Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
LAUREL
I was in the basement of the casino, looking down one of the long, dimly lit corridors.
Though the securement wing was nearby, I wasn’t ready to go in yet.
The Crimson Palace was an old building, and renovations had left plenty of legacy architecture not officially on the floor plans.
The underground tunnels were the biggest.
They’d been built during prohibition, designed to be confusing and maze-like.
There were many false doors along the way.
They were old, though, and without maintenance, a lot of them were dangerous.
My father kept a couple of main routes in and out of the Blood Well safe and well-ventilated, but it would be foolish to stray too far off the path.
The fans that pumped air through this place hummed loudly, and occasionally, I’d catch the echoes of footsteps or voices passing by from far away.
I was thinking about the plan Finch had presented. It had taken me by surprise; it hadn’t just been about freeing Ocean but getting leverage on my father as well.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. The criminals who came to the Crimson Palace had goals, and most were a variation on the same thing—power.
This pack had claimed me, and if they gained my father’s approval, that would make them family.
They’d probably been planning it all along, since Ocean scent-matched me.
Why else would they have been at my villa so fast after the fight?
How did they know Ocean had been caught? Why dark bond me at all?
And Finch hadn’t seemed concerned when I’d told him my father would want to kill them—because they were planning to make sure my father wanted me bonded to them.
Honestly, it would probably work.
Father respected alphas who were powerful, smart, and cunning. Who took what they wanted. They’d go to my father and present the facts.
Me, dark bonded.
Ocean, freed from chains.
Enough evidence on him to extort him into doing what they wanted.
If they played their cards right, they’d be accepted into the fold.
I was…disappointed, I realized.
I’d started to think they’d bonded me purely out of necessity. That it hadn’t been because I was the Duchess, or because I was a prize, or because I was Thaddeus’s daughter. I’d just been a person they needed.
But, no, that wasn’t true. It had been calculated, and they were no different than Prince or any of the other alphas who wanted to have me.
I should tell them.
Tell them that I’d saved Ocean by throwing him into the cages. If this was my life now, it’d be better if they didn’t hate me.
I sighed as I pushed up off the wall and started walking. My footfalls were light, barely making any noise in the pale corridors. When I got to the alpha cages, I tapped on the office window. Lars looked up.
“Good morning. I just wanted to let you know I’m here to take over the care and fight preparation for the new alpha.”
“I thought the Lucas pack was managing him,” Lars said, eyes narrowing at me.
“Yes, and I’m going to be orienting them. But until then, I’m in charge.”
Lars shook his head, snorting at the idea. “Eh, go ahead. Let me know if you need any extra help handling him. He’s not feral yet, but that don’t mean you can trust him.”
“Thank you, Lars.”
“Kid!” Lars snapped, and the young beta I’d met the night before hurried over. He looked even more exhausted and had a slightly panicked look in his eye that I would guess never completely faded.
“Help the Duchess with the new alpha. She’ll be managing him for now. Don’t fuck up.”
“Yes, Lars,” Casey said, eyes flicking between me and his boss.
He turned and indicated I should follow him, and I stayed quiet as he took us through the first metal security door.
We both stepped into the short, intermediary tunnel.
He locked the door behind us and then unlocked the second door.
I watched as he turned the crank to lift the heavy portcullis, my eyes snagging on the emergency release lever.
It didn’t appear to have any safety measures; if you were under that door when it was released, it would crush you without mercy.
He looked really nervous as we stepped through, repeatedly glancing at me, then at the floor.
A giant alpha rammed the bars beside us, and the beta yelped, throwing himself between me and the alpha. I could see the tremble in his hands, and this close, I could smell the fear in his faint scent.
He turned back to look at me, eyes wide. “You okay?” he asked, his breathing coming hard.
I reached up and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I’m fine,” I said, offering him a smile. His shoulders sagged, and he led me on again. “How did you end up working down here?” I asked, curious.
Casey swallowed, rubbing his wrists together.
I focused on trying to make my aura soothing, to have my body language open to coax his story out.
“My dad got into a bit of trouble from gambling. H-he owed a lot of money. Your da—I mean, he was going to be thrown into the Ring. But they said that he could work off the debt at the casino instead.”
I thinned my lips. I’d heard my dad talk about debtors like this. About how they’d charge them more for housing and food than they made, while their debts accrued interest. They were impossible to pay off. Casey was as stuck as the alphas in the cages.
“So why are you here, instead of your father?” I asked.
Casey grimaced. “Well, my dad’s job has insurance for the whole family. My mom’s diabetic, so if he came here…” Casey’s shoulders were hunched, and he trailed off, looking at me nervously. I gave him a soft smile.
“I’m sorry it fell to you. Do you see your mom at all?”
“Um, the hours are pretty long. But we text, and I call her when I can.”
“Hang on,” I said, stopping.
My stomach was tight with nerves as I looked inside the cage. A large figure was hunched over in it, black hair hanging limply in his face.
Omen.
I hated seeing him fight, but I hated seeing him like this more. Defeated.
I knocked on the bars. “Hugo,” I called, my voice soft.
Nothing happened at first, but then the alpha’s head slowly lifted until his amber eyes met mine. He cocked his head to the side, looking at me like I was a puzzle. I wondered if he recognized me. “Laurel,” he said, his voice cracking from disuse. He frowned. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I need your help,” I said, and he stood, coming toward the bars. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was lined with more wrinkles than I remembered.
“I’m managing an alpha who’s in here. I need him trained,” I continued.
Hugo barked a laugh. “Sorry, darling. Can’t waste energy on fresh meat.”
I moved closer, Casey hovering anxiously as I stepped right up to the bars. “I can make a deal,” I said. “The alpha. I’m trying to get him out of here. I’ll include you, too, but I need him to survive.”
