We walked outside to a faded blue truck. The leather seats were torn. Only the driver seat was spared from the layer of dust coating the dash and passenger seat.
“Shoot. Hold on.” He reached into the back and spread a blanket over the passenger seat.
“Thanks.” I hoisted myself inside. “Sascha, I can feel you looking at my ass.”
“Forgive me, mate.”
I grinned. He was so full of shit.
We rumbled out of pack lands and drove along the south side river road.
“I’ve been meaning to ask how you are after the Sandstone turnover,” he said.
I rubbed my arm. “I mean, one of us has to lose.”
The thought made me frown as obvious as it was.
One of us would lose.
“You shifted and left.” He glanced my way. “Was our reaction too much?”
“The pack deserves happiness too. I know that.”
“I’m just aware this is a difficult adjustment.”
Adjustment. There was that word again.
I nodded. “Being on pack lands while the tribe played Grids was harder than expected. Harder still because they lost.”
My answer saddened him.
“Is there anything else worrying you? You’ve seemed distant today.”
“Just stressed about my stewards and how they’re coping.” I focused out of the window.
“Of course. It would be unreasonable to expect otherwise. Thank you for trying with the pack regardless.”
Me doing so overjoyed and relieved him big time. “I won’t stop trying. But I’m starting to wonder if I’ll settle in as things are.”
“Give it more time,” he said low.
I inhaled his sharp spike of desperation and my chest tightened. “I will, Sascha. Just thinking aloud. Don’t worry about it.”
His borderline panic didn’t abate, and I shut my mouth for the rest of the drive.
We crossed the bridge into town.
Main Street was packed with people decked in their gambling finery. Jewels flashed and laughter rang out. Sascha drove up the hill, turning in behind The Dens.
He parked and killed the engine.
We sat in the dark.
I grabbed the handle. “See you later.”
“Please don’t feel so sad and alone, beautiful wolf. We’ll figure this out.”
I opened my mouth to answer but my words scuttled off into the night. I closed the door without replying and entered the back door of the club.
The Dens had a hypnotic, erotic vibe that pulled patrons from hours away. The deep thrum of the deejay’s music worked its way into me, loosening some of the darkness gripping me.
“Seen Leroy?” I asked Grim.
He jerked his head. “Back room.”
I found the alpha working the exchange counters. “Who am I tagging today?”
“Andie, hey,” he said. “Lisa’s holding down the roulette fort. She’ll mentor you.” He dug around under the desk and passed me a trainee badge.
“Anything in particular you want me to do?” I pinned the badge to my jumpsuit.
“Watch Lisa work. We’ll catch up later to see where you’re at. I’d like you to spend time working the table under her supervision either tomorrow or Saturday.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rose and the elastic sensation under my ribs confirmed Sascha was somewhere behind me. “Sure.”
Without looking back, I entered the casino.
Money-green felt coated every playing surface in the huge space. Bright neon lights flashed from the slot machines. An excited bustle filled the air, punctuated with groaning exclamations as someone lost.
I’d hated these places for as long as my memory stretched back. Shoving away unwelcome thoughts of Ragna, I weaved between the drinking patrons towards the roulette table.
Four people already played.
Lisa greeted me as I took up position behind her. She set the roulette wheel moving anti-clockwise and spun the ball clockwise around the top edge.
I checked out the four non-value chips laid out above the wheel. Brown, blue, grey, and burgundy were in play. Lisa had set the denomination on top of each of the four chips to help her remember each person’s bet. Burgundy was playing at twenty dollars a pop. Rich guy.
The ball landed on 29.
Lisa cleared the losing bets of grey and brown. The older woman with blue had placed a red or black bet and won.
One for One?
Lisa pushed her another blue chip.
Correct.
Burgundy had laid three split bets. One bordered 29.
A bet on two squares paid seventeen times the bet. Burgundy’s chips were worth twenty dollars.
Three hundred and forty. Even losing two chips, that was a good haul.
Lisa counted his payout and I watched to confirm my answer was right.
Another woman approached the table. “May I join?”
“Of course, ma’am,” the omega replied.
The woman slid over twenty blue casino chips. “Ten-dollar bets, please.”
Lisa slid over twenty pink non-value chips in return.
The others were placing their next bets and the woman hurried to do the same.
The woman on grey won a straight-up bet a few rounds later, and I smiled as the table congratulated her.
“Well done, ma’am.” Lisa paid out her chips.
I checked my answer again.
Yep, one hundred and seventy-five.
This was a memory game, really. Lisa was faster at calculating the payout because she knew the patterns. Most bets would be the same amounts—one, five, ten, or twenty dollars. With practice, I’d memorise the common payouts and not have to think so hard.
The game continued, and I listened to how Lisa interacted with the patrons. Other Luthers circulated the room, taking drink orders from the gambling patron. The volume increased steadily, and the dealer at a high-roller blackjack table cut off a drunk patron.
“Full table, sorry,” Lisa said to a suited man who’d doused himself in far too much cologne.
Lisa murmured over her shoulder. “If you forget which bet belongs to who, check the piles in front of them.”
