Page 22 of Pretty When She Breaks

Thank fuck Kaos hadn’t been here when they started using rofetamine. Very few things could bring an alpha back once they’d gone feral, and I couldn’t think of a worse fate.

The alphas went down, the one on top slamming his elbow down on the other’s rib cage. There was a cracking sound as it connected, and the man underneath twisted, his face contorted in rage and pain. He bit into his opponent’s arm, causing a spray of blood, but his opponent slammed hiselbow down again. With a roar, the man on top was bucked off with the strength only an alpha’s aura could lend. The alpha flew through the air, crashing into the side of the cage. He landed on his hands and knees, shaking his head before charging forward.

One more clash ended with one of the alphas’ heads being slammed into the ground until he was no longer moving. The victor snarled and backed off, leaving bloody footprints as he paced around the cage.

I stared at the downed alpha. He was bleeding from his head, and I couldn’t tell if he was alive.

Let’s just say he was, I decided.

TEN

THE DUCHESS

I’d lived and breathed the Blood Well my whole life. When I was small, before this became my suite, Jule and I would join my father up here frequently.

So, I tuned out the chaos and violence below, keeping my focus on my job.

If I paid too much attention, Laurel’s distress would slip through the cracks, causing my performance to crumble. And I needed to be perfect in my role, because a desperate part of me was hoping to convince my father not to “tighten his leash” on me.

Despite the painkillers I’d downed, I was still sore, and my left knee was killing me. I made my way through the suite, chatting with my guests, offering featherlight touches and guiding them to feel at ease. Most were familiar faces, easy to manage.

I avoided the corner where the new alpha sat, putting it off until there was no one else. Our eyes met across the room,and I swallowed. He was sitting alone now; Jag had moved on to some other business.

Very few things unsettled the Duchess, and it seemed Ocean Seo was one of them.

Control.

It didn’t matter how I felt.

I had to ignore the goose bumps his look was giving me.

I stopped at his booth, reaching out to touch his shoulder as I had with all my other guests tonight. For a second, I got lost in his bright blue eyes as he beamed at me, a smile that lit up his whole face.

My heart fluttered, but I pushed it away.

He had rich brown skin and long, curly hair that I wanted to wrap around my fingers.

“Well?” I asked, sliding into the booth next to him. Contact with alphas was part of my role as a duchess, but I could admit I was looking for excuses to get close to Ocean again. “Did you successfully impress Jag enough that you’ll be back?”

“How do you know so much about me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I offered him a confident smile, twining my fingers through his. His skin was so soft, and I felt electric when we touched. “This ismysuite. I keep track of everyone I host here.”

He was staring down at where our fingers were connected, and I could see a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. Just like earlier, his nerves were written all over his face. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d got a reaction so…innocent.

I still couldn’t detect a scent from him, just a chemical whiff of scent blockers, and that didn’t sit right with me. I needed to know what he smelled like. I bet it would be divine.It was all instinct as I pushed on his chest, nuzzling into his neck as I tried to find something. A little whine escaped me as my search came up fruitless.

His hand had come to settle on my lower back, and a purr rumbled in his chest as I clutched his shirt. A wave of slick suddenly wet my panties, even without his scent. His warm body felt so good beneath mine, and I raised my eyes to peer up at his beautiful face, his eyes half-hooded as he looked down at me.

In a rush, I realized that we were in my suite, and though this was a semi-private booth, anyone could find us like this. Which would be dangerous for him.

I pushed back, my face growing hot as I stumbled for words. “Ah, if you’ll excuse me,” I said as his purr stuttered out. The room suddenly felt cold and quiet.

I was worried he’d crack my facade again. Slip under my skin.

It was bad hosting, but I needed to get away from this alpha. I turned and walked away, my heart pounding. Unfortunately, at that moment, my father’s security pulled back the curtain to his private booth, and the Lucas pack stepped out.

I was right in front of them, with nowhere to hide, so I tried to compose myself. My smile was wasted on Dax; his eyes had gone straight to the cleavage that my gown exposed.