Page 67 of Blood Fist

Straightening her shoulders, she slipped a woven necklace off and strode toward them. Stopping on the other side of the fence, she knuckled her chest in reverence to Ridan before turning her attention to Jonen.

His eyes widened when she slipped the necklace over the post closest to him. It dangled at chest level, catching in the breeze. Brune just barely caught her scent before it was taken over by something ugly and angry. He nearly wheezed, flinching away from the icy scent of anger coming off Corric.

Turning to Ridan, he was about to question him when he saw the look of puregleeon his face.

“What’s going on?” he whispered, instinctively going quiet around an enraged omega.

“She just propositioned Jonen,” Ridan answered smugly. “She’s telling him that she’s interested in him, and that the next fight will be for him.”

Brune couldn’t figure out why that made Ridan so happy, but then he saw Corric climb up over the fence. He landed lightly on the ringside to a chorus of hoots and hollers, shoving the previous competitor aside without even looking at her. He was busy glaring at the necklace—and a terrified Jonen.

“Do you know her?”

“Yes,” Jonen answered grimly, his face so pale he looked sick. “I helped her and her family with their crops last season.”

Ridan stepped out from under Brune’s arm, gettingcloser to the fence. Putting two fingers in his mouth, he whistled with the crowd. Brune couldn’t be sure why, but they seemed more excited to see the two omegas fighting than the previous fights.

“It’s a good fight,” Ridan explained. “Evenly matched. Plus, everyone loves a fight with drama.”

He watched the two opponents size each other up. Corric might be a little taller, but the other omega wasn’t small by any means. She was well muscled and looked confident. They weren’t using weapons, so there would be no advantage there.

“She looks strong,” Brune pointed out.

“Yeah,” Ridan agreed with a feral sneer. “But Corric’spissed.”

Brune didn’t think Ridan should openly cheer for one member of his clan over the other, but he didn’t seem to think so. He freely shouted Corric’s name as they finally engaged.

He was right: the fight was fair. But Corric was angry. Brune had never seen the omega so vicious. He always seemed to fight calmly, his face a mask of serenity. Today, he was snarling, baring his omegan fangs anytime she got close.

Corric attacked first, going for her throat. She tried to bat him off, but he used his body weight to throw them to the ground. The first blood was Corric’s fangs ripping into her arm. Her cry echoed around the ring, but she didn’t give up, grappling with him until they were both back on their feet ready to repeat it.

Using his natural grace, Corric dodged several of her hits, stepping back until he was nearly against the fence, then he used her natural momentum to swing behind her and kick. She sprawled into the fence, striking her face on the wooden post.

“He’s fucking with her,” Ridan said with a shake of his head. “Could have had her in three moves.”

Even to Brune it was painfully obvious Corric wasn’t just trying to beat her, he was trying toshameher.

He played with her until she was bleeding in several places, arms braced in the dirt and entire body shaking. To her credit, she tried to get up, but Corric placed a boot on her back and shoved her down until she was spitting sand and blood.

Snarling, he snapped at her neck. A killing blow, if he’d been trying. The stench of territorial omega had many of the alphas in the audience squirming, and the omegas baring their throats. Without missing a beat, Corric strode over to the necklace she’d hung and ripped it, sending beads and threads flying. He returned what was left of it by shoving it into her bloody mouth.

Jonen’s eyes were so dilated there was only a sliver of brown left. He was panting, mouth open and fangs dropped as he watched Corric climb back over the fence. His black tea scent was excited,aroused,and he was doing nothing to hide it.

Corric glanced over at him, coolly wiping blood from his hands before shouldering past him, head up. Several alphas watched him go with interest. Jonen growled at them as he followed the taller omega.

“Well,” Ridan said, crossing his arms. “Can’t say I didn’t see that coming.”

Brune raised his eyebrow. “Corric just laid claim to Jonen.”

“He did that a long time ago,” Ridan said, looking back over his shoulder to see some of the she omega’s friends helping her from the ring. “She was foolish enough to try anyway.”

“He didn’t have to hurt her,” Brune pointed out, thinking that just beating her would have been enough.

Ridan snarled, grabbing him by the shirt and dragging him down to his height. “She’s lucky Corric didn’t kill her for daring to come after his alpha.” His eyes were flinty, sending a shiver down Brune’s spine. “I’d have beaten her to death with her own kneecaps.”

Looking into Ridan’s eyes, Brune understood Jonen’s confusing mix of fear and arousal.

And they said omegas were the weak ones…