"I don't know what you're talking about," I said as calmly as possible.
"Don't play stupid," Alaric snapped. He got right in front of me and jabbed an accusatory finger into my face. "Crimson's scent is wafting off you. Care to explain why?"
The worst part was that he was right. I'd showered in the morning, but it didn't help. Us cat shifters had keen senses of smell.
"Maybe you should get your nose checked," I said, fully aware that I was lying, though I didn't give a shit.
Alaric's face twisted in fury. "Don'tgaslightme."
I groaned. "Oh, come on."
Now other contestants mumbled to each other. I couldn't tell which one of us they believed, but the commotion got loud enough to grate on my nerves. The cameras ate it up, of course. This was juicy reality TV drama.
To my surprise, it was Poppy who diffused the situation. He snuck between us, soaking up the tension like a fluffy cotton ball.
"Taylor wouldn't go behind anyone's back like that," he said, gentle yet confident.
Alaric tried glaring at Poppy, but it didn't work. He was too adorable to glare at. "What do you know, wolf? Maybeyournose is the one that's broken!"
"My nose is fine," Poppy insisted. "All I scent on Taylor is big cat and hotel shampoo."
Wait, really? I couldn't tell if Poppy was telling the truth or making up a story for my sake. But he wouldn't do that. Maybe I'd done a better job of scrubbing Crimson's scent off my body than I assumed.
Muzo butted in, too. "Yeah, Alaric. You can't accuse Taylor of stuff without proof." He leaned closer to Alaric. "You got any? Huh?"
Alaric sneered and backed off. "Don't get so close to me, dog."
"Jackal."
"Whatever." Alaric whipped his meticulously brushed white hair and stormed off to stand on the other side of the lobby.
I blew out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, you two."
Muzo waved a hand. "Don't mention it. That guy needs to get laid. Actually, that's the point of this show, so I guess he's trying his best..."
I tried not to think about the fact that I'd been intimate with Crimson last night. It wasn't penetrative sex, but...
A shiver went down my spine when I remembered how hot Crimson looked fully nude. He was always attractive, but there was eroticism in his vulnerability. I liked it. I wanted more of it.
I bit my lip. No, I couldn't kindle those desires, not in the middle of this game show. I had to smother those feelings, otherwise our secret rendezvous would be too obvious.
But what did it mean? I could chalk it up to just a blowjob between two horny men... unless it was actually something deeper.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, wondering why that thought felt so nice.
* * *
After his host spiel,Gaius led the contestants to our next challenge at the base of a craggy cliff. It was steep, but as I eyed it, I recognized it wasn't impossible to scale—for me, anyways. Cats were natural climbers, but I wasn't sure if the rest of the contestants could manage.
Would this be like the river challenge where Crimson awaited us at the top? Or was he elsewhere, watching from a distance? That only made me more determined to get there first and find out.
"All right, omegas!" Gaius announced in his usual cheerful voice. "It's day two of the Dragonfate Games! Our challenge today requires mental fortitude, physical strength, and tremendous willpower. As you can see, we're standing beneath a cliff. Your goal—" He gestured to the peak. "—is to reach the top!"
A few omegas groaned quietly. I recognized them as the ones who struggled yesterday, but still made it out of the river. They were mostly species who had difficulty climbing. In the back of my mind, I wondered if Crimson had specifically catered these challenges towards me so I'd win, since swimming and climbing were both skills tigers excelled at.
"Once again, nothing is off limits," Gaius went on. "Climb, slither, crawl, fly, or hitch a ride—do whatever it takes to reach the top. Your reward is another chance at a date with Crimson!"
The hairs on the back of my neck rose.
