Caspian fully expected Isabella to be the first person to approach them the moment they showed up, and she didn’t disappoint.
But she didn’t come alone.
She was on the arm of an unfamiliar Alpha, the dark-haired Alpha was towering, and he looked uncomfortable in the three-piece suit he wore.
"Davian." Asher acknowledged him with quiet respect, "Did you miss your way?"
"I could ask the same," The Alpha said flatly.
Caspian did know the name Davian. Mafia King Davian.
The third Mafia King he was yet to see in person.
Bella looked blissful on his arm, but Mafia King Davian looked like he would rather be anywhere else.
"I convinced him to come," She said proudly, holding his arm captive.
"I’d have passed if I knew you were coming too," Davian didn’t hesitate to add, his gaze flicking over to Caspian.
Although Asher knew that Davian was completely uninterested, he was already on edge, so he bristled at the look.
"I’m not Nikolai," The dark-haired Mafia King reminded him, walking away without another word.
Bella had no choice but to go along with him, calling out to Asher over her shoulder.
"Papa is in the crowd somewhere! He’s been expecting you..."
Caspian went pale after the first interaction, barely following the conversation that had been had.
Instead, he was busy dealing with the reality that he had acted up for no reason.
Asher couldn’t care less about Bella, and the Omega heiress already had her own Mafia King.
His cheeks puffed out, all the adrenaline that he had been running on all day burning out at the lackluster confrontation.
It didn’t even seem like Bella had recognized him, and she had been just as ignored as he was. Both Mafia Kings leading the conversation.
He turned to Asher, "Can I sit?"
He instantly had the Alpha’s attention, and if he didn’t love him so much, he’d find his unwavering loyalty a little annoying.
How was he supposed to be jealous if Asher didn’t even give him a reason to be.
"Are you alright?" Asher asked, hands on his hips, concern bleeding into his hazel eyes.
Caspian was perfectly fine, he just needed a moment to stew in the embarrassment that he had gone through a lot of trouble for nothing.
"Yeah, I’ll wait for you while you go talk to Lord Blackburn."
If Caspian focused on Asher’s eyes, it was easy to ignore the people around them on the ballroom floor.
"I’m not leaving you alone," Asher said with far more intensity than what befitted the situation.
"I’m just going to be at the sitting area," Caspian said with a frown, this really wasn’t the time for Asher to start with the over protectiveness.
"I’ll sit with you," He said stubbornly, already starting for the group of circular tables with chairs around them, chandeliers hanging low.
"Oh, for fuck’s sake," Caspian muttered, going with Asher.
"Fine, stop. I’ll go with you," He gave in half-way through the ballroom floor.
"Don’t," He stopped Asher when the Alpha was about to say something else. "I don’t like when you neglect your duties for me..."
There were better places to have such a conversation, but Caspian felt like he needed to address it right then.
Another reason to be grateful for the wide berth given to them by the other guests.
One such guest didn’t care about this silent distance, gliding over the reflective tiled floor like she was floating.
"Why did you come, Asher?" A vaguely familiar voice spoke, "You made me lose a bet."
Caspian looked in the direction of the voice, feeling pinned down by a pair of all too familiar wicked black eyes.
The woman had a halo of black hair around her beautiful face and was notably missing her Alpha on a leash.
"Your first mistake was betting on me," Asher said dryly.
Silvia got over her lost money rather quickly, glossy black eyes focused on him. "This is your..." She trailed off, the word slave unspoken.
Asher’s response was to partially pull him behind his, his hazel-gold eyes full of distrust.
"So, he really is a male Omega," She said in awe.
Caspian was suddenly reminded of the conversation she had had with Asher when they first spoke, a subtle shiver going through him.
Silvia really unsettled him.
"That’s hardly a concern of yours," Asher was quick to remind her.
Silvia backed away at that, vividly remembering their last encounter. "Of course. My offer is still open however," She made sure to add, her voice silky smooth.
Asher cocked a brow at that, "Did you sneak in here?"
Silvia actually looked a bit offended by that, "Despite my past times, I’m a powerful business mogul."
"Then talk about it sometime," Asher went on, diverting the conversation from him.
Caspian was grateful for that, really starting to consider if he really wanted to walk around exchanging pleasantries with Asher.
This was a classy function but that didn’t change the caliber of people attending it.
Despite the distinct lack of drugs and seedy looking individuals, this ballroom held some of the most dangerous people in Haines.
Silvia snorted, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a dismissive hand. "A ballroom is hardly the place for business," She took the reins of the conversation again.
Her black eyes zeroed in on Caspian, clearly not giving up, "And I’ve spent all this time talking without exchanging pleasantries with your striking partner."
"He doesn’t need to know you," Asher stepped in between them again, well aware that the nosy woman already knew everything there was to know.
Silvia easily slipped around him, her movements fluid. "But I want to know him."
Silvia wasn’t really a threat to Caspian, he no longer had a secret to hide, and he knew that Asher would keep him safe from her.
So, all that was left was curiosity, he was curious about her and what made Asher acknowledge her as he would a Mafia King.
"So, what’s your name, pretty Omega?" Silvia asked with predatory focus in her black eyes.