39

Centuries of experience had made him the greatest showman on earth. But I was a Tranquility operative. I could see through people. When I looked into his eyes, I saw the truth. No matter how well he played it off or how wide his smile, he had a secret. He was bored out of his mind with his life, and this show was the only way he could find any excitement or drama. It explained why he’d stuck with it for so long.

The microphone was under my chin. Kira, Von, and the thousands in attendance stared at me, waiting for me to speak.

Clearing my throat, I leaned forward. “Wyatt Rivers, Second Pack.”

Von threw an arm over my shoulders. “Greetings, Mister Rivers. Now, Wyatt, what should Miss Durst know about you?”

The other men had either flirted with Kira or aggressively told them how much they wanted her. I decided to keep things similar—and mess with her a little.

“Well, Von, she needs to know that I protect what’s mine, and she’ll be mine soon. I’m possessive, in a good way, and she needs to be ready for me to stay by her side. The only way I’m letting her get hurt on that island is over my dead body.”

The crowd oohed and aahed at that. I caught sight of Zoe standing beside Kolton and decided to go for a laugh.

“Also, Von, she needs to know that…I do not have a small wiener.”

Kira’s head jerked back slightly at that, and a red flush crept up her neck to her face. Her smile grew tight and forced. Shrieks of approval and laughter rang out from the crowd.

Von guffawed and slapped me playfully on the chest. “Oh, stop! You dirty, dirty boy. We’re gonna have trouble with you, I see.”

Von moved on to Mika. I’d gotten under Kira’s skin in a big way, though she wasn’t letting it show. I looked at her and gave her another cocky grin.

Once the introductions were complete, Von moved to the center of the stage and finished the show with a bunch of flowery, poetic words about fated mates and new chances and us all having the opportunity to be worthy of the Moon Goddess Heline’s blessing. It was cookie-cutter stuff, nothing that really mattered. All bullshit to me. The Moon Goddess cared about one thing, and that was herself. I was getting antsy and ready to get out of the spectacle.

After finishing his lengthy spiel, Von took Kira by the arm and led her down the steps toward two waiting limos. They were separating the guys into two groups. One group would leave in the limo in which we’d arrived, and the others would ride with Kira and Zoe.

I could already see how the groups were going to break up. I wouldn’t be going with Kira and have the chance to talk to her. I looked around and caught sight of Kolton. I gave him a nod, hopefully conveying that I’d do my best to protect her.

Two massive fallen angels ushered Zoe through the crowd to Kira at the base of the stairs, then hustled them toward their limo. Von slipped into the limo I’d arrived in, and the contestants started to slip into the cars. The shouts, screams, and cacophony of noise faded as I climbed into the limo.

We pulled away once Mika had gotten seated. Von was all charm, smiles, and non-stop chatter as he pulled a few bottles of champagne out of a leather-covered cooler. He passed the glasses and champagne around. My nose wrinkled at the coppery smell as he popped the top.

All the men were smiling and drinking. They laughed at Von’s jokes and told their own, but I could tell each of them was doing the same thing I’d started doing on the stage. They were measuring each other, weighing who would be a threat or obstacle.

Mika was beside me, the only one other than me who was silent. I was being silent to gather intel, but Mika looked miserable. The cocky smile was gone as he stared into the bubbling glass of champagne in his hand, not drinking. He’d been the same as a kid—always upset or gloomy about something. Time hadn’t changed that aspect, from the looks of it.

“Why the fuck aren’t we in the limo with the chick?” Nathaniel grumbled.

“Right? I need a chance to let her see what she could have,” Tate said.

A few others made similar remarks. It set my teeth on edge, but it let me know where things stood. Most of these alphas were in this for reasons other than finding a new fated mate.

“My name’s Ryan,” the man across from me said, leaning forward and extending a hand.

I looked at his hand like it was the strangest thing I’d ever seen before coming to my senses and reaching forward to shake.

“Um, Wyatt. Nice to meet you.”

Ryan gave me a nod. “This is exciting, right?”

Grinning, I said, “Something like that.”

“What did you say you did for a living?” Ryan asked.

“Law enforcement,” I said. It was close enough to the truth.

Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re a cop?”

I nodded. A few other alphas in the car overheard me. Nathaniel laughed in disgust. “Oh, great. We got a pig. You gonna tell us what’s legal and what isn’t on Bloodstone Island, Mister Policeman?”

In response, I grinned and held eye contact as I sipped my champagne. He looked away first but tried to cover it by waving a hand at me like he was bored.

By the time we got to the airport, I was confident I could take any of the men in the car. All of them were from established packs, most came from money, and none had really had to work hard for anything. None of them had ever survived in the wild as a lone wolf.

I had.

Still, I was a little scared of how off-balance some of them acted. Things might get intense during the show. You could never anticipate what people would do when pushed to the limit. Some might be so desperate to get their fated mate and redeem themselves with their packs that they could put Kira in danger. I had to not only keep an eye on her but on every one of these men, too.