Page 111 of Pack Rivals: Part Two
I growl a little under my breath and Connor squeezes my hand and drags me away from one table of omegas who I catch eyeing up my men. I scowl at them so hard, they drop their gazes. Good.
But I guess I’m not intimidating to every omega out here. One in particular. I should have known where there’s a swarm of bees, there’d be their queen.
Melody steps right out into the middle of our path, a wide and fake smile plastered to her face. Her long, blonde hair is loose in perfect waves around her shoulders and on her head balances a wide straw hat that matches the oversized straw bag in her hand and the straw wedges on her feet. Her lipstick is a bright pink; a perfect match to her candy floss bikini.
“Bess,” she squeals like we’re best friends. “It’s so good to see you!” She reaches for my hands with a feigned look of sympathy. “I heard what happened at the,” she lowers her voice to a theatrical whisper that everyone within twenty feet must hear, “clinic. How awful! I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
I peer at Connor, wondering how the hell she knows all this, and he frowns back at me as if to say he doesn’t have a clue.
“Hey Melody,” Nate says, taking a step towards her that makes her hesitate a little. The smile on his lips is about as fake as the one on hers, although his is a hell of a lot more scary. A smile a lion would give a gazelle before ripping out its throat. “How’d you hear about that?”
“Oh,” she says airily, “news gets around. Especially when it involves dangers to omegas. We have to be so careful.” She flutters her eyelashes at him and I have the urge to pluck each one out. She turns her attention back to me. “But you know, sweetie, I think I did warn you to find a suitable pack for your heat. Checking yourself into a clinic,” she tuts, “what a silly thing to do.”
“Are you … victim blaming her, Mel?” Nate asks, cocking his head to one side.
Melody holds her manicured hand to her chest. “Me? Oh no, of course not. It’s just … well … we have to be careful.” Ignoring Nate’s deathly glare, she turns her attention to Axel. “Are you going out on your boat? It’s such a perfect day for a sail, isn’t it? But Daddy’s boat is in the repair shop.” She sighs, conveying her disappointment.
“What a shame,” I say flatly. “Sounds like you’ll be stuck on dry land.”
“Oh no,” she says, the fake smile back on her lips with triumph. “Don’s taking me out on his.” She turns her head, just as an older man comes to stand beside her, resting his hand on her elbow.
I recognize him from the Mackay dinner. The man who Connor said wanted Axel to back his campaign. He’s dressed in a polo shirt and dark pants with a blue handkerchief tied around his neck. The color complimenting Melody’s swimsuit. I wonder if they’re dating. Perhaps I won’t have to worry about Melody and her grabby hands anymore. Then again, the way she’s eyeing up Silver, maybe I will.
“Axel, Angel,” Don says, holding out his hand to shake theirs. “Together? I didn’t think I’d ever see the day.”
Melody seems to notice this for the first time too, swinging her gaze around the six alphas. She giggles. “I thought Pack Boston and Pack York couldn’t stand to breathe the same air.”
“And yet here they are about to take me sailing on their yacht,” I say in an overly cheerful voice that has Nate and Hardy smirking.
“And actually Pack York and Pack Boston are no more,” Axel says.
Don and Melody both stare at him in disbelief. “What?”
“It’s just Pack Stormgate now,” Angel adds.
“What?!” Don chuckles. “How did this happen?”
“Bea Carsen happened,” Connor says, pushing through the two of them and taking me with him.
When we’re a few paces away, I lean in and ask him, “Do you think the two of them are together? He’s old enough to be her father.”
“Probably,” he mutters, “bad smells attract bad smells.”
I peer over my shoulder, the others are close behind us, leaving Melody and Don gaping at us.
“So,” Connor says, recapturing my attention. “I want to see if you can guess which yacht is ours?”
“Angel said you have more than one,” I point out.
Connor nods. “Well, yeah, technically that’s true. But this one belonged to Axel and Angel’s dad and she’s a beaut. You must be special if Mrs. Stormgate is letting us take her out today. She doesn’t often let us use it.”
“Oh,” I say, a little stunned.
“Yeah, she’s had numerous offers to buy the yacht over the years and has always declined them.”
“So I’m looking for something beautiful? Hmmmm.”
A lot of the boats look like huge, ugly machines and I struggle to see any beauty in them. The sail boats are prettier, their lines sleeker and their sails bright white in the sun. I scan the rows of boats, breathing in Connor’s scent and the scent of the others behind me. I’d assumed six scents mixed together would have my taste buds revolting; instead they’re in heaven. My tongue practically humming and my mouth salivating.
