The Wedding Hunt Sabine Read online

  Sabine is enjoying the reception until she gets a distress call and goes to pitch in by distracting some alphas so her friend could escape. The alphas just changed their focus and split up. The ladies scattered, and the hunt was on.

  Sabine has been recovering from work-related damage. An active nearly crushed her spine. She’s now on crutches until a walking suit can be arranged, and coordinating formalwear with crutches is harder than it looks.

  Watching her friend Vallu get married to the large furry man of her dreams and the father of her baby was sweet, and the reception was fun. With the crutches, Sabine had to skip the dances, but she enjoyed every moment of the party. The bride and groom were long gone when she got a call from another guest and answered the call for help.

  Ylara was being cornered by three alphas who didn’t mind sharing, and that was not something she was interested in. With three ladies gathered to distract the guys, they split off to deal with their individual alpha. Shaking them off was another matter.

  Sabine ends up with a muscle-bound water-breather on her trail, and dealing with him and her injuries is just too complicated. She makes a few decisions that change the direction of her life and twist her future into something she could not have imagined.

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  The Wedding Hunt—Sabine

  Copyright © 2022 by Viola Grace

  ISBN: 978-1-990635-11-3

  ©Cover art by Angela Waters

  All rights reserved. With the exception of review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher.

  Published by Viola Grace

  Look for me online at violagrace.com.

  The Wedding Hunt—Sabine

  Blind Date Corporation Book 6

  By

  Viola Grace

  Chapter One

  Sabine watched the three alphas pursuing Ylara and turned back to her tea. There wasn’t any panic in her scent yet.

  Zera and Torun came by, and she sighed. “Susara is getting you another walking suit.”

  Sabine grinned. “Thanks. Looks like the alphas are on the hunt.”

  Zera chuckled. “I think Ylara is receptive, so she’s not going to be clear of them any time soon.”

  Sabine nodded. Her own cycle had just signalled it would be arriving soon, but in her current state, she wasn’t going to do anything about it. “That would do it. You two are looking happy.”

  Torun grinned. “She has finally moved in with me, and it has settled something inside me.”

  Zera smiled, and Torun kissed her.

  Sabine chuckled and wistfully watched the dancing.

  Torun asked her, “Would you like to dance? I can hold you up.”

  She sighed. “It isn’t the same.”

  Zera frowned. “The nanites will have you up and running in a few weeks.”

  She nodded. “I know. I know this is a delicate matter, but I am still glad I made it to the wedding. Vallu looked so happy.”

  Zera smiled. “Yeah.”

  “You two can go dance. I am fine here. The bar is open, and they have attentive servers.” Sabine held up her glass, and another lemon soda was brought to her in under a minute. She thanked them gratefully, and the young man blushed and nodded before leaving.

  Torun chuckled. “Injured or not, you still have an effect.”

  Sabine chuckled. “An effect is all I have.”

  Zera snorted. “Above the surface.”

  “Well, yeah, but I am still not one hundred percent under the water.” She sipped her soda and smiled. “You two enjoy the reception. I just need to relax tonight.”

  Zera nodded, got up, and kissed her on the top of her head. “Take it easy, Sabine.”

  “I always do.” She smiled. “At least I don’t have any regulars pining for me.”

  “You have three that are watching your calendar.”

  Sabine blinked. “No, I don’t.”

  Zera chuckled. “As management, I can confirm that yes, you do.”

  That was news. “Well, that’s awkward. I can’t think of who it would be.”

  “They aren’t existing patrons. They are new ones.”

  “Oh. Right. Hyreneans?”

  “Surprisingly... no. Sethir-nin.”

  Sabine cackled. “Right. Funny one, Zera.”

  Torun shrugged and grinned. “Come, love. One more dance before I sweep you away.”

  Zera got to her feet and went with her lover, and they were grace and style on the dance floor. Sabine finished her soda and grabbed her crutches, getting up to walk to the ladies’ room.

  A few minutes later and she was on her way back to her table when her phone rang. She leaned against the wall. “Hello?”

  “Sabine? This is Ylara. I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

  “One of your gents getting persistent?”

  “Yeah. I am receptive, and they seem to be stopping thinking. I found a spot to hide and have called in my sister, but I need help now.”

  “Let me know where you are, and I am on my way.”

  Ylara described where she was, and Sabine was on her way.

  Sabine passed three confused alphas in the hallway, and they dismissed her crutches and minimally functioning legs as she passed them. Her long black dress covered her legs and showed deep cleavage, but no one looked past the crutches.

  Her scent was mild heat, which would confuse their tracking.

  When she got to the storage closet, she was pulled in carefully, and there was another woman standing there. “Oh, hey, Brittany.” Sabine waved at the identical copy of Ylara.

  The original Ylara was hugging her around the neck. “This is freaking me out. Vallu told me to just assert myself, and they cornered me and told me to choose, so I ran again.”

  Sabine smiled. “Who is your choice?”

