Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Anthony ran a hand over his face. He was getting worked up over nothing. It was just a PR strategy, nothing else. Michael was his. No one would dare touch him.
Exhaling, Anthony called Michael, but he didn’t answer. He was probably just busy. It wasn’t every day one lost one’s title, after all. The legal procedures alone were probably a nightmare. Michael was probably spammed with messages and calls from everyone; of course he wasn’t picking up his phone.
But I’m not everyone.
Anthony sighed, frustrated by his own thoughts. He’d always sneered at alphas who acted clingy and controlling when it came to their omegas. This wasn’t him.
He was always in control of himself.
Always.
***
Later that evening, as Anthony watched Michael from across the ballroom, he wondered grimly if he had overestimated his self-control.
He twitched every time another alpha stepped into Michael’s personal space. If one happened to brush his arm against Michael’s, he found himself grinding his teeth, his hand gripping his drink like a lifeline. Don’t make a scene, don’t make a scene, don’t make a scene.
“Gods, what’s wrong with you?” Jules said, his nostrils flaring. “Stop stinking up the place, it’s making me twitchy.”
Anthony glowered at his brother before returning his gaze to Michael and his crowd of admirers. It felt like every goddamn alpha in the room was trying to get Michael’s attention.
“Are you worried for Michael?” Jules said, following his gaze. “He seems to be handling it fine.”
“Yeah,” Eric cut in, as he approached them with Hugh. “If I were in his position, I’d be hiding at home, but he’s being very brave—and it doesn’t even look forced. You shouldn’t worry for him.”
Anthony didn’t look at Hugh, who was watching him carefully. Unlike his brothers, Hugh knew a great deal more about his relationship with Michael, but it didn’t look like he’d told Eric. Then again, he was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality.
“I thought you went back to Kadar,” Anthony said shortly.
“We were going to, but the scandal changed our plans. Michael is our friend, too,” Eric said. “Though obviously he’s more Li’s and yours. Where’s Li, by the way?”
“Anton has a bit of a fever, so he and Jon can’t be here tonight,” Jules said.
Eric snickered. “I still can’t believe they named their baby as a combination of Ant’s and Jon’s names.”
Jules laughed and said something back, but Anthony could barely hear the rest of their banter.
Graham Pembroke had picked up Michael’s hand and was kissing it. And Michael was blushing, looking either uncomfortable—or flustered.
His vision bled red at the edges, the world narrowing to the asshole touching what was his.
Anthony moved before he realized it.
The crowd parted for him, sensing the danger rolling off him—or maybe it was his scent.
“Anthony,” Hugh said in warning, following him and grabbing his shoulder.
Anthony shrugged his hand off, too on edge to tolerate another alpha’s touch, even if it was his brother-in-law.
“Don’t make a scene,” Hugh said quietly, pulling him aside.
Anthony barely suppressed the urge to bare his teeth at him. “What’s it to you? You’re just annoyed that we didn’t follow your advice.”
Hugh sighed. “For fuck’s sake,” he said, keeping his voice very low. “I’m not your enemy, Ant. You know I disagree with how you handled the situation, but what’s done is done. He’s an omega, and he seems fine with it. People’s reaction to his designation change was relatively positive. Don’t ruin it.”
“I’m not going to ruin anything,” Anthony ground out. “Every goddamn alpha here is panting after him. Why should I be any different?”
Hugh shot him a skeptical look. “People have functioning noses. You don’t smell like an interested suitor. You smell like a territorial alpha. People aren’t stupid. They’d put two and two together.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Anthony reined his scent in. Tried to. But it was like swimming against a strong river’s current—he could fight it only as long as he kept his focus.
“Better,” Hugh said, his brows drawn. “But be careful. He doesn’t need another scandal right now.”
Giving a clipped nod, Anthony stalked away, shouldering his way through the crowd of alphas until he got to Michael and Graham Pembroke.
“Pembroke,” he said curtly, trying not to stare at Michael too obviously.
Michael’s dark eyes met his, and Anthony had to dig his fingernails into his palm to stop himself from reaching out and running his hands all over him—scent-marking him from head to toe. Fuck, he felt like he’d gladly whip his cock out and piss all over him right there if Michael allowed him to.
“Michael,” he said, his voice dropping to a hoarse murmur. Aware of the hundreds of eyes on them, he reined in his scent as much as possible. Everyone knew they were friends, so he would be granted more leeway than other alphas, but he still had to be careful if he didn’t want to draw suspicion to the true nature of their relationship. He fucking hated it, hated that he still couldn’t publicly stake his claim despite Michael coming out as an omega.