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Our conversation felt oddly pedestrian as we weaved through the masses of people.
“No. She left town and returned to Oxford.”
“Then,” I paused. If I wanted to make her mine correctly, I needed to speak with her mother or I could follow instinct and claim her without permission. However, I must not do that in a ballroom without causing the kind of scandal she wanted to avoid. “Miss Hartwell, please do me the honour of having a quiet word. It is… There is something we must speak of. I recognise we did not part on good terms… A moment of your time.”
“Is there something wrong? The pamphlet that got published yesterday about the bill? Hippolyta was at fault. I told her not to meddle,” she said, her whole attention on me, her hand clutching my arm. “Sy— Your Grace. Yes. If you... We should find somewhere for me to explain. Your name won’t be dragged through the muck because of my actions.”
I did not correct her. I knew nothing about any pamphlets. Rather, I needed to know if my chances with Viola were destroyed by the letter I’d written. If she read it, if she… I looked down and saw a strange flush that did not look healthy spreading across her face and chest.
“Are you quite alright?” I asked. She’d been unwell. What if she had not recovered? I’d kill them all for forcing her to come to the ball when she was not fully well.
“Enough. I am too hot.”
“Find us somewhere,” I commanded. She led us to the library, and I held the door open while she slipped in.
“You are familiar with the house,” I remarked.
“The Viscountess is a friend.” She put a hand on her mating gland, pressing down on it as if it bothered her. “She… You do not care for my rambling. Her son is planning to stand in the next election. They hope I will… Never mind, it will not interest you. She says she wants to help with the Omega Right’s Property Act.”
“Gale wishes you to marry her son, doesn’t she? Didn’t I warn you to stay far away from him? I know I did, so don’t… You are a hellion,” I growled and wrapped my hands around her shoulders. Not enough, I must cradle her against my chest, a hand holding her head to the place above my heart.
“I would never!” she gasped and struggled to get away, but I would not let her. “Why are you growling at me? I did nothing wrong. You are the one who sought me out. Make up your mind. Do you wish to growl at me, or never see me again?”
“I am sorry,” I purred. “I know you wouldn’t go near that reprobate.”
“Syon, I don’t feel too well,” she closed her eyes as if the soft candlelight was too much. I purred for her, pulling her closer still that she might feel the deep reverberations in her very bones.
“You called me Syon.”
“You asked me to,” she sounded petulant. “And just now I called you many things but you would not respond. Are you angry about the pamphlets? Hippolyta—”
“I know nothing about the pamphlets. I just arrived in town. Do not worry yourself,” I reassured her. I wanted to keep her talking. I wanted to forget everything but how her body melded with mine. Difficult conversations could happen later. I had my Viola, nothing else mattered. “Your sister’s handwriting is nothing compared to yours,” I teased.
“Her handwriting is chicken scratch! Not that of a gentlewoman! But we believe it is because they forced her to write with her right hand instead of her left as Papa allowed me. I speak of nothing. I beg your pardon. My thoughts are all over the place.” A fluttering hand was pressed to a trembling mouth that appeared desperate to speak more if it weren’t being physically restricted.
But her scent! It spiralled and thickened. Ripe and decadent.
I growled with purpose now. Here before me was forbidden fruit I yearned to taste. I’d done so unknowingly. My alpha purred with satisfaction, but I forced myself to reject the instinct to fuck Viola in this place. To draw forth more of that sweet scent. To provoke her into releasing her slick. But no matter how tempting it was to pull down her gown and suck on her breasts, her clit, until she mewled in pleading, tortured desire. I needed to get her to the duchess’s nest first.
“We must leave, Viola. We must leave now before I am no longer in control.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sweet innocent. You smell divine. Precious above all things. But I am only an alpha and the—”
A growl was ripped from me as she let out a mewl of distress. Her scent, however, remained sweet, and I knew slick must be dripping from her hot, innocent cunt. The predator that lurked beneath the surface took on a new interest.
“I cannot,” I said even as I pulled her closer, rocking my aching cock into her in a feeble attempt to assuage the need I felt. “Goddess, I want you. But I cannot… Not here.”
I groaned into her hair.
“You hate me” she shook her head. “You said in your letter! You said you would give me up.”
“I was angry.”
“I am angry,” she snapped and tugged at the low neck of her gown. Her skin was feverish. Surely, surely she could not be going into heat? Everything pointed to her having recently finished a heat. It would be madness to think she would risk...
“Omega, when was your last heat?” I barked. All thoughts of a proper courting period replaced by the very real possibility that this delicate flower was about to bloom before my eyes and at a ball in a strange alpha’s house.
“A week ago.”
Everything pointed to there being some problem. Her scent was too rich for her to have finished her heat.
“I took suppressants,” she moaned in distress. “How was I meant to come to the ball without them? They insisted I come…”
“Fool girl,” I barked. She swayed towards me giving off the soft omega purr in hopes of soothing my temper. “Suppressants cannot be trusted. And if you work against nature, nature will only find its way. Why? Why did they force you to come, knowing your heat could come on you at any point?”