Ah, that made complete sense.
I studied the omega. Out of Sascha’s head team, I’d had the least interaction with Lisa. Omegas seemed the timidest of the different wolf statuses. Peaceful but anxious.
The Luther fidgeted, shooting me a quick look.
She didn’t like me watching her?
Leroy, Hairy, or Mandy would have confronted me about something they didn’t like. Grim wouldn’t care. But Lisa didn’t do anything.
I wondered where omegas sat in the pack house for dinner. After me came female alphas, then betas and deltas. Who came after that? Gammas or omegas?
No one won the next round.
“I feel ready to have a go,” I told Lisa quietly.
She collected the lost bets. “Leroy said you’d watch tonight.”
Yeah, but I felt ready. “I have the hang of it.”
“Maybe tomorrow night.”
Her cherry blossom scent firmed.
Interesting. She really wasn’t going to let me.
Leroy tapped me on the shoulder. “Break time.”
“You can’t take her away,” Burgundy called. “She’s my lucky charm.”
“She’ll be right back,” the alpha said smoothly.
Lie.
Cool air washed over me as we exited into the exchange area. “It’s so much nicer in here.”
“Do the uniforms make sense now?”
Did they ever.
Leroy guided me to the bar. “How are you doing?”
“Everything makes sense. I asked Lisa for a turn, but she said I had to wait until tomorrow.”
The alpha grinned. “I told her you were just watching tonight. Omegas won’t disobey an order—they’re incredibly stubborn.”
Stubbornness, huh. Did not see that coming. She was ot
herwise so unconfrontational.
Mandy slid Leroy a beer, ignoring me.
“Mandy,” he snapped.
I rested a hand on his forearm. “It’s okay. I’m not thirsty.”
He growled after the delta. “She’s crossing the line.”
“If it bothers me, I’ll sort things out myself.”
He shoved away his beer.
Knew there had to be a bit of alpha hot-headedness in him somewhere. “The night goes fast.”
It was already eleven.
“Pretty quick.” He glowered at Mandy one last time before facing me. “Listen, there’s another module we didn’t tackle this morning. It’s easiest to gain some on-floor experience before we go through it, and—well—I didn’t want to—”
“Leroy. Spit it out.”
“We train our dealers in how to notice patrons who may have a problem with gambling. It’s only 1 to 2 percent of those who come here, but you’ll come across it from time to time.”
They did? Was that normal for Casinos? “You want me to go through the module now?”
“The last hour of your shift would be better. Things quieten down after one.”
“I probably have a diploma in picking up gambling behaviour.” My joke fell short.
Leroy fell quiet.
My voice softened. “Though I didn’t notice in the end.”
This was a conversation Hairy could navigate with ease, but emotions were not an alpha’s strong suit.
Kudos to the guy—he patted me on the back. “I’ve heard that people with addictions are excellent at hiding their behaviour to family and friends. In a casino, it’s easier to notice.”
True.
His discomfort mounted.
“Would you like me to go back to the roulette table?” I scented his relief as I switched the conversation away from icky feelings.
“Spend until midnight at the chip exchange counter to get some interaction with patrons. If you could return to the roulette table for an hour after that, then watch the last training module in my office.” He swallowed. “Would you like me in there with you?”
I lowered my lashes. “It would be nice to have a shoulder to cry on.”
His eyes widened.
Laughter burst from my lips. “I’ll be fine, Leroy. Don’t worry.”
The Luther rubbed the back of his head. “I can tell it’s hard for you.”
“I can handle it. Just don’t get too close, you’ll catch emotions.”
He snorted. “Alright, stop picking on the alpha.”
Chuckling, I left him and walked through the bar. The deep bass called to me, and my skin prickled.
Glancing across the dance floor, honey eyes met mine briefly before dragging over my body.
I should speak with him.
But what if every conversation just ended in one more wall between us? I had no idea what to do to fix my conflicting loyalties, and worse was that I feared testing out new ground in case it drove Sascha and me apart.
Heat climbed into my cheeks at his continued perusal. He wanted to give me space. He also desperately wanted me to go to him. Flustered, I hurried in the opposite direction toward the casino. My shoulders relaxed as I entered the chip exchange area.
An extra shy male omega showed me the ropes there, and the hour rushed by as I congratulated and commiserated patrons exchanging casino chips for cash or, more often, more cash for extra chips. Some needed a lecture about the effects of gambling in my opinion, but that might get me fired on day one.
I returned to Lisa and the roulette table for the last hour. She didn’t hand over the reins, and with my new knowledge, I didn’t press her for a turn.
The number of patrons at our station dwindled from seven to five. Then to two.
“Isn’t your brain sore?” I asked when the last had left. Mine was.
“Leroy covered while I had a break, but it’s a lot when you’re not used to it. I prefer security work.”
Couldn’t blame her. “I’m meant to watch more training videos now.”
“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I re-entered the bar and crossed to Grim, who opened the staff door without a word.
The gamma appeared bored beyond words.
“Grim? What do you think about all night?”
