8. Caspian
Caspian
“ A re you okay?” Mel asked from beside us.
I didn’t care who she was talking to. I just needed her to fucking leave.
We were against the wall, mostly hidden from the rest of the party, even though we’d caused a scene. It was my fault for telling my team to stay back and reacting on instinct.
But I didn’t want them anywhere near each other, not even five fucking centimetres. I had to get Mel and Camille a million miles apart, even if it was just to stop the amusement burning through Kai since we turned up to see the Hiscoxes grabbing them like they were fucking animals.
A growl rumbled deep in my throat, and Camille let out a gasp. Her face paled as she pushed herself back from us, and guilt sliced right through me. But Sin was here, and I had to make sure Mel was okay.
I was doing it for Camille. Like I did everything, I was doing it to keep her safe. But that need, that overwhelming desire to make sure Camille was safe was being flung at Mel. And I couldn’t fucking stop it.
My common sense was yelling at me to save Camille, but my instincts were urging me towards Mel.
I was ready to kill the Hiscoxes in front of a crowd if they fucking touched any of them again.
I released Camille, noticing the way she sagged as Sin stepped in, but I was too focused on Mel to say anything. I would always apologise to Camille for being so rough. But I couldn’t look at anything except the omega next to me, whose bruise on her cheek was driving me fucking wild.
Mel. Mel. Fucking Mel .
Because no matter how much I fought the fucking need inside me, I couldn’t beat away the truth.
I had to protect my omega.
And she knew she was mine. As soon as I moved towards her and she tilted her head to meet my gaze, I knew she fucking knew because the smooth waft of brandy I’d been dying to taste for a week grew thicker, stronger, muskier as she slicked for me.
I knew she wasn’t wearing panties because Kai wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it. Now the only thing that stopped me from dropping to my knees and plunging my tongue inside her was the ballroom of witnesses.
My hand shot out, my palm flat on her collarbones, my nails digging either side of her windpipe, my lips pulled back over my teeth.
And she fucking slicked even more.
I should have held her this tightly back in the office before we entered the party, so she knew who she was really dealing with.
There was no way I’d get away with reaching for her pussy, especially not in front of Camille.
That’s why we were here, why we were fucking doing this whole thing in the first place—because we had to protect Camille. Not because we had to fuck the ridiculously sexy and curvy omega that Kai kept dressing like a fucking steak so his hound of an alpha would go crazy over her.
I was starting to forget why I hated her, why I wanted to rip her apart so she couldn’t get near us.
Mel stretched her neck, keeping her gaze fixed on mine as she offered herself to me again. And her bruise struck me instantly. I’d seen it up close earlier, but it was different in the bright light, with her face splashed with anger.
I was too hyped up from the fight, and I was losing myself. My alpha instincts dominated as a growl rumbled from me, and I squeezed my fingers.
She was all fucking mine and no one else was coming near her. She belonged to me. Just like she had when she’d stumbled into the heat suite and I went fucking insane.
“You don’t let the Hiscox pack anywhere near you again, you got that?” If anyone else apart from my mates touched her, I was going to fucking shred them.
My growls kept getting heavier. I swear my teeth were rattling. I had to calm the fuck down. I was already toeing the line. The warning signs for my rogue state would start to go off, and then I’d have to get the fuck out of the building.
“Are you going to make me?” she asked, her throat bobbing under the web of my thumb.
“There’s so many things I want to make you do, omega,” I purred, her scent worming its way into my brain.
Her moan vibrated through my palm, and I shuddered straight away. I tried to hold it back, but her hand rounded my hip, barely missing my cock.
It had been too fucking long since we’d touched each other. A whole two hours.
I seriously thought I was better than this.
“I’m not scared of you,” she said, her fingers digging into my waist like she was in charge, even though I could snap her neck so fucking easily.
I leaned in closer. “The next time I get you alone, I’m going to show you exactly what it means to be scared. You won’t be able to move when I’m finished with you.”
There was a moment between us. Her eyes widened, both of us sucked in a breath, and I fucking knew her heart was speeding the same as mine.
She suddenly cried out, perfume rushing from her. It was so strong that it flooded our corner in the room and wafted towards every bastard pretending not to watch us.
There were gasps, there was muttering, and people instantly started talking as everyone’s attention was dragged to Mel and her fucking addictive scent.
I released her, and she jumped back from me. Fear flared in her eyes, her face bright red in embarrassment.
I should have done something—trapped her there, made fun of her, drawn even more attention by pointing out how badly my ‘mate’ wanted me.
But I followed her, stepping back into her space, hooking my finger over the deep V of her neckline. My cock was already solid, and even pressing against her bare skin with my fingertip almost made me lose it.
“Keep perfuming like that. Let everyone know how thirsty you are for my cock.”
“Caspian,” she whimpered, pleading, her lips moving, but she couldn’t beg me properly. I needed her on her knees, my cock by her mouth, her hands tied around her back. Then I’d think about helping her.
But that wasn’t what my alpha instincts were saying. They were telling me I had to take my omega in my arms and whisk her away—to protect her, to take care of her, to fucking treasure her like a real mate.
I froze, both of us holding, staring, wondering, waiting.
And another thought took me. One that began beating louder and louder.
If I bit her, I could feel her properly. I’d have every single fucking part of her so I could find out how to make her truly terrified of me.
As I pulled my hand back, torn between cupping her chin or her breast, my mate followed his fucking instincts.
Sin glided forward, knocking me away as he flung his arms around her. In one sly move, he swept Brandy up into his arms like a princess.
“Wait! Sin! Put me down!” she cried out, grabbing the end of her dress and shoving it between her thighs as another waft of perfume burst from her.
“My omega must rest for the evening,” he announced to the crowd.
I stood there numbly, my body suddenly cold as she threw her arms around Sin’s neck and didn’t even fucking hesitate to rub against him.
My alpha instincts urged me to reach out and steal her back from him, but I’d missed my chance. I’d already fucked up too much this evening.
Still angry, he sent me one of his disapproving glares as Mel buried her face in his neck.
“You can’t carry me. I’m too heavy,” she murmured.
I knew exactly how heavy she was, and I wanted her in my arms again so I could fuck her standing and show her how perfect her weight was to plunge onto my cock.
But I was left standing there, watching them leave like a fucking idiot while trying to figure how I lost myself in her so quickly.
“Well, that was fun,” Kai said from behind me. It might have sounded like he was teasing me, but the pissed off energy radiating from him was going to be a bitch to deal with.
I got rid of the last of my glower before turning back to Camille, who watched every second from beside Kai.
The air hung with deep brandy, and it was all I could focus on as I stepped towards the pair of omegas.
I shouldn’t be near Camille when I pounded with lust for Mel, but I couldn’t leave her alone. I stood beside her, guilt slicing me as she blinked up at me, the hurt clear in her eyes.