33. Hannah
Hannah
" S o…we're really doing this?" Charlie asks, frowning as I adjust my Catwoman mask in the mirror.
"I mean, yeah. I'm putting my faith in Noah." I turn to check my bodysuit. No panty lines. Nice.
"Sure, but do I really need to wear a Superman costume to do that?" Charlie pulls at the crotch of his spandex Superman costume I found online last minute.
"Considering Halloween costumes are required for entry, yes." I turn to face him, pulling a single ringlet down onto his forehead. "Plus, remember when we dressed up like the Joker and Harley Quinn that one halloween and pretended like it was an accident? That was fun, this could be too."
"Gods, I remember that…" he shakes his head, "your brother might be stupid. How did he not realize we were secretly dating?"
I laugh and shake my head. "I ask myself that a lot. Plus, after tonight…no matter what happens, this whole nightmare with the court case will be over and we can finally move on with our lives. Put everything with Cat behind us."
Before Charlie can say anything, Austin's voice calls out from the doorway. "Um…Hannah? Is this costume supposed to be this tight?"
He walks into the nest, and I burst out laughing. "Oh my gods! What is that?"
Austin flushes red, his little green shorts showing off his toned legs. "It's the costume you handed me thirty minutes ago!"
"I gave you a Nightwing…oh! You're Robin !" I cover my mouth, more laughter spilling out of me. "Holy…Austin, this is…"
"I can't go like this," he shakes his head, the movement making his already thinly-stretched leotard pull tighter.. "No, I need something else. I'll trade with Noah—"
"Noah didn't need a costume, babe," I shake my head. "Fighters don't have to wear one."
"Are you guys ready to go?" Enzo calls, striding into the room, and Austin's jaw drops.
"Why does he get to be Batman?!"
"Well, obviously, because Batman is the leader of the Justice League, and Enzo is our head alpha…"
"What, and I'm Enzo's bitch?" Austin nearly whines, and I have to stifle another laugh. It's not funny.
Okay, it is funny.
But my alpha is distressed, and it's my job to calm him down.
"Of course not, alpha," I purr, walking over to him and trying to pump out soothing pheromones.
"I love how you look in this." And I'm not even lying.
All this tight spandex, showing off every dip and curve of his muscles?
I might have to shank a bitch if they look at him for too long.
Well, maybe not shank. But give them a very, very dirty look.
My hands run over the smooth expanse of his chest. "And, if you don't wear a costume, you can't get in, and I really need all my alphas tonight. Can you please wear it for me?" He melts under my touch, his frustration deflating a bit.
"Of course, darlin'." Austin sighs. "But if Noah says one word, I'm gonna—"
A snort comes from the doorway. "Oh my gods. Austin what are you—"
My eyes widen and I give him my best, shut-up-right-now-or-I'm-never-ever-touching-your-dick-like-ever look, and really I must have done a pretty good job because his mouth snaps shut and he shrugs. "Oh. Yeah. Halloween costume. Got it."
While the rest of my alphas stare at me like I have some kind of voodoo, I pat Austin on the shoulder and walk up to Noah. "How are you feeling about tonight?"
He grins at me, "I'm feeling great, princess. I'm gonna fix this for you. I promise." Then he glances at Charlie, brows raised. "Nice suit, asshole."
My hackles rise, ready to rip into Noah for being a jerk for no reason, but then Charlie barks a laugh. "Thanks, douchebag." They give each other weird grins that make me think I don't understand how male friendships work.
Shaking my head, I turn to my pack. "Alright then. Shall we go?" Like I said, one way or the other, after tonight, we'll be done with this whole mess.
The line to get into the gym is surprisingly long, and after Enzo pays our cover charge, we follow the crowd.
There's a giant boxing ring in the middle of the gym, with bleachers on either side.
Noah went in through the back to get changed into his gear, and I'm half tempted to go give him a little "pep talk" in the locker room.
When I mention it to Enzo, he looks at me like I'm crazy and tells me he's not letting me give Noah a "pep talk" in front of all the other fighters, which, honestly? That's fair. I didn't think of that. Maybe my heat is coming soon if I keep on making lust-fueled decisions like that.
"Do you see your step-sister anywhere?" Austin shouts over the sound of the crowd. His words draw the attention of a group of girls next to us, who immediately eye him and his tight outfit with interest. It takes everything in me not to rip their eyeballs out.
My alpha.
"No," I shake my head, "not yet."
"I better not see her," Charlie says lowly, next to my ear. "I have some choice words."