Hugo met my pleading look with a flat one. He’d been on my father’s staff for years down here, training our alphas to fight. He’d trained Jule, too, but then rofetamine had come.
Hugo had been opposed to using the drug on the fighters. He’d challenged my father about it. Unfortunately, with rofetamine, my father didn’t need to waste money paying Hugo to train his fighters anymore. So, Hugo had ended up in the ring.
Drugged before every fight, yet somehow, he’d managed to resist going feral. He was Ocean’s best chance of coming out of this intact.
Hugo studied me, eyes narrowing, before he barked out another laugh. “Why not? But I also want an extra shower every week. And bring me some decent food from upstairs.”
“Deal,” I said, sticking my hand through the bars. Hugo took it and shook firmly.
“Okay, Casey, could you take him to the training room, please? Then come back so we can grab Ocean.”
Casey nodded, looking apprehensive as he secured Hugo in cuffs and led him out of the cage.
I hurried and reached Ocean’s cage next, a ball of fear knotting in my stomach as I approached. Hugo was the only thing I could give him right now, and I had to hope he’d be strong enough to survive.
His head snapped up as I came closer. He wasn’t blindfolded anymore, and his blue eyes fixed on my face. My heart squeezed painfully. His carefree air had disappeared, and his face was tight as he looked at me.
It was better this way. I should keep him at arm’s length.
Make this strictly business.
He was sitting on the hard cot in the corner of his cell.
“Let me, Miss Laurel,” Casey said from behind me, and set about releasing Ocean. He was surprisingly gentle as he secured the cuffs behind Ocean’s back.
“Could you give us a moment, Casey?” I asked.
The beta hesitated, but crossed the room, leaving me and Ocean side by side.
I couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said, fiddling with my hands. “I didn’t want to see you hurt, I swear. I’d been trying to reach you all day to tell you not to come back.”
I looked up then, and his eyes met mine. Instead of the hatred that his pack had for me, his brows were creased with concern.
A lump appeared in my throat. “I can’t lie to any of you,” I said. “I promise I wasn’t being cruel. Your pack is planning to get you out of here.”
“Hey,” he said softly. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”
My lip trembled and I turned around quickly. I’d expected him to reject me, and I didn’t know how to handle this.
“I’ve arranged some training for you,” I said, leading him back over to Casey, then the room where the alphas were allowed to stretch their legs. Casey jumped at small sounds the entire way.
“You don’t have to stay,” I told him.
He gave me an apologetic smile. “Ah, yes, miss, I’d just feel better knowing I was here. In case something happens.”
I held back a snort. Despite his size, he wouldn’t be able to last ten seconds against any of the alphas here, but the thought was sweet.
“Is anyone going to find us?” I asked as we walked into the old training room. Hugo was already here, unrestrained.
“Uh, probably not,” Casey said. “No one comes down here.”
I nodded. It was a risk, but one we’d have to take. I moved over and unlocked Ocean’s wrists. “Ocean, this is Hugo. He’s my brother’s old mentor. He’s going to be training you.”
Ocean glanced back at me, then at Hugo. “No offence,” he said. “But if I’m going to be feral every fight, what’s the point of training?”
Hugo gave a low, rough chuckle. “Your body will remember,” he said. “You do something enough times, and it’ll be there when you need it. You ever fought before this, boy?”
Ocean shook his head. “Wasn’t really my thing.”
I sat down on the bench as Hugo started going through basic stances with Ocean, correcting his posture. They were silent, going through the motions over and over, apart from when Hugo occasionally told Ocean to go faster.
“They’ll put you in tonight,” Hugo said after a while. “Against the weakest of us. See what you’re made of.”
“I’m not a fighter,” Ocean said, and I saw a flicker of fear on his face for the first time.
“Your aura’s not bad.” Hugo grunted. “Everyone’s a fighter once rut rage starts blazing through their blood.”
“Does it hurt?” Ocean asked.
Hugo nodded, lips set in a thin line.
“Will I be in control at all?”
“It’s a rut, kid,” Hugo said. “Shorter. More intense. But otherwise, the same rules.”
“Then I’ll remember it,” Ocean said, grimly.
The ball of fear that had settled low in my chest had stabilized by the time Hugo started to take him through strikes.
They were both sweating now, lost in the rhythm of the movement.
Ocean had taken off his shirt, and instead of admiring his muscles, this time I looked at his smooth, unmarked skin.
He didn’t have any bruises or scars that I could see.
Today would be the last day it would be like this.
I looked away.
I managed to avoid speaking to him through the training and on the way back to his cells. As I turned the lock on his cage, his hand came through the bar and rested on mine. I looked up at him and found him examining me.
“Why don’t you hate me?” I asked.
“You’re not who I thought you were,” he said finally.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” I replied, a lump forming in my throat.
He shook his head, brow furrowing. “No, I saw you, up there. When our eyes met. You were wearing a mask all evening with everyone else, but in that moment, I saw you, Laurel. I’m glad I get to see you. The real you.”
“I don’t even know who that is,” I whispered to him.
He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling at me. “Are you okay? I’m sorry about…what Finch did. I’m seriously going to strangle him when I get out of here. I don’t care what his reasons are, he never should have bonded you like that.”
I searched his eyes and found only sincerity. “Your pack isn’t the worst thing I have to deal with right now.”
His hand did find mine again, and he tugged me closer.
I let him, and he reached up to brush his fingers against my cheek.
“You’re my silver lining,” he told me, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a smile that made my breath catch.
“I don’t regret trying to protect you, but I should have been smarter. I can’t do much for you in here.”
“Just stay alive,” I told him. “Please. That’s enough.”
He lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. “It’s a promise, then.”