Chapter 55
FIFTY-FIVE
THE DUCHESS
I called a meeting with the suite staff, politely enduring the squealing and excitement as they congratulated me on my engagement.
I explained they’d be expected to host, starting tonight, and walked them through what that meant before I retreated to my dressing room, where I dragged out my preparation routine as long as I could.
Today, I chose one of my more modest dresses, a ballgown style with an off-the-shoulder neckline.
I fixed pearls to my ears and carefully arranged a matching necklace.
I’d covered the dark bond mark with a dressing, but its location on my ribs meant I couldn’t wear any backless clothes.
I stared at myself in the mirror as Bellamy arranged my hair into a low updo, and my eyes kept snagging on the bloodred ring on my finger.
I stepped out of my dressing room only seconds before I had to start hosting. The Lucas pack was already seated, and I shot them an apologetic smile as I hurried to take my place at the elevator.
Unfortunately, they rose and came over to me. Madison looked almost murderous, and I froze under his gaze as they neared.
“Laurel, you surely aren’t intending to work tonight?” Prince said, looping his arm through mine.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?” I replied, and drew close to him, hoping to placate him with a kiss on the cheek. He intercepted halfway, meeting my lips with his and cupping my neck with his hand. When I pulled back, he rested his forehead on mine.
I ducked out of his hold as soon as it was acceptable to do so. “I have to show my staff how it’s done.”
“We’ve just got you, darling, and now you want to make us share?” he asked, his voice deceptively light.
I could feel the coiled tension through his frame and scent, and my aura reached out instinctively. I stroked my fingers along his cheek. “Of course not,” I told him with a careful smile.
I glanced at Madison and Dax, ensuring they were listening. Dax had proven to be the most levelheaded of the three, and he was my only hope of convincing them.
“But I’d seriously damage the relationships I’ve built if I just dropped everyone,” I said, eyes widening in dismay. “There needs to be a transition period where I leave, while still making them feel valued.”
“I don’t think so,” said Madison, grabbing my arm and starting to drag me over to their table. “I’m not dealing with other alphas’ fucking hands on you, getting their scents all over—”
“No touching!” I gasped, pulling out of his grip and taking a step back.
Madison growled, and every hair on my body stood on end as he took a step closer to me.
“The others! I won’t touch them,” I clarified, straightening my back and fighting not to flee as I looked desperately at Dax. “I promise. My staff will do that. I’ll just welcome them and settle them in. The rest of the evening, I’ll be all yours.”
“Forgive Madison,” he said, resting a hand on my lower back, his thumb stroking the silky fabric.
I stiffened as he neared the place where my dressing was.
“He’s the jealous type. Not used to having his playthings out and about.
We’ll go sit, duchess, but I’d caution you to keep your word.
Otherwise, we might be finding more guests making their way down to the cages. ”
He tilted his head at Madison, whose face broke into a grin.
Prince laughed. “Maybe don’t try too hard, Laurel. That would make Mads’s night.”
I gave them a rueful smile, and they finally left. I slowly managed to get my shaking under control, despite the fact my arm was still throbbing where Madison had grabbed me.
As my guests arrived, my staff took their arms while I explained my engagement and my regrets over stepping back in my duties.
I wasn’t taking any risks in pissing off my fiancés this evening, even if I did feel guilty throwing my staff to the wolves with such little warning. They didn’t have the same protections that came with my title and family.
I found it surprisingly difficult to keep my instincts in check as I refrained from the casual touches I’d been accustomed to up here. I felt alone and particularly cold as I walked around, and any whiff of discontent in an alpha’s scent set my teeth on edge.
The soothing and the physical contact came naturally to me as an omega, and it was a part of the job I’d rarely had to worry about. What was even more unsettling was the way I kept finding myself heading over to the Lucas pack, craving the only touch I was allowed tonight.
My jaw tightened as Finch stepped into the suite, looking stunning and arrogant as usual. He regarded me with his practiced detachment, and the bite on my side throbbed as I fought back a scream of frustration.
The pull I felt to touch the other guests in my suite paled in comparison to the way I needed him to touch me right now.
Mine, my body was screaming. Mine.
And someone else was reaching for him. I strode forward, cutting off the bewildered host before she touched him, and put my hand on his arm.
Finch looked at me in confusion, his mouth open slightly.
I whipped my hand away as soon as I realized what I’d done. Shit. Finch was wearing scent blockers, at least, so I wouldn’t have taken on any of his scent. Maybe the Lucas pack hadn’t noticed my slipup. I took a step back and jumped when an arm slid through mine.
