A Twist of Luck (Shifter City Fated Mates #2)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40

EMME

I ’d never been inside Luxuria when it wasn’t packed to capacity, and tonight was no different.

Half the town was out to either celebrate the Celtics’ win or commiserate the Dashers’ loss. Either way, the drinks flowed, and the music moved from one dance beat to the next, mixing between fast and slower sensual numbers.

In the VIP section, the couches generally cost a few grand a night, but on the main floor there were tables where you could hang out for free. Nothing these alphas did was ever exclusive to the rich and connected, ensuring a portion remained accessible to all.

For billionaires, the Reeves pack were surprisingly grounded.

From what I knew, Kellan and Finley hadn’t grown up rich, and Hunter and Slade had grown up with an asshole of a “father”, all of which had shaped them into the alphas they were today.

Alphas I happened to like very much.

“What do you want to drink, Shortcake?” Kellan asked as we claimed one of the VIP couches. A red velvet sectional wrapped around us, and there were a few plush chairs opposite the small table in the middle. “The world is yours to command,” he added, waving his hand to encompass the room, “and we have all the shifter serums and additives to ensure whatever buzz you’re after.”

“Uh…” Outside of wine, I wasn’t much of a drinker, and it felt reckless to lose control tonight, especially when I teetered on the edge of begging Hunter to seal our bond. “Maybe wine to start. Something sweet.”

Kellan dropped a kiss on my cheek. “You got it. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Others called out their orders as well, and Kellan nodded as he strolled toward the second, slightly smaller mahogany bar, which curved into a large horseshoe shape around the VIP area.

There was table service here, of course, and we’d already had Hadley, a tiger shifter I’d worked with before, come by to welcome us. But when I’d been his server, I’d noticed that Kellan often ordered his drinks at the bar while chatting to his friend Jimmy. The head bartender was a blond, burly beta wolf who took no shit and could mix cocktails faster than I’d ever seen before.

The music shifted to a new song with a slower beat, the bass settling in my chest as I leaned into Hunter, whose arm was slung over my shoulder. As I relaxed fully, he pulled me straight up onto his lap, expelling a small huff from me at that unexpected move.

Across from us, perched in her own mate’s lap, Cora grinned and waggled her eyebrows at me. She loved when these alphas went all possessive. According to her, no one had ever seen them act this way, and it was definitely stoking the city’s curiosity.

Warrick’s fingers traced across her bare shoulders, and of all the new experiences and knowledge I’d gained during my time here, my favorite was seeing how true quintets and scent matches acted together. Whatever my mom and her pack had going on was wrong and toxic. It pissed me off to no end that I’d spent years believing that was the norm. It almost cost me everything. It almost cost me the chance to know my mates.

The thought of never meeting the Reeves pack sent sharp pains into my chest, and for a brief second I couldn’t breathe through the panic.

Hunter felt the new tension in my body and wrapped his arms tighter, pulling me firmly against him until I had no choice but to sink into his hold. His hand traced along the outside of my thigh, bringing my focus to his touch and how damn good it felt .

“No more thinking, baby girl,” he murmured, breath caressing my cheek. “Enjoy the moment. This is your night, and I will fuck up anyone who upsets you.”

Ironic when I was the one upsetting myself, but his soothing touch and soft words did help calm me. Hunter had an uncanny knack of knowing what to say and do to bring me back to myself. I was completely fucking gone on this alpha.

There was no point in denying it, and as badly as I wanted to spin on his lap and straddle him, I couldn’t here, which meant I needed a new focus.

Across the table, Finley sat next to Kenzo, Vanessa, Luce, and Christian. The rest of the team were at nearby tables—this entire area was pretty much dominated by the hockey team tonight. Some had their mates with them, but for the most part, the boys were celebrating their win.

Hunter slid his hand higher on my thigh, lifting the edge of my dress, right as Finley’s gaze snapped in my direction. The bear shifter’s expression remained neutral… but his eyes drowned me in their whiskey depths. Between his gaze and Hunter’s touch, I was about to detonate.

