by River Ramsey
“Recently, sure, but there’s nothing too difficult about being a glorified trophy for alphas to pass around,” I mutter.
“Well, that’s going to change now.”
“Is it?” I challenge. “Like you said last night, I’m still just Eternus’ pawn.”
Mace watches me in silence for a moment. It’s hard to tell what he’s thinking. His eyes are always cold and sharp, but his face never betrays any emotion. Except last night… “I don’t know about that. I think anyone who underestimates your will is doing himself a grave disservice.”
His compliment grates me, but I know calling him on his bullshit isn’t going to achieve anything. “Why did you do that last night?”
“I assume you’re referring to Dan.”
“What else?” I snap. “You’re a doctor. What happened to causing no harm?”
He falls silent again, and I expect some sanctimonious response, but the look on his face actually seems to be one of defeat. “I suppose I lost my temper.”
It takes me a second to process that answer. Especially the fact that it seems honest. “You?”
“This may be hard for you to believe, but I do care about you, Danica.” His voice softens. “I won’t see you harmed, or disrespected.”
I’m not sure what to do with that information. “You’re the last person I want as my defender.”
“I know.” There’s nothing in his voice but resignation as he stands to clear the dishes. “I didn’t do it for your approval.”
With nothing left to say, I watch him deposit the dirty dishes in the sink and shrug on his coat. Only a minute passes between him leaving and the tutor arriving. To my relief, she’s a young beta who’s never been anything but kind to Aspen and the other children.
I find myself without a whole lot to do since Mace’s apartment is already spotless and I’m useless when it comes to math lessons.
Luckily, I don’t have long to contemplate my obsolescence. Unluckily, the thing that distracts me is a fight going on in the street below Mace’s living room window. It only takes me a second to realize the participants are none other than Rowan and Christopher.
“Hey!” I yell through the open window. Without waiting for them to respond, I barrel down the stairs and by the time I’m on the street below, Christopher already has a bloody nose.
“Break it up!” I cry when it becomes obvious the Eternus guards across the street aren’t going to do anything but watch in amusement. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I cry, shoving Christopher away before he can get himself killed.
“Move,” he growls, eyes locked on Rowan. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Like hell it doesn’t! What are you doing?” I demand, looking at Rowan. I can’t believe it, but he seems like my better chance at reasoning with one of them.
“Ask your boyfriend,” he mutters, wiping the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. Looks like Christopher got in a hit after all. He’s grown in stature, so I’m not sure why he’s still this fragile kid in my mind. “He started it.”
“You sound like children,” I snap. “Get inside before this starts another riot.”
To my surprise, they actually follow me in. I decide to capitalize on my newfound clout, folding my arms as I stand in front of them at the bottom of the stairs. “Alright, one of you tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s my day to court her,” Rowan growls.
“Who decided that?” Christopher shoots back.
I groan. So that’s what this is about. The horses are barely out of the gates and now there’s a stampede. I should have known this would happen when I announced the whole thing publicly.
“You guys can’t start fighting over me like a toy. Things are different now, and you’d better start acting like it,” I warn them. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who gets to choose, and beating the crap out of each other isn’t going to win you any points in my book.”
They both look deflated, but at least they seem to be considering my words. “Still has to start at some point,” Rowan mumbles. “Who gets first dibs?”
I scowl at him. Is it even worth explaining why that’s offensive? “Neither of you,” I say, deciding it isn’t. When I see the looks of shock and coming protest, I decide to squelch it. “Consider it a timeout until you learn to conduct yourselves like gentlemen.”
“Then who goes first?” Christopher demands. “Don’t tell me it’s Mace.”
“Of course not,” I mutter. If I can help it, I’ll find a way out of him courting me altogether. “I choose James.”
“James?” they cry in unison.
“Are you out of your mind?” Rowan bellows. “We let you go off with him and there’s a chance you’ll come back half-eaten.”
“That’s speciesist,” I inform him. “James isn’t like you think.”
Christopher snorts. “We’ll see.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I snap. “As for who goes next, that depends on which one of you can manage to go twenty-four hours without making a fool of himself.” I look them up and down as I reach for my jacket on the hook by the door. “I don’t have very high hopes at the moment.”
Chapter 11
Christopher insisted on walking me to James’ place, even though he huffed and sulked the whole way there. I’m getting sick of the new and unimproved him, and I’m going to tell him as much when his day comes around.
James’ house is a lot nicer than I expected. I’m not sure why I always imagined he lived in a tree fort or something. It’s on the far end of the pack, and I’m sure he likes being out here as much as the others want him here.
The gate creaks as I step through and I turn around when Christopher tries to follow me. “That’s far enough. I don’t want you getting in any more fights on my behalf.”
He frowns, but he storms off. I roll my eyes and go to the door, trying to quiet my own nerves. I wouldn’t admit it to the others, but James still intimidates me. Our unexpectedly pleasant meeting in the woods feels like so long ago now.
