So close, yet so far. Vince wanted to clamber on stage and see the rock star Alpha up close, maybe even risk a touch, but he didn’t dare. He refused to be that crazy guy caught on camera. That video could go viral and Vince could never live with himself.
It was simply the high of the concert, the energy of the crowd and Dominance getting to him. That, and the fact it was close to full moon. In other words, it was mating season for shifters. Omegas were kept indoors by their mates at this time of the month, but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity he couldn’t pass out on. And he did promise Sally and Reed he’d come home right after the after-party.
The concert ended as soon as it started. Vince wished it could go on forever. That or he could somehow reverse time, but that would be asking too much. Lucky ticket holders to the party were gathered and herded into buses for the event. The after-party was located in one of the band’s many properties in the city—the penthouse suite of the newly constructed Woof Towers. The bus drove straight there and an assistant directed them to the elevator of the buildings.
Vince was taken by surprise, suddenly overwhelmed once the elevator doors opened to the top floor. The party was in full swing by then. This was starting to feel like a colossal mistake, because Vince had somehow, conveniently forgotten he wasn’t a party animal. Vince was actually the exact opposite. He’d never been sociable and he didn’t know the first thing to do. Deciding the buffet table was safe, he grabbed a plate, about to reach for a burger when someone beat him to it.
He was about to tell the person off, when he realized this guy was massive. He swallowed. The huge shifter he spotted earlier before the concert was right in front of him, wearing a grin like he was hoarding a joke he didn’t want to share.
“Alone, little Omega?”
Vince didn’t like the appraising way this stranger looked at him. Coming to this party was a mistake. Of course, this guy would know he was an Omega. Omega wolves gave off certain pheromones dominant shifters could instantly recognize, especially if said Omega was unmated. Free for all.
“No, I’m with friends,” he said quickly.
“Playing hard to get, eh?” The guy took a step closer and he gulped. This guy looked over pumped with steroids and could crush him with those bare hands.
“I’m not playing.” Vince set his plate aside.
Dominance’s music played through the penthouse speakers. Everyone else was busy, talking, partying, doing intimate things Vince wouldn’t dare do in public. Vince was in essence, alone. No one would know or care if something happened to him. Fear crawled down his spine.
“You’ve been baiting me since the concert. Well, little Omega. Let’s have some fun.” The man grabbed his arm, but he tugged back, repulsed. The bastard refused to let go.
“I wasn’t doing any of those things. Sorry for the misunderstanding, but I’m not interested.” Oh God. How the hell could he get out of this? How could he be so stupid? Vince just got out of one kind of hell, he wasn’t intending to get into trouble so soon.
“Didn’t you hear what the Omega, said? He’s not interested,” another man’s voice interrupted, a voice Vince recognized from all the videos he watched.
Korey Strong’s hand blurred and the stranger’s hand was gone, no longer applying pressure on his wrist. The shifter snarled but hesitated when Korey let out a rumbling growl that echoed throughout the space. The sound made everyone stop what they were doing.
“Fuck off,” the shifter said, baring teeth.
Korey’s eyes flashed yellow with anger, but only for a second. Cool calculation followed. For some reason, when Korey gripped those strong fingers over Vince’s wrist, Vince didn’t feel threatened. He felt safe, although he didn’t know why. Alarm bells no longer rang in his head.
“You’re asking me to fuck off?” Korey asked. The rock star Alpha’s eyes were cold and his tone deadly. Korey had shrugged on a leather jacket, but wore no shirt underneath, exposing ink and scars. Some of those were claw marks, Vince realized. Korey’s status as Alpha was no joke. “Go ahead, shifter. Challenge me in my own fucking party.”
The shifter hesitated. Vince’s Omega wolf could sense the quiet anger emanating from Korey and he knew the rock star Alpha’s wolf wouldn’t hesitate to rip this outsider a new one.
“He’s mine,” Korey said. The Alpha spoke quietly, but Vince knew everyone in the room, including the shifter who intimidated him, heard it. Two more figures appeared from the sea of party-goers. Both Mick and Steel looked ready to back their friend, but Vince had a feeling Korey could easily handle his opponent on his own.
The guy raised his hands in mock defeat. “I didn’t know the Omega belonged to anyone.”
“Now you do. I saw him and now he’s mine. If you want to draw blood, fine,” Korey said without hesitation.
“If you’re not going to cause any more trouble, then get out or do you need an escort,” came Mick’s hard voice.
The shifter hung his head and left. A security guard all dressed in black made sure the trouble-maker headed right to the elevator doors.
Realizing Korey was still gripping his wrist, Vince wondered what to do next. He was tongue-tied. How could he not be? Vince was in the presence of his favorite bassist, a rock star Alpha he worshipped.
“What was that all about, Korey?” Steel asked.
Ignoring his fellow band mate, Korey finally looked at Vince. “An unmated Omega shouldn’t be wandering alone. Where’s your protector?”
Vince thankfully found his voice. “I don’t have one.”
He looked at his feet, because this was all too much to handle. If he looked into Korey’s golden eyes, he was afraid the reality would shatter. What if tonight turned out to be nothing more than a good dream? When he woke up, would Vince find himself in his own bed, still a prisoner?
Korey grabbed his chin, tipping his head backwards. “Talk to me, little Omega.”
God. He couldn’t believe Korey was talking to him, that the Alpha saved him from that other shifter. If Korey hadn’t intervened, would Vince end up a captive in some stranger’s bed? He could still feel eyes on them. Some party-goers cast him envious looks, but he couldn’t blame them. Korey was the last unmated Alpha of Dominance, an amazing man who came to his aid when no one would.
Cheeks pink, Vince was aware of the crowd. It seemed Korey understood.
