Page 25 of The Queen

Lex was going to be pissed that I’d taken her out of the secure top floor. But if we’d stayed, I would’ve fucked her and bound her to me, and let the others figure out their own shit.

I loved Lex, but whatever drew me to Saphyra was overwhelming, and I was sure the others felt it too. Every day we waited made it harder to resist. I needed a release, and she’d given me the perfect excuse.

She didn’t try to make small talk as we descended the stairs. I loved that about her. There was no need to chatter. We could just be. It hadn’t seemed like it at first, but I was beginning to think that she was the perfect foil for all of us.

When we made it to the bottom, I led the way into a quiet side tunnel heading away from the city center. Saphyra’s eyes darted around, taking in every ramshackle detail of this poorly maintained passage. She seemed nervous, as she probably should’ve been, but even if I let her think otherwise, I’d never let anyone hurt her. Even myself.

The muddy, unfinished hallway ended at a rusty door. Instead of punching in my code on the keypad, I popped open the panel next to it and shifted a few wires around. No one except my team knew about this trick. Everyone else thought it took a keycode just like all the other doors. There was a clunk as the lock disengaged, and I dragged the door open on protesting hinges.

There were a few of these lesser used passageways, but many of them were well-kept secrets, leftover from when this place was a working mine. Lex, Ax, and I had found them as teenagers while exploring the construction site of the city. Not even Titus knew about most of them, and we were happy to keep it that way.

This one was not as well hidden and not anywhere near as secret as most. I motioned Saphyra through the door and pulled it shut behind me without engaging the lock. The people we were meeting wouldn’t be able to unlock it without me.

She was breathless from the long walk when she turned to me in the dark. “Where are we going, Shadow?”

I watched her in the dark. The faraway light from the tunnel entrance was the only thing illuminating the curve of her cheek and the fullness of her lips. I clenched my teeth, grinding my molars together. She was so fragile and breakable it took everything I had to keep from wrapping my hand around her neck and pinning her to the muddy wall to taste that sweet mouth of hers.

A growl worked its way up my throat, and she turned away from me and toward the light. As it should be. Run, little omega. I’m not good for you, and you’re too good for me.

She didn’t run, only sauntered away, seeming curious at the origin of the light when I didn’t answer. Her round hips swishing back and forth with every step, taunting me further. I followed, rigid and restrained, remembering Lex and Ax back inside the city, tirelessly searching for ways we could all have her, and a way to keep her safe until then. I wasn’t the only one hunting my little omega.

Chapter Sixteen

Saphyra

Shadow seemed on edge, but his growling didn’t scare me. He was used to people being afraid of him, and he used it to push everyone away. He should know by now that wouldn’t work on me. How could I be upset by anything when I saw what was at the end of the hall?

We exited the tunnel into the light of late morning. A cool breeze drifted through the old oaks and felt lovely on my skin. Arching trees canopied a dirt clearing and fallen logs circled the perimeter as if to make convenient seats. Shadow didn’t follow, but instead watched from the mouth of the tunnel, partially obscured by a thicket of sticker bushes. The forest never ceased to mesmerize me, always feeling like a warm embrace.

Voices echoed from the passage we’d just exited, followed by shadows that emerged proud and tall. The female alphas I’d seen in the hangar previously, accompanied by a few others, stomped out into the dappled light. With them, the sweet, rich scents of cherries, figs, dates, pomegranates, and blackberries drifted to my nose. Neutral but pleasant. Mixed into the dark fragrance were sour notes, like overripe wine. That must be the gangly beta tagging along at their heels. I thought I recognized him, too.

They were chatting amongst themselves, but when they noticed me in the clearing, they all stopped and bowed, intoning “Your Majesty” in greeting.

“Hello, thank you. Please, go about your business as if I wasn’t even here.” I smiled at them, hoping to make them at ease with my presence, and hurried over to one of the logs to sit down.

I always felt so awkward addressing people. Hopefully, someday I’d get used to it. For now, we’d just have to suffer through my missteps.

It seemed as if they took me at my word because they tossed their gear down on the opposite side of the ring. Some of them sat, and some started stretching off to the side. I wasn’t completely sure what was about to happen, other than perhaps this was some sort of performance. Shadow had mentioned blowing off steam to the person he’d been talking to on our way down here, so I could only imagine.

Shadow emerged from where he’d been standing in the bushes, his tattooed fingers working at freeing the buttons on the front of his shirt and dropping it on a stump. With one hand, he pulled his black undershirt off, dropping it in the same spot. Every single person’s eyes were glued to his skin as he revealed the dark, mesmerizing patterns of his tattooed body. Some seemed filled with lust, longing, and others, maybe even jealousy. I couldn’t fault any of them. He was beautiful, and he was mine.

The sun kissed his skin as he shook out his arms and stretched, drawing even more attention to his flexing muscles, but his eyes were firmly fixed on me. I felt warmth rise in my cheeks as I watched him circle the dirt.

His gravel filled voice sent shivers across my overheated flesh. “Who’s first?”

If I hadn’t guessed before, it was clear enough now. This was some sort of bare-knuckle fight club. It seemed dangerous, and my heart sped at the thought. His dark gaze drifted over me, and I gave him a smile, letting him know I was fine. He turned back to his potential opponents. One of the women had shucked her shirt, revealing a skintight top that bared her stomach. She was covered in scars, but it only made her look more fierce and beautiful.

They touched knuckles. I was on the edge of my seat as they prowled around one another. When their fists started flying, my hand flew to cover the gasp that was threatening to spill out. The female was fast, avoiding all but glancing blows, but so was Shadow. They went swing for swing until they were both covered in a fine sheen of sweat. The fierce woman slowed, her endurance flagging, and the slightest hint of a smile tipped up the edge of Shadow’s lips.

In the next moment, he had somehow flipped her onto her back in the dirt and had his boot on her throat.

I stopped breathing.

“Yield?” Shadow growled.

“Yeah, I yield,” she replied with a strangled breath.

He took a step back and held out a hand, which she took. He hoisted her back upright. She dusted herself off with a smile. “Good fight, Valyx.”

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