He opens the door and seems just as surprised to see me. “Danica?” he frowns. “What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
“That’s a matter of opinion, I guess,” I say, pulling my coat a little tighter. “The courtship has officially started, so I thought we could get to know each other a little better. If you have time.”
The blank look on his face makes me wonder if I’ve made a huge mistake. “Sure,” he says suddenly, stepping back. “Come in.”
I step through the threshold, surprised once again at how barren the house is. There’s furniture, sure, but not a hint of decor. Not even a painting or a hint of the personality of the lone occupant.
Everything he does have is nice, so I know it’s not a matter of not having the money to decorate. He watches me with that wild animal look in his eyes, only I realize for the first time that I think he’s more afraid of me than I am of him.
“Your place is very…”
“Empty?”
“I was going to say spartan.”
He snorts. “I’m not here often.”
“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”
“No. Do you want a drink or something?”
“Do you have coffee?” I ask hopefully. Mace evidently doesn’t believe in caffeine, and I could use a fix.
“Sure. Follow me.” He nods toward a room down the dark hall and leads me into a kitchen that’s as nondescript as the rest of the house.
“So, do you not believe in throw pillows?”
“I’m not really the creature comforts type,” he says, rummaging through the cabinets. He’s well-stocked on coffee, at least. I guess blood isn’t the only thing he needs.
The thought makes me shiver and I wish I hadn’t gone there. As tame as James seems sometimes, I have no idea how his instincts will kick in if he smells blood. A paper cut could be enough to set him off. Then again, he held it together during the attack well enough.
“You travel a lot, don’t you?”
“When I’m not on duty as a guard, yeah. Before the lockdown.”
“Right,” I murmur. I thank him when he sets a fresh cup of coffee in front of me.
“Hope you like it black. I don’t really keep sugar around.”
“Yeah, I noticed your cabinets are bare. Do you not eat or something?” It’s only half a joke, but I’m hoping he won’t take offense to it.
He gives me a knowing look. “Not really.”
I gulp. That wasn’t the answer I’d expected somehow. “Oh.”
“In case you’re wondering, no, I don’t eat people.” He flashes me a bit of fang. “Not usually.”
I shudder.
“I’m kidding. I do drink blood when I fight, but mostly I just hunt animals. I figured you were probably worried about that.”
“That’s enough?” I ask doubtfully.
“It wouldn’t be if I was full-blooded, but it keeps me sane.”
“That’s… good. Maybe if the others knew that, they’d be less afraid of you.”
“Maybe. But I don’t see that as a good thing.”
“Why not?”
“Because at least when they’re scared of me, they leave me alone.”
I wince. “Guess I can understand that.”
“Why are you here, Danica?”
“I told you—”
“I mean why are you really here?” he says. I get the feeling he’s looking through me again. It’s impossible to lie to him, and I find that I don’t really want to. “I know you’re not actually considering me.”
“That’s not true.” To my surprise, I’m not lying. “Honestly, I don’t know who I’m going to choose, but… you’re definitely in the running.”
He eyes me doubtfully. “What about Christopher?”
“You already know the risks of choosing him,” I murmur. “Besides, he’s changed. He’s not the guy I used to know. Not anymore.”
James listens in silence. The others would jump in, maybe use my doubts to make their own case, but James doesn’t. He’s the only one I feel is actually listening to me, and I didn’t realize how much that meant before.
“Anyway, I know what Eternus wants me to choose, and I’m not willing to do that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mace is already cozy with the commander,” I mutter. “I hate him, and I’d rather die than be his mate.”
“Because of your father?”
“Yes.” My throat tightens and I realize I’m about to go down a dangerous road if I keep dwelling on that betrayal.
“What do you think will happen now that the pack is in Eternus hands?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean your father was banished,” he clarifies. “Now that Adam is dead, he could come back.”
His words sting, even though I’m sure he didn’t mean them to. “You’re right,” I say hoarsely. “If he’s still alive, he could.” If he was, I’m sure he would have by now. I can think of no reason that would keep him away, and surely he’s heard about the takeover.
“Maybe he can’t get here for some reason,” James says quickly. Does he actually feel bad for upsetting me? “He could be a prisoner of war.”
“I’m not sure that’s a much better fate than death, but… thanks.”
He gives me an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid I’m not very good at pep talks.”
“No,” I agree, smiling. “But you’re good company all the same.”
“Now that’s bullshit.”
I laugh. “I’m serious. The others treat me like I’m fragile, or worse, a child. You talk to me like a person. I appreciate that.”
“I’m only half wolf,” he reminds me. “Probably has something to do with it.”
“Maybe, but it’s nice all the same.”
“So,” James says after a moment of contemplation. “I’m supposed to be courting you.”
“Mhm.”
“Probably should’ve planned ahead,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not really sure how these things are supposed to go.”
I can’t help but smile. “Me either. But since I don’t know what I’m doing either, I wouldn’t complain about dinner and a movie. Preferably in the house.”
“That can be arranged,” he says with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “Give me thirty minutes, and stay put. I don’t want you causing any more fist fights.”
