The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 57: Stood Up For Her

​Alpha Oliver’s POV

​What the hell was she doing here?

​She was supposed to be at the bar stand on the main floor. Instead, she was standing at the entrance of the Playroom in a white, frilly dress that exposed far too much of her smooth thighs.

​Her eyes locked onto mine, widening in a flicker of shock before they drifted down to the blonde submissive clinging to my arm. For a split second, her frown deepened—a flash of pure annoyance—but she quickly masked it with cold professionalism.

​"Welcome," she said, her voice tight. "Please, have your seat."

​The words "It’s not what you think" nearly clawed their way out of my throat. I wanted to tell her that the submissive was just keeping me company, nothing more. But I caught myself, my own jaw tightening into a frown.

​Why was I suddenly acting like we were an item? Why did I feel the need to justify myself to a woman who clearly didn’t want me?

​I sat down heavily in one of the plush chairs. The blonde submissive didn’t waste a moment, sliding onto my lap and purring against my chest like a kitten seeking warmth. Usually, I wouldn’t mind the attention, but today, her touch felt irritating and unwelcome.

​I tried to focus on the play unfolding on the stage, the rhythmic sounds of the performance filling the room, but my eyes were traitors. They kept drifting back to Aurora.

​She was moving through the room, serving Doms. Every time she leaned over a table to serve a drink, exposing the curve of her hip in that ridiculous dress, I felt a low, angry growl build in my chest.

​She shouldn’t be in this room. Not in that dress. Not under the hungry eyes of these men.

​I tried to keep my attention on the stage, but my focus was entirely on her. My skin crawled every time a man’s gaze lingered on the hem of Aurora’s dress. I was a second away from dragging her out of here myself when the atmosphere in the room shifted.

​The sound of shattering glass echoed through the low hum of the club.

​I didn’t know exactly how it happened. One moment Aurora was reaching for a tray, and the next, a drink was tumbling, dark liquid splashing across a Dom’s expensive trousers. Before she could even mutter an apology, the submissive on the man’s lap slapped her.

​The sound of the slap echoed like a gunshot.

​Aurora’s head snapped to the side, her hand flying to her reddening cheek. I went mad. Rage surged through me, and I was halfway out of my seat, ready to burn the entire building down, when someone else beat me to it.

​Oscar.

​I hadn’t even realized he was here. Unlike the rest of us, he wasn’t masked; Oscar never saw a reason to hide his face. He moved with a terrifying speed, grabbing the submissive by the arm and yanking her off the Dom’s lap.

​The music died. The play on stage ground to a halt. Every eye in the room was drawn to the center of the floor as Oscar forced the girl onto her knees with a single, firm shove.

​The room went cold. People recognized him instantly—the whispers started like a virus. Even the Dom who had been spilled on sat back, panicking at the sight of Oscar...

​"Apologize. Now," Oscar commanded, his angry voice echoing through the hall.

​The girl was trembling so hard she could barely speak, but she choked out the words, sobbing an apology into the floor. Aurora didn’t stay to watch the humiliation. She turned on her heel and walked away, her shoulders shaking, disappearing toward the back hallway.

​Oscar didn’t hesitate. He followed her immediately, his long strides eating up the distance as he went after the woman I considered mine. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

​And me? I just sat there like a fool.

​The silence that had gripped the room didn’t last long. It was replaced by a low hum of whispers that grated against my nerves.

​"Is that... Alpha Oscar?" someone hissed nearby.

​"The Alpha of the Full Moon Pack?" another voice joined in, thick with disbelief. "Brother to the Alpha King himself... what the hell is he doing in a place like this?"

​"It seemed like he was protecting her," a woman whispered, her eyes wide behind her mask. "Did you see his face? He looked ready to tear the throat out of anyone who breathed in her direction."

​The blonde submissive on my lap, apparently forgetting the carnage that had just unfolded, reached up to stroke my jaw. Her fingers felt like needles on my skin. "Master, don’t let them ruin our night," she purred, trying to pull my attention back to her.

​"Get off me," I growled, shoving her away with enough force to send her stumbling back into the plush chair.

​I didn’t wait to see her reaction. I turned and stormed out of the Playroom.

​I made my way back to the main bar stand, my heart thundering a rhythm of pure, unadulterated jealousy. The staff were huddled in a tight circle, their heads bobbing as they traded frantic gossip.

​"How the hell does a human waitress know Alpha Oscar?" one of the bartenders asked, leaning over the counter.

​"Did you see the way he escorted her out? Like she was someone special to him," a server added, shaking her head.

​"Where is Aurora?" I barked, my voice cutting through their chatter.

​They all jumped, their faces paling as they turned to face me. "She... she left, sir," one of them stuttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. "She left with Alpha Oscar."

​My jaw tightened. I didn’t waste another second on them. I closed my eyes, reaching into the mind l link.

​Oscar, I snarled into the mind link, my mental voice dripping with jealousy. Where is Aurora? Answer me.

​At first, there was nothing. Only a cold, stony silence that made my blood boil. He was intentionally shutting me out. I was about to roar at him again, ready to force the link open, when the front doors of the club swung open.

​Aurora walked back in.

​My breath hitched. She looked calm and composed. And right behind her, like a shadow, was Oscar. He wasn’t touching her, but he stood close enough that anyone watching would understand she was under his protection.

​She didn’t even look at me. She walked right past the bar stand, ignoring the whispers of the staff and my own burning stare, and disappeared straight into the locker room.

​The silence she left behind was heavy. I turned my head slowly, my eyes locking onto Oscar. He stood there, perfectly calm, and adjusted his cuffs as if he hadn’t just terrified half the VIPs in the city.

​"We need to talk," I hissed, the words vibrating with the force of my restraint. "Outside. Now."

​I didn’t wait for an answer. I turned and stormed toward the exit, pushing through the heavy doors and into the cool night air. The city sounds felt muffled compared to the roar of the blood in my ears. A moment later, I heard the door click. Oscar stepped out, leaning against a pillar with a maddeningly relaxed posture.

​I turned to him, my fists clenched, my chest heaving. I was ready to demand an explanation, to mark my territory, to tell him to stay the hell away from her. But before I could even get a single syllable out, he beat me to it.

​"Brother," he said, his voice smooth and terrifyingly certain. "I think I’m interested in Aurora."

​The world seemed to stop spinning. I felt the air leave my lungs as if he’d punched me.

​"In fact," he continued, a small, dark spark of challenge lighting up his eyes as he looked me dead in the face. "I like her. A lot."