Page 23 of Pretty When She Breaks
“Am I too distracting?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. “Don’t want you to miss the show.”
He finally looked up at me with a grin. “I don’t think I’ll miss out either way,” he replied.
His scent—sandalwood and cloves, mixed with tobacco—surrounded me, clinging to my skin. I moved back a step and bumped into someone. I turned my head to see Madison looming behind me, the tang of his copper and smoke scent mixing with Dax’s in an assault on my nose.
They were close.
Much too close for comfort.
Prince appeared in front of me, a broad smile on his handsome face. His eyes glittered as he continued forward, until I had to tilt my head up to look at him. My heart was hammering wildly, and it was hard to breathe through the thick alpha scents that surrounded me, Prince’s amberwood making everything too sharp and heady.
“Laurel,” Prince said, tilting his head to the side. “We just finished talking with your father.”
“I saw that,” I said lightly.
“He assured us there wouldn’t be a repeat of last night.”
“Of course not,” I said, widening my eyes. I forced myself to bring my hand up to rest on his arm. “I don’t know what came over me. I hope you can forgive my blunder.”
“I don’t know,” Prince said, leaning closer, and his hand found my waist, his fingers playing with the silky fabric of my dress. His face was so close now, his eyes flicking down to look at my lips. “I think you might have to make it up to me properly before I can go that far.”
With that, he leaned down, sealing his lips against mine in a greedy kiss.
The fire in me flared. I didn’t want them or their claim—and I pulled back, only to find myself trapped against Madison. His arms clamped down on my shoulders as Prince tutted, a smile playing on his face.
“That’s not a very apologetic attitude, Laurel,” he said, tilting his head to the side.
Shit.
I was back in dangerous territory, and before it could get any worse, I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him deeply. My eyes closed, and I let myself imagine that it was a different alpha. One with lush brownskin and sparkling eyes. Imagining that, when I pulled away, I’d see that breathtaking smile.
But instead, I was back in reality, looking up at Prince’s hooded eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said, stroking his face. “You just caught me by surprise.”
Prince looked like he wanted to kiss me again, but thankfully, Dax slung his arm over my shoulder and led me to the side. “Come sit with us, Duchess. The fight’s starting,” he said, whisking me away to their spot on the balcony.
Prince pulled me onto his lap, his arms wrapping around me posessively. The lights had dimmed, and the screens around us were showing the empty fighting pit, the fighters partially visible in their ante-cages.
“On the left, we have our fresh meat, Fang!” Joakim’s voice rolled through the crowd. “And facing him tonight is our fan favourite and defending champion, Omen!”
My heart sank. I stayed in the back as much as I could when the fights were on, but tonight I was stuck in the worst seat in the house. And if there was anyone I hated seeing fight more than anything, it was Omen.
The alphas were in the ante-cages on opposite sides of the ring, both with their auras out. Fang was repeatedly throwing himself against the walls of his cage, howling, whereas Omen was pacing back and forth.
I looked away from Omen to find Madison fixated on the match. His gaze was intense, his body coiled and tense like a predator. It was the most engaged I’d ever seen him. I’d seen a lot of alphas come through the suite, and none scared me more than the ones who were here purely for the blood.
I could see Omen’s snarl on the screen in front of us, and I knew if I was close enough, I’d hear the continuous, low growl he made as he waited his turn.
We used to have to wait for alphas to rut to get them thisfrenzied, but with the new drug rofetamine, we could induce a rut every night.
Omen had kept his sanity for an entire year, despite getting the drug every fight.
How much longer did he have left?
Any rogue alphas shattered within the first few doses, and all the other alphas usually didn’t last much longer.
Omen’s endurance was a sad torture. I’d been holding my breath, waiting for him to break, for months and months now. Perhaps he was trying to die first. It might be the more dignified option.
Last bets were called and the bell rang out, releasing the two alphas into the cage.
