Page 86 of Psycho Beasts
Predators stalked the street.
Suddenly, Xerxes’s name was gasped, and people stumbled to a stop.
The whispers grew until there was a small semicircle formed around us as more people called his name.
On instinct, we shifted to form a circle around Xerxes, and he hunched low to hide his face.
But ABOs raised their noses in the air and whispered his name as they squinted at us, cinnamon on their tongues.
An alpha woman stalked by in impossibly high heels and a black coat made of massive feathers. Her nose lifted and eyes glowed as she inhaled cinnamon, head turned toward us.
“Come on,” Xerxes said, startling me out of my shock as he pushed our protective blockade forward into the building.
He was the only person not looking around and gaping.
As he pushed us into the building, I craned my neck around and searched the crowd for the woman in the coat.
She walked past, massive feathers trailing behind her.
Shock stiffened my muscles.
She wasn’t wearing a coat—she had wings.
Suddenly, the rain didn’t seem dreary.
The soft patter of raindrops was the magical song for a unique, vibrant world. Everyone was an ABO, and they were everywhere. Unique. It was overwhelming, and it was everything.
Xerxes shoved us through a revolving glass door.
“Welcome,” the don greeted us in an empty, nondescript waiting room.
Technically, he was the reason all the men were now in a pack without me.
I tried not to let my annoyance show on my face and focused on radiating “I am the perfect gang member” vibes.
From the way he stared down at me with boredom, I did not impress him.
His white snake was once again wrapped around his neck like a small necklace, and it raised its little head to hiss at us every few seconds.
Since the don and the snake were connected, did that mean he was hissing at us?
Rude.
The don shifted his attention to Cobra. “How are you adjusting to pack life?” His emerald eyes glowed more the longer he stared at his son.
Cobra said nothing.
The don didn’t look concerned. “Today, you will begin your second initiation challenge. The basement of this building is an alpha fight club. No one may join the Mafia and shift into their alpha forms until they prove they have complete control over their mind and body. Only the strong survive in Serpentine City. Understood?”
“Um, what do we have to do, exactly?” I blurted nervously.
The “Loyalty” tattoo on the don’s neck bobbed as he swallowed thickly, and his snake stared at me.
I sputtered awkwardly, “Um, only if you feel like explaining. Your Highness. Royal, sir.”
Jax shifted closer so he was partially blocking the don’s view of me.
Finally, after taking a long drag of his cigarette, the don said, “You will each train for one week to prepare your body for your fights, and you will take a test to show you’ve learned the rules.”