Page 9 of Hunted
Cicely patted my arm.You sound like an alpha.
I rolled my eyes.“No, I sound like anomega,” I muttered, under my breath.
“Silly me,” Robin drawled, apparently having the same thought as Cicely.“I thoughtIwas the alpha of this court.”There was power and warning in her tone, but I knew she didn’t mean it.She was just going through the motions for the sake of appearances.Her alpha nonsense didn’t work on me.Mostly.At least, not in the usual way.I had no desire to cower or apologize.It wasn’t fear that slithered through me at her warning tone.I pushed away the surge of lust and the need topleasethat washed over me at her dominance.
“Hopelessly optimistic,” Robin said dryly, ignoring the surge of power and magic between us.As if she couldn’t sense that I suddenly wanted her to throw me down and claim me right here, right now, while the whole court watched...“But who knows?”she was saying.“Maybe your squishy heart will be more effective than all of ourlogic.Stranger things have happened.”
The room was silent, probably waiting to see if she was truly angry.But Robin just sighed.“Fine.We will do it your way, Ruya.I’ll speak with Josh and include him in our plans.”Her long nails made a sharp sound as she tapped them on wooden arm of her chair.“And I’ll come up with some way to allow him a bit more freedom around The Fox, if that makes you feel better.”
Good.Plan made.Meeting adjourned.My skin felt like it was on fire, and every beat of my heart sent a bolt of need through me.I needed my alpha.I needed to be touched.Praised for my contributions.Lavished with attention.Covered in her scent....I stood, slowly, and walked toward her, careful not to trip over the coffee table.
Sadavir’s aura flared in response, pulling at me like a magnet, and I hesitated, frozen in the middle of the room, both of my potential true mates calling to the omega need inside me.
Then Sadavir hissed as if someone had pinched him, and Sanka’s deep voice said, “Come on snake boy, I need to check the magic I cast on your pet vampire earlier.Maybe it’ll cheer him up to see your face.I think he’s sick of my ugly mug.”
I felt everyone around me leaving the room, but my focus was narrowed to Robin’s heat and power.Good.This was fine.I wasn’t losing control.I just needed to talk to the alpha.Robin would be less likely to go all defensive on me if I spoke with her alone.There were...things...I needed to say.
I lowered my voice as I moved closer to her.“You’re not alone in this, Robin.And you don’t have to use cold logic and calculation for everything.No one here will think you’reweakif you show kindness.”
“I know,” she said, too fast.She was struggling with her aura.With her dragon.And it wasn’t just because of my omega charms.She needed her birthright back before she splintered into a million pieces.
I reached out and found her cheek, brushed her silky hair behind her ear.Her skin was too warm, even for her.“You’re burning up,” I whispered.
Queen Cat complained as Robin clenched her fingers too tightly in the cat’s fluffy fur, then muttered a haughty complaint, jumped down, and trotted away in search of treats.
“I’m fine,” Robin said softly.
I said nothing.
After a moment, her warm hand covered mine where it lay on her cheek.“I don’t know how to keep them safe if I can’t even keepmyselfstable.”
“That’s why you’re not doing it alone,” I said gently.“Let us help.”
Her tone softened.Just slightly.“You say that like it’seasy.”
“It can be,” I said with a wry smile.“If you stop fighting it so hard.”I wasn’t just talking about her asking for help, and I think we both knew it.She still resisted the true mate bond between us, when I knew she craved it as much as I did.She feared it would just be one more complication, when in reality it might actually help her.Everything I’d learned about the subject made me think a true mate bond to an omega might stabilize her power.
“Not much actualplanninggot done in this farce of a planning meeting,” Robin sniffed, deflecting.“Though I knew that’s how it would go.You really do like to fuss over your little pets.”
I knew she wasn’t talking about the actual pets.Josh was technically an outsider in her court, but she knew I cared for him.She was willing to go against her ruthless nature and do the illogical thing—keep him alive and placate Acacia—for no other reason than to make me happy.At least, she wanted everyone tothinkit was all for my sake.Btu I knew better.She was an alpha who was strongly driven to care for those under her protection, and the moment Josh—and Sadavir—walked into The Fox, they became hers to protect, whether or not any of them liked it.
Someday, I hoped she and Sadavir could accept that fact and work things out.She hadn’t killed the rival alpha yet, so I had to believe there was hope.Robin was really such a softie.
I laughed at that thought and moved closer, letting Robin pull me into her arms and onto her lap.The tension eased, immediately.It wasn’t gone, not even close—but as my alpha’s aura settled around me and her hands smoothed over my skin, I was able to finally draw a full breath.And I felt it in her too, that little bit of ease.Of coming home.
We were meant for each other, and it was so frustrating to be kept at arm’s length.But I understood Robin’s hesitance to complete our bond, saw it for what it really was—fear.For now, this was enough.
Josh was still lost and hurting.
Acacia was still a threat.
The emperor still needed killing and the syndicate needed to fall.
Bur for right now, Robin’s arms curled around me, and her strong, bright alpha aura sang to mine, and the world seemed far less bleak.
Unfortunately, the feeling didn’t last very long.Robin tensed slightly, and a moment later I was able to pick up on what she had.Sanka’s arua drew near again, and his heavy boots thumped across the rug as he re-joined us.
“Sorry to interrupt this lovely little scene,” he said with a bit of wistfulness in his voice that reminded me it had been too long since the three of us shared a bed.“But I’ve got something you need to see, Robin.”
