Page 92 of The Rejected Omega

I glance over and immediately know I’ve made a mistake.

Connor is in the ring, shirtless and sweaty, his fists taped. He’s grappling with another alpha. They vie against each other, hardly moving despite the flexing of muscles and sounds of strain.

Then his opponent slips, and it’s over in a flash. Connor flips him onto his back and kneels with his knee on the guy’s throat.

I stumble in my steps and quickly press the button to lower the speed, beep-beep-beeping.

Connor’s opponent taps out, and there’s a round of claps and whistles.

Connor gets up and spits blood in a bucket hanging on the side of the ring and guzzles at his water bottle. He leans against the ropes of the cage, chest heaving. Several drops race down his chest. His skin is littered with marks from my mouth, and my bite is bright red and angry-looking, proudly displayed for anyone to see.

Connor nods to the group of alphas outside the ring.

“Again.”

They glance at each other.

“You haven’t had enough, Masters?”

“You’ve been going hard this week. How many bouts is that?”

“Is someone going to get into the fucking ring with me or not?”

One guy shakes his head and walks away. “Nah, man. You’re an animal right now. Sure you actually came down from rut?”

One of the alphas climbs into the ring, sighing like he’s been on the receiving end of Connor’s wrath one too many times already this week.

“One more. But then we’re going out for burgers. I’ve got a test tomorrow.”

They start to brawl. I watch, decreasing my speed to a slow jog.

Then I blink. Roy’s approaching the ring.

Connor’s head swings to him, and he catches an elbow to the face for that moment of distraction.

“You,” Connor spits. “Stay right where you are.”

Oh, shit.

I don’t think Roy even realizes Connor is talking to him.

I pull the emergency stop on the treadmill and wipe it down, then hustle over.

“We should leave,” I hiss in Roy’s ear. “Or did you forget the part where I showed up to tutoring wearing your scent?”

“I’m afraid that’s up there with other disgusting, unforgettable things. Like that live birth video from sex ed. I’m never gonna get the taste of you out of my mouth.”

Connor’s head jerks to us. Blood is streaming down his face from a cut in his eyebrow. His scent grows an acrid edge. He definitely heard that second part.

“This seems really unsanitary. They know this isn’t UFC, right?”

I tug on Roy’s arm. “We need to go.Now.”

“I have another thirty to do on the bike. This is my rest period.”

“You’re not gonna be able to ride a bike if we don’t get out of here.”

Connor slams his opponent to the mat and traps him in a chokehold.

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