  “Um, the scorpion guy. The best man. Riithan.”

  Sabine cocked her head. “You know he and the others are Sethir-Nin?”

  She paled. “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “Well, I am not sure if they have a treaty with Daycross, but let’s say they don’t because it has never come up. So, here, they don’t have a right to enforce a claim. At home, they do, so we just need to help you dodge them tonight until you can get home.”

  Ylara looked at her, and her eyes got distant before she blinked. “Your mate is out there, Sabine.”

  “Yeah, I have heard that before. So, how do we want to play this?”

  They looked at each other, discussed their options, and Ylara set one of Sabine’s crutches carefully aside.

  She looked like she had lost or broken one of her crutches, and Ylara acted as the missing crutch. Brittany darted out ahead of them, and they waited a minute before they slowly started to make their way back to the reception.

  Riithan and Shavore blocked them a few feet from the door to the party.

  Sabine sighed. “Yes, gentlemen?”

  Riithan smiled. “Denier has charged after the scent that led into the woods. Having not seen you return to the party, we decided to wait for you.”

  Ylara cleared her throat. “My friend’s crutch broke, and I have to help her back to the party.”

  Shavore cocked his head. “You have a genuine need of support?”

  Sabine inclined her head. “I do. I have suffered a spinal injury, and repair is underway. I normally have a walking suit, but I can’t wear it with this d
ress.”

  Ylara nodded. “And a client broke it.”

  They both intently focused on Sabine now. Shavore smiled slowly. “You are with BDC?”

  She nodded. “Of course. Vallu doesn’t know many regular women.”

  He stepped toward her, and she leaned on Ylara and swung the crutch up. “Where do you think you are going?”

  “I am going to offer myself as your stability so that Riithan may continue negotiating with Ylara.”

  “Then offer it without approaching. I am sure you learned manners in alpha class.”

  His eyes shone. “So, you know that much.”

  “Oh, yeah. It makes sense that Etgar would choose friends from school to participate and help him celebrate.”

  Riithan was staring at Ylara, and she was staring back at him. Sabine sighed and turned to her friend. “Ylara, would you like Riithan to escort you back to the party?”

  Ylara was vibrating with tension. Sabine looked at her and gripped her hand.

  Ylara’s wide eyes were turned toward her, and the pupils were blown. Sabine leaned toward her and whispered, “You can go to him. It’s all right.”

  “But, you won’t be able to get around.” Ylara blinked.

  “I can manage just fine. Go. I know how it is. You need him, and you aren’t on the clock.”

  Ylara nodded, made sure Sabine was balancing, and then, she lunged for Riithan, who caught her handily. They didn’t head for the party but off to a shadowed hallway that led outside.

  Sabine smiled slightly and exhaled as she moved her legs and balanced carefully on her single crutch and headed back to the party.

  “Allow me to help since I have lost my bid for the omega.” The man that Ylara had briefed her on as Shavore stepped forward.

  She looked over his green skin and midnight green hair. “I can manage. It just takes a while on my own.”

  She inched forward and had made it half a dozen steps when he said, “Please. Let me help.”

  She gritted her teeth. She hated being this disadvantaged. “Fine. Straight to the ballroom.”

  She expected him to offer her an arm. He picked her up, and she yelped in shock. “I didn’t say you could carry me.”

  He looked at her seriously. “Does it hurt?”

  “No, but that isn’t the point. I didn’t authorize you to carry me.”

  “You are used to contracts for your time and contact, aren’t you?”

  She noticed he was veering away from the party, and she sighed. “I believe my request was straight to the ballroom.”

  “No, that was your demand. I don’t answer demands.”

  She reached up and stroked the folds of his closed gills, and she said, “Return me to the ballroom, please?”

  He paused. “You know how to tease water-breathers.”

  Sabine blinked. “Is that what I was doing?”

  “I believe you know very well that is what you were doing. What is your specialization?”

  She stared. “Right now? Recovery.”

  “If I contacted the Blind Date Corp and asked for you, what would I get?”

  “Put on a waiting list to be considered as a patron.”

  “What if I am already a patron?” He inhaled slowly.

  “Then, if you and I were compatible, I would have appeared on your options list. You seem the type to have specific tastes. I, obviously, don’t fulfill them.”

  He frowned, his fingers flexing in the gauzy fabric under her breast. “You feel like you fulfill them.”

  He licked her. His eyes widened. “You definitely taste like you match my needs.”

  “You licked me.”

  “Yes, I can’t use scent in the open air like Denier can, but my sense of taste is excellent.”

  She blinked at him. Sabine had an idea of what he was looking for with his tongue. They were out in the open, and he was approaching the saltwater pool.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Just like to be by the water. You can swim, can’t you?”

  “Not right now. My legs don’t work.” She was telling the absolute truth. An intent alpha could feel it when you lied.

  “Your nerves work?”

  “Yes. It is a control issue. Why?”

  He smiled. “You taste nice. I am guessing underwater you will taste even better.”

