Page 60 of Knot What She Seems
Just that thought about how dominant he is sends the sparks flying through my belly, flickering over my inner thighs. Heating my core.
Nic inhales sharply, and I glance up to see his eyes are dilated. His expression, however, is steady, not feral.
“Is that for him or me?” he asks.
A terrible, selfish part of me wants to lead him on and compliment him, use him as a barrier between myself and Alpha Team X. But that would be cowardly and wrong, and I just can’t bring myself to condemn this man. Even though he’s practically a stranger to me, I can sense the honor glowing within him like a light.
“I don’t want them to be my scent matches,” I whisper. “I don’t want any mates, much less scent matches.”
Nic tilts his head, considering my words, and I feel as though I just confessed to a crime. He looks like the judge and jury combined, and my heart seizes up at the thought that he’s about to pass judgment. I drop my eyes to the ground, dragging a trail over some of the grout lines in between the marble tiles.
“I can understand not wanting to be gifted to an alpha group,” Nic muses, one of his hands leaving my waist to rub at his jawline. “But why would you resist a scent match?”
My mouth opens and closes. Then it opens and closes again as I search for an explanation I can stomach giving him. Before I can answer, I hear Luka’s voice cut through the air behind us.
“Nic, get your hands off.”
His statement brings all my resentment crashing down at once.
I straighten my spine and level Nic with a penetrating stare. “Because I refuse to be mated to arrogant assholes who think they’re better than everyone else and treat my brother like shit.”
The side of Nic’s mouth ticks up in a grin. “Ah, so you want to see them humbled a bit.”
“A lot.”
A mischievous sparkle lights up in the alpha’s brown eyes as he says, “I think we can help with that.”
20
RIDGE
I didn’t wantto come to this damn ball, but unfortunately, nobody gave me a choice in the matter.
“You have a job to do,” my contact snapped, her cold voice echoing slightly on the phone. “And since your search at Eros has proved to be futile?—”
“Understood,” I said, then hung up the phone.
Now, I stand on the fringes of the ballroom, feigning boredom as omega after omega attempts to capture my attention. Jameson stands on one side of me, nursing a glass of bourbon, while Tamlin leans against the wall to the right of me. His shrewd eyes, bracketed by wrinkles, study the fawning Darlings with barely veiled disgust.
“The women were never so…blatant when I was a student at Eros,” Tamlin murmurs, his upper lip curling slightly. The movement causes his bushy gray mustache to twitch.
“Back when dinosaurs used to roam the earth, you mean?” Jameson drolls sarcastically, and Tamlin casts the other alpha an irritated look.
“Omegas were once docile.” Tamlin shakes his head slowly. “What happened to them?”
I snort and bring my own drink up to my lips. I don’t actually take a sip, however, knowing I need to remain sharp and focused. “They fought for equal rights and won.”
Tamlin waves a dismissive hand. “It’s unbecoming.” He nods toward two omega girls whose dresses leave very little to the imagination. Their breasts practically spill out of the fabric. Both of them turn to me at the same time, the one on the left biting her lower lip suggestively. The girl on the right lazily begins to fiddle with her necklace—the movement designed to draw attention to her ample cleavage.
I blow out a breath and purposely look away. It’s been way too fucking long since I’ve indulged in some of the more…carnal pleasures life has to offer. But the last place I’m going to look for pussy is Darling Academy. These omegas are expecting a lifetime commitment, not a one-night fuck.
And I don’t do commitment.
I pretend to take another sip of my drink as I scan the gathered alphas and omegas once more. And…there. The headmaster of Eros seems to be in deep conversation with a teacher at Darling—an older woman with graying hair, refined features, and a rictus twist to her lips. I make a mental note to do more research into the staff here.
“You going to dance, or are you content holding up the wall?” Jameson’s rough voice drags my attention in his direction. The older alpha has his phone in one hand, his drink in the other. He doesn’t even look in my direction as he flicks through his phone. Tamlin must’ve left at some point in time. I don’t see the old alpha anywhere.
“Why aren’tyoudancing?” I counter.
