Chapter 14
The party was held at the same hotel they’d stayed in a couple of weeks ago, but in a hall Thorn hadn’t visited before. They’d decked it out in a mixture of traditional and classic decorations, with gold and black balloons and three towers of champagne.
It was a black tie event, and Thorn had been given a three-piece suit to wear, though in place of a tie, the gifted collar was around his neck.
Baal kept his hand over the back of it, around Thorn’s nape as he led them through the packed room, making the rounds. As the underboss, it was his duty to mingle, and he greeted various guests, some who were also members of the White Frost, others who were close associates.
He never allowed Thorn to get very far from him, and he introduced him as his omega to every single person they spoke to. Some were clearly more interested than others, but Thorn felt eyes on them constantly, no matter where they stood or who they were talking with.
“Is this your first New Year’s together?” an older gentleman asked Baal.
His wife, an elegant female alpha in a gorgeous sparkling black dress, had her arm linked through his and seemed every bit as engaged in the conversation as her husband.
Thorn had no clue who either of them was, but there’d been mention of a bank…or something like that. It didn’t really matter what they did. No one spoke to him without Baal’s permission, and so far, the alpha had only granted it once, when a waiter had asked Thorn what he’d like to drink.
He’d gotten the impression early on that his role here was reduced to relative arm candy, meant to elevate Baal’s status. Whatever. It wasn’t a great hardship to stand there and look pretty.
Though he could do without all the leering.
The large hall was crowded with alphas and omegas, their scents mingling and tickling at Thorn’s nose. Every now and again, someone would grow bold, step a little too close, let off more pheromones than was socially acceptable.
But it was never an alpha.
By the fifth time it happened, Thorn’s irritation had grown to insurmountable levels, and he switched from playing the disinterested mate to openly glaring.
He may have even growled once, a low sound that no one would have heard, but whoever was looking definitely would have registered from the lifting of his lip as he sneered.
They were all trying to tempt his alpha.
Right.
In.
Front.
Of.
Him.
Had Baal always been this popular? Out of all the alphas in the room, the amount of attention he was receiving was only second to that of the Dominus. And a lot of that was due to the fact that Leviathan Morningstar had chosen a seat on a balcony overlooking the party.
Like a king on a throne.
Thorn didn’t like it. It kept bringing him back to the question he’d been desperately trying to ignore since their very first night together at the White Hunt.
If Baal was this sought after…why had he settled for Thorn?
How long would it last?
A particularly beautiful blond omega appeared to their left, shifting ever closer, his gaze latched onto the underboss. There were practically hearts visible in his stupid green eyes, and when he released a flood of sweet scented pheromones, it was clear they were aimed Baal’s way specifically.
Thorn hooked his finger into the loop of his collar and tugged at it, adjusting it as his skin prickled with unease. Other omega pheromones didn’t typically bother him, but he felt his stomach start to knot from this man’s.
Slowly, as though trying to convince himself already not to do what he most definitely was about to, Thorn slipped his arm free from Baal’s.
He barely noticed that the alpha allowed it, too focused on the omega who was standing less than five feet away now, working himself up to approach them like he had an actual right to talk to Baal.
What if the alpha caught a whiff of him and liked what he smelled?
What if he thought this male omega was prettier than Thorn? More masculine? Taller?
He sure as hell wasn’t smarter, because Thorn would never be stupid enough to try stealing another person’s man.
Thorn was standing directly in front of the other omega in a flash of motion he didn’t recall making, getting in close enough he could feel his breath ghost against his cheek as he leaned in.
One hand settled on the guy’s shoulder, keeping him still.
“If you want to keep your eyes, I suggest removing them from a taken alpha.”
He pulled back just enough to tap the center of his collar, offering a closed-mouth smirk when the other omega’s eyes pinged down to it, and he went noticeably pale.
“Apologies,” he murmured, before pulling away and practically darting off into the crowd.
Thorn took a deep breath, feeling a lot better now that the overly sweet scent was gone, but his victory was short-lived. He faltered a step when he turned and caught Baal watching him.
The couple he’d been talking with were gone, and the alpha was rocking on his heels, seemingly pleased as he waited for Thorn to return to his side.
“Jealous, frosty omega?” he drawled once Thorn was within earshot.
