. Little stings against her scalp made her bow back further, to grip his forearm so she would not lose her balance.

Rape and mutilate.

Those two things this male would do to her. What was the point in refusing to meet his gaze?

A shallow breath, and she obeyed.

His eyes weren’t blue like hers or particularly pretty. They were too murky to be named a single color. One of them was ringed in an ugly bruise. Below, cheekbones were defined but not sharp, hollow cheeks, and a strong jaw.

Extreme masculinity with nothing soft or gentle.

Not even his lips could be called soft, though they ever so slightly curled up at the corners the instant her attention was on them.

He said something to her, a series of low-pitched warbles.

Not one of the other males on this ship offered a translation, though she glanced around in hope for an explanation.

Her distraction was exploited. The Heidron put his mouth on hers.

The attack had been well-coordinated. Her head hit his bicep, his fingers pinching her jaw open so he could steal a taste. Female squeal squelched by a lapping tongue in her mouth, Morgaine found he held her immobile, that he possessed total control.

With his fingers pinching her cheeks, she could not even bite.

The male took his time exploring her taste, the edges of her teeth, swallowing down her nervous pants, careless that others openly watched.

Skin prickling from a creeping flush, Morgaine sagged and let him do what he wished. Nips on her lips kept them parted, an undulating tongue teased. It wasn’t like the teeth shattering kisses Esin had forced on her mouth.

This male conquered with cleverness, not violence. And though he ran his hand carefully over her throat and collarbones, he didn’t paw.

But he would.

Unsolicited Alpha attention continued the entire flight from ship to ship, endured by a confused woman who did not understand why his fingers were so careful, or why he didn’t grunt at her like Esin did when she failed to adequately return the kiss.

It seemed he didn’t mind her lack of participation. In fact, the more still she grew, the more excited the Alpha became. The smell of musk dripped from his pores; it was rubbed on her, unavoidable like that tongue playing between her teeth.

When the ship docked and the door opened, he set her free, only to gather her up against his chest before she might take so much as a step. The others were left behind as he marched forward to the riotous sound of cheering men.

Holding her tightly to him, he gave a single triumphant shout in return. When she startled, when fear bloomed all the brighter, his march through the hangar became a rushed affair.

Corridor, corridor, corridor, left, too many turns to count, a beep and a slick slide of a door.

Through the mad race, he had his paws on her anywhere he might reach without dropping her, his tongue on her skin like a slavering dog. The fur, her slim protection, was yanked away. A hand came to her chest, Morgaine pushed back until she fell into weightlessness.

Pillows cushioned impact, but not the sting against raised welts and aching bruises. And then the beast was over her, grinning, speaking guttural nonsense she could not understand, even as he tore at her clothes.

This she expected. This is how they all were.

The instant he had her naked, the Alpha stilled. Arms locked, muscles protruding, he panted and stared. Pink nipples, he licked his lips to see them. Her belly, flat and velvety, brought to his face a lecherous grin.