He looked at me. “Food.”
Grinning, I entered the hall and immediately scented Sascha in his office.
I pushed open the door to Leroy’s office and found the module locked and loaded on the computer monitor.
Brr. It was cold in here. Remind me to bring a jacket to my next shift.
Chafing at my arms, I started the video. The presenter had an ’80s perm. I loved old-school educational videos.
“Casinos have a duty of care to ensure they prevent and respond to concerning behaviour from patrons who may demonstrate an unhealthy relationship with gambling.”
I was weirdly wired from the music, patron noise, and the intense concentration of calculating payouts, but 1:00 a.m. was not the right time of night to learn stuff.
“The exchange counter is a crucial screening area. Failed transactions are an early warning sign that a person is spending more than they can afford.”
Shivering on the desk chair, I hugged my knees to my chest.
The door opened and Sascha strode in with his suit jacket in hand.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up, collar opened.
I accepted the token, mumbling, “Thanks.”
Standing, I shrugged the massive jacket on and fastened the three buttons at the front.
He leaned over to pause the module. “Andie, I need to hold you.”
“Of course.” I wrapped my arms around his firm torso, resting my head on his chest.
Sascha squeezed me close, resting his head atop mine. He stroked my back, and I wriggled as his fingers brushed the ticklish spot on my lower back.
The tension gradually drained out of both of us.
I gazed up. “Better?”
“Better is relative.”
The mood altered, and he growled low. Sascha captured my lips, forcing my head back. Hoisting me onto the desk, he guided me flat and ran his hands up my thighs before spreading them.
Fire flushed my body, and I reached for his shirt. He let me unfasten the buttons and then resumed our kiss.
I moaned into his mouth, melding my softer lips to his.
He worked my clip-on tie free and tossed it away, then dragged down the zipper of my jumpsuit. My boobs sprung free.
“Fuck.”
I let him look his fill. “Been waiting for that?”
“You could say that.” Sascha closed over my nipple, and a pleading noise I couldn’t recall ever making fell from my lips. I gripped his head with both hands, urging him on. He obliged, and the throbbing between my thighs mounted.
Bursting upward, I forced his mouth to mine again.
Nothing felt like this.
“I want you,” I panted.
Picking me up without warning, he pressed me face-first against the wall and clamped his arm across my waist, pinning both arms. His other hand disappeared down the front of my splayed jumpsuit.
He circled my clit.
My head thumped back against his shoulder. “Oh—”
“You like that, beautiful wolf?” he whispered harshly in my hair. “Want more?”
I couldn’t touch him, but I could only move my hips slightly. “Yes.”
“Tell me what you want?”
The music was loud, but Grim would definitely hear outside the staff room door. I didn’t answer.
Sascha paused.
“Don’t stop.” Gravel entered my voice.
“Tell me then.”
“I want your hand on me.”
“Here?”
My legs nearly gave way as he pressed again.
He circled once. “Like this?”
“Please.”
“What about the other direction?” Sascha reversed his circ
le and my legs did give out. There was a smile in his voice as he held me up. “We have our answer.”
His fingers circled faster than humanly possible. It was too much for my mind to process. The jolting waves of pleasure stole away my reason. I writhed against his hand, undone.
He released my arms. I was beyond the point of using them, but my legs shook without his support. Sascha peeled away the jumpsuit from my shoulder and kissed my bared shoulder. His fingers were my only concern. The Luther didn’t skip a beat as he rested his teeth against my shoulder.
“Sascha,” I choked as my vision went white.
He guided me down to the ground.
Fuck.
Jolts of electricity ran through me and I rested my forehead against the wall as my limbs shook from the aftermath.
Double fuck.
My vision returned and I became aware of the coldness at my back. Forcing my arms to work, I pushed away from the wall and glanced over my shoulder.
Sascha was turned away, shoulders heaving.
“What’s wrong?” I blinked through the hot languidness that had settled in my body.
He shook his head, fist pressed against his mouth.
Recalling the last moments before my orgasm, I reached up to my shoulder, craning to see the skin. Unbroken. “Did you nearly bite me?” Shit. I’d even felt him preparing to do so. “You didn’t do it.”
He whirled, fangs extended, and eyes pitch-black.
Yikes. I tugged the jumpsuit into place, drawing the zipper up as far it would go without aid. “Is that better?”
Sascha really wasn’t home.
I managed to stand—thanks, legs. “Something held you back just now. What was it?” Maybe focusing on that would help to regain control.
The time didn’t seem right for another meet so soon after the last.
He rested both hands on the desk. “Greyson doesn’t want to bite you in two-legged form.”
“Okay, and you?”
“When the meets are over, you’ll make your choice.”
My mouth dried. I stared at him. “I see. And you expect me to turn you down?”
The moment extended.
He closed his eyes. “Will you?”
“I—” Sascha Greyson was everything to me. But making a choice wasn’t that easy. We had to get there first. With things as they were, I couldn’t see that happening anytime soon.
Or ever.
My mouth dried. Oh my god.
Wolf Roulette: Supernatural Battle Page 5