CASSIUS
The door to the changing room slammed open. I took a startled step back, still more angry than intimidated.
The new alpha who stood in the doorway had on a wide-striped coat that looked both old-fashioned and modern. His dark hair hung thick and straight to his shoulders, and shadows outlined his glinting eyes. It painted a picture of gorgeously spoiled. And frightening.
Now, there were two dragons facing me. Were they going to force me to obey?
“Bish hired set omegas for the party?” the alpha asked, lips quirking. “How many?”
Klonis, the manager of our omega group from Brimstone, stepped forward, shoulders suddenly sloping, chin down. “I’m sorry if our conversation intruded on your festivities, sir.”
The other alpha held his hands palms up and shrugged. “I just got here.” His smile could’ve been almost pretty if it wasn’t so tight. “I just thought there might be a fight. If there is, count me in.”
Klonis took a step back, clearly confused. “No fighting here.”
The alpha pointed at the floor. “What’s with the broken glass, then?”
Klonis cleared his throat. “Just trying to get this omega under control.”
“You threw a glass at him?” he asked Klonis.
“No. He threw it at me.”
The alpha’s eyebrows popped up. “Did he?” The dark gaze swung to me. I thought he would snarl at me or make some comment about my body being only good for one thing. Instead, he held my gaze and his smile dropped away. He said to me, “Did he deserve it?”
Slowly, I nodded as my body heated from shame. “It was drugged wine.”
Klonis’s face darkened. “He’s one of the more disobedient of the ranch’s herd. I don’t know why he was chosen to come here.”
“Am not!” My fists clenched at my sides. I wasn’t a trouble-maker. Never in my life.
The alpha boldly strode into the room until he stood before me. “There’s no doubt why he was chosen.”
I wanted to look away but couldn’t.
Klonis did not respond.
“You don’t want to be here, do you?” the alpha said to me.
I shook my head.
“That’s really too bad because that’s not how the world works.”
My breath shook inside my chest. “I hate this world.” My words came out softer than I’d intended.
The alpha’s head tilted. “That makes two of us, angel.”
Angel? My mind skipped that to mull over later.
Why would an obviously privileged alpha hate the world? He looked rich beyond any means I’d ever known. What could he know about suffering? He was here at this big house, this bigparty, holding all the power while I stood on the other side of the fence with nothing to my name but a tarnished slave collar.
Klonis stepped forward again. “I apologize. Cassius is mouthy and unruly. I’ll take care of it. He’ll be going back.”
The alpha cocked his hip. “Why?”
“Obviously he won’t behave,” Klonis said.
The alpha didn’t budge. “But he was already rented for the night. Maybe it’s you who doesn’t know what he’s doing?”
