21. Brylee
21
brYLEE
“Incoming,” I warn Nic as I see Ridge’s angelic face contort into a demonic expression as he stomps our way, coming into the ballroom from one of the many side doors. His blond hair glints, even more golden than usual in the light of the chandeliers, and I can’t lie—seeing him pissed is incredibly gratifying.
I think of every moment I’ve had to suffer in silence as Teddie under his smug, arrogant presence, and there’s nothing I want more than to put him in his place…which is a very un-omega thing for me to think, but I don’t give a damn about being broken right now.
I don’t even care about being petty.
Ridge deserves a big helping of humble pie, preferably fresh out of the oven and shoved in his face steaming hot.
Nic glances over his shoulder at the threat before turning back to me with a calm demeanor that I don’t think I could manage in a thousand years. I’m pretty sure my own face is bitter and far from attractive right now.
“Did I tell you yet that my mother was a ballroom dancer?” Nic asks glibly, unworried as Ridge shoves aside the couple behind us.
I don’t have time to respond before one of his hands releases mine and grabs my ass—but not the way I’ve ever been grabbed before. His hand slides, and suddenly, I’m lifted into a split, that hand as my seat. A surprised giggle escapes from me as I find myself hovering over Nic’s head and lording over Ridge. I have just enough time to toss a hand up playfully in the air and strike a pose before Nic spins us away from a furious Ridge.
A cheer goes up from the crowd at the impromptu lift, and a small circle forms around us as Nic puts me down and then shows off, leading me through a few more basic ballroom moves.
“I’m impressed,” I manage to get out breathlessly.
“Please write my mother a note and tell her that. She’ll die of happy superiority knowing she was right to force me to go to lessons all those years,” Nic says as he dips me low.
“Done and done,” I respond, because how could I possibly refuse such a request?
“Do another lift!” a female voice calls out. I’m pretty sure it’s Harper, egging things on, but I can’t see her through the crowd.
“Another lift! Another lift!” The crowd takes up the chant.
“Should we give the people what they want?” Nic asks playfully.
“Always,” I reply.
Just then, a furious Ridge breaks through the knot of people, Colter not far behind. Their burgeoning anger adds to the thrill.
Nic spins me so that my back is plastered to his chest. I can’t resist sending a wink to Ridge, and the way he swallows hard sets my thighs on fire and makes it hard for me to stay upright. Makes it hard for me to stay in Nic’s arms when every particle of my being says I shouldn’t be here.
But Ridge doesn’t deserve me.
He does deserve to watch this and hate it. Loathe it. Jerk off later thinking about it.
Nic dips his head and whispers in my ear, “Legs up.” I kick my feet out and he immediately turns, rotating in place until I feel like the rotor on a helicopter. I go up and down—I think he might even whirl me under his legs at one point. The crowd’s faces are such a blur that I don’t even realize he’s moving us as he spins until he stops and I set my heels down—slightly dizzy—on the edge of the dance floor.
Immediately, my eyes want to search for Ridge, to see his reaction, see if he’s mad with lust because, even though there’s no way anyone saw anything past my calves with this disastrous dress my mother bought, the chance that they could have would normally drive an alpha mad.
I want to see that expression on his face—him driven into amorous rage. Protective. Claiming. Dominating.
But I stiffen my neck and refuse to let my head turn…because that would give away my pretense. It would let him and the other alphas on his team know that their declaration about our scent match is true. It would let them know I care.
Can’t have that.
“Now, here’s the part where you get to tell me what you want, Cinderella. Are you going to run from the ball? Or are we doing something else?” Nic asks.
I glance to my side to see all the members of Alpha Team X bearing down on us like intensely hot, wrathful gods of war. I’m not certain if the orchestra is intentionally sound-tracking my life right now, but the music switches to an instrumental version of Evergrey’s “Ominous.”
Time seems to slow as my eyes trace over every single member of X. Colter’s biceps bulge beneath his suit jacket, and he looks seconds from ripping through it. Luka’s tracing an angry hand across his cropped beard. Kylian’s eyes are liquid fire. Ridge has even stripped off his bow tie and wrapped it around his knuckles, as if he’s preparing to punch Nic.
Even through the disgusting taste of the perfume soaking my dress, I can smell the scent of each and every one of them as clear as day. My knees grow weaker, and I bite down on my tongue hard, forcing myself not to give in.
They don’t deserve me.
It feels as if every eye in the room is on me as Brock and Jamie appear out of nowhere at Nic’s side.
“What’s it going to be, Princess?” Brock asks unironically.
“Would you all like to meet my brother?” I put on my best hostess face. “I think you would get along great. I mean, he is going to be your future king , after all.” I throw that last line out as loud and pointedly as I can.
Ridge seems to stop in his tracks, and the other X team members follow his lead. I try to ignore the burn of the blond man’s glare. In fact…I turn from Brock slightly and raise my eyes to meet his anger with my own. Defying propriety. Defying him. Defying the scent match claim.
There are legends that say the old gods could touch lightning and throw it like spears. For a moment, it feels like I have that power, as though electric heat is surging through me and then shooting out through the air. I imagine it hitting each member of X, though I doubt even lightning could kill those men.
They’re heartless demons and if I struck them down, their true nature would just be revealed.
Gasps wisp up around the ballroom like smoke at my defiance and daring to meet an alpha’s eyes. At the scandal of it all.
Inhaling to calm the sparks dancing inside my rib cage, I turn back to Brock. “I’m done for this evening, but I’d love to arrange a meeting with Teddie. I know my mother loves you all, and I’m sure he will too. And, after all, family is everything.”
“It would be an honor.” Brock’s smile is thin, perhaps a little regretful.
“Wonderful. Would you like to escort me up to the door of my room?” I say. “I had a little accident with a perfume bottle earlier, and I’d like to stop tasting roses.”
That earns me a genuine smile as he puts his elbow out. “You know, I didn’t care much for the taste myself at first, but it grows on you.”
I laugh as we head through the door and start up the stairs just as Madam Ellora and one of the alphas from Eros return from patrolling the hall. Their presence stops Alpha Team X from any pursuit they might have made, and my heart is lighter than air when we reach the first landing and I tell Brock, “You’re a charming liar, sir. A very charming liar.”
“Wish I was a charming mate.”
I sigh and pat his arm regretfully. “You would have been.” And I actually mean it. Despite the fact that I don’t want any mate, Brock and Nic and Jamie have proven themselves completely honorable and thoughtful men. If I had to be gifted away, they were probably the best choice in the entire kingdom. “Stupid scent matches.”
“I agree. Stupid scent matches.” He kicks playfully at one of the stairs, scuffing his shoe.
And though he’s lighthearted about it and I smile, he leaves me at my door full of wistful regret. Because I don’t get a happily ever after with him. I doubt my after will be happy at all. Not with Alpha Team X. Definitely not with the stunt I just pulled.
Turning to face my bed, I unzip my dress and let it fall to the floor. “Welp. Might as well enjoy a good long soak in the tub. Because tomorrow’s probably going to rain down fire.” Humming, I get the water nice and hot, sinking into it with a small gasp, determined to stay until my entire body is pruney—or forever—whichever comes first.