“Daniel!” Prince said, the warmth in his tone not reaching his eyes. “Come join us!”
Finch’s eyes lingered for a second on Prince’s claim before we were led back to the seats the Lucas pack had claimed.
My skin crawled where Prince was touching me, and I wanted to rip my arm free and scrub every inch of his scent off my skin. My heart was thudding in my chest, and a bitter lump settled in my stomach as I realized I wouldn’t even get close to touching Finch again tonight.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Finch said, offering a polite smile as champagne glasses were set on the table beside us. Madison hadn’t even glanced his way, attention fully absorbed in the bloodshed below. “Is tonight the official celebration?”
“That’ll be next week,” I said. “We’re having an engagement party. You’ll have to come see how we celebrate properly in New Oxford.”
“Oh, I’m sure Daniel will be out of here before then, love,” Prince said, and I found myself pulled closer to his side.
“Actually, I’ll be extending my stay,” Finch commented, looking at Dax and lifting his glass. “I’ve decided to take back some rut fighters from here, so I need to arrange for their transport.”
Prince and Dax exchanged a loaded look.
“From here?” Prince asked. “I didn’t know Thaddeus had made any deals.”
“Oh, no. I’ve got something arranged through my other contacts. Not quite the same calibre as what you have here but eager to make a deal.”
“Nothing can top what we have here,” Dax said, gesturing at the fight cages. He’d made the switch to “we” with remarkable ease, considering he’d never stepped foot here before last week.
“What matters to me is having something to show for this trip,” Finch said with a shrug, but no one missed his greedy look at the Sink.
Dax moved over on his seat, pressing closer to me. He and Prince felt too hot on either side of me, their scents overwhelming. We paused as Joakim announced the next match, Shadow against “the new blood”—Ocean.
Dax’s hand rested on my thigh, the contact giving me an icky, oily sensation. “Laurel,” he said in a quieter voice, that ever-present amusement dancing on his face. “Your father said something a little puzzling about the new alpha today.”
I saw Madison had turned from the fights to listen to this.
Control, I reminded myself as I took a sip of my drink.
“That, apparently, we’re managing him,” Dax continued.
“Oh.” I laughed, resting my hand atop his.
“Did I forget to say? I’m so sorry, it must have slipped my mind with all the excitement.
Yes, Father seemed to think it was a good starting point.
But don’t worry, I’m taking care of all the boring day-to-day stuff.
I've done it for Father so many times, it’s second nature now. ”
I’d never done it for my father, but I could only pray they wouldn’t find that out.
“Don’t worry, that just leaves us with all the fun parts,” Prince said. “Like naming him.”
My attention was stolen by the match in the Sink. Kaos and Finch had already locked down their bonds tight. I didn’t know how to close the bond yet, and I was hoping Ocean’s efforts to spare me would be enough.
It didn’t matter.
As soon as the drug had overtaken him, the raw rage blazed past his defenses.
The skin over my knuckles went white as it surged through me, making my head spin and the strange, sickening pain explode from the dark bond, burning its way through my body. Just like last time, except worse.
It was wrong, it was so wrong. My alpha was hurting, and I needed to do something.
Anything.
I leaned forward, my hand fluttering over my stomach as I fought to keep the tears out of my eyes.
God, this was so fucked up. I’d never felt so useless, and I hadn’t asked for any of this.
I glared daggers at Finch as I straightened back up. He glanced at me, face blank, before he turned back to the fight.
Last time, the feelings had eventually dulled, and I kept waiting for Ocean’s rage to dim, but it didn’t.
I had to endure the whole fight. Ocean’s victory took forever, though by the time he was standing over his opponent’s body, the sensation wasn’t quite as all-consuming.
I could sense his satisfaction, and he looked right up, squinting through the bright lights to where we were sitting.
My heart thumped in my chest, even though I knew he couldn’t see much from down there.
Once again, he heaved the unconscious body of his opponent over his head, letting out a roar as he offered it to me.
I knew he was waiting for my reaction, my approval, so I tentatively reached out in the bond.
I had no love for the fights, or the wounds he was bearing, but if I just thought about him, I could respond how he wanted.
His muscled arms were steady, despite the body in his arms being bigger than him. Sweat was glistening on his heaving chest, along his abs. I doubted I needed my omega instincts to appreciate how beautiful and fierce he looked like this, and I let him feel that too.
I couldn’t separate the sorrow that coloured it, but it didn't seem to matter, because Ocean snorted and let the body down with a thud.
“I’ve got a name for him,” Dax said, giving us an amused smile. “Raze.”