Page 74 of Brandy Snap: Part One

“Well, she was being rude to my omega,” Kai replied, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “What was I supposed to do?” He pressed his lips to my hair and I instantly softened for him. It didn’t matter if his aura felt like cloying smoke—he was still holding me.

An odd look crossed Lily’s face, her brows pulling together.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her. But the second I spoke, her look disappeared behind a smile.

“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about. Just a little family business that I hope you’ll never get stuck in.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked. “They really haven’t told me much about anything.”

“Oh, really? Well, maybe that’s for the best.” She patted me on the shoulder. “You’ve already had a taste of what our Mum's can be like. It might be worth running while you still can.”

Kai’s arm tightened around my neck, and his fingers twitched on my collarbone at her words. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye just to see his expression grow sharper as he narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t make fun of her, Lily. She’ll get ideas.” Kai’s voice was too fake, and he was making it too obvious he didn’t want me there. If they really wanted to act like I was their new omega, they wouldn’t have left me alone in the first place.

Lily froze as she caught sight of something over our shoulders. “Bugger,” she grumbled as her hands quickly shot out to grasp mine.

“Listen, Melanie,” she said, suddenly tense. “Whatever you do, make sure our parents don’t get you alone. They’re predators, and they won’t stop just because of my brother and Sin.”

“Stop talking shit,” Kai bit back, strained as he shot a look behind him. “If you’re saying that, why are you bolting?”

“Hm, well, you spoke up to Mum, so I’m sure she’ll go easy on you.”

“Lily,” Kai snapped. “Don’t leave us.”

She threw me a wink before she edged backwards. I couldn’t work out what was going on.

“Lovely to meet you, Mel!” she burst out cheerily as she glanced over our shoulder again. “Maybe we can catch up later?”

She sped away before I could reply.

“Ugh, for fuck’s sake. Seriously, you can believe she’s a fucking politician.” Kai scowled just as Lily disappeared back into the ballroom.

He dropped his arm instantly, half-turning to me, his fierceness blooming as he hit me with the resentment I’d been searching for since I left him.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Just keep your mouth shut, okay?” he hissed. “Whatever Zania says, be the meek little omega you were born to be.”

I didn’t have time to ask anything else as someone cleared their throat behind us, and Kai and I both spun to face the demonic scowling omega herself.

Melanie

Theoverpoweringscentofhyacinths brushed over us. Without the smorgasbord of other scents closing around me like when I first met her, she drowned me. It was only the sweet amaretto by my side that stopped me from gagging.

Arms folded, a sneer on her lips, Caspian’s mum loomed over us in six-inch stilettos, her painted eyebrows arched high.

“Remind me who you are again? I rarely bother to learn the names of people I’ll only meet once.”

Before I could even reply, Kai pressed closer, a whisper of almonds fluttering around my nose. Leaning into him was simply instinct. He looked up at her with a wicked grin, and her lips thinned into a tight line.

“Come on, Zania. Keep up. We’ve already introduced you to our new omega. Or are you getting forgetful with your old age?”

She exhaled slowly, as if she was showing a huge amount of restraint. “I didn’t ask the opinion of some freak of nature.”

The world suddenly narrowed as shock ricocheted through my body. I gasped at the sheer contempt she threw at Kai as he stiffened.

I instantly stepped in front of Kai. I was used to pokes and insults, but I couldn’t stand anyone doing it to him. I knew how much stigma Kai had to carry just because he was a male omega, and I’d heard about what male omegas had to endure. I couldn’t have helped him then, but I was standing by him now, and my stupid omega instincts didn’t care how harshly he’d treated me the last time we were together. We shared a bite, and even if it faded soon, as long as we had our deal, I was his mate.

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