“Maybe try more devouring and less controlling next time.”
Rafe relaxed a little. At least Adri was admitting there would be a next time.
CHAPTER 5: ADRI
It was onlya short walk from Doc’s clinic, just inside the neutral zone, to the facility where Adri and the other fighters lived and trained in Lunetti Pack territory. They’d moved there shortly after Marco took over the fighting ring from the previous asshole owner, and Adri had been furious at another example of how the doc’s overprotectiveness had ruled his life. To Rafe’s credit, though, he’d stayed away like Adri had asked.
Now, he was just grateful the proximity meant he didn’t have to walk as far to get home. He’d been right that the pain wasn’t too bad, but the dull, constant ache in his shoulder wasn’t something he was used to with his shifter healing, and it only took a few minutes for him to be really fucking over it.
“Adri! You’re okay!” Jay called as soon as he pushed through the door to the gym on the ground floor below his apartment.
He braced himself as a blur of colour headed in his direction before the vampire pulled him into a hug. Jay had been the first fighter Adri had used his earnings to repay the debt for, but he hadn’t left like most of the others after him had. Instead, he’d stuck around, watching Adri’s back and helping him look out forthe new crew constantly coming through. The ring had a high turnover that the manager, Viviana, encouraged. It kept things interesting for the punters and introduced a level of unknown to the bets on the fights that helped the pack rake in more profit.
Instead of working the indentured fighters to the bone like Garth had, the Lunetti Pack only kept them long enough to make a profit on their investment. They also had strict rules that had stopped the worst of the injuries. They weren’t in the business of paying fighters to throw their fights, and they were quick to eject anyone who tried.
Was it annoying that the doc’s high-handedness had improved things for him and the fighters he cared for like family? One hundred percent. That didn’t mean he couldn’t admit Marco was the best of all evils for them, though.
These days, with the fighters better able to repay their own debt under the new system, Adri spent more time coaching than in the ring. When he did fight, it was usually just exhibition matches when Viviana wanted to draw a particular crowd. Viviana’s text to him that morning had made it clear the fight next week wasn’t that. It was only scheduled to reassure the city that the pack had the situation under control after the shitshow of his last opponent turning feral.
“I’m fine, Jay. I texted to tell you that, remember?” Adri said, when the vampire’s hug went on a little too long.
“You lost far too much blood,” Jay chided, squeezing him one more time before releasing him. If anyone would know that, it would be a vamp.
“I’m okay. Doc patched me up,” Adri said.
Jay’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, really? Did he kiss it better, too?”
Adri rolled his eyes and shoved his friend’s shoulder. “Shut up.”
It was nice that Jay had grown in confidence since the young guy he used to look out for, but did he really have to rub Adri’s nose in his own weakness?
“Carter, with me!” a sharp voice called from across the gym—Viviana.
Adri gave Jay an up-nod in farewell and sauntered as slow as he could get away with across the space, exchanging greetings with the fighters who were training as he went. Hopefully, his slow progress looked like he was antagonising Viviana rather than exhausted from the short walk here. Maybe Rafe had a point about still needing to heal. Whatever. It wasn’t the first time he’d hidden a disadvantage from the other fighters. No one wanted to reveal a weakness to someone you might face in the ring.
Inhaling deeply, Adri let the familiar scent of the metallic tang of the weights cut through with the warmth of clean sweat and competitiveness soothe him. This was his life. His purpose—keeping the supernaturals who came and went from under this roof safe and healthy, so none of them would have to experience what he had when he’d been sold to Garth at the tender age of eighteen.
“What’s up?” he asked the stern wolf shifter when he reached her.
Viviana jerked her head toward her office, and they headed up the stairs. One-way glass meant they could look out over the training fighters as they spoke without them seeing. It made him uncomfortable, but he knew it was a necessary protection in a gym full of people with inhuman eyesight who could easily read lips at that distance. Keeping the manager in his peripheralvision, he walked up to the glass and stared out at his people rather than sitting down in the chair opposite her desk, where she could feel like she was above him.
“Our Alpha called about the unsanctioned fight club you told him about. Why didn’t you come to me?” Viviana asked as soon as the door shut off all sound from outside. Her voice was clipped and angry.
Ah. He should’ve realised she’d be pissed about that.
“I don’t have anything but hearsay and suspicion. You didn’t ask. Marco did,” Adri said.
“Alpha,” Viviana corrected him.
“He’s your Alpha, not mine. Jaguars don’t have Alphas.”
“As long as you’re working for the pack, you will address him with respect.”
“He’s not here, and I respect Marco plenty,” Adri said.
Viviana growled, lunging at him too fast for him to side-step in his weakened condition and pinning him to the window by his throat.
“Your species isn’t an excuse for your issues with authority. Don’t test me, Carter,” she said, snarling in his face.
