YORK

 

Hunter’s generosity afforded me some time to myself. I spent most of the day playing with all of the younger Omegas in the shelter. There was always something else on my mind when I was in the shelter. It was the first time in a long time I was able to have some fun with them.

Ruby did her best to corral all of them the best she could. It was nice to see that I’d earned enough for her to keep them well fed for at least a week. But even with the money Hunter gave me, I would eventually have to get back to work.

Time went by faster than I wanted it to. While everybody retired for the day, I headed back out onto the streets.

I wasn’t eager to deal with Rip but he was already waiting for me outside of the shelter. Nighttime in Pandora came and I had no choice but to get back out there.

It was a warmer night than usual. Even with the sun down, I felt a sweat building on my skin underneath my clothes. The effects of the shower I’d taken at Hunter’s place had worn off quickly. I found my mind wandering as I thought about how comfortable it was to be in his apartment. With Rip watching me, I had to be on my guard.

It was early in the night, so I wasn’t in any hurry to find any Alphas who were looking for company. I hadn’t approached a single man when I heard something in the distance. The familiar shouting of men and women who were watching the fight on the corner of Fifth Street.

I wonder if he’s out there…

I started walking toward the corner. I could feel Rip’s eyes on me but I didn’t care. I moved closer until I saw the people crowded around. The cheering was loud. The vicious sounds of two Alphas going at one another were unmistakable.

“Excuse me… Excuse me…”

I pushed my way through the crowd as best I could until I got a good view of the two combatants. Two wolves were going at one another and not holding anything back.

They snarled and snatched their jaws. They swiped viciously. They were trying to pounce on one another like the other was prey. It was frightening to think that one of them could actually die, and the crowd would do nothing but cheer them on.

Knowing that Hunter had gone through something like this put an uneasy feeling in my stomach. The weight of the silver in my pocket seemed heavier.

Why did I take it?

In the middle of a crowd cheering for bloodlust, I felt wrong that I’d made so much money knowing what Hunter had gone through to get it.

“Hey.”

I looked up and couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Hunter?” I said.

He furrowed his brow in confusion at me but he was still as handsome as the last time I saw him. Chiseled cheeks with dimples and a strong jawline with a bit of scruff on him. Along with a kind smile on his lips, I wouldn’t be able to forget him so easily.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“What do you think I’m doing here?”

“Listen… I’ve been thinking—”

“What are you doing here?” he interrupted me. “You’re not thinking of fighting, are you?”

“W-what? No! Of course not.”

“This is no place for an Omega. I don’t know if you have somewhere else to go but you probably shouldn’t be here.”

“Hunter, I don’t think—”

I was cut off by the roar of the crowd. I turned and saw that one of the wolves in the center was lying on the floor. The Alpha who’d beaten him was a man who celebrated with both arms in the air. It was hard for me to stomach the violent scene. At least the Alpha who lost was able to make it back up to his feet and walk away.

“You’re up next. Let’s go.”

A man put a hand on Hunter’s shoulder.

He looked just as slimy as everybody else in Pandora. Yellow teeth and messy brown hair, it was obvious he was up to no good. Seeing him smile at Hunter didn’t give me any reassurance.

“I’m up next,” Hunter said.

“You don’t have to do this,” I told him.

“I know. This is my choice.”

The man escorted Hunter into the center of the crowd. Hunter prepared for his fight by taking his shirt off. The bandage I placed on his wound just the other night was gone, revealing a small scar across his chest. His physique was something to marvel at underneath the moonlight of Pandora.

While Hunter stretched out his muscles, the crowd around me all took bets. The brown-haired man who just spoke to Hunter seemed to be getting the most action.

I looked at Hunter as he stood several meters away from me. He gave me a confident smirk and winked. It somehow got a smile out of me despite how queasy my stomach felt.

I wasn’t sure what to think. But when I saw Hunter’s opponent, I didn’t feel any better.

He was a big man with muscles bulging all over his body. His biceps were almost as big as my head. Despite how tall Hunter was, the other man was still noticeably taller. He took his shirt off and didn’t waste another second before shifting into a gray-furred wolf. The crowd cheered in response.

Hunter responded by shifting himself, a proud wolf with beautiful white fur trimmed with gray.

“Come on…”

I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. I began sweating more profusely. The anxiety I felt as they circled one another was like nothing I’d ever felt before.

I knew why Hunter was here. He was doing it for the money, the same as everybody else. I had to pay him back. I couldn’t let him go through something like this again, even if he were victorious.

All of the doubts and anxieties I had quickly left my thoughts when the gray-furred wolf lunged forward. He snatched his jaw and swiped his claws at Hunter. But he wasn’t fast enough, so Hunter was able to move out of the way.

That didn’t stop the aggression. He kept biting at Hunter, trying everything he could to get a piece of him. Hunter responded by deftly moving out of the way and swiping his claws when he had the chance.

I’d heard stories of the wolves in the Timberlands. My ancestors came from a long line of wolves who lived out in the woods in packs. I never saw a wolf in Dirge because everybody here lived their lives as men.

But watching Hunter move, I imagined this was what it was like in the old days.

Hunter kept moving around, countering the attacks of the other wolf when he had the chance. The gray wolf was covered in streaks of crimson. Losing blood wasn’t enough to stop his attack.

