8. Alaric

8

Alaric

The disorganization of the Games was already starting to show. Without Jade's input, the other alpha dragons in charge had no clue what they were doing. I recognized that when I asked Gaius about the prize for winning the challenge, and he said it was a surprise.

In other words, nobody had figured it out yet.

I sighed as I picked out my outfit. How was I supposed to dress if I didn't know what the activity was? Would it be a nice dinner? A moonlit walk on the beach? Something completely different?

"I like that one," Poppy said from his spot on my bed. Since his friends Taylor and Muzo were busy babysitting while their mates helped ‘run' the Games, Poppy seemed lonely, so I'd invited him over. He was the only omega here I considered a friend, and we shared more experiences than anyone else. Besides, his company helped me think about something other than Jade.

"This one?" I asked, holding up a pale blue cardigan.

"Yeah. It matches your eyes. Er, one of them," Poppy said.

The tender wolf said the exact same thing about every outfit I'd tried on, but I appreciated the compliment anyway.

"Thank you," I replied, comparing it to another shirt in the mirror. "It's just so hard to know what to wear to a mystery event."

Poppy smiled. "I'm just happy you won the challenge. That book was hard to read..."

"You can say that again." As a thought floated into my mind, I paused. "Poppy, I have to ask... Why are you happy for me? Aren't you upset when others win instead of you?"

Poppy tilted his head. Clearly, that thought never crossed his mind. "Why would I be upset?"

"Because I'm upset," I grumbled. "But I'm also a cold-hearted bitch."

Poppy laughed softly. Even his laughter was gentle, like falling into a cloud.

"It's all right," he said. "Winning the challenge made you happy, so I'm glad for you, Alaric."

"I watched other omegas win challenges plenty of times, and trust me, I was not happy about it," I admitted brusquely. "But you never bat an eye. Do you even care? It's like you're not even trying."

Poppy's smile thinned. His voice was quiet but firm. "I am trying. I've been trying the whole time. I... I want a real mate as much as you, Alaric."

The vulnerability in his voice caught me off guard. I felt a sharp stab of guilt for hurting him. Putting the shirts aside, I sat next to him on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Poppy. That was a careless thing to say. And while I'm at it, I'm sorry for calling your suitcase ugly," I added.

He chuckled lightly. "It's okay. It kind of is."

I'd never been good at the whole friendship thing, but now was a good time to make an effort. I awkwardly put my arm around Poppy's shoulder to comfort him. In response, he leaned against me. I found his warmth oddly comforting, and I slowly relaxed. Maybe I could get used to not being such a bitch after all.

"It must be hard, watching all your friends find their mates before you," I murmured. "At least, that's how it feels for me."

Poppy didn't speak for several seconds. "It is hard. But that doesn't mean I'm not happy for them."

I nodded. That made sense, even if it was more gracious than my perspective. Deep down, I was glad for the other omegas, too. I was just painfully jealous—and I knew what would happen if I didn't find an alpha.

"Do you still have the money Cobalt gave you a couple seasons ago?" I asked.

Poppy's eyes widened in concern. "I do. Why? Do you need some?"

His eagerness made me snort. "For fuck's sake, no. Keep your damned money." I stared at the floor. "I grew up poor. What little we had was never enough."

I wasn't sure why I suddenly felt the urge to share. Maybe it was because I felt a kinship with Poppy as the last two unmated omegas from the original season. Or maybe it was because Poppy was my friend.

But getting out those two sentences was hard enough. My throat tightened like a vise, not wanting to dig any deeper. I couldn't tell him the rest. Not yet, anyway.

Poppy's gaze lowered to his hands folded in his lap. "I can understand that. I went through something similar."

We lapsed into silence. Neither of us wanted to elaborate. But that was fine with me. Sitting quietly together and knowing we'd both shared a troubled childhood was enough.

In a lighter tone, Poppy said, "I think you'll find your mate this season after all. Jade seems to like you, even though you wanted revenge on him."

