To ruin an Omega - Chapter 339: Unravel 1

Chapter 339: Unravel 1

VALENTINE

I stared at the phone in my hand like it had become something venomous.

A soul kiss. Through a phone line. With a boy I’d dismissed as weak not even a decade ago.

“You know what I want,” Cian said again im that same patient tone that made it seem like he was talking to a child. “Will you give it?”

Wilhelm was watching me. His eyes were too wide, his face still pale from the backlash of the protective runes. Blood had dried on his upper lip. He looked young suddenly. Younger than he had any right to look.

I thought of Madeline. I thought of her body cold somewhere. Her eyes empty. The light in her eyes gone.

It felt impossible to consider that Cian was that dangerous. But I knew what Madeline hsd been forced to do to him…against him.. I also knew how bad the Donlon men raged.

There was no choice. There had never been a choice.

I wanted to throw the phone. I wanted to scream. I wanted to do anything except stand here and let this boy dictate terms to me like I was some kind of servant. But I couldn’t. Because he had Madeline. Because he had leverage I couldn’t fight.

The smart thing was to align with him. I knew that. Even through the rage, the disgust and the humiliation, I knew that. Aldric would throw me away the moment he suspected I was compromised. He’d done it before to others. He’d do it to me without blinking.

And this boy. This wolf I’d underestimated. He’d just shown me a ruthlessness I hadn’t expected. The calm in his voice when he’d threatened Madeline’s life. The way he’d laughed when I’d accused him of kidnapping her. Like it was funny. Like he’d been waiting for this.

He was plotting something. Something big enough that he needed me on his side instead of dead or collateral damage.

If there was even a chance he could take Aldric down. If there was even the slightest possibility of getting out from under that bastard’s thumb.

Why not?

“You still haven’t answered my question,” I said. My voice came out steadier than I felt. “What happens when I hold your hand?”

He didn’t answer at first.

“There’s a reason it seems like I’m your enemy right now,” I had to continue. “And it’s because of the hold Aldric has over you.”

I could swear I heard him grit his teeth. He didn’t buy it. Of course he did not.

“As much as you should pay for your crimes,” Cian then broke the terse silence, “I want Aldric on the ground faster. If you hold my hand and don’t defect, whatever mess you made, I’ll forgive. Even the attempt on my wife’s life.”

“I didn’t do that,” I said. The words came out sharp. Too sharp. But I needed him to know. “That wasn’t me.”

“Time is ticking,” Cian said. Like my denial meant nothing. He clearly didn’t care. “Start the soul kiss.”

“I still need something from you. Blood.”

There was a pause. Then Cian laughed again. That same quiet, chilling sound.

“You expect me to believe you don’t have something of mine?” His voice had gone cold. Really cold. “If Aldric has his claws this deep in you, please don’t insult me by insinuating my hair, or something worse, hasn’t gotten to your hands.”

My stomach dropped. But I managed to keep myself still. The only thing I had really was that dangerous blood Aldric had gotten from his mate. But it was best that never made it to his ears.

“There’s not a lot of evil things you can do with that,” I said quickly. “So you shouldn’t be worried.”

But I didn’t have anything of his actually. That was the truth. Getting personal items off an Alpha was nearly impossible. Especially one as prominent as Cian had become. They were too careful. Too guarded. Not to mention the constant protection.

Aldric could have gotten something like that if he wanted. But the bastard had no needed for no such thing.

“I don’t have that,” I said. “It’s not an easy task to get items off an Alpha. Especially someone like you.”

“I know bloodletting makes spells like this stronger,” Cian said. “But I also know, thanks to your daughter, that it isn’t always compulsory. Especially for a soul kiss.”

Thanks to Madeline. Of course she’d told him. Of course she’d shared our secrets with him.

“You seem very insistent on not doing this pact with me,” Cian continued. “Is discarding me on your mind?”

“I just want it to be strong enough,” I said. The lie came easily. Too easily. “So you don’t harbor ill thoughts about my intentions after.”

“Consent is also as powerful as blood,” Cian said. “You have mine and I should have yours.”

I gritted my teeth. My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching it.

“Fine,” I said. “What are the specifics you want?”

Cian didn’t hesitate. It was as if he’d already planned this out and he’d only been waiting for me to agree.

“I want something that would counter you being a double agent,” he said. “No lying. Not even white lies. Not by omission. No intention to directly or indirectly hurt me either.”

The words hit me like a slap.

That was a powerful spell. Too powerful. It would tie my hands completely. Make me his puppet.

“That’s a powerful spell,” I repeated out loud slowly. “After all of this is done, we could be enemies. You shouldn’t hold that much power over me then.”

I paused and let the words sink in.

“If I’m going to do this, it needs a time limit,” I said. “As soon as you get what you want, the pact breaks.”

There was silence on the other end. I could almost hear him thinking. Weighing his options. Calculating risks.

“Fine,” he said finally.

Relief flooded through me. Not much. But enough to take in a fat breath.

I put my hand over the speaker and turned to Wilhelm. He was still staring at me with those wide eyes.

“It’s time to pay that well-guarded room under Aldric’s estate a visit,” I said quietly. “We need a trump card in these fucking werewolf games.”