“Just keeping up appearances for your sake,” he lied.
It was so obvious that the alpha didn’t believe him.
“Who here would believe I’d settle for anyone less than spectacular?” Baal stated. “Feel free to chase off a few more while you’re at it. Their attention is unwanted.”
“You sure?” Thorn couldn’t help himself, slipping his hands into his pockets, coming up toe to toe with the alpha. “Maybe there’s one in the crowd you’ll like.”
“They all smell like shit,” he shared bluntly. Then he bent forward and ran the tip of his nose down the side of Thorn’s neck. “Not like you. You smell amazing, sweetheart, and for the record, you aren’t the only one who’s jealous here.”
Thorn quirked a brow, but before he could ask what he meant, the alpha started openly scenting him.
Baal rubbed his scent glands across the rise of Thorn’s cheeks, over his forehead. He even went so far as to brush his jaw against the silky material over Thorn’s shoulders. His alpha pheromones swirled around them, momentarily blocking them off from the rest of the smells of the party.
Thorn’s head tipped back to make room for him when Baal smoothed over the underside of his jaw, a moan almost slipping past his defenses.
His hands came up to the alpha’s chest. “We’re in public.”
“More reason to do this,” Baal said. “Let them see. Everyone here should know who you belong to.”
“I’m already wearing your collar.” Thorn met a stranger’s gaze over the alpha’s body and dropped his eyes. “Alpha. Seriously. Enough.”
“You don’t get to be all sexy and threaten to blind someone for me, then deny me, omega.”
“I don’t know what came over me,” he admitted. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He’d never been the particularly violent type before.
“You were acting on instinct,” Baal explained. “Like a good omega. Keep that up. What are your instincts telling you to do now?”
Thorn couldn’t help but glance around, noting all of the attention they were receiving.
“Don’t overthink it,” the alpha urged. “You don’t have to try so hard with me, Thorn. Just act. If you trip, I’ll catch you. There’s no mistake I can’t fix for you. Oh,” he corrected himself. “There is one.”
“What?”
He pressed his lips to the spot beneath Thorn’s ear. “You could try to get away from me. I wouldn’t be able to fix that, but I would capture you and drag you back to where you belong.”
Thorn swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “Where’s that?”
“Right here, by my side.” Baal brought his face in front of Thorn’s, meeting his gaze head-on. “My Dominus is watching, omega. You don’t want to embarrass me, do you?”
“No,” the word came out of him as if of its own volition.
“Exactly. You want to be good for me. You want to be,” he cupped Thorn’s cheek, “my perfect kept mate, isn’t that right?”
Thorn frowned at the odd phrasing. He was a kept omega. There was no such thing as a kept mate. He was about to say as much when someone dared to step closer to them, and he recognized yet another omega who was clearly interested in the alpha.
“Going to let her try her luck?” Baal asked.
“Do you even like women?”
“I don’t have a personal preference,” he confessed. “Unless you count as one.”
Acting on instinct like he’d been told, Thorn lifted his arms, subtly allowing the scent glands on his wrists to rub against the sides of Baal’s neck as he moved to link his fingers behind his head.
“Clever,” the alpha stated.
“Less obvious than what you went for,” Thorn said, “but still got the point across.” He motioned over Baal’s shoulder, but the underboss didn’t bother turning to see the female omega’s retreating form.
“I wanted to stay for the countdown.” He sniffed him. “But you smell so good right now. Can we leave early?”
“Let me guess,” Thorn snorted, “you booked a room?”
“Only the best for you.” He tugged him in closer with both hands on his waist. “It’s been a while. I’ve been dreaming of getting back inside of you.”
“It sounds like it’d be rude of me to make you wait any longer.
” There was too much unwanted attention here.
He’d rather be alone with the alpha, away from greedy stares.
Tonight was obviously going to lead to sex, so what did it really matter if they left before the clock struck midnight?
“It’s too hot in here. Take me somewhere else. ”
Baal linked their fingers and began to lead him through the crowd, growling in warning whenever someone didn’t step out of their way fast enough. He did nothing to hide their clear intentions, and everyone who saw them had to know what they were rushing off to do.
Somehow, Thorn didn’t care.
Let them think whatever they wanted.
So long as they realized the two of them were together.