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His hand returns to cradle my head to his chest and I breathe in his caramelly scent. “Listen,” he starts and has to clear his throat before continuing. “If this short time with you is all I’ll have, I want you to know I’ll cherish it. I didn’t go into this with the expectation of walking out happy, but you’ve made me want to fight for it.”
It should be strange. Normal people don’t fall this fast, this quickly like they do on TV shows, but with Kyle, it doesn’t seem strange at all. It may simply be that our biology is extremely compatible, true, but it feels like more than that. Like there’s more going on here than meets the eye.
His admission makes my heart squeeze and I latch onto him tighter, knowing when I let him go, it might be over for good. I inhale another lungful of his scent before he steps away, committing it to memory. “Come on, let’s go before I have a part two to the Designation Ceremony,” I grumble. Running isn’t an option, considering we’re quite literally in the middle of nowhere, and hiding would only give a temporary reprieve. I glance at the cameraman who’s smirking and I groan. “I can only imagine the memes floating around.”
Kyle winces. “Yeah, there was a gif with the leaf falling from your hair already going viral before they took our phones,” he admits.
“Damn. That’s going to haunt me the rest of my life, isn’t it?” I joke. Even if it does, I don’t regret it. I would have always wondered if I could’ve escaped this whole ordeal. Now I know I couldn’t have. My destiny feels rooted in meeting the men who make me drool with a hint of their scent.
We make it back to the converted ballroom, and a shiver of fear rolls through me. “You cold?” Kyle asks. “Here, take my jacket.” He doesn’t pause for me to answer, his alpha instincts kicking in, wanting to ensure the omega at his side is taken care of.
He moves to stand behind me, holding up his jacket so I can thread my arms through the opening. I wasn’t cold, but having his caramel scent surrounding me… it calms me in ways I never expected. This is what I truly needed to make it through the rest of the night, and I didn’t even realize it.
“Thank you,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself and taking a deep inhale of the sugary goodness that inspires nothing but warmth. Who could be worried when wrapped up in pure happiness?
Kyle moves to stand in front of me, a soft smile gracing his inviting lips. His gentle touch finds my chin, tilting my head back as he steps even closer. His breath feathers over my lips, and I lose mine entirely. It catches in my throat as butterflies beat their wings rapidly in my stomach. His other hand lands on my hip, and I can’t help but press my palms against his muscular chest.
Anticipation builds as we stare into each other’s eyes. I’m lost in his golden depths, wanting nothing more than to kiss him right now.
A slight purr rumbles through his chest, the vibration teasing at my nipples pressed against him. “I want to end our first date with a kiss. I want it so fucking bad,” he tells me, his gaze flicking to my lips and I can’t help but lick them with the attention. “But I want to calm your nerves with a promise instead. I’ll save that kiss for our next moment spent together, so you have no doubts in my confidence I’ll still be here.”
Chapter 22
Verity
“Live in three,” Mark, the main cameraman, says before holding up two fingers, then one, and slashes his hand down at the exact second a red blinking light appears on the side of his camera. Wow, he has that timing down pat.
The movement is Mrs. Violet’s cue to address the crowd, and she doesn’t miss a beat. “Good evening, Heat Fiends! Voting is now closed. Let’s hope the world agrees with who your favorite is.” She winks at the camera and turns to usher in the men. They file onto the staged area one by one. Some wave at the camera, others seem sort of star-struck at all the lights, like deer caught in headlights.
I’ll admit they’ve really gone all out tonight with the lighting and theatrics. The elimination episodes are the most watched after all.
My stomach flutters with nerves as each alpha enters, and the urge to fidget is strong. Instead, I take a moment to straighten my dress, even though it’s perfect—Rosey made sure of that—but it’s something to keep my mind occupied.
My heart leaps to my throat when I glance up at the exact moment Andrik and Jedrik walk in together, automatically seeking me out like I do them. Everything but them fades away. As cliché as it seems, it’s as if we’re the only three in the room.
They’re still as hot as they were earlier, although Jedrik now matches his twin, both of them having pocket squares that match my dress. Judging by the stink eye they’re getting from the other alphas, they haven’t gone unnoticed. Jedrik unbuttons his blazer to give a more casual appearance and runs a hand through his hair, mussing it up. It only adds to his mouthwatering appeal.
Yeah, whoever told Rosey that these plain, recycled suits don’t allow anyone to stand out was wrong. Or maybe I’m biased because I have eyes for no one but the twins and they for me, their combined gazes laser-focused on me as they take their places. More alphas walk in, but I can’t shift my focus from them. Their confident appearance bolsters my own.
The only thing that pulls my focus is Kyle, who files in last sans his jacket and takes the only open spot left on the risers. He mimes blowing me a kiss and I reach my hand to capture it before bringing it to my heart. Jedrik’s nostrils flare. I can practically see the metaphorical daggers he’s throwing at Kyle and me, but there’s no time for me to analyze why that is because Mrs. Violet continues the rest of her opening spiel.
I tune out most of it because it’s always the same, but when she explains how the Elimination Ceremony will work, I focus again. She gestures to where I’m standing, the full focus of twenty alphas and all the cameras on me with the small braided cords laying on a table at my side.
“As always, I’ll call the alphas’ names who make the cut in the order of which they are on the leaderboards. Once announced, they’ll make their way over to our lovely omega here, who will tie a knot in their string, solidifying their place here for another week. Whoever the lucky alphas are that make it into Verity’s pack will tie their knots with hers in the knot tying ceremony that’s become a tradition around here.” Someone plays a clip of oohing and ahhing, and truthfully, the idea is super cute. “Verity, is there anything you’d like to say before we begin?”
I clear my throat and wince as a spotlight shines directly on me. I’ve really got to get used to that. “I’d like to personally thank all the men for being here and shooting their shots with me. While it can’t work out with everyone, I’m glad to have met each of you all the same.”
Mrs. Violet nods her head. It’s the only acknowledgment she gives my statement before moving straight into the elimination. The lights dim. Her usual bright and cheery expression turns ominous and foreboding. I take a deep breath and pump my fingers a few times to keep the blood flowing.
Ryland’s earlier words filter in, reminding me to keep breathing. Don’t lock your knees. You’ll pass out. I mean, that’s easier said than done, considering my back being ramrod straight is the only thing keeping me locked in place, but I gently bend them a little to appease his voice in my head. I’m assuming he’s in here somewhere, but with the lighting situation, I can’t see him, even though I wish I could. His reassuring smirk would ease my nerves.
“As a reminder,” Mrs. Violet begins, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Once you receive your cord from Verity, you must hold on to it at all times. If it’s ever lost, or stolen through sabotage, whatever the case may be, you’ll be moved to the bottom of the leaderboard and eliminated. If an alpha who was previously voted off happens to find a cord, they may rejoin the show.”
Yikes. In other words, don’t lose it. Perhaps this is a symbolic test to show how well they’ll care for their omega.
A few of the alphas stand straighter and several roll their eyes. I try to memorize the faces of the latter because they’re the ones who think this is silly. That this is a game. Which means I need to be guarded around them, or else I might end up lost like their strings will be in a few weeks.
I’m more convinced than ever the string is so much more than cotton threads. The point is to see who will take care of a tiny piece of rope. It’s supposed to signify they’ll treat their omega with the same reverence. If they can’t take this seriously, then why are they even here?
