The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 19

I frowned, not knowing the answer. "I don't know if it would pick up, there. The pack – they're practical. We have to be. Even our betas, they're well-off, but not excessive."

Gabriel grinned, recognizing that I was comparing his subjects in the Alpha pack.

"But a place like this. Even if we lived a territory over, I think he could make it work. If he had the chance."

We continued on to the end of the street, which was quieter and clustered with food carts. Gabriel bought fried dough and I watched him covered his with powdered sugar, eyebrows raised.

"What? I like sweet things."

I was so focused on balancing the paper plate of dough and my bag that I didn't realize he'd turned us gently so that we went down a short side street, and when I looked up again, we were just walking onto a small bridge.

Below us was a canal. Looking left and then right, I saw that it paralleled the street we'd been on. I just hadn't been able to see it because of the tents.

"This is beautiful," I said, meaning it. The street lights played off the water and couples were stationed far apart, whispering and leaning into one another. The intimacy filled me with a longing and awkwardness that made me frown.

Gabriel snapped up the rest of his fried dough and licked his lips messily.

"You all right there?" I asked with a grin as he tried to thumb off some of the sugar.

"It tastes good," he said simply, and I laughed.

Then, without warning, he reached out and pulled me into him by the waist.

It wasn't like any other kiss we'd shared before. This was slower, hesitant, and Gabriel's lips ghosted over mine as if he was still thinking about going through with it.

Then he was all in, and so was I, his hand at my throat and thumb brushing just under my ear. The kiss was long and slow and sweet, literally sweet. He tasted like sugar and cinnamon.

My tongue gathered the sweetness on his bottom lip and he did the same before pressing a little more insistently until I parted my lips. Then his tongue met mine, slid gently against it, and I couldn't help the moan that slipped out.

The hand he had on my hip tightened. He moved away to nuzzle my ear and I sighed, licking my lips again for a last taste of sugar.

Then my gaze landed on the box that he'd placed carefully on a bench nearby, with my bag. I thought of my family and pulled back a bit.

"Gabriel," I said, and he hummed into my neck. "Gabriel. We have to stop this."
That got his attention, and he pulled back too, still holding onto me lightly.

"What?" he asked.

Ana's words came back to me; how he'd supposedly said tonight was about letting me go.

If that was true, why did he seemed so surprised by my suggestion?
"The Hunt is getting more serious," I said, removing his hands. His eyes were wide and I could actually see them growing colder as I spoke. "Sophia told me – that she's been speaking with your mother more. And thinks she has a good chance. I can't let this go on if that's true."

His face had changed completely now, hardened. He nodded. "She's right. My mother does like her."
"It's not just that. It's...I can't betray her, Gabriel. You have to understand. She really has done so much for my family. And on top of that...she seems sweet. She is sweet. But she's exacting, too. If she found out..."

"She won't find out," he said in a hard voice. "If you don't want to keep seeing me Valarie that's your decision."
"It's not that I don't want to see you –"
"It's very clear where your loyalties lie."

The guilt buried itself deep in my stomach and I had to look away from him, instinctively pulling my arms around my waist.

"It just isn't sustainable," I insisted, feeling like I was trying to convince myself now more than him. "I'm...I'm nothing, and you're the Alpha. The Alpha, Gabriel."
"You seem awfully concerned with pack hierarchy."
I scoffed. "And you're not? You're literally in the middle of looking for your mate. Among other alphas. And I know all about your reputation, but I also know that if we were caught doing this during the Hunt –"

"It's fine," he said shortly, turning back toward the market. "You're right. I shouldn't have stooped to this, especially not during this time."

If he'd meant it as an insult, it hit home.

I knew he was slumming it by being with me. I knew that if I was any other omega, he would've used me and left me, but instead he'd brought me here tonight.

We didn't speak any more after that. I gathered my things and he grabbed the box, and lead me back through the streets. Further into the wealthier neighborhoods, the street lights growing few and far between, until we were at the side entrance of the palace again.

I slipped inside, willing myself not to look back at him as he stood out on the path. This shouldn't bother me as much as it did. But I had to let it go.

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