  She tensed. “What do you mean?”

  “I believe you have a scent that blooms underwater. I am going to test it.”

  She looked up at him, and his solid black eyes told her nothing. Sabine started to struggle as the sound of the water got to her. She heard a growl in the distance and whispered, “Brit.”

  “Don’t worry about your friend. Denier is very careful with that muzzle of his.”

  Sabine struggled, and he casually stepped into the water in the shallow end, walking toward the deep end.

  “Don’t be concerned. I won’t let you drown.”

  She didn’t find it comforting, but when the water closed over her head and he eased her away from him, she bent her legs and tried to locate him in the dark water. She felt a touch across her shoulders, another at her waist. She needed to breathe, but she wasn’t going to ask him. She had options if she got desperate.

  He moved in close and kissed her. She took air from him, let the carbon dioxide leak from her nose, and her body held onto the oxygen, savouring it slowly. He withdrew and looked at her with surprise. She started to move away from him when he dipped toward her, and then, his hands touched the damaged part of her back, and she whirled and hit him with the force of a few tons of water. He was thrown up and out of the water, and she wrapped a column of water around her hips and used it to walk her back into the reception, where she got her crutch and made her way into the party. The water evaporated and left her dry, and she asked the helpful server to go and get her spare crutch.

  Once she was back on her feet, so to speak, she spoke to Denny, the bride’s brother. “Tell Vallu that it was a great party when she gets back from her honeymoon.”

  “Why don’t you tell her yourself?”

  “I am hoping to be back on duty by then, Den.”

  He smiled at her. “I hope so, too.”

  “Can you give me an escort to the dock? Some of the groom’s friends are a little handsy.”

  “They are mostly good guys. But sure.”

  He escorted her to the dock, and the ferry was ready to leave. Her timing had been specific and precise. She waved at him, and the ferry left. She wobbled to a seat and leaned back. She could say that she helped Ylara get two of the three alphas off her back. Anything else was up to her.

  Chapter Two

  Sabine got to her feet and groaned in relief. “Damn, that feels better.”

  Susara grinned. “You look better with your normal straight posture. How much range of movement do you have?”

  Sabine twisted and bent over, then straightened. “I am pretty good. So, why did I suddenly get higher priority?”

  “Torun hated seeing you hobbling around at the wedding. So, he booted a few of the team members onto more of a leave and moved you up it.”

  “Oh, right. He can do that.”

  Sabine took a few steps, and she sighed. “Oh, that feels good.”

  “They are using the footage of the attack at the peacekeeper academy.”

  She grimaced. “Lovely. Well, when do you get your team assignment, Susara?”

  “Soon. They are trying to find a team that doesn’t want to sleep with me, so it is taking a while.”

  “A shame you aren’t an omega. The Sethir-Nin would have you on a flight in seconds.”

  “I will leave that designation to you, Sabine. So, are you going to try and get reinstated?”

  “I will settle for office work at this point. Can’t work for BDC, can’t work for border patrol.”

  Susara chuckled. “You don’t seem like a paper pusher.”

  “I am not, but
until I get this injury healed, it is all I can do. A desk at the waterfront would be heaven after the last few weeks.” She smiled. “I have an appointment this afternoon.”

  Sabine hugged her friend, and she slipped a dress on over the bodysuit. It was set to match her skin, so it was only visible at close range.

  She headed out to meet her lunch date. Arcady was with her boss in the lab, and she linked arms with Sabine as they headed to the local mall for a quick lunch and some gossip.

  “So, Kritz lets you get away?”

  Arcady chuckled. “No, but I snuck out with a back in 30 minutes sign. He will wait until the thirty minutes pass and then start tracking me down or having me tracked down. Either way, eat fast.”

  Sabine laughed and dug into her burger. “So, what is the local gossip this week.”

  Arcady looked at her slyly. “You mean since the wedding? Well, there are three alphas from Sethir-Nin in town, and they are stalking some omegas that they met at the wedding.”

  Sabine nodded. “Interesting. I am sure you wished them good luck.”

  Arcady grinned. “Of course. Zera laughed at them and told them that she didn’t test for that trait.”

  Sabine chuckled and kept eating. “She doesn’t. She just tests for... uh... capacity.”

  “Like Khytten or Vallu.”

  “Yup. Do you know where they are?”

  “They didn’t get names. Well, they got part of one. Brit. But, she’s not an officially registered escort and is under lockdown with the peacekeepers.”

  “Yeah, they won’t be parting with her anytime soon.”

  Arcady muttered, “That’s the thing. You know about the treaty. They might not have a choice.”

  “What about the other two ladies?”

  “Well, one is a delicate little thing in heat, and the other... a tall blood-haired woman on crutches.”

  Sabine winced. “You don’t say.”

  “So, what did you get up to at the wedding?”

  “I just had to fight off someone who was getting a little handsy. I used water to do it and flipped him out of the pool. Then, I made a run for it.”