Page 31 of Pack’s Prize
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
Theo
“...Et la oméga? Elle est…?”
I managed not to roll my eyes at the probing questions from the older gentleman. The night was going well–both the debut of our latest collection and the debut of our false courtship–but I was tired. Mr. MacKenzie was an old acquaintance, and I owed him a conversation, not least because he enjoyed the language practice. He was also the third questioner tonight to ask a couple of perfunctory questions about the paintings for sale, and then pivot to a more personal line of questioning. It was very obvious where many of the attendees’ true interest lay, and it wasn’t the pictures on the wall. It was Ava.
“À nous,” I replied.Ours. I had hoped to keep the steel from my voice, but by the look on his face, I was unsuccessful: his eyebrows and hands raised in surrender.
“Bien sûr,” he agreed, the hint of a smile flitting around his lips.
Well, if Michael wanted to convince everyone here that we were courting an omega, he would without question be successful.
Of concern was that I had nearly found myself convinced, too. Why was I so on edge tonight? I had noticed myself keeping Ava in my sight, even as we both mingled among the crowd. I hadn’t had much time to speak with her, but that was probably for the best: I’d barely managed to keep from tearing the dress from the woman when we had spoken, had been tempted to drag her into my office and bury my face between her legs, to hell with anyone who might listen to her sounds of pleasure. Then again–no, I wanted to keep those pretty moans and sighs all to myself.Mine. Ours.
Bien sûr, I thought sarcastically, clenching my hands into fists. Ours, for tonight. Ours, for a time. Ours, until we had gotten what we wanted, and she had as well.
What she wanted…Well, I hoped she would get it tonight. Several times, if I had anything to do with it.
Butthatwasn’t a good path for my mind to be wandering down now, not when I was at a work event, with hours to go until we could go home. Looking at Ava in that dress was an exquisite sort of torture tonight, but I couldn’t help but admire her, the same as everyone else. I scanned the room once again, nodding at the attendees I recognized, looking for my Venus in white silk.Where was she?
My heartrate picked up when I didn’t see her immediately.
“Please excuse me,” I said to the gentleman, who was still smiling at me with the twinkling eyes of someone who thinks they know something. I hurried off, making a lap around the largest gallery, then into the smaller rear rooms. I nearly bumped into Elias, I was so focused on finding Ava.
“Theo,” he hissed. “We have a situation.” He was pink and flushed, his blue eyes wide.
“Not now, Elias,” I said. “I’m looking for Ava, have you seen her?”
He nodded. “She’s in your office.”
A tight feeling I hadn’t noticed suddenly loosened in my chest.
“Oh, thank–” I started, but he shook his head, grabbing me by the wrist in a way that made the hair on the back of my arms stand at attention. I looked down at his hold, and he dropped me like a hot iron.
His next words made me wish for his steadying touch once again, and damn the people who might see, who might wonder at the alpha allowing himself to be held like that:
“I think she’s going into heat.”
I nodded and followed Elias off into the side corridor and around the corner to my office in a daze.
“Where’s Michael?”
“Out there,” Elias said, jerking his head back into the gallery. “I didn’t want to leave her alone in here for longer than I had to. You can stay with her while I find him.”
“Yes,” I said, “of course.”
He pushed open the door unhesitatingly, and there she was, leaning against my desk, one hand loosely wrapped around a tall glass of cold water. It was dripping condensation onto the cluttered top.
The wave of sweetness hit me a moment later, my dick going hard so fast it hurt as I took in her appearance: shining and pink, glowing from within, her chest rising and falling rapidly under the thin fabric of her dress. I watched as her nipples pebbled against the silk, thrusting against it as she let out a soft sound.
“Fuck,” I murmured. She was always beautiful, and even more so tonight, but like this… I wanted her. I could feel it in every bone of my body, all of them seeming to resonate to her ragged breathing.
“I’m so sorry,” she breathed, and I couldn’t imagine why until she continued. “I know this is supposed to be an important night. I’m so sorry, the timing– I didn’t realize–”
Elias growled beside me, and her eyes fluttered shut for a moment. “Don’tapologize, Ava.”
“What do you need?” I asked. “I–” When was the last time I’d been with an omega in heat?Louise. Paris. Gray skies and rainy mornings in our apartment, I’d gotten her…“You have water. Elias, get her some food from the station out there. Cheese, fruit, whatever. We’ll have to sneak her out the back entrance, get her to the car without anyone else noticing–” I couldn’t bear to think of the leering attendees watching her, devouring her with their eyes, not while she looked like this, smelled likethis–