Byron’s POVAlpha Joe cleared his throat. “Let’s cut to the chase, Bryon.”“Byron,” I corrected, pleasantly, raising my glass.“Alpha, you have some prime grazing land, and we will pay top dollar to use it.”“Go on,” I said, taking a sip of pinot gris.“Do you have the infrastructure to accommodate us?” the billionaire asked.“It can be arranged. I take it you’re partners in this?”Beneath the table, Liz tugged at my pants. She was shaking her head. What didn’t I know?“Not exactly. I have a different, more universal request,” Max announced.“Yes, well, we’ll come to that, Maxie.”“Now, Joe!”They didn’t hit it off. Divide and conquer. I wished I’d done my research but, as ever, so much was happening to distract me.This was going to be a minefield if I wasn’t careful. I didn’t want to get on the wrong side of either of them.The beef arrived then. Probably a bad choice since they were bound to make a comparison with their own prime stock. Except that was Joe’s baby.“Let me get this
Byron’s POVThe ballet dancer wasn’t what I’d anticipated seeing when I re-joined the others. She was accomplished as well as entertaining and I had to pinch myself. Was this really Liz? I reckoned she was making a point.Was that for my benefit?I had already clocked what the escorts were wearing and decided the enterprise would be decidedly sleazy. Did I want to be associated with such a company? Not in the least, though I could play along.While Mo and I chatted with the males and females, my slave was back where she belonged for the evening: at my feet.“By the way, we’re throwing a party tomorrow in your honour,” I told our guests. It will be an Asian-themed night, though dressing up is optional.”“I’d like to see Miss Bell in a sarong and nothing else,” Joe said, snickering.The Lycan glared at him, saving me the bother.“You’ll have to wait and see. Isn’t that right, Mo?”“What? Oh, yes. We’re serving fusion food, not just sushi.”“Will there be a tea ceremony?” Max asked. “If
Byron’s POVCounselling caution, I ran through the steps of what was essentially a need-to-know operation. Goddess knew what the pack members must think. Security had been informed to heighten their awareness. They must assume it was about the VIPs we were hosting.In a way, it was.They were leaving in the afternoon as something had come up. I arranged the pet demo around brunchtime in one of our larger meeting rooms. Liz played her role magnificently, while Mo spiked the drinks she handed out.It takes a lot to knock out a werewolf but a Lycan, no chance. I wasn’t aiming for that, just to disorientate them a little.Then we held the auction-cum-raffle and I won. Though I wanted to titillate them further and asked her to change into her final costume with only my broad back as a shield in lieu of a screen.How fitting she had chosen to look like a warrior woman.The trap I’d set was about to be sprung. Only one more thing would make it complete.We never reached the dungeon proper. B
Liz’s POVI didn’t get much sleep that night, following the pattern of recent weeks. Yet I felt safe here at Wild Horses, except that a vital key to my future happiness was missing.This time last year I hadn’t even known he existed, despite being our near neighbour. He’d shot to fame on the TV when one of his hotels was endorsed by several celebrities. Humans set store by such things; we tend to be more practical.Running the merged packs helped to stop me fearing the worst.Michael had said he would look into what had happened with Beta Ian and I was all set to recompense his widow when she took her own life. I thought that was strange, too, because they hadn’t been getting on.Maybe his sudden demise was nothing to do with the missing Alphas, all of whom were male as far as we knew.Why hadn’t Maggie gone to Alaska with her husband? Had they had yet another quarrel?I’d been too absorbed with keeping Ricky on the straight and narrow to really notice her distress. Though he’d seemed
Liz’s POVThat was how we ended up meeting Lycan Max’s representative in a city a hundred miles away. I was wearing a wig and fake tan, my look a bold one including winged eyeliner.Michael had permitted me to cut his hair. I wasn’t much of a stylist but it would have to do. Then we went shopping for suitable gear.All of it took me back to a place I didn’t want to be. Yet some of my memories had been replaced by Byron’s take on discipline.“Can we pull this off, do you think?” he asked.“Please don’t get carried away in the scene,” was my reply.We’d decided to do a live demo in front of the lycanthrope, involving spanking and the use of certain props.“You’ve always been gorgeous,” he said. “How could I hurt someone as lovely as you?”The spectre of Ernest was there between us. Yet I had learned something I didn’t know before. Michael was sweet on me. Was that why he’d absented himself for so long?He didn’t ask me to talk about it but soon I was telling him the sordid details: no s
Byron’s POV As it happened, Carla was her aunt. We ended up together the following week. I’d wondered if she would behave the same with me as with my brother-in-law. His pock marks can be off putting. But she acted even more scared around me than Robin. I made her the same promise. We were due to work in the copper mines shortly and I asked her if she had any tips. “I’ve heard it said there are lots of explosions in the area. Come back safe, honey. We’re counting on you.” I wished she hadn’t chosen to share that with me. To make matters worse there was a thunderstorm the next day. Each cloud collision was unnerving and then there was that shaky descent in a cage which seemed on the point of collapse. Ricky seemed to have cheered up recently. He’d met Sally. “My chosen mate,” he confided. “An Omega?” “Who cares? She has a good heart and very big – ” “Okay, I get the picture,” I said, hoping his sudden crush would pass. I chose her next time, knowing she wouldn’t want me to li
Liz’s POVI overheard them talking, some of the women, and grew uncomfortable when I heard them mention Byron.“He’s the best.”"Those abs."“I think he’s hot.”A pity I was unlikely to be assigned – internally or for external “clients” – as I would have given him a roasting.Then I thought about it. There’d been no pains other than a mild tummy cramp which I put down to the change of environment and different food.So he hadn’t gone all the way with them, just made it look good.Michael came into the common area holding two mugs.“Thought you might appreciate this,” he said. “Extra strong coffee.”“Thanks,” I murmured. “What did Ricky say?”He glanced around at the empty chairs before telling me, “Alpha Richard says not to put yourself in further danger.”I huffed. He was the one who had contributed to putting me in harm’s way in the first place. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be free to meet you.”“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to get a message to you.”I’d noticed that about hi
Byron’s POVTrevor reported that he’d given my message to Liz. In turn, I received a communication from her via Michael who gave it to Sally.It was frustrating not to be able to read some of her handwriting but I got the gist. She was going nowhere. I became incensed. Not because I learned she was with pup but that she was disobeying a direct order to join our co-ordinated escape.There was a time and a place for my admittedly unacknowledged Luna to be assertive. This wasn’t one of them.Or maybe she hadn’t seen my instruction at the time of writing. Though I doubted she would change her mind.Another blow had already fallen with her brother being isolated in the infirmary. I was really tempted to leave him behind, with her, but that would be cruel.Then there was a rumour which seemed to gather momentum. I couldn’t believe it initially.Until I saw her seated beside the Lycan at that function.It was a statement of intent if ever I saw one.I tried to catch her eye, but she stared s