"You're going to do what?" Merisel's voice was sharp, laced with disbelief and rising fury.
"You heard me, Merisel," Deroki replied evenly, his piercing gaze fixed on hers. There was no hesitation in his tone, only the calm arrogance that always seemed to infuriate her.
Her lips curled in disdain. "If you wanted to bed him, then just bed him. Why take the long route?" The venom behind her words was unmistakable, but Deroki only smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"You know why, Merisel." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I am the god Deroki. Do you think I don't see what you're doing with that omega? Do you think your grandiose plan has gone unnoticed?"
Her expression hardened. "You are no god," she spat. "You stopped being a god the moment you committed that heinous crime. And now, with what you're planning, you're only proving the gods were right to strip you of divinity."
Deroki straightened, his amusement dimming into something more menacing. "And what would you have me do instead, Merisel? Woo him? Whisper, sweet words of love and devotion? Gabe doesn't want that." His eyes gleamed with a dangerous edge. "I know the kind of touch he craves. The filthy, sinful ways he yearns to be dominated. You don't know him like I do."
Merisel's jaw tightened, her disgust evident. "So, your plan is to fuck him in a Minotaur's form? To take his virginity while wearing the shape of a beast? To punish him for sins he doesn't even remember?"
"Punish him?" Deroki's laugh was low and mocking. "Oh no, dear sister. I intend to give him exactly what he desires. He'll come to me willingly, spread those sweet legs of his, and beg me to mount him. And I, like the noble king I am, will graciously comply with his wishes."
Merisel's eyes flashed with fury, but her voice was calm and cutting. "Mark my words, brother—you'll regret this. Perhaps not now, but the day will come when even you can't escape the consequences of your arrogance."
Without another word, she spun on her heel and strode out of the room, her movements stiff with suppressed rage. Deroki watched her go, shaking his head at her parting threat.
Rolling his shoulders, he prepared himself for the transformation. It had been years since he'd taken on another form, but the Minotaur had always been his favorite. It was a perfect blend of strength and terror, an embodiment of primal dominance.
The process began with a shudder that rippled through his body, fur sprouting across his skin as his limbs stretched and thickened. His horns curved into lethal, gleaming crescents, sharp enough to skewer a man in a single thrust. Towering over eight feet tall, his frame was a mass of powerful muscle, his arms thicker than tree trunks. His torso remained bare, revealing the ripple of sinew beneath his fur, while a golden embroidered cloth hung low around his hips, just barely preserving his modesty.
At the choosing arena, Gabe sat perched on a high chair on the podium, his face serene—until his eyes locked on the monstrous figure approaching him. His composure shattered in an instant, his expression contorting into one of horror.
Deroki halted, his towering Minotaur form casting a long shadow over the gathering. His bull's head tilted slightly, studying Gabe. His gaze lingered on the omega's ethereal beauty. Gabe's sheer silk robe shimmered in the light, barely concealing his form, while his intricate white pants hugged his legs. His snow-white hair, braided and secured with a golden pin, framed his delicate features. Gabe had always been beautiful—achingly so. Deroki felt the familiar stir of fascination coursing through him, though the bull's face masked his reaction.
The arena fell into an uneasy silence as Deroki moved to the largest throne—a massive seat crafted specifically to accommodate his monstrous size. Even larger than the omega's platform, it was an overt reminder of his dominance. The murmurs that broke out among the gathered Alphas betrayed their nervousness. They knew what was at stake. Of the five chosen Alphas, none would live to see the next dawn.
Deroki didn't feel sympathy for them. Instead, a fierce anticipation simmered within him. This was his first initiation, a ceremony he'd once dismissed as unworthy of his presence. But now, the sight of these pretenders vying for what was his filled him with fury. He clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to slaughter them all. Patience, he reminded himself.
Gabe's eyes darted to him repeatedly, unable to stay away. The Alphas presented themselves one by one, each attempting to draw Gabe's attention. Yet, Deroki could see the omega's focus wavering, stolen by the beast seated in the massive throne. Deroki's lips curved in a hidden smile at Gabe's innocent curiosity. His thoughts darkened, his body stirring at the idea of claiming him completely—of burying himself deep in Gabe's untouched body.
When the time came for Gabe to choose the Alphas, Deroki watched as the boy nervously licked his lips and swallowed hard. Gabe whispered the names to the Vaisa's ear, the eldest omega of the enclave standing by his side.
"Come forward, Mike, Jericho, Liam, Carl, and Morris," the older omega announced.
Three young Alphas and two older ones stepped forward. Deroki's muscles tensed in anticipation, his hands itching for blood. He yearned to see the light leave their eyes, their bodies broken at his feet.
The Vaisa head addressed the crowd. "You will fight the bull to earn the right to initiate the omega, Gabe Kirk. If you wish to back down, now is your chance."
Deroki's cold gaze swept over the five men. Two faltered, fear overtaking their pride, and they stepped back. A ripple of satisfaction coursed through him.
The Vaisa continued, "The three of you who remain will face the bull together. Your goal is to kill it. The last one standing earns the right to bed the omega."
Gabe's eyes widened in shock. He leaned toward the Vaisa, whispering something urgently. Deroki's acute hearing picked up every word: Gabe thought the odds were unfair, that the bull was at a disadvantage facing three opponents. The corner of Deroki's mouth twitched. His sweet, naive Gabe. He had no idea of the beast's power.
The Vaisa dismissed Gabe's concerns, and preparations for the fight began. The center of the arena was cleared, and flimsy barricades were erected to separate the combatants from the crowd. Deroki almost laughed at the feeble attempt at security. If he chose, he could hurl any one of the Alphas clean over those barriers with a flick of his wrist.
As the Alphas squared off, Deroki's eyes stayed locked on Gabe. He couldn't wait to have Gabe at his mercy. His cock swelled, standing proudly against his stomach, going way past his navel. He didn't care that the whole gathering could see the evidence of his arousal. His huffed, steam coming off his nose as he crouched to take the Alphas down.
The fight began with a deafening roar from his throat. Deroki's massive frame dominated the arena as the three Alphas stood hesitantly, their weapons trembling in their hands.
The first Alpha, Mike, lunged forward, aiming for Deroki's exposed chest. Deroki sidestepped with uncanny speed, his horned head crashing into Mike's torso. The sound of ribs shattering echoed as Mike was hurled into the barricade, blood pooling beneath him. He didn't rise.
Jericho and Liam hesitated but quickly advanced together, trying to flank the beast. Deroki's sharp claws swiped in a deadly arc, tearing through Liam's arm as he screamed in agony. He stumbled back, clutching the mangled limb, only for Deroki to seize him by the throat and lift him high. With a sickening crunch, Deroki ended his life, tossing the body aside like discarded refuse.
Jericho, now the last Alpha standing, tried to retreat, panic overtaking him. Deroki prowled toward him, his massive hooves crushing the ground with each step. Jericho swung his blade in desperation, but Deroki caught it mid-swing, snapping it in half effortlessly.
The beast roared, grabbing Jericho and slamming him into the ground. He raised his hoof and brought it down with brutal force. Jericho's screams were silenced instantly, his body left broken and unrecognizable.
The arena was silent, save for the heavy breathing of the beast. Deroki turned his gaze toward Gabe, whose face was pale with shock and horror. The Minotaur's chest heaved, blood dripping from his claws, his cock red and angry, demanding prize of his victory.
A normal omega would be disgusted, terrified even but not his Gabe. The bulge in his white pants said a story that Deroki was well aware of. He found the whole thing arousing. Almost like a foreplay. His beast taking down all the competition to claim him as his.
And Gabe was his and the whole arena would know it soon.