Page 28 of Frenzy
“Up here, Court!” Her voice came from the top of the stairs. Dominic and I took them three at a time, and nearly ran face-first into the business end of an AK-47.
Dominic whipped out a hand and took it from her. “Fucking Goddess, Rosa! What the hell are you doing with an AK?”
My errant ward stuck out her tongue. “Protecting our family,Dominic.” She drew out his name like it had fifteen syllables instead of three. “What are you doing? Unarmed and running around with your thumb up your ass?”
“Using diplomacy, child. You should learn some.”
They continued to bicker as I walked past them and into the nursery. Radic was there, already shifted, as well as Loren. My wards were all wrestling around, generally being rowdy—no strangers to violence, or the threat of it. But the adults in the room all looked a little worried.
I thumped Radic on the back, making sure to drag my fingertips across his shoulders. “You did good. They are just here to oversee the challenge. They seem… pleasant.”
Dominic snorted, walking over to Bonnie and kissing her casually, like he’d done it a million times before. I envied him badly once more.
I looked at Loren. “We’ll tighten security around the house, but her guards are vampires, and we would be helpless to prevent them entering if they were so inclined.” He nodded, leaving to enact my orders. I looked at the kids. “Stay in the house, no roaming into town, and be aware of your surroundings.”
They generally gave me grumbling teenage agreement, though when someone yelled that there was a Madden Tournament on the Playstation, there was more enthusiasm. Soon, they would all move on, find their own Packs, and I knew that Rosa had been taking them over to meet Naja one or two at a time to introduce them to their sister, and their niece and nephews. Maybe that was why I’d dug my heels in over this whole Alpha thing so badly. Soon I wouldn’t be needed at all, and then what the fuck did I do? Run drugs to unscrupulous humans to destroy lives with? Languish around and watch television? No, I wanted to be here, closer to my kin, even though if anyone asked, I would tell them I didn’t need anyone.
Pryce looked tense, his hands gripping the edges of the crib. When I was close, I reached a hand toward him. “Omega.” It was a command and a reassurance. Such a fine fucking line that I didn’t know if I was screwing up or not. But I kept my hand out, giving him the choice on whether or not he took it.
He was a strange being, this Omega. So independent and separate, like he couldn’t even wrap his mind around trusting his safety to someone else. He resisted the pull of our bond like it was a betrayal of his body.
But when he placed his hand in mine, my chest swelled with pride. And when I gave it a gentle tug and his body moved toward mine, I wanted to shout with delight. Instead of dragging him into my chest like I so desperately wanted to, I kept an inch or two of space between us. I met his dark eyes, and smiled softly. “You are safe here, Omega.” The sound of my voice was all Beast, and Pryce reacted instinctively, curling toward me.
I locked down my control to stop myself from grabbing him up and biting his throat. Marking him as mine. Instead, I let him take his comfort, keeping my touch gentle. He was more damaged than he let on, and it would be my job to make sure that he wasn’t overwhelmed.
Soon, when this challenge was over, when he’d had a chance to know other Alphas and Packs, I hoped that he would still choose me. That he would choose the Pack I’d created here. Not out of gratitude for saving him, but out of desire. Out of need. Because hewantedto be part of my Pack.
His aqua eyes saw all this, read it on my face, and I found something about his touch calming as well. His Beast was soothing my own; this was why Omegas were so important, so revered in Manix society. They were a rare and calming balance to the Beast that raged within our souls.
“I know, Alpha,” he said softly, and then laid his forehead on my shoulder. I didn’t move, letting him soak in my strength, forgetting anyone else was in the room at that moment. I stood there and let him work through his demons, letting myself be the life buoy he needed until he learned to float away.
17
Bonnie
“But what is he like?”
“Will he take the Omegas?”
“Does he want a new Beta?”
Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!
Goddess, it was all I’d heard all day. I should have sent Darius or Radic to town for supplies, because this was unbearable. I preferred when people just ignored me.
I looked at Peter behind the counter of the diner. “He’s Alpha, Pete. He’s scary as hell, but no more than any other Alpha. He seems…” Well, not nice, but I wouldn’t tell Pete that. He needed to think Courtland was a pussycat, otherwise the rumor mill would have him as a killer of kittens by the end of the day, and the Destroyer of All Things Good by next week.
“He’s intense and powerful. But he’s very gentle with his young. He’s done more to stock the Sanctum in a week than the Alpha General has done in the last five years.” I realized everyone was listening. “Look. I’ve known the guy for a week. I can’t vouch that he’s a saint. But he is even and fair with his men, rescued a bunch of kids who aren’t his own, and doesn’t judge me for being rejected by my parents or being unmated, which is a lot more than I can say for a lot of members of this town, especially the Alpha General. So you guys can meet him eventually and make up your own damn minds.”
I turned and left, my cheeks pink with embarrassment. Shit. I should have kept my mouth shut. This was why I didn’t do politics. I clutched the box of pastries that Dominic had asked me to get. Apparently, the fearsome wolf had a sweet tooth. Though when he’d asked for an eclair, I had a feeling that he had an ulterior purpose for the confection.
I couldn’t wait to find out what it was. Although we still hadn’t had sex since Courtland had dragged Dominic out of the office a week ago, Dominic hadn’t been shy in pulling me into any darkened corner and making me come on his hands until I was biting his chest to muffle my moans.
Didn’t want to get spanked by the Alpha. Well… maybe I did. A little.
As if I’d summoned the man himself with my dirty thoughts, he appeared on the footpath with a red-haired vampire who I now knew was the Convocation member for Endangered Species. She was so damn pretty. She laughed and smacked Courtland’s arm, and I growled low.
Courtland’s eyes found mine immediately, as if my growl had been a call. The vampire turned toward me too, and she looked amused.
