Page 38 of Shaken Knot Stirred

A heavy weight crashed on my shoulder, threatening to buckle my knees. Beg’s aura rubbed up against me, all staticky on the edges.

“Cinderella at the Ball?” He growled in my ear. “What part of ‘don’t leave the fucking building’ did you not understand?”

With effort, I pushed his arm off my shoulder and wiggled out of his grasp. His other arm was around Lana’s waist and roughly pulled her closer. Watching their auras struggle to not blend, to stay separate, made my skin crawl.

“Was the widdle alpha feeling lonely?” I said in baby talk.

Without taking his eyes off me, Beg leaned down and nipped at Lana’s neck, an over-the-top reminder of what our placeswere. My blood ran cold at the thought of his bite mark on my neck. They would be visible for life. At least for Nico and Lana, their bite marks healed and faded away, leaving just that juicy metaphysical bond in place. Nico’s anger hit a rolling boil.

“I could drag you out of here and not a single person would stop me.” Beg was absolutely delighted by the prospect.

It sucked because it was the truth.

He was an alpha, and I was an omega. The cops would instantly believe any claim he had on me. And he was a Knightbridge. I wasn’t up to date on all of Port Haven’s news, but there was always a Knightbridge pack member on the city council. Even the police commissioner was a Knightbridge if my memory served. They were on the board of directors of the University and the hospital. The Knightbridge pack, along with a few other elite packs, ran the city of Port Haven. Beg was a Knightbridge, that made him practically untouchable. That was why he could get away with all the shady shit that went on in the Pax.

“Tonight’s events are just the beginning of an entire season of festivities devoted to community relations and cultural development. Our picturesque Ceto Bay will play host to elite Championship races and friendly pack competitions as well as collegiate level…”

The Caduceus University Sirens’ team chant drowned out the rest of that sentence.

“You said you didn’t care how I made your money back. This,” I gestured to the growly chaos in the room, “is fast and efficient.”

Nico had warned me that there were probably listening devices in their living space. This confirmed it. I highly doubted Nico ran to Beg to tell him of my plans. Lana might have, and I could never hold that against her. She was vulnerable in waysthat Nico would never be. And she was all alone in this pack of misery.

I put my hand in Beg’s face to shut him up. “Yes, I already know you’re going to make this impossible for me. Or try to, at least. But I will always have the upper hand. And you will always lose.”

Yup, my mouth was writing checks my little omega ass couldn’t cover.

“Let me introduce you to the featured alphas and packs who are our gracious sponsors tonight. Starting with the Chang Pack at Lounge 14 F.”

I really should be listening to this part and not taunting Beg into killing me. Beg dropped his arm from Lana. He scanned me from head to toe, lingering on my hair. It would have given me the creeps, even if I couldn’t read his aura.

“That auracle mind reading could be good for business. Maybe I’ll just keep you. You’d look fine with my bite on your neck.”

Both Lana’s and Nico’s auras exploded with emotion, so much so even Beg felt it.

A smug grin broke across his face. I stepped right up to him. “The day you put your teeth in me will be your last day on this earth.”

The smile on Beg’s face told me he had already explored that fantasy. Fortunately, you could only bite and bond someone with consent. Unfortunately, coerced consent apparently counted, with Lana and Nico being Exhibits A and B.

With a sneer, I looped my arm through Lana’s. “Come on, we have work to do.”

“And finally, much to the delight of the organizing committee, our last alpha to host a lounge this evening is Star Knightbridge.”

Lana froze. Her energy drained out of her right into the floor. I turned to look at Nico. His aura was doing back flips. And Beg? Holy shitballs. He was pushing his energy out into the room, clearing space all around him. His aura thickened to almost opaque. I had never seen that happen before.

“Beg’s brother. He hates him.” Lana whispered.

“No shit.” I said.

The crowd reacted, flowing all around Beg and momentarily swallowing him whole and away from us. Excitement had the mass of people surging forward as the doors to the hall opened. Lana and I got caught up in the flow. I wanted to reach a hand out for Nico, but he was already a few people back.

A sharp elbow jabbed into my ribs, making me wobble on my heels.

“Dawnya! Stop!”

I rubbed my side. The owner of the elbow - Dawnya? - was reined in by her sister. Their birth pack bonds were tight and bright. Her elbows were sharper than her winged liner. A tiny diamond stud glittered in her button nose. She was either a natural blonde or had buckets of money to spend with a stylist.

“He is going to be mobbed! I bet there is already a line!” Dawnya got up on her tiptoes and craned her neck as we were all pushed forward.

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