“You’re wiggly,” Hunter mused, his tone light. “What’s wrong, little omega? Do you have a need to share with me?”

This asshole knew exactly what he was doing, and there was no way he’d missed Finley’s focused stare on us. “No idea what you’re talking about,” I rasped. “Maybe it’s just that your overabundance of muscles isn’t that comfortable.”

Hunter’s laughter was low and satisfied. “Oh, I think you enjoy my overabundance of muscles, Emmeline. You certainly weren’t complaining when I used said muscles to hold you high enough in the shower to eat your pussy.”

Heat flared in my cheeks, and I coughed to cover up my shock. Just the mention of Hunter and a shower had me squeezing my thighs together. I noticed Finley’s nostrils flare, the honey depths of his eyes darkening. My scent match had not missed my burst of arousal as he continued to watch me, that tinge of darkness and curiosity playing in his gaze.

Kellan interrupted whatever fucked-up foreplay was happening here, grinning as he caught sight of me perched in Hunter’s lap. The tray laden with drinks was deposited on the table as he headed straight for me.

Leaning down, he nuzzled into my throat. “You smell like fucking nirvana, pretty mate. I need to eat you right up or I’m going to die.”

Hunter snorted, and removed his hand from my waist to shove Kellan away. “Hold the dramatics, pup,” he ordered. “This is just the prequel. Let our omega have a chance to relax before we devour her.”

Kellan pouted, but complied as he dropped down beside Hunter, reaching out to thread his fingers through mine. To my surprise, Finley was the one who leaned forward and handed us our drinks so we didn’t have to leave our cozy cuddle.

For a second, as he passed me my wine, he eyed up the empty spot on the other side of Hunter, as if he contemplated sitting there too. He didn’t, of course, and I shook my head at that ridiculous notion. “Thanks,” I mumbled, confusion slipping out. To cover it up, I took a large gulp of the fruity, sweet wine. Finley nodded as he held up his beer like a toast, and that was the last time he looked at me all night.

After an hour, Kellan dragged me off Hunter’s lap to dance on the main floor, and when Slade showed up a few hours later, we were still drinking and dancing. The dragon, in his black enforcer outfit, downed two whiskeys in minutes.

He was terrifyingly beautiful, and my currently tipsy brain had me almost crawling into his lap where he sat, his long legs and thick thighs relaxed in front of him. Fuck a wolf.

This was why I couldn’t let myself get drunk.

Slade watched me closely, but didn’t invite my touch. He never reached for me, but fuck, that heavy stare felt like it covered my skin and burrowed into my essence. Still, there was no doubt that invading his space to crawl into his lap would either get me thrown to the floor or there’d be a scaly beast destroying the club.

“Emmmmmeeeeeeee,” Cora shouted, swaying into me on the dance floor. She’d danced as much as me, and was as disheveled as I’d ever seen her, curls everywhere and her dress hanging off one shoulder. “We have time for one last dance.”

I took her proffered hand without hesitation, even as my feet ached and my head swirled from the copious drinks. As exhausted as I was, nothing in the world would stop me from having this last dance with my friend.

She pushed me back out onto the main floor, but no one touched us, already understanding that to do so would incur the wrath of our alphas. It had really made our time here tonight run smoothly.

As we danced, I marveled at how much I’d enjoyed hanging out with Cora tonight. It was intoxicating, really, to have a real friend. One I could share my life with and never feel judged. She might not fully understand my reasons for holding out on my pack, but that was my fault, and hopefully one day soon I could share it all with her.

“You might be my soulmate too,” I said, draping my arms around her shoulders. “Platonic soulmates are highly underrated.”

“They totally are,” Cora agreed, flinging her head back as she twirled around me. “Besties for life. We’ll be two hundred years old and I’m going to be glamming your ass and telling you how pretty you are.”

Tilting my head back I laughed, drunk enough to forget my worries and feel all the joy and happiness. “You’re the one who is stunning. I don’t know how Warrick lets you leave the house most days.”

This set Cora off; she bent and laughed until she cried, tiny streaks of makeup lining her cheeks. “You know what, some days he doesn’t.” I wasn’t remotely surprised by this truth.