The crowd continued to grow louder and louder. They cheered with their fists in the air and intensity in their eyes.

“Hunter! Come on!”

I raised my voice loud enough so that Hunter could hear me. I had to do everything I could to will him to win.

Everything seemed to be going in Hunter’s favor. But just when things couldn’t get worse, a sudden swipe across Hunter’s face knocked him to the floor.

“No!”

I screamed it out instinctively. The crowd cheered as Hunter stumbled to get back up on all fours. The gray wolf stalked Hunter like prey. I closed my eyes just as he pounced on Hunter.

A sudden yelp from one of the wolves filled my ears. The crowd gasped then fell silent.

No…

I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to think that Hunter was gone because of one mistake. But I had to look eventually.

I slowly peeked my eyes open. The gray wolf fell down to the ground. Hunter got back up to his feet. In the blink of an eye, Hunter hit the other wolf just as he was attacking him. It was enough to knock the gray wolf out and end the fight.

Hunter shifted from the white wolf he was back into a man. A few people in the crowd cheered in unison when they realized the fight was over. The rest of them groaned, likely having lost the bets they placed against Hunter.

Hunter put his clothes back on with a sly smile on his face. The slimy man with the messy brown hair was elated as he patted Hunter on the back.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” he said to Hunter. “I told you it would be easy.”

“It wasn’t easy,” Hunter sighed.

Hunter left the center of the crowd. Everybody began to murmur among one another, waiting for another pair of Alphas to take center stage.

I was still shaking from the anxiety I felt from the fight. Even though I was relieved that Hunter was all right, it would take me more than a moment to recover.

Hunter walked over to me with the other man and we moved away from the crowd.

“Are you all right?” I said as I put a hand to his cheek. “You took a nasty hit—”

“I’m fine,” Hunter said as he put his hand on mine. “Just a bit dazed. Nothing a little rest won’t fix.”

“Don’t rest for too long now,” the other man said. “We’ve gotta strike while the iron is hot.”

I glared at the man.

“Who are you?” I said.

The man smiled his yellow teeth and bowed his head.

“Saxon,” he said as he held his hand out. “And you are…?”

I didn’t shake his hand. I just kept staring at him even though he was smiling.

“York,” Hunter answered for me. “Don’t worry. Saxon is okay.”

“Are you sure about that?” I said.

“Hey!” Saxon said. “I’m trying to make the man some silver. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“You wanna make yourself some silver,” I sighed.

Saxon ignored me.

“Listen,” he said to Hunter. “Get yourself some rest. I’m talking to some people. I can get some bigger fights lined up for you. Bigger fights means more silver. And more silver means more—”

“Gold,” Hunter said. “I get it. Just do what you have to do. No promises. No guarantees.”

“Just like we arranged it. I’ll see you around.”

Saxon laughed and patted Hunter on the back. Just as he started walking away, Hunter called out to him.

“Saxon.”

Saxon slowly turned around.

“Are you forgetting something?” Hunter said.

Hunter held his hand out. Saxon grinned in response then reached into his jacket.

“I can never slip anything by you, Alpha.”

Saxon placed a small pouch of money in Hunter’s hand and walked away. As soon as Saxon walked away, I spoke up.

“You shouldn’t trust him,” I said. “You can’t trust anybody in Pandora.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Well… I just wanted to make sure.”

Seeing Hunter again put a smile on my face. The circumstances didn’t matter. Just being around him was enough to make me forget about everything else. And when he smiled back at me, I knew that he was just as happy to see me.

“What are you doing?” he said.

“Me? Actually, I was supposed to be working tonight—”

“Hey!”

Just as I remembered, Rip’s voice filled my ears. I turned toward the Beta I worked for as he approached me.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, huh?” Rip said. “Wasting your time instead of working?”

“I know, I know.”

“Get back to the corner. Unless…”

Rip started eyeballing Hunter.

“…I remember you,” Rip said, a sinister grin working its way onto his lips. “From last night. You like my merchandise?”

“What if I do?” Hunter responded confidently.

“You know this shit ain’t free. But seeing as how I know you’re a generous man, I’ll let you have another night.”

“How about another week?”

My eyes widened in surprise. Rip seemed to be just as shocked as I was.

“Hunter?” I said.

Rip shook his head and held an index finger up.

“For this Omega,” Rip said as he looked me up and down. “You can’t afford it. I can tell just by the clothes you’re wearing.”

“Hunter, you don’t have to do this,” I whispered.

Hunter looked at me and nodded.

“Okay,” he said to Rip. “One night.”

“One gold piece. I’m a fair man and I run a fair business.”

Hunter reached into his pocket and paid Rip in silver. Rip grumbled as he counted it before turning to me.

“Do whatever he wants,” Rip said to me as he walked away.

Watching the Beta I worked for walk away made me sigh in relief. It was enough to make me smile. Hunter did the same.

“You heard the man,” Hunter said. “Whatever I want.”

I bit my lip in embarrassment, trying and failing to hide my reddening cheeks.

“Now… What exactly did you have in mind?” I asked.

I never imagined I would get the opportunity to spend another night with Hunter so soon. But he was back in Pandora and by my side. I intended on making the most out of it.