Page 101 of In Deep
“They’re pretty damn delighted.” He strokes his fingers through my hair. “You’re pack now.”
Chapter 32
The night before the race, the college has paid for the boys to stay in a hotel close to the course. Strictly speaking, I’m not sure I’m allowed to be staying too, but there’s no way my alphas are going to let me spend a night away from them. Especially when that night is the night before the biggest race of their lives. They want me close by, my touch, my scent, my calming presence.
Most of the day is lost to race officials talking the boys through the arrangements, interviews with members of the press, and weigh-ins and drug testing. After it’s all finished, Bob takes them for a carb heavy meal, and then it’s check-in time.
It seems we’re not the only rowing team that’s chosen to stay close to the event. The lobby is full of oversized men, the air con circulating many alpha scents.
Duncan draws me into his body as we wait by the reception desk. “Stay close to us, wee yin,” he tells me as he eyes the other crews milling about the lobby.
I can understand his worry. That familiar feeling of alpha eyes on my body troubles me. I slide my hand into his and note the way my alphas come to stand around me, forming a barrier with their bodies.
Once Bob’s checked us all in, we move as one towards the lifts, but then, as the boys haul their bags through the opening doors, I get a whiff of that scent. Sickly sweet.
I freeze, an icy shiver running down my spine. What’s she doing here?
I swing my gaze about, searching for her through the throng of people, and then I’m pushed.
One minute I’m standing waiting to step into the lift, the next I’m bundled through into the adjacent one. The buttons on the walls are slammed and the doors crash shut.
I grapple for the handle and look up, finding myself alone in the mirrored box with four large alphas. They all wear matching green polo shirts, tiny embroidered sharks swimming across their left pecs. And I understand immediately. These areThe Sharks. My boys’ competitors.
They circle me, each grinning toothily, and I slink back against the wall.
“She smells fucking delicious,” the largest ones says, his eyes travelling down my form slowly like I’m something he’d like to devour.
“And unclaimed,” the fair man to his right chuckles. He steps towards me and I flinch away. “They not giving you what you need, sweetheart?”
“I have everything I need, thank you,” I manage to spit out, edging towards the row of buttons. Another man steps forward, blocking my way.
The lift keeps rising; the motion pushing my feet into the floor and my stomach into my lungs.
Surely, the lift will stop any second now.
The man blocking my path leans in towards me, his nose finding my neck. “Definitely unclaimed. Bunch of fucking pussies. Or maybe they just don’t want you.” The pack of alphas move as one group, closing in on me. “But we’ll have you. Wouldn’t you rather be with winners, not a bunch of losers?”
“They’re going to crush you,” I whisper, just as the lift comes to an abrupt halt and the doors are ripped open. Seb crashes through, pinning the man at my neck to the wall, his arm pressing into his throat. Duncan follows right behind, fists clenched, backing the others up, and Ollie and Zane grab me by a wrist each and haul me out of the box, my feet barely touching the ground.
“If you ever,” Seb growls, leaning on the other man’s windpipe, “ever touch her, we’ll rip your fucking throats out.”
“Please don’t,” I call to Seb, as Ollie and Zane drag me along the corridor. “They’re just playing games with you.” I can see the grin of the man Seb has pinned. He whispers something to Seb I don’t catch, and Seb snarls, his whole body fighting the instinct to pound his competitor.
But then what? He fucks up his hand at best, at worst the team gets disqualified for fighting.
“Seb! Duncan!” I yell, digging in my heels and trying to tug free from my other alphas’ grasps.
Seb’s head snaps my way and as our eyes meet, I see the madness leave his face. He breathes, loosens his pressure on the man’s neck, then takes a step back. Duncan joins him, and after more snarled words I don’t hear, they turn together and follow us down the corridor.
“How the fuck did that happen?” Zane asks with annoyance as they usher me into our hotel room. “You were right with us.”
I remember that scent. But I decide not to mention it. They’re already rattled.
“Fuckers,” Ollie says, starting to pace the large hotel suite with its four double beds.
Duncan has his hands on my shoulders, examining my face. “Are you OK, wee yin? Did they hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine, honestly.” I plaster on the best smile I can muster. Getting all flustered and emotional over this isn’t going to help my pack. And it’s exactly what the other team had in mind when they’d pulled that stunt. RileThe Crewup, pump their adrenaline into overdrive so they’re running on empty by the time the race comes.
