“No, I’ve had enough already,” she said, knowing she was stone-cold sober, but there was no way she was drinking anything he supplied.
“All work and no play? On to business, then,” he said, continuing forward. He placed the glasses on the bench but remained standing. He was tall, nearly Lucas’s height, but he didn’t have Lucas’s muscled, honed frame. Instead, he was slightly mushy through the middle, though still quite intimidating in his own way.
“You said you wanted something,” she said. “I’m here to find out if it’s something I can give.”
“Nothing you can’t give, at least nothing that would be irrevocable,” he said, eyeing her quietly. He looked around them, almost as if he were waiting for something.
“Like what?” she asked, wrapping her arms around herself to block out the chill of the night air.
“Just a taste,” he said, grabbing her and pulling her close to him. She hated the feel of him, but she couldn’t scream yet. It would blow everything for her and Lucas. She could smell alcohol on his breath, like he’d been working on that champagne before she showed up.
“A taste of what?” she said, hoping it didn’t mean what she thought it meant.
“A preview for you to enjoy, since I’ll be winning the tournament and you’ll be my mate soon enough.” He looked around the garden once more, and then his eyes moved down to her lips.
“What if I say no?” she said, putting her hands up to his chest to press him back.
“Then those photos will be in everyone’s hands before midnight.” He grinned and ran a finger over her lips. “And if I were you, I’d at least try to enjoy it. I promise I won’t mate you, but I’ll take what I want. And if you’re good, you have my pack’s promise I won’t reveal Lucas’s identity.”
Lily had a choice to make. She could call for Tim and Tom, but then everything would be over and Lucas and she would have no chance. She didn’t want to betray Lucas, but she hoped he would understand just this small sacrifice in order for them to have a chance to be together. She couldn’t just give up.
He would understand, right? Just one kiss, in exchange for a chance at forever?
“Pack’s promise you won’t mate me? And Lucas is safe?”
“Yes. Pack’s promise.”
She nodded. It was the firmest vow a wolf could make, unbreakable once given. She and Lucas would be safe, after this one horrible moment.
“Make it quick.”
“I’ll take as long as I want. And you’ll like it,” he said, swooping down to take her mouth in a harsh, unpleasant kiss that had a sour, biting tang to it. She tried to pull away and then forced herself to stay there as his wet lips lapped at hers.
At that moment, she heard footsteps rounding the corner of the hedges.
“Lily?” she heard a voice ask. When she looked up, she saw angry green eyes burning as Lucas ran toward them. “Get your fucking hands off her.”
“Better call off your dog,” Bruce whispered in her ear. “Or our bargain is off.”
“You promised,” she said.
“Yes, and I got interrupted. Call him off, finish our kiss, and it’s over,” he said.
“Lucas, stop!” she cried out, putting a hand up before he could reach them.
* * *
Lucas felt his heart drop into his stomach. He’d been coming to save her, and she’d told him to stop.
Shock thudded through him. Why was she doing this? Just moments ago, he’d ensured that Jordan and Asher had safely gotten her sister Laurel out. It’d been easy with everyone at the party.
He doubted anyone would ever find any trace that they’d been there, and the guards had been woefully unprepared for the mayhem the Vale brothers could unleash.
But all that had changed in an instant when he’d found Lily here with Bruce. She’d been kissing another man, and he’d assumed she needed rescue.
Now he wasn’t so sure.
“Lily, what’s going on?” he asked, hating how broken his voice sounded.
She just stared at him, not saying anything.
“Oh, you know,” Bruce said, cutting in with a smug grin. “She just wanted a taste of full alpha before I win tomorrow.”
Lucas took a step forward, wanting to pound his face in. It wouldn’t assuage the pain, but it was a start.
“I swear I’ll fucking kill you, McGavin,” he said, muscles tensed in agony.
“You can’t do anything to me outside the ring or you’re disqualified.”
“And you’re not supposed to be doing anything to Lily,” Lucas said.
McGavin’s gaze shot to his. “And you either.”
Lucas glared. He was stuck. “Fine, just let her go now.”
Bruce looked over at Lily, who was still not making any move to go. “I don’t know. I don’t think she wants to just yet.”
“Get your fucking hands off her!” Lucas repeated.
“Just one more, and then she’s yours again. For now,” Bruce said, bringing his lips down to Lily’s in a quick kiss that filled Lucas with rage.
Lucas rushed forward to stop it, but before he could, the kiss was over and Bruce was pulling away to walk past him, brushing him with his shoulder harshly.
Lily hadn’t resisted at all. Hadn’t asked him for help, hadn’t acknowledged him at all.
As a result, he felt totally broken.
Bruce turned around with one last wave. “See you in the ring tomorrow, mongrel,” he said with a laugh, walking off.
“Lucas,” Lily said, looking drained. “I’m sorry…”
“How could you?” he said. “While you were out here with him, I was freeing your sister. I thought we were going away together… I thought…”
“I have his pack’s promise. I…”
“His promise? You have his promise? You want him? You could have told me that before I made a fool of myself.”
She looked shaken but like she was trying to compose a response. Part of him had hoped there was something more to it, but it was clear now that he’d been mistaken. “No, Lucas, wait, please,” she said.