“It’s nice seeing you like this,” I noted, amused by her rare lack of refinement. “You just feel so… free.”

Cora spun, arms held out on either side of her. “I think that’s the true beauty of my mate bond.”

She slowed and lifted her head to seek out Warrick, who stood at the railing of the VIP level beside Hunter, Kellan and Slade. The four of them watched over us on the main floor, just as they’d done every time we’d danced without them.

We both knew they’d be here in seconds if needed, which was half the point Cora made.

Her whole face softened as she stared at her mate. “It’s a privilege to have a mate at your back and know that it’s an unconditional support. When I’m with War, I don’t even look over my shoulder. I could walk along the path with my head buried in my phone, headphones on, my mind in the middle of a daydream, and know I’m safe. War allows me to find strength in other ways that have nothing to do with survival. I do the same for him as well, giving him a soft place to come home to.”

“Isn’t it terrifying though?” I asked, words grating against my dry throat.

My gaze roved over the alphas, and when I pressed my hand to the bite on my shoulder, Kellan mimicked the movement, his expression soft. “It scares me to know that I could tie my happiness to another.” Or four others . “They could betray my trust at any point and completely tear me to pieces.”

Cora grasped my hand and squeezed it tightly. “That’s the part that makes it so special. They can tear you to pieces. They could easily do it, actually, but they choose not to. Every single day they choose to put you first, and after a few years, you learn that it’s not an act. It’s the real alpha, and he would burn the world for you.”

I want that . It was a sudden and ferocious thought.

My heart bled at the very thought of losing this pack. “I’m not sure I’ll ever let go enough to truly trust in a pack,” I admitted, undecided if this was still my truth or not.

“I know, and with your past, that’s understandable. My only advice is to let yourself believe in fate and your mates. The rest will work itself out.”

Put like that, it sounded simple, but she didn’t know everything. When I spilled the full truth of my past to the alphas and Cora, their advice might be different.

When the song ended, lights slowly lit up the edges of the room, reminding everyone that it was time to start heading their drunk, happy asses home.

Warrick, Kellan, Hunter, and Slade appeared, blocking us from the shifters exiting the club. “You have fun, pretty mate?” Kellan asked, brushing back a strand of hair plastered down my sweaty cheek. The curls had fallen out long ago, and I had no doubt I looked a mess, but you’d never know from his expression.

“So much fun,” I trilled, sadly sobering up already. “Though I will be glad to get out of these heels. My feet are killing me?—”

I choked as Hunter, for the second time tonight, lowered himself into a half-kneel crouch before me. He gestured for me to lift my foot. “Come on, baby girl,” he murmured. “Let me help.”

An entitled alpha does not kneel.

But he had.

There was no denying it this time. I almost fell to my own knees in front of him and begged him to take me. Fuck waiting for my birthday; I couldn’t wait another damn second. My wolf howled in my chest, scraping against the hold I had on her.

Hunter’s nostrils flared as he stared at me, the drowning darkness of his eyes hypnotic.

Slowly, feeling dazed, I lifted my right foot, and Hunter slid the small zip down on my boot before removing it. He ran his thumb over the arch of my socked foot, and I closed my eyes at how good that felt.

When he released me, I dropped my foot on the floor, which was no doubt gross as fuck, but who really cared. When he removed my left boot, my feet screamed in happy relief. Hunter tossed the boots over his shoulder, letting them clatter across his empty club floor. Shit . I’d have to figure out how to get them back for Cora—not that she appeared remotely worried, too busy gawking at Hunter.

My entitled alpha’s expression exuded a sliver of darkness as he stood and swept me into his arms, cradling me against his chest as he headed for the exit. “I can walk,” I said with a nervous chuckle. Did I really want to get down? Nope. But I had to at least make an attempt at independence.

“There might be broken glass,” he said, tone brooking no argument. “I won’t let you get hurt, little omega. Not now. Not ever.”

Damn him.

This alpha was getting lucky tonight, and I would beg for his claim before the sun rose.

My days of denying Hunter were done.