Page 4 of Sweet Heat

Someone grabs my arm, and I release a feral roar.

“POSIE.”

Time stands still, my heart thunders. Her chocolate-brown eyes, filled with agitation, find mine.

The soon-to-be corpse who’s currently tugging on her thick braid gives me a cocky smirk. Stalking forward, I climb the stairs three at a time, staring him down like the Grim Reaper. And hemust see the murder in my eyes because he drops her hair like it’s suddenly burned him. The piece of shit raises his hands, then stares at the ground in submission.

Pathetic.

I reach the area where Posie and her friends are, chest heaving, heart pounding. Snatching her, I cup her face, instantly calming at having her soft skin against my palms. Her cheeks are rosy, from embarrassment or lust, I can’t tell, and her eyes fill with wonder. Tumbling, I fall into their dark depths.

My nostrils flare, needing to catch a read on her emotions, but she’s wearing those infernal scent blockers, and I can barely detect the cotton candy that hides beneath them. No one else would guess it was coming from her, but that’s good since it’s only for me. I suck it in, needing it like a drug.

“Did he hurt you?” I snarl, preparing for battle. The little fucker shifts awkwardly, glancing toward the opening like he’s thinking of pulling a runner. He should. I pierce him with an icy glare that pales his face and causes him to fidget, unsure what to do.

“What the fuck is going on?” a familiar voice asks from behind me before a pair of hands try to tug Posie from my grip.

A vicious, primal growl rips from my chest.

No. Mine. Die.

“Dude. Chill. It’s just us,” Crimson says, wiggling into the aisle. He lets go instantly, but his curious gaze and Owen’s frown are like a bucket of ice-water crashing over my head. Shuddering, I shake it off.

What are you thinking?

The rest of the world filters in, and my Alpha haze recedes. Security guards line the area, and the weight of all the curious onlookers’ stares slams into me. Uncurling my fingers takes monumental effort, but I unglue them and release my sweet girl.

“He was harassing her.” My jaw locks so hard that pain shoots from my teeth to my temple. Breathing through my nose, I try desperately for even a hint of her scent, but Posie steps back, and her friends surround her.

“I wasn’t,” the dead man pipes up. “I’m just an Alpha asking an omega on a date. She doesn’t have a bite. And I didn’t know she was yours,” he explains rapidly. “Wouldn’t have expected you to want a fat omega. You could do better.”

The insults make me see red again, and I lunge for him, but Owen gets there first.

Hauling the man onto his tippy toes, Owen gives him a rough shake, and he’s lucky that’s as far as it gets before security pushes in to break them apart.

“Let’s go. We have a no molestation policy,” one guard insists, ushering the pack of dirtbag Alphas down the steps—and hopefully right out of the stadium. As we watch their backs disappear, I can’t help the disappointment at not making them bleed for their insults and actions.

“Posie. What the hell?” Owen asks, exasperation lacing his tone. “You know you’re supposed to be up in the owners’ box, not out in the crowd if Mom and the dads aren’t here.” Yeah, that’s right. My head nods in solidarity, and Puff’s eyes narrow at me.

Ship her up top, Owen.

“The box is way up there. This is where all the action is! You can see so much better down here,” she cries, her hands dropping to her hips as she squares off with her brother. Posie is certainly not a demure omega who’s happy to be steamrolled by the Alphas in her life.

“You’re unmated. It’s not safe,” he scolds under his breath, aware of just how many cameras are pointing our way.

“I’m also an adult who’s out with her friends. No one asked you to come running to my rescue. I was dealing with the issue.” Her eyes flash fire, and damn if it doesn’t turn me on. My cock thickens, but I can’t afford the distraction before a game.

Knowing Owen will take it from here, I turn and walk back down to the field… leaving my heart behind in the stands. My Alpha tugs at me to turn around and claim her—to stop hiding my feelings. But her brother is my best friend, and her parents are as important to me as my own were…

Grabbing the railing, I vault down onto the field as a whirlwind of emotions swirls through me. I won’t be able to hide from this much longer.

It’s becoming far too painful to deny fate. That fickle bitch.

Chapter Three

“It’s upstairs or out the doors, Ms. Moore. Those were your brothers’ instructions,” a guard warns while escorting us back to the main fairway. Anger and embarrassment curl together, sliding up my neck until my eyes hurt from keeping them back. If this had happened to any other omega, we would still be sitting in the stands. But no, my brother and stupid fucking Miller had to go all Alpha-hole, swinging their dicks around, and of course, security sided with them.

I want to whine and scream. Stomp my foot on the ground like a brat and remind them that my father pays their damn salaries. But I wasn’t raised that way, and that’s not who I am.

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