Page 168 of Psycho Alphas: Part One

I hated Bella Morgan more than life itself.

I’d rather take ten lifetimes chained to Rogue than sink my teeth into her flesh. There was nothing—no threat, no blackmail, that could convince me to do that.

At least, therehadn’tbeen before Thistle.

My heart turned to stone as the door from the main mansion hallways banged open, and she was dragged in by one of Bella’s Alphas, gun to her head.

I staggered a step, but Rodrick grabbed my neck and held me in place.

No…

Why hadn’t she stayed downstairs?

A huge hand was clamped over her mouth. Her eyes were wide and wild as they darted around. She looked desperately from me to Bella, who was still seated like a queen before me. She clutched Bunny in her fist, and I could hear the faintest whine loosing from her chest with each breath.

At the sight of her, it felt like the world was collapsing around me.

Anyone but her.

Anyone or anything.

The world went silent, a high-pitched ringing in my ears as I stared.

As I realised it was over.

“Cute.” Bella’s voice floated in and out of my consciousness. “She’s already got a collar just for me.”

“Let her go.” It took everything in my power to keep my voice steady.

“There’s a problem,” the Alpha who’d dragged her in was speaking.

“What?” Bella frowned, staring as he dragged Thistle toward us. His fist closed in Thistle’s hair, dragging her head back and exposing the fresh bite.

“No!”Bella was on her feet, and I heard the fury in her snarl as her perfect composure finally slipped.

Panic scored my system. “It’snotmine,” I spoke far too quickly, my voice shaking.

If Bella thought I’d already bitten Thistle, she would put a bullet in her skull in seconds.

Bella froze, eyes flicking to me. “Notyours?”

I weighed my options, trying to grapple with the few paths I had left. Escape routes were quickly vanishing with each new turn of events. “She belongs to Rogue,” I said through gritted teeth, the words almost breaking me.

Bella drew up at that, bitter Absinthe settling from the tempest of fury it had been seconds before. “You paid that much money so your pet could have a toy?” she asked. “You don’t give anyone the impression you like him very much, parading him around wearing a muzzle.”

“Three of the Alphas you bought areinyour pack, Bella. I’ll say it again. What I do with my own isn’t your fucking business.”

“If you care for him so much, do you care for her, too?”

“Do you see my bite on her neck?”

“Alright then.” She waved a hand at her Alpha. “Kill her.”

“No!” I cracked, a rock stuck in my throat. “She’snota part of this.”

“What is the truth, lover? You said she was Rogue’s, yet you seem a little…tense.”

What she had on me before was nothing compared to this, but what she wanted for Thistle’s safety?

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