I resisted the urge to groan. I'd forgotten about that melodramatic incident.

But I didn't want to get my hopes up. "I'm not holding my breath."

On the other hand, Poppy remained eternally hopeful. He nodded to my pile of clothes. "Go on. Pick an outfit."

I sighed. "All right."

As I shuffled through potential outfits, my mind wandered. What if a different omega had ditched the book and gone to confront Jade instead? Would that omega have won the challenge and taken my place during tonight's date?

A hot burst of jealousy shot up my spine. Then I imagined clawing the imaginary omega's eyes out and instantly felt better.

Why was I so possessive over Jade? We weren't together. We weren't even dating. So why did I care so much if a theoretical omega won a stupid reality TV challenge?

Suddenly, I felt impatient to get to the date. I grabbed the nearest outfit and threw it on. In the end, it didn't matter what I wore, since all my clothes were fabulous.

But I did secretly hope that Jade liked it.

A staff member instructed me to take the hotel elevator up to the penthouse. I'd been there once before for an omegas' night party when that ferret omega, Mylo, was pregnant. I did a damned good job hiding my searing jealousy that night—not because I was envious of Mylo's annoying alpha partner Aurum, but because Mylo had a fated mate and babies on the way. Frankly, I should've earned an award for sainthood.

When I arrived at the penthouse level, the staff kobold led me to a different area. I was pleased to be greeted by a luxurious, pristine spa room. A pair of spotless leather massage tables stood at the ready, nestled behind a private bamboo wall. Glowing candles and gentle soundscape music provided an inviting atmosphere. It was nicer than any salon I'd ever been to—not that I'd been to many, with my paltry money situation. But a man could dream, right?

I wasn't alone. Camera kobolds lurked in the corners of the spa room, ready to capture everything on film. They were subtle, and I'd been on enough seasons to tune them out, but it would've been nice to enjoy a spa experience without them present. I fantasized about winning the Games and having my very own spa room in the dragons' castle.

"Alaric."

Jade's voice sent an electric jolt across my skin. He stood behind me with a cool smile. His long green hair was tied up neatly as usual, although he'd changed into a fresh suit.

"Jade," I replied, trying not to betray the fact that I was glad to see him.

He sounded pleased. "I'm glad you made it, despite the mysterious circumstances."

"I would never miss an opportunity to claim a prize."

I spoke calmly, but my heart hammered in rapid, heavy thuds. Was it my imagination, or did my pulse thrum harder and faster every consecutive time I saw Jade?

Jade glanced around the room. "For what it's worth, I had no idea we had a spa date until I arrived. If I'd known, I would've worn a robe."

My brain instantly pictured him in a robe. Then without it. I shook my head, discarding those unwarranted thoughts before I wandered in a direction I couldn't come back from.

"Well, let's not waste time," I said. "I, for one, would greatly appreciate a massage."

Jade's eyes flashed. "Is that right?"

I swallowed. Why was he looking at me like a predator hunting its prey?

The camera crew weren't the only staff present. Two kobold masseuses were on standby, ready to get to work. But Jade ignored them. He stared right at me like I was the only other person in the room. His emerald gaze was so intense it sent a shiver down my spine.

Jade cracked his knuckles. "I'm a bit out of practice, so I understand if you'd prefer a professional, but I'll offer you my services, Alaric."

I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds. Did I imagine those words or did he really just say that?

On the inside, I was beyond flustered. Outwardly, I held my cool.

I cleared my throat to overcome the sudden dryness in my mouth. "I accept your offer. But if you do a subpar job, I'll take the professional."

Jade's mouth sliced into a confident grin. "Done."

The masseuses ushered me into a change room where I ditched my clothes and slipped into a fluffy, luxurious robe. My mind returned to its previous fantasy of Jade in one. This time, I didn't chase it off. Even in my imagination he looked fucking good.