“Let’s go somewhere quiet.” Korey released his chin, not commenting when Vince continued gripping his hand.
Mick and Steel exchanged knowing glances. Before the two other Alphas left them, Steel slapped Korey on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Korey looked thoughtful.
“Come, unless you want me to call for one of the guards? I can have them take you home,” Korey suggested.
“No!” His answer came out harsher than expected. “I mean, I don’t have one anymore. Watching a Dominance concert was all I ever dreamed of.”
“You can tell me everything,” Korey’s tone was soothing, unlike the angry Alpha earlier who was ready to hurt another shifter for his sake. They waded through the crowd, entered a lone and empty corridor watched by guards. This area seemed off-limits to everyone else. Korey entered the room to the left, flicking on the switch. It looked like a guest bedroom.
“Is this your room?” Vince asked. Curiosity got the better of him and he looked around the space.
“This penthouse belongs to the band, where we host our parties, but we have our own places,” Korey explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. The Alpha patted the space next to him. When Vince hesitated, Korey only flashed him a smile, giving him a glimpse of the slightly pointed edges of his teeth. “Don’t worry, little Omega. I won’t bite you unless you beg me to.”
Vince sat. He was all too aware only inches separated their bodies. He couldn’t stop staring. On one hand, Vince knew Korey invited him here to talk, but his Omega wolf only wanted to do something else. Focus on the finer details perhaps, like the fact the room felt degrees hotter, or maybe it had to do with the sexy male in front of him.
His eyes devoured the Alpha in front of him. The battered leather jacket barely hid the firm lines of Korey’s body, the intricate black ink across the Alpha’s torso and disappeared down Korey’s jeans. Did the Alpha have more tattoos? His gaze eventually lingered on the visible bulge Korey was sporting. Was that on his behalf? His face turned even redder, because he knew he also spotted a woody.
Vince squirmed and dragged his gaze back to Korey’s face. The Alpha didn’t look insulted Vince was ogling him.
“You like what you see, Omega?”
Hell yeah, was what Vince wanted to say, except he seemed incapable of forming words. He managed a nod.
“If you’re good, I might let you touch and pet me.”
Vince stared, unable to believe the Alpha actually said those words to him. “Really?” he blurted.
God knew he could see himself running his fingers across Korey’s golden skin, and tracing each tattoo and scar.
“Really, but answer some questions for me first.”
Korey rose to his feet and walked to the mini-bar to the side of the wall. Were all rooms in this place equipped with mini-bars? Maybe Dominance expected to entertain guests. The thought of his Alpha bringing another man to this room made him insanely jealous. There was no reason for it. Besides, Korey wasn’t his anything, certainly not his Alpha.
Grabbing two beers from the mini-fridge under the bar, Korey passed him one. It was an imported brand he never heard of before. Korey rejoined him on the bed, opening his can. Vince did the same, although he never had a liking for alcohol. He was a shifter now though, so that meant it took a while for him to get drunk.
Vince knew that much at least. He quickly did a Google search about Omega wolves on the web earlier on the way to the concert. Some worrying things, like male Omegas were capable of being impregnated, seemed farfetched.
“Tell me what you’re thinking about, little Omega.” Korey took a long pull of his beer then asked him another question when Vince didn’t reply. “I don’t even know your name yet.”
“Vince.”
“You’re not lying.”
Vince blinked. “You can tell even that?”
“It’s not that hard to guess. People give false names all the time.”
Was Korey talking about his hook-ups? Vince harbored no illusions about Korey. The rock star Alpha must have one-night-stands with groupies all the time.
“I’m not like that.” Vince didn’t know why he bothered justifying himself.
“I know. You’re not like most of the people outside.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?”
“Definitely good. Tell me what brought you to this party.”
“Be warned, it’s kind of a long story. You might get bored.” Vince looked at the beer in his hand, surprised when Korey leaned forward, lips brushing against his neck to whisper.
“Tell me. I’m a good listener.”
Vince did. For some reason, he felt completely at ease with this terrifying Alpha, this rock god that always seemed like a fantasy to him. Unreachable, yet here they were. Korey’s expression turned dark when Vince told him about his father putting bars on his windows and his friends helping him escape. His insistence on going to Dominance’s concert.
“Why?” Korey finally asked. “Does the concert mean so much to you?”
“I’ve never really played well with others. I’ve always been an outsider all my life. Too weak and idealistic to be a hunter and too scared to run away. Your music helped me through the worst of times.” He finished his beer. “Can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why did you save me?”
“My answer will scare you.”
“You don’t frighten me.” Vince gave him a challenging look, which only made the Alpha laugh. That sound went right to his dick. It was so carefree, so unexpected. He wanted to hear Korey laugh again.
“My wolf knew something tonight would be different. Scenting you on stage confirmed it.”
Vince knew their gazes crossing hadn’t been something he’d imagined, but he kept his mouth shut and waited for Korey to explain.
“I caught your scent at the party again, telling me this isn’t a coincidence. When that fucker put his hand on you, it took all of me not to tear him to pieces,” Korey said.”
Korey looked him in the eye, the Alpha’s pupils a wild shade of gold. Vince had a feeling it was Korey’s animal peeking back at him, assessing him, but for what? He was so confused. Was Korey pulling his leg, but it didn’t feel like it.
“Alphas have a harder time controlling their animals than most. You nearly wrestled that control from me tonight,” Korey finished.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I knew the moment I saw you from the stage.”
“Know what?” Vince’s heart hammered against his chest.
This moment was real. He had a feeling he knew what Korey would say next, but he didn’t want to assume wrongly. Assumptions would only lead to disappointments and he didn’t think he could handle rejection, not from Korey Strong.
“That you’re my mate.”