Eventually, we manage to snag some seats in the second row, and before we know it, the fights start. And shit, these guys are scary. And these are the legal fights?
"Next up, the one, the only, Neil Johnson! He's going up against the intimidating, the outstanding Brennan the Barbarian!" The announcer's voice rings over the room as my brows shoot up. Brennan? That's one of Wren's alphas.
"Hannah!" Speak of the omega. I turn my head to see Wren standing with another alpha, a tall blonde one with a nose ring. She's in a panda onesie. "What are you doing here?"
"I…uh…it's a long story. Noah's fighting!"
"Oh! So is Brennan. Can we sit behind you?"
"Sure!" I turn my attention back to the ring, where Brennan has his opponent in a headlock. The match is over in an instant, and I'm cheering for him.
"I don't know how I feel about you cheering on another alpha, reinita ," Enzo murmurs in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. Ever since we finally…er…sealed the deal in his office yesterday, he's been extra protective and a little growly.
I kind of love it.
A thrill runs through me at the memory of putting all my trust in him, letting him be in complete control while he called me his good girl.
I suppress a shiver at the thought, and before I can open my mouth to answer, the announcer is speaking over the loudspeakers again.
"And now, ladies and gentleman, for a special treat, we have a close friend of the owner coming out to fight, David Frell, and his tag-team partner, Hanson Perks!
" The two guys that come out of the locker room and climb into the ring are huge .
Like, bigger than Titus. This is…this isn't going to be a fight. It's going to be a massacre.
Suddenly, recognition flickers in my mind, and I think back to what the announcer just said. Frell. That's…that's Cat's pack name. Did he say tag team? That's not…that wasn't the deal.
My eyes search frantically for Cat, and I find her, standing on the other side of the ring. Before my alphas can stop me, I'm climbing out of the bleachers, heading right towards Cat's smug face.
"What the fuck, Cat?" I snarl, stalking up to her.
"What?" She asks innocently, and then I feel Enzo, Austin and Charlie at my back. Cat's eyes flash for a second when she spots Charlie, but then she's back to sneering at me. "I'm sure I told you it was a tag-team match. I mean, this gym is famous for doing tag-teams for their headliners."
I grit my teeth, "You absolutely did not—"
"And going against David Frell, is a newcomer to the gym, though I'm told he's no stranger to fighting.
Coming up to the ring is Noah Jameson!" The announcer's voice rings out as Noah approaches the ring, looking to me in panic.
His hair is up and he took his facial piercings out, somehow he looks younger.
"Take out the second guy," I snarl, "two-on-one isn't a fair fight."
"It's not my fault you didn't listen to the details," Cat shrugs, and Charlie growls behind me. "He can fight two guys or you can forfeit, it's up to you."
"That's bullshit, Cat, and you know it." Noah will get pulverized. He can't stand against two people at the same time. There's not a chance. He has to pull out of the fight. I can't let him get hurt.
"Well, folks, this is interesting," the announcer calls out, "it looks like Noah does not have a partner registered for the fight. Is he planning on taking on everyone himself?" The crowd goes silent, everyone waiting to see what's going to happen. It's fucking unnerving.
Noah is climbing into the ring, looking across the way to where the two other alphas are standing.
"Don't do it, Noah!" I cry out, going to the barrier of the ring. "Forfeit! It's not worth it!"
Cat snorts behind me. "See? This is why you're a failure, Hannah. You won't even let your alpha take a beating for a potential five million dollars. You always let your feelings get in the way."
Noah shakes his head at me, a small smile on his face. I can tell he's worried, but he won't let me see it. He wants so badly to fix this for me. Even if he gets himself put in the hospital in the process.
"Don't do this by yourself, please!" I'm ready to climb in the ring after him, but then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up, stunned to see Enzo, shirtless and now wearing some gym shorts. Where…when did he have time to change?
"He's not." Enzo says roughly, gently moving me out of the way, into Austin's arms and climbing into the ring.
"How did he…?" I trail off, looking at Enzo as he approaches an equally concerned and relieved looking Noah, bumping their knuckles together. Cat looks about ready to burst in anger before she stomps off.
"He rushed to the locker room as soon as they announced two fighters for Noah," Austin says quietly. "Must have borrowed some spare clothes. Come on, darlin'. Let's go sit."
I let Austin and Charlie lead me back to the stands, where Wren was saving our seats. "They'll be okay," she tells me, giving me a gentle smile.
I can only hope she's right.
She is not right.
They are not okay.