“I can’t. Not right now,” he said. “Give me space.”
“You don’t understand,” she said, coming toward him.
He whirled on her. “You’re right, because once again, you’ve left me in the dark. And once again, it’s hurt me.”
Then he turned and walked away. If he stayed any longer, he’d say something he’d regret. He had a fight to focus on, and he couldn’t let this throw him. He was sure that had been Bruce’s aim all along.
It just hurt that Lily had gone along with it.
7
Lily ran after Lucas. Now that Bruce was gone, there was nothing keeping her from doing so. They were safe. She could tell him it was all for them. Surely she could make him believe her…
But his strides were so long, and he disappeared into the night just as a large shadow stepped into her path. She gasped and looked up.
“Father?”
“Lily, what are you doing out here?” His voice was commanding. “I heard shouting.”
“I was just getting some fresh air before going back inside.” She hoped Lucas had gone into the ball or hadn’t made it back to his car yet and there was still time to catch him.
“Well, come back inside and hopefully you can make it up to the guests. I didn’t raise you to be this rude.”
“I’ll be there in a minute… I just need to adjust my dress.” She knew she wouldn’t shake him for long until after the party. She just needed to run back and make sure her cousins got a message to Lucas.
“Fine, I expect you soon,” he said, walking away toward the large house that had always been her prison.
She ran back to the garden and whispered Tom’s name. She heard a faint rustle and knew he could hear her.
“I need you to get a message to Lucas. I can’t go to him now. Tell him I’ll be in my room at midnight, and I’ll explain everything. I know this all looks bad, but there’s an explanation.
I promise. I’ll give it to all of you, but there’s no time now.”
Silence was her answer, but she knew they wouldn’t let her down.
She ran back toward the party, holding her skirt in her hand. Bruce’s bitter taste was in her mouth, and she longed to kiss Lucas, to purge it away and know things weren’t ruined between them.
Just a few more hours and she could make things right. She knew it was wrong to kiss another, but it had meant the difference between a life together or a life apart, so she’d been willing to do it.
She’d make it up to him when this was all over, when they were far from here and safe.
As she ran up the steps to the house, she tried not to stress out. She went into the party and saw her dad looking up when she came in, acknowledging her presence.
Bruce was standing across the room, a smirk on his self-satisfied face, but she ignored him.
She played nice for the rest of the party, constantly checking the clock to make sure it would end on time. If she didn’t make it to Lucas when she said she would, she knew he’d think the worst. She didn’t blame him for it. He’d been meant to. That had been Bruce’s plan all along, but she and Lucas would beat him.
Her sister was safe. Her heart had swelled within her when she’d heard it, though he’d been so angry when he told her. It had been the hardest thing in the world to kiss another man and watch the broken expression on his face, but the only harder thing would have been letting him go when she knew this was all she had to do to hold on to him.
When the party was finally finished and the last of the guests were filing out, she looked around to make sure her dad wasn’t in sight and then crept out through a side exit that led to a stairway that would take her up to her room.
It was a quarter to twelve. Would Lucas already be there, waiting?
But as she started up the stairs, she saw a dark shadow fall over the middle landing and looked up to see her father, looking ominous as he loosened his tie and walked forward.
“I’m afraid after a certain incident happened earlier this evening, I don’t think I can allow you to return to your room.”
She gulped and froze in place. What did he know?
“You see, someone has successfully invaded our home and absconded with your sister. And I thought, who would want to do this? Who would know how? And then it occurred to me, dear daughter, that perhaps the person who would most want her out of the way is you.”
She took a step back, trying not to lose her balance on the stairs. She’d gotten so caught up in her romance with Lucas that she’d forgotten just how evil her father could be.
“So then I looked a little closer into one of the competitors that’s been bothering me. Asher Vale. You see, I remember the last name, because he shares a name with a half alpha mongrel that caused us a lot of trouble. When I found out they were brothers… well, the rest wasn’t hard to surmise. But they’ll stick up for each other and it’ll be nearly impossible to prove until it’s too late.
“Fortunately, a little help from Bruce was enough to mess him up, and we’ll see how long he’s willing to keep your sister now that he knows you’ve betrayed him. But you see, I can’t let you go back to your room because I’ve no doubt you plan to meet him, and that would ruin everything.”
“You can’t do this. You can’t run my life anymore. You already ruined it once, but Laurel’s gone. She’s safe, and you can’t use her against me.”
He grabbed her cruelly by the arm and yanked her forward. She winced. This man had never behaved like a dad, not once. “You’ll do as I say. I made you. I own you.”
She tried to jerk away, but he yanked her back down the stairs and toward an empty room to the side that no one would think twice about.
He yanked open the door and threw her inside, slamming the door behind her. She slammed her fists against it as she heard a key turn in the lock.
“Someone will come for you in the morning. You’ll need to get your rest so you don’t disappoint Bruce when he wins you as a prize. And he will win you, Lily. And in the end, I think you’ll be glad I had your best interests at heart, even if you weren’t smart enough to see it.”
