Page 29 of Gladiator's Bite

“Why are you so into Laken?” I asked him, breaking up the awkward silence.

“I’m not. He’s hot but a lot of people are hot, huh?” he asked, taking his purply drink from Larey.

“What was the other day about then?” I asked.

“Tempers run high after matches,” he shrugged.

“What are you? Two dragons living in one man?” I teased him, aiming to get a rise out of him.

“Shit happens but that’s not it,” he shrugged.

“What is it then?” I asked.

He leaned over and sniffed my arm. My pheromone blocker spray was wearing off. It wasn’t a requirement for the purple district, but most dragons played on the side of caution.

“You’re a fluffball under all that,” he laughed.

“If you think so that means you have more brain cells than I thought, because you’re thinking.”

“Ha!” he slapped the table as if my joke was funnier than he thought. “Lots of alphas would be happy to have Laken as their mate. True, chosen, what the fuck ever. Then along comes you Moonys and poof!”

“That’s not Sunny’s fault.”

“Not my fault either, Moony. Or is it Teddy Bear while you’re here?” he honeyed up his words as he said Teddy Bear.

“Unless you’re subbing for me, back the fuck off with the sweet talk,” I said and took a long swallow of my drink.

Larey glanced over at us. Fighting was the one thing not allowed in the purple district. It could get you a temporary ban or a lifetime ban if the fight was bloody enough, or an innocent bystander was hurt by your negligent temper.

“Okay,” he nodded. “Why not?”

“I think he’s had enough, Larey,” I laughed.

“Seriously. Why the fuck not? Show me what’s so great about Moony’s.”

I leaned over and sniffed his arm. Selt’s pheromone blocker spray wasn’t holding up any better than my own was. He was one hundred percent an alpha. Sometimes it could be hard to tell around here. Not that it mattered. I’d played with my fair share of alphas since we received the clear to hang out in the purple district.

“You serious?” I asked, raking my eyes over him.

If we played and I didn’t tell him me and my friends needed him for a ritual I’d be an asshole. I’d be the asshole everyone called my dad when they didn’t know he and my mom tried out an open relationship for a while. If I told him he probably wouldn’t believe me or he’d snub it all together.

“Why not?” he asked. “Word around here is you’re not omega exclusive.”

“Who here is?” I laughed, glancing around the club.

It was early enough in the day that nothing was happening. A few folks ate lunch in a corner booth but that was about it. No wonder Selt was offering to be my ritualistic sacrifice. He was bored.

“Tell me why you acted like that, first,” I said.

“Because we’re all running out of chances to find our omegas. I think alphas outnumber them anyway. Then you five show up and there’s more gone. Not you, though. You’re like the rest of us unlucky bastards, huh?”

“I’m a pretty lucky dragon,” I said. “So, you’re lonely.”

“Welcome to the purple district. You can experiment while pretending you’re not alone on this spinning rock,” Selt laughed but it was a bitter sound.

“I think that will change soon.”

“I offered to play not to marry you, Moony,” he rolled his eyes.