Chapter 19 Rhodes
RHODES
We nearly have an Olympic-sized crisis when my packmates see Raven in the arms of another alpha.
A huge, attractive, muscular, tattooed alpha.
Vann wants to jump down there and rip her away from the outsider, which makes sense given he knows she’s his scent match.
But it’s the reactions of Tanner and Orion that catch me off guard.
A low growl has me turning toward our pack lead, only to find Tanner with fists clenched so tight his knuckles are turning white.
His carefully held control is clearly being tested.
The glare he sends toward the strange alpha could melt ice, and he’s holding himself incredibly still, like a bow pulled taut and ready to fire at any moment.
Orion is only marginally better. No growling or posturing, but the emotions flit across his face rapid fire. Shock. Anger. Melancholy. I don’t think the man knows what to do or how to feel.
It’s gonna take some serious effort for me to get them to leave before we cause a scene and disrupt the next performance.
“Guys, let’s go.” I try to get their attention but they have a single-minded focus.
“Vann.” He ignores me, so I try for Orion.
“Orion. Alpha!” That finally gets his attention.
When he glares at me, I touch his shoulder in an attempt at comfort.
“Not here. You don’t want to ruin Raven’s day. Let it go.”
The alpha looks back to the rink, but Raven and the man are gone.
Heaving a resigned sigh, Orion smacks our other two packmates on their chests, one after the other.
“The last shuttle leaves in 25 minutes. As much as I wouldn’t mind getting stuck in the same city as our omega, we have a game tomorrow. ”
Our omega. I’m not sure Orion even realizes he just claimed her so casually. Tanner shakes his head, and when he stares at us he’s all business again. His voice is gruff. “Right, hurry up. We can’t miss our ride.”
Vann looks like he wants to argue again, but he doesn’t. His shoulders slump, head dropping. I want to take his hand and offer him some comfort, but I ball my fists instead. He probably wouldn’t welcome my attention right now.
We file out of the row, climbing the stairs one after the other like a line of depressed ants.
“We can’t wait to apologize,” Orion blurts, stopping in his tracks as soon as we’re out of the stands and in the hall.
I’m shocked he’s the one to say it.
“Hell yeah,” Vann says, jumping at the opportunity. “We can’t let some other fucker steal her away before we even get a chance with her.”
“No.” Tanner speaks the word through clenched teeth. “Nothing’s changed.”
We all stare at him as if he’s lost his mind. Something’s definitely changed. We were all working on the assumption that she’s unmated, but now we’ve realized she might not be.
“Nothing’s changed,” Tanner repeats with a growl.
“She still needs to focus for tomorrow, and she’ll hate us even more if we throw her off.
” He grabs the gift box Vann is still holding.
“So, no gifts. No talking to her. Nothing. Not until after her competition. The press says she’s gonna be in Cortina after her last skate tomorrow, so we’ll find her then. And not before then. Understood?”
I tilt my head, studying our pack lead more carefully. I don’t need to be bonded to him to sense the pure rage simmering below the surface of his words.
Vann and Orion grumble their agreement, but Vann looks like he’s ready to make a break for it anyway. Or like he’s contemplating murder. Neither are great options. He doesn’t say a word as we walk to the shuttle. I hang back, and when he slides into a window seat, I slide in beside him.
“She was really something,” I say as the shuttle pulls away from the Milan Olympic Village. It’s my attempt to lighten the mood and maybe get him to open up. Bottling up this energy can’t be good for any of them.
I don’t have the same attachment to Raven, but I can admit she was beautiful to watch. The guy’s fascination with her is easy to understand.
Vann flicks a glance my way before looking back out the window. He doesn’t take the bait, doesn’t respond at all, and something in my chest twists into a tangled knot.
The drive back to Cortina is torturous, all of us lost in our own thoughts.
Vann eventually falls asleep, and his head lolls onto my shoulder.
The position bares his neck to me, an unintentional sign of submission.
It also puts his scent glands far too close to my nostrils.
My heart rate picks up speed as his sweet butterscotch aroma fills my senses and makes my mouth water.
It seems stronger than usual. Though, is it stronger?
Or am I just noticing more? There’s no doubt my affection has been growing for the alpha, and recently so have… other… things.
Does he taste as good as he smells?
I swallow thickly, the question circles my mind and makes my cock half hard. Vann moves in his sleep, and his nose brushes my neck like he’s subconsciously searching for my more subdued beta scent.
What if he is?
His hot breath tickles my skin, and I imagine feeling its warmth against other places. I don’t know quite what to do with these thoughts. They’re new and terrifying, but exhilarating, too.
My natural curiosity feeds these ideas like dry tinder on a fire. Suddenly, I want to know what it would be like to follow them to their natural end, to explore this budding attraction.
But what would that do to our pack dynamics?
Especially if Vann doesn’t return my interest?
Will knowing how I feel about him change things between us?
I’m the most expendable part of the pack.
I haven’t been with them as long. None of them have bitten me.
My place in the pack is entirely by choice, and that could change.
It would be so easy for them to decide they don’t want me if I disrupt things.
And then, there’s Raven.
Complicating things even more.
It’s easier to just keep these burgeoning feelings to myself. I won’t say anything, but I’ll let myself enjoy the close feel of Vann’s body pressed against mine while I can.