Page 58 of Deadly Ties

I’m still blinking at him when the lights go out.

I should have been expecting this. It’s part of the plan, triggered by Link when he’s in position to get Elvi out. We knew the fighting would be heaviest around her, since Ferrier had insisted on going in to distract Bisha. We’d all argued it was too dangerous, but the Alpha of Boston had insisted. With so many of the pack leaders in the Tower, Ferrier wanted to give the other alphas a chance to do the right thing. We’d kept our thoughts to ourselves on that, but I’m not surprised when I hear all hell break loose in the next room. So much for appealing to their alpha honor.

“We have to move, Kelly,” I yell in his ear, hating the way he jerks in my arms. A heat is bad enough without dropping him into the middle of a fucking war. “I’m gonna get you back to Link and Rory. Do you trust me?”

“Link. Rory.” He repeats their names like they’re all that’s holding him together. “Yes. Mates. Trust them.”

It’s good enough, and I breathe a sigh of relief, digging the earpiece from the waistband of my sweats and fixing it in my ear. They patted me down before I was allowed into the Tower, but thankfully, none of them wanted to get too close to my junk. As soon as the bud is in, I click the power button. “You there, guys?”

“Here,” Rory replies, so loud it rattles my eardrum. “Link’s gone quiet. He’s retrieving Little Wolf now.”

I huff out another relieved breath. So far, so good. “I’ve got Kelly and we’re heading for the service elevator.”

“Be safe, brother.”

I can feel ripples of Kelly’s heat still playing through his body. From previous experience, I’m well aware the smallest thing can drop him back into a feral state. But his survival instinct is strong, too, and when I lift him off the ground, he doesn’t fight me. What I’m not expect is for him to lock his ankles behind my back, his arms winding around my neck. Goddamn. I almost hit the side of the cage when he starts nuzzling the wound on my throat.

And if that isn’t the perfect distraction from the chaos we step into, walking with a rock-hard cock might be.

There was no way I could smuggle a torch in my sweatpants, so I have to rely on my wolf vision to navigate a path. Problem is, Rory took out all the lights, including the fire exit signs, so I’m as good as blind. But then, so is every other asshole in this place, and I doubt any of them have a helpful voice in their ear. Or a tracker in their butt cheek, injected right before I came into the Tower, so Rory could keep tabs on me.

“You’re doing good, bro,” he tells me now. “Head more to your right.”

I grunt. Easier said than done, since bodies are bouncing off us as the crowd brings the fight out of the ring. Their bloodlust was already up, and losing the lights just tipped them over the edge. Which means I’m dodging blows and kicks, my own rage clawing at my spine when they connect. I was Kelly’s punching bag for fuck knows how long, but this is different. This is our enemy in the dark. The beast in me wants to kill them all, but every nibble and lick against the wound on my throat drops me back into a purr. Like we’re in our own little bubble as all hell breaks loose around us.

“Ah, you still moving there, bro? Cos I’m pretty sure Bisha’s rats are lapping you.”

I grunt again, but pick up my pace, one hand on Kelly’s ass and the other punching anything that comes too close. When we get past the half wall into the next room, the noise dims a little. Seems like most people in this section have already bugged out.

“The bar should be right ahead. There’s an entry point at the far end. Takes you straight back to the kitchens.”

I move quickly now, using the smooth wood of the bar to guide my way. When we push through the door into the staff areas at the back, the noise drops away, and the smell of grease and sweat picks up. Following Rory’s directions, we make it to the service elevator in no time. I’m grinning in the dark, but Kelly immediately wriggles out of my grasp. “Where are the others?”

“They’re coming. Rory has system control, so we can get everyone out this way.”

I can almost see Kelly’s frown of disapproval, but he lets me hustle him into the elevator, the gears grinding loudly in the dark. As soon as we’re secure inside, Rory kicks the emergency lighting on, and I get a good look at myself in the mirrored doors. I’m a mess of bites, claw marks, and bruises, but I’m grinning like a loon. Kelly looks like I’ve kicked him in the gut. “Bloody hell. I’m so sorry, mate.”

I know he’s using the term in the British way, but my smile just grows. “Didn’t feel a thing.”

He snorts, but his eyes roam over me, taking everything in. This time, instead of looking guilty, there’s a fire in his whiskey eyes. I wait until he meets my own gaze, and then tell him softly, “I lied. I felt everything, Kelly. And I’d do it all again.”

He blinks, moving towards me with the same omega fluidity that just kicked my ass in the ring. But instead of punching me, he melts into my arms, and I pick him up again. Goddamn. The smell of his hair is so good, I can’t stop myself from rubbing my face all over it. But then the elevator reaches the lobby, and I snap to attention. There’s too much in-built security in the parking level below us, so we have to go out the public way. I wait for Rory to give me the go ahead, unlocking the main door through his system access, but Kelly stops me. “We’re not leaving. Not until they all come out.”

There’s enough light from the street for me to see the stubborn lines of his face. “Sweetheart, Rory is monitoring them. He’s in a van just outside. We can go watch with him, and if I need to come back in, I will.”

“No,” he says, pushing against me. His bare feet hit the ground, but he grabs my hand, pulling me around the sleek reception desk. “We’ll wait in here.”

When he starts pushing open a door, I jump in front of him, but it’s just a small cloakroom. I don’t like it; there’s no room to maneuver and only one access point. But his nose wrinkles for a different reason as he pulls me inside, clicking on a small overhead light. “Ugh. Alpha reek.” He bats a rack of coats aside, standing on his toes to bury his nose in my neck. “It smells like those wankers up there.”

I smile and lean against the wall so I can lift him again. We’re getting good at the move, even though he’s not exactly a small guy. He’s put on a little weight since he’s been out of that fucking basement, but I can still feel his ribs and I cup them gently as he leans into me. A purr starts in my chest and I lift his chin from my neck to kiss his lips.

It's mind-altering. I know all about screwing with someone’s perspective, but I can actually feel the barriers shifting in my head. That same mouth that was ripping into me in the ring is now slowly exploring mine, teasing and licking and sucking until my brain is thoroughly scrambled. And then my wolf gets on board, breathing in his scent and fixing it in his mind.

There’s only one word for Kelly now:mate.

I groan, but then he’s sliding out of my arms, pushing against the wall of jackets to make room as he drops to his knees. He looks up at me, and even in the shitty lighting, his face is so beautiful I can’t quite believe he’s real. “I need to get their stench out of my head,” he tells me, clutching at my hips. “I want you in there instead.”

I just give him a stilted nod, because he’s already peeling down the band of my sweats. His lips brush across my abs, his breath huffing on my skin as he discovers more bruises and cuts. I want to tell him it’s okay, but then he’s nuzzling my dick and I forget how to speak. “You smell so good,” he croons, burying his nose in my groin. “I want to drink you down, but I want your cum on my face, too. Will you mark me, Alpha?”

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