Page 31 of Unbonded (Pack’s Companion #3)

He rewards my words with a soft, toe-curling kiss, and a muse never tasted so good.

But I still have a lot of work to do, so he retreats to his stool while I work on my other projects.

The alteration is with a long-term client, and after she heads off, Lachlan and I head uptown to Dash’s theater.

It’s close to Lincoln Center, which makes it a brisk fifteen-minute walk from the store.

I stick close by Lachlan’s side, even though I’m feeling a lot better, so I feel him stiffen as a long black car pulls up next to us.

At first, I think it’s Hector in a new ride, but the driver staring out at us is a stranger.

His gaze rakes over me in a way that makes my hackles rise, and Lachlan stops abruptly, the veins on his neck sticking out as he spits, “Drive on, buddy.”

The guy at the wheel dismisses Lachlan with a sneer, murmuring something over his shoulder. The next second the tinted window in the back slides down, and another alpha is staring out at me. This one is older, mid-fifties, with gray hair, a heavy jaw, and eyes as sharp as glass. “Ms. Valentine?”

Lachlan growls, but I lift my chin, refusing to cower behind him. “Who are you?”

“We have a mutual friend in common.” Like his driver, his gaze crawls down my body, his attention sending a shiver of revulsion through me.

You don’t grow up on the streets of New York without encountering your share of assholes, but this man has predator written all over him.

“How about I give you a ride to wherever you’re going? ”

There’s no way this guy is friends with Corbus or Bram, and I take an abrupt step back. “No, thanks.”

“You heard her, asshole.” Lachlan balls his fits and glares at the other man. “Unless you want to step out here and explain who the fuck you are.”

“Down, boy.” The words are insulting, but it’s the command he wields that punches the breath out of me.

I gasp, but the alpha isn’t focusing on me, and Lachlan’s arm is torn from my grasp as he goes down to his knees.

He slams onto the pavement, but it’s the look on his face that has me leaping towards the car.

When I’m less than a foot from the open window, a wave of alpha pheromones hit me, like old, rancid meat.

“Fuck you!” I hiss, trying to shield Lachlan with my body. My heart is racing, and I feel like I’m about to puke, but I refuse to take my eyes off the predator in front of me. “If you don’t leave us alone, I’m calling the police on your abusive ass.”

Those glass-like eyes narrow, dark lights swirling in their depths, and for a moment I think he’s going to get out of the car and hit me. But he just shakes his head, his thin lips curling into a sneer. “A mouth like that, no wonder you’re hanging out with betas. See you around, Omega.”

They’ve left the curb before his window is all the way up and I take a shuddering breath. When I hear a groan behind me, I whirl around to find Lachlan staggering back to his feet. His scent is so bitter, I have to press my hand to my nose. “Oh, my God… Are you okay?”

He’s white under his tan, deep grooves biting into the skin around his eyes. He makes a disgusted sound as he wipes the grit from his palms. “I’m fine. Just pissed as all hell.”

I bite my lip, furious on his behalf. Muggings in this city aren’t unusual, but there are special laws around alphas using commands as weapons, and I’m still shaking from shock. “I should have got their plate number, but I think I could describe him if you want to go to the cops.”

“For being sandbagged by an alpha?” He snorts, but his jaw pulses, like he’s grinding his teeth. “They’d laugh me out of the station.”

My eyes prick with angry tears, and I wrap my arm around him. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. Please, let me call Hector. Or we can jump in a cab and head home.”

“No way.” He nuzzles my head, then leans back to swipe a tear off my cheek. “It’s just my pride that stings, Katie, and I won’t let that stop me from spending time with you.” He looks down the block and squeezes my hand. “Come on, Dash’s theater is just up ahead.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, plus it’ll give me a chance to shake that asshole off.”

I gulp back more tears, and he clasps my hand tighter, like I’m the one who was hurt.

I love the fact he’s trying to make me feel better, but I’m still sniffing when we reach the theater and give our names to a pretty beta on the door.

She looks at me curiously, but then checks a list taped to the wall and shows us through to a small auditorium.

Rousing music fills the air, and it’s not hard to pick Dash from the dancers flitting about under the stage lights.

“It’s a full rehearsal day,” she tells us as she points towards some seats at the back.

“But they’re nearly done, and I’ll make sure Dash knows you’re here. ”

We murmur our thanks, and when she’s gone, sink into our seats.

I’m still holding Lachlan’s hand, but now I rest my head on his shoulder, trying to draw his sunshine scent back to the surface.

He’s so big and solid, he feels unbreakable, but I know that’s not true.

Shame washes over me for all the times Lee took a swipe at him, and something shifts in my chest, like my heart is picking up the beat of a war drum.

Never again. No matter what it takes, I’ll do everything in my power to protect Lachlan from being hurt again.

I must have a pretty fierce look on my face, because when Dash suddenly bounds off the stage and heads our way, his eyes darken like thunderclouds. “What’s wrong? Lily said you were crying.”

“Nothing,” Lachlan says quickly, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Just some asshole alpha curb crawling on our way here.”

“Damn,” he huffs as he bends down to kiss me, his nose sliding across my cheek. “You smell like someone tramped all over your garden, sweetheart.”

“We handled it,” I reassure him, because Lachlan clearly doesn’t want to get into the gritty details. “How is rehearsal going?”

Dash puts his hands on his slim hips, and it’s hard not to admire him in his tights and vest, which shows off a good portion of his smooth chest and muscled arms. He flicks his hair back and grins, like he knows exactly where my thoughts have gone.

What am I supposed to do when he smells like a slick-scented candle?

“Well, I’ve got another half hour to go, and then I’m done for the day.

Do you want to stay here and watch? Or you can hang out in my dressing room, if you like. ”

“And miss the chance to see you quarterback your team?” Lachlan drawls, giving Dash an appreciative look. “As long as we’re not distracting you, we’ll stay.”

“Oh, you’re distracting alright, but lucky for me, I’m a professional.” Dash shoots us a flirty wink as he pivots and struts back to the stage.

Lachlan chuckles under his breath, but as the dancers get back underway, it isn’t long before he gives a grunt of approval.

Dash is balanced perfectly on the tip of his grounded foot as he whirls in a tight pirouette, his other leg lashing out in a rapid-fire fouetté .

He makes it look effortless, but there’s no mistaking the power and control coiled in his body as he spins under the hot lights. “Wow, he’s really good.”

I hum my agreement as Dash completes his final rotation and flies across the stage, his larger partner in pursuit. All the other dancers are gathered in the wings, watching, and I feel a pinch of disbelief that he’ll be coming home with us . “Have you ever been to the ballet before?”

“Nah. I guess I thought it was all classical music and dancing swans.”

The dancers aren’t in full costume, and the scenery is just a couple of placeholder props, but it’s easy to imagine them transformed for opening night.

“Some of it is, but this is a contemporary ballet. A lot of companies are branching out, hiring new choreographers and commissioning productions that are tailor-made for their lead principals. From what I’ve read, this is basically a Dash Devereux showcase. ”

“No wonder.” Lachlan slants me a glance. “Looking at him up there, he just might be worthy of my girl.”

I’d roll my eyes if his words didn’t wrap my heart in a warm glow. “I think you’ve got that the wrong way around, but as long as we leave together, I’m happy.”

Lachlan chuckles and drops a kiss on my cheek. His sunshine scent is back in full force, and as we watch Dash command the stage, I marvel at how easy it is to fall for your crush, even if you’ve only just discovered they were waiting in the wings.