When I emerged from the change room, my fantasy had come to life. I sucked in a quiet breath as I saw Jade. Unlike my stock white robe, he wore a beautiful malachite green robe with his name embroidered on the breast in gold thread. Green should not have been anyone's color, but Jade made it work.

"Shall we begin?" Jade offered, gesturing to the sleek massage table.

I took a seat. "At once."

The masseuses bid us farewell and disappeared, leaving only the camera crew in the shadows. Thanks to my multiple seasons on the Games, I quickly forgot they were present. Besides, it was impossible to focus on anything besides Jade's radiant aura.

His snake-like gaze swept over me. "You'll need to disrobe."

I bit my lip to stop another shiver from rippling across my skin. That smug bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'm aware," I said.

Making a point to annoy him, I dragged out my striptease. I took my sweet time slipping off the robe and placing it on the nearby hook. Now the only things remaining on my skin were Jade's collar and a pair of silk briefs—and if I wasn't careful, the latter might get ruined.

Jade didn't blink. He watched me with that quietly pretentious expression, hungry eyes glinting as each new inch of skin was unveiled. He looked like a predator biding its time.

And I wanted to be his prey.

I sucked in a breath before tearing away my gaze. I lay down against the massage table, lowering my face into the open cradle. I was happy not to lock eyes with him anymore. Who knew what kind of dastardly mind tricks he'd pull on me?

The lights dimmed. The room went dark and quiet except for the warm glow of flickering candles and calming ambient music. I heard the thin pop of an opening bottle.

"Oil?" Jade asked.

My throat tightened in anticipation. "Sure."

I ground my teeth at the sound of Jade smearing the oil against his palms. Against my best efforts, my cock twitched in my underwear. Thank gods I was still wearing it.

He began with my shoulders. I froze as his hands hooked over them like missing puzzle pieces, gliding into place as if they naturally belonged there. His thumbs dug into my shoulder blades with just enough pressure to hit the spot.

Fuck.

I bit my tongue to avoid moaning. I managed to hold it back at the very last second.

Why did that feel so good?

"Too soft? Too hard?" Jade prompted.

My eyebrow twitched at the smug tone in his voice. He definitely knew how much I enjoyed it—he'd only asked to rile me up.

"Just right," I mumbled.

He didn't reply, but I still heard the silent smirk on his stupid, handsome face.

I relaxed against my will as Jade worked my shoulders. As much as I wanted to be annoyed that I liked this, I couldn't hold back the waves of comfort and pleasure washing over me. Every drop of tension evaporated from my body. I melted against the massage table, feeling fully at ease.

Jade's hands snaked lower. I bit back another groan as he worked his magic on my lower back. His hands were firm enough to loosen the coiled tension, but also gentle enough to relax me. It was a sensation of pure bliss.

An uncomfortable jolt shot up my spine as he found a knot in my lumbar. I winced. I knew if he didn't massage it out, it'd hurt more in the long run, but right now the mix of painful pleasure built to a breaking point.

Despite my best efforts to keep silent, I moaned.

Jade's hands paused for a split second before resuming their magic. It was a small moan, quiet enough that nobody but Jade would've heard it.

It was my turn to feel smug. My moan clearly affected him. He wasn't the impenetrable fortress he pretended to be.

But I didn't have the upper hand for long. Jade's oiled hands slid down to the lowest part of my back, stopping right before the slope of my ass.

"You're holding a lot of tension here," he said coyly. "I'll work you extra hard."

His thumbs dug in and rolled. A shockwave of pleasure shot up my spine.

I ground my teeth to keep from crying out. Talented alpha bastard. He was too fucking good at this. How did Jade know exactly what I liked?

It was almost like... it was instinctual.

I ignored the flutter in my heart. That was ridiculous. An alpha couldn't instinctively know your pleasure preferences.

Could they?

Jade grunted softly with effort as he pressed his thumbs deeper into my taut muscle. I felt the space between us disappear as he leaned down, nearly pressing his chest to my exposed back.

"You're so tight here, Alaric," he murmured against my ear.

My cock throbbed. Hard.