“That wasn’t my doing,” I grumble. Once he leaves, I decide to give in to the temptation to snoop, just a little. Going upstairs feels a bit too invasive, but his bedroom is on the first floor, and I’m relieved he actually has a proper bed setup. The way he acts, you’d think he slept in a cave.
When he returns with a bag of groceries, a gust of cold air follows him in. “Good. You’re still here.”
“I can listen from time to time,” I tease. “What’s that?”
“Ingredients. I hope you like pasta.”
“You know how to cook?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.
“Yes, it’s just not a skill I have to use often,” he says dryly, going over to the counter to start preparing the food. “The remote’s on the coffee table. Pick something you want to watch.”
“Satellite. Nice,” I say, flopping down on the couch. I scroll through the movie channels and settle on a horror movie I’ve been wanting to see, since I think a romantic comedy would be torture for him. And maybe give the wrong impression.
Although I’m not sure what the right impression is. This is the most normal I’ve felt in a long time, and the more time I spend with James, the more I begin to relax around him. I never thought I’d have the chance to go on an actual date, but it’s kind of nice.
When he comes to join me with two bowls in his hand, I look up in surprise. “You’re going to eat, too?”
“I can eat regular food, it just doesn’t do much,” he says, sitting down. “You seem like the type who’d feel weird eating alone.”
I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but he’s right. I press play on the movie and take a bite of the pasta. “Holy cow, this is good!”
“You sound surprised.” He sounds insulted.
“Sorry,” I laugh. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be the chef type.”
He rolls his eyes and turns back to the screen. It’s a little bit chilly even though the heat is on, and I find myself scooting closer. When his arm pops up on the sofa behind me, my heart beats a little faster. Something about this just feels right. It’s easy to forget what this is and let myself live in the fantasy that I’m just a normal woman dating a normal guy, even though we’re both so far from that.
I find myself relaxing against James’ side without really meaning to, and by the time I’m aware of it, it’s too late to pull away without hurting his feelings. Not that I want to. He’s so warm, and when his muscular arm drapes over my shoulder, I feel instantly safe and secure and happy.
All my life, I’ve heard that when an omega meets the right alpha, he makes her feel safe. I’ve only ever felt objectified and insecure around the alphas I know, the old Christopher being the notable exception. This is… different. And I think I like it.
James’ fingers stroke my hair absently, even though his attention is fixed on the screen. I find mine drifting, and shifting instead to his scent. It’s woodsy and pleasant, and each breath I take makes me want more. Without realizing it, I’ve leaned in to get a better whiff of his neck and the way his body tenses up tells me I wasn’t subtle enough.
I pull away, my face flaming in embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” His voice is rough as he looks me up and down, curiosity in his eyes. “What were you doing?”
“I don’t know,” I squeak. “S—smelling you, I think?”
That makes his head cock to one side in the most charming expression of bewilderment I’ve ever seen, which is definitely not helping my attempt to play it cool. “Why?”
“I
don’t know,” I groan. “Your scent is just… nice.”
His mouth lilts at one corner.
“What?” I snap defensively.
“Nothing,” he snorts. “You’re cute.”
“Cute?”
Now he’s the one who looks embarrassed. “Yeah, well… obviously.”
Not obviously, but knowing he thinks that makes my heart flutter in a different way. I don’t know what it is, but suddenly, all I can do is stare at his full lips and his chiseled jaw and wonder what it would be like to kiss him. One look in his eyes and I can tell he’s thinking the same thing. He leans in and I meet him halfway, and our lips connect in one blinding, dizzying moment of passion that sparks into an inferno.
My hands frame his face and his span my waist. The kiss deepens and I’m not really sure who the culprit is. Both of us, maybe. It doesn’t really matter as he hoists me onto his lap and I straddle it, digging my hands deeper into his surprisingly soft tousled hair.
He feels as good as he tastes, and something unfamiliar rises up within me, burning in a way that’s startling but not unpleasant. It spreads out through my chest like embers, and as James’ tongue makes its way into my mouth, my throat unleashes a soft moan of pleasure.
“Danica,” he whispers against my lips before his graze my jawline. I shudder as he makes his way down to my neck, but my head rolls back instinctively, baring what I should want to protect from him.
If he wanted to bite me, it would be so easy, and there would be nothing I could do to stop it. If he’s not in control of his bloodlust, it’s reckless to offer myself so brazenly, and yet it’s instinct to bare my neck to a potential mate. Especially one I find myself as attracted to as I am now.
His lips press against my throat softly, seductively, but just when I’m afraid he’s going to bite, he pulls away and leaves me wanting. Shame fills me as I realize I actually wanted him to bite me. To let anyone, even my chosen alpha, feed from me would be the most prurient act an omega can commit, and yet the idea sends a warm thrill deep into my core…
What is wrong with me? I climb off his lap, bringing my hair down to cover my neck.
“I’m sorry,” James says quietly.
I look up sharply at him. “Why? You didn’t do anything.”