She slammed her fist into the wood again, wishing she could break it. There was no window in the room, no way out. She’d have to spend the entire night wondering how Lucas would take this. Would he think the worst of her? Would he be able to fight tomorrow? Watching your mate with another was a devastating thing for a shifter, but she’d thought she’d have time to explain before his match.
“Good night, Lily,” her father called out. “See you in the morning.”
* * *
The arena was filled today, and Lily pondered how it was so many shifters could fill one location like this. They must have come from pretty far and wide to attend, since humans clearly wouldn’t have been invited. In fact, they were barred from entering, since a human wouldn’t know what to make of things if they saw an alpha use their power in the ring.
It wasn’t every day an event like this was held, though, so Lily imagined news of it had spread pretty fast, and shifters were known for liking violence. It was in their blood.
Lily was alone today. Her father hadn’t brought Tim and Tom in, since presumably he knew they were helping her and Lucas.
It had all been for nothing. Bruce had promised not to tell something that her father already knew. But her father had ruined things between her and Lucas more effectively than Bruce ever could have alone.
She stewed silently as she felt her father’s watchful presence behind her. He’d been sticking to her since the servants got her ready and brought her up.
“Don’t get any ideas,” he said. “You try and communicate with him, I tell everyone just who he is.”
She bristled. She no longer cared who knew, as long as Lucas knew he was the only one for her. She just had to find her opening and run to him. She believed him when he said he could do anything if she believed in him. She just had to let him know she did.
She waited eagerly to see Lucas. To reassure herself he was fine and hopefully try to make eye contact that would reassure him she was here for him.
When the match was announced to roaring applause, she saw him make his way down to the ring in the center. But he didn’t look like he had any of the confidence of the other day. His head was hung, his long hair obscuring his face as he jogged down to the ring, ignoring the screaming fans on either side of him.
Her heart fell. He looked utterly destroyed. She prayed he wouldn’t let it affect him in the match, but that looked unlikely based on the way he paced impatiently in the ring and wouldn’t make contact with either the ref who was giving instructions or Bruce, who seemed hell bent on taunting him.
Bruce was wearing baby-blue shorts that matched his eyes and looking as smug as Lucas looked defeated.
Lily groaned. Lucas had told her before that confidence was vital to a fight, and he looked like he had none. She needed to get to him soon. She looked behind her at her dad, but he was flanked by two huge goons.
No, she’d have to wait for the right moment. And just hope Lucas could hold on ‘til then.
The bell dinged and the fight began.
Lucas was thankfully more careful out of the gate, watching his opponent closely as Bruce jabbed and swiped at him. Lucas countered with some conservative kicks but was careful to keep his distance. As long as he kept himself safe, Lily would be happy.
The first thirty seconds or so passed like this, neither man making much leeway, testing the strengths and weaknesses of the other as they sparred. Lily wished very badly she could see into Lucas’s thoughts right now. Was he okay? Was he angry? Had he given up on them already? He was here, but he could simply be here for revenge on Bruce for what he’d seen the other night.
He hadn’t looked up at her once.
The atmosphere in the arena was tense too as everyone watched the top two competitors circle. There were mild cheers whenever a light kick or a punch landed,
but the crowd was mostly silent. Waiting.
Then, in an instant, Lucas exploded forward, throwing everything he had. Quick kicks followed by elbow strikes and punches. But instead of panicking, Bruce was collected. He dodged and blocked each attack flawlessly. Almost too flawlessly. Usually, with the speed and skill Lucas was displaying, something would have connected. But nothing did. It was like Lucas was trying to hit the air even though his technique was perfect.
Lucas dodged back, creating space between them again, huffing after the exertion and keeping light on his toes. Bruce looked slowly up at the VIP box, stared directly at Lily, and gave her a thumbs-up.
Lucas raised his haggard eyes to hers for a split second, and she tried to send him a quick, encouraging smile, even from this distance. But he merely flinched as if struck and then turned away, back to the fight.
Was he truly done with her?
8
Lucas gritted his teeth as he looked away from Lily. She’d smiled, but was it for him, or for Bruce? After last night he wasn’t sure.
The human in him had tried to wait for an explanation, tried to calm the wolf raging inside him at the supposed betrayal of their mate. But she’d never come.
Anger and confusion burned inside him, twisting him into a knot that seemed to grow bigger every moment he was in the ring with this bastard and couldn’t take him down.
“Finally giving up?” Bruce asked, folding his arms and circling Lucas. “Probably a good idea. You’ll never beat me anyway. Even if you weren’t acting like a kicked dog.”
Lucas clenched his teeth. He didn’t want to give Bruce the satisfaction of knowing he’d messed him up as much as he had. All he had was Lily. All he wanted was Lily, and if Bruce meant to take what was his, then he intended to take Bruce’s head off.
But he was more than a little frustrated that his combos had missed completely. He knew his technique was perfect. How had his opponent been able to predict every move like that? Lucas knew for sure this guy didn’t have more MMA experience than he did. His stance was slightly sloppy, his strikes initially had been more imprecise, and everything about him bespoke privilege and status, not backbreaking work or honed skill.
Alpha Champion (Wolf Fighters Book 1) Page 7