Jade was such an asshole. If I wasn't currently melting into the massage table, I could've punched his stupid handsome face.

He chuckled softly. "Does it feel good here?"

"It's fine," I muttered.

That was a lie. It felt incredible, but I wasn't going to admit that when he was screwing with me.

"I see," Jade said, feigning disappointment. "If I'm not meeting your expectations, allow me to put more effort into making you feel good."

His strong hands pushed and rolled at the perfect spots. The breath vanished from my lungs. Pleasure seeped over my body like sprawling watercolors.

I couldn't tell if I loved or hated Jade in this moment. My body certainly liked him—especially my hard cock straining against the massage table. But my brain was furious at him for toying with me—on camera, no less.

"Better?" Jade asked charmingly.

"Yes," I ground out.

"Excellent. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying this, Alaric."

I bet you are, perverted freak.

"Shall I continue?" he asked.

"Sure," I grumbled.

I instantly regretted my decision because that bastard's hands moved to my ass.

I jolted as Jade's oiled palms caressed my cheeks. I'd expected him to go back up to my shoulders, or massage my calves, not go there.

"Is this all right with you?" Jade asked. It was just an act. He knew damn well that I liked it.

I exhaled through my nose. "Yes, it's... fine."

"Wonderful."

The only wonderful part about this experience was the ecstasy-fueled sensations pulsing through my body. Everything else was wretched. He'd pay for this later. Somehow.

Jade massaged my ass in ways I didn't know could feel so good. Of course, it was tasteful—we were still being filmed, after all—but the intimacy of it thrilled me. If he could make me feel this good while being watched, how good could he make me feel in private?

I shook off that thought. My erection was already throbbing. I had to cool it before I blew my load without even being touched once.

But Jade wasn't making it easy. He was teasing me on purpose. My suspicion was confirmed when his fingers slipped dangerously close to my hole. I shuddered.

This was bad. I couldn't step away from the ledge of arousal. If he kept teasing me, I'd get slick down there, and that would be downright mortifying.

Then, as if reading my mind, Jade's hands pulled away from my ass and went back to my shoulders. I felt a flash of relief. I was still hard—at this point it was impossible not to be—but Jade spared me the experience of coming on film in front of a dozen people.

Jade paused and took a deep, long breath. Was he smelling me? Could he scent the arousal wafting off my electrified body? I hoped so. It was my revenge for his pleasurable torture.

Jade toned down his purposeful teasing after that. It reverted back to a normal massage. Well, as normal as an intimate massage between an alpha and omega could be.

After a while, he pulled away. My body immediately felt the absence of his warmth, like a day without sunlight.

"Time's up. It's been an hour," he remarked. His voice sounded totally neutral, like he hadn't provoked me within range of an orgasm.

I cursed my still-existent erection. In a swift motion, I snatched on my robe fast enough to cover up any evidence. Out of curiosity, I glimpsed at Jade's lower half, but his flowing robe also obscured any suspicious bulges.

"I hope you've enjoyed your date tonight," Jade said with a polite smile. "Well, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

My stomach dropped with disappointment. That was it? He'd teased me to the point of an aching boner only to send me home? And he didn't even have the fucking courtesy to invite me back to the castle?

Fury welled up in my chest. I glared at him. "Fine. Good night."

I spat the parting words and marched out of the room. Irritation burned inside me. That nasty alpha just used me for his own pleasure.

Or had I misunderstood? Maybe there was no secret meaning behind his touches. Maybe it was just a regular massage, and I was overthinking it. Either way, I was still pissed off.

I trudged into the elevator and stabbed the button to my floor. Arousal and anger simmered within me like a boiling pot ready to overflow. My plan for the rest of the night was to lock myself in my room and jack off furiously, but I wasn't happy about it.

Just as I reached my hotel room door, a large hand snatched my arm. A surge of fear struck me. I turned around to face my assailant.

Standing behind me, panting hard with crazed emerald eyes, was Jade.