He chokes and covers his mouth. “Dammit, why would you ask me?” He gags and sticks his tongue out. “It’s your shlong, so do what you want with it, but never ask me again.”
I don’t need to understand his words because the disgust in his tone is clear. Al is not the person to ask about my cock.
He shakes his head with a growl and then straightens. “I got a message from Callisto. You have a hearing in four days, and he’s confident you’ll get released . . . That means you’re going home. Whatever you plan to do, it needs to be done in the next two days.”
“Today,” I mutter darkly.
He grunts. “You’ll only get one chance, Zack, so for both our sakes, don’t miss the target. I’ve paid some guys to hold the guards back, but you won’t get more than two minutes.”
I nod, understanding. Cal-ee has done his part on the outside, so now it’s my turn to keep my promises.
Al grabs the pillows off both our beds, sliding his hands up inside the covers. He lifts them and chucks his chin. “Let’s get you warmed up. Come at me.”
“Challenge?” I ask, tipping my head to one side. Has our deal changed?
“No, you fruit loop.” He growls faintly. “How did you get your body ready before going into a fight ring?”
I cross my arms. “Pacing. Trying to kill the guards who walked past the bars.”
Al rolls his eyes. “And did they walk past more often on fight nights?”
An unhappy rumble rolls through me. Those times were mostly a blur of pain and cold and constant challenge, but now that Al’s asked, I think he might be right.
“See? You need to warm your body up before a fight. Hit the pillows and I’ll teach you how to do it properly. Punches and kicks only. No biting or whatever other nonsense you get up to.”
I curl my hands into fists. Warm-ups. This is the same concept as his exercises. It appears Al knows quite a lot after all. I swing, throwing my weight behind it.
Al grunts noisily, rocking back a step. “Again,” he orders.
After four punches, I jump back a step and kick out my foot, clipping the bottom of the pillows. A faint thrum runs through my groin as the muscles warm.
“Fuck,” Al mutters.
“Fuck,” I repeat, grinning.
“How high can you kick?” he asks.
“See,” I answer, bouncing from one foot to the other. He was right. As I move, my muscles open. I kick twice more, experimentally, and then use my spin to put in the full effort. I hit almost at the top of the pillow, the force smacking Al’s arm to the side.
“Good grief, that’s deadly. Save that for when you need it most. Let’s see some more punches for now.”
I pound into him until a sheen of sweat cools my skin and my body itches with awareness. When I go to strike some more, Al steps back. “Okay, you’re good. Keep moving until it’s time so you don’t get cold.” He throws the pillows onto the bed just as the bell chimes, signaling our outdoors time.
Al also sweats and dances lightly from foot to foot as he checks the hallway. I follow him out, sorting through the thick alpha scents. Ray’s here somewhere, pungent with a bitter scent that tickles my nostrils.
Outside, dark gray clouds boil across the sky, obscuring the blue. Color leaks away from the yard, turning the green grass pale gray and the walls dark. Tension sizzles in the alpha auras, and I feel their glances shifting toward the bench seats. I turn slowly, feeling each man’s presence, the guards on the roof, the wire fencing surrounding us. Even the electricity gathering in the clouds overhead, setting my hair on end.
And at the center of it all, one tall alpha with bony brows shading his eyes.
I don’t have to see them to know his gaze fixes on me.
He turns slightly, and his ear comes into view, missing a chunk. As if I’m seeing a TV screen, my Red surfaces through the air, pale and see-through, biting that lobe clean off as the alpha wrestles with her. He punches my omega, and she fades away, shredded by the breeze.
Oh, how my wild omega must have fought him with every scrap of her strength.
Now it’s my turn to be her claws and teeth.
I measure. About six steps from the bench to the blind spot near the door. I must remember to force Ray back to that spot before I take everything from him.
