Page 204 of Psycho Pack

"He's seven feet tall, around the same build as Thane." Plague steps forward, taking off his mask. "But pretty much like this."

Cosima's eyes grow wide as she takes in his appearance, and for the first time, she seems to lose her composure.

It only lasts a split second, but it's enough.

And I can tell the others notice, too.

"So you have seen him," Plague remarks, his voice taking on an edge I've only heard in it a few times. As strained as I can tell Plague's relationship with his brother is, it's still his brother.

Still family.

"No," Cosima says, her indifferent expression and bored tone slipped back into place like a mask. It's one she wears well, but I can see the cracks. She doesn't look away like most people who've been caught lying would, which means she's practiced at it.

Guess all omegas have to be.

Her cage may have been gilded while mine was rusty with jagged bars, but we were both prisoners. She's a literal one now. Unfortunately, that doesn't make us enemies any less.

"You're lying," Plague says before I have the chance. His eyes narrow. "Why?"

She looks up at him with a derisive scoff, but her eyes betray her. "What reason would I have to lie about some prisoner?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Plague remarks, his gaze flicking over to me.

I remember the knife in my grip and raise it.

But before I have the chance to at least scare Cosima, the sound of scuffling guards in the hall draws everyone's attention. A door slams further down the corridor and a cacophony of drunken, indignant protests echoes off the stone walls.

Whiskey jumps at the sound, too quickly, and the tip of the horn on his mask hooks the edge of Wraith's lupine mask, tearing it off. He goes blank as he realizes what he just did, with all of us confined in a tight space.

"Oh,shit?—"

Wraith's scars and sharp teeth flash before his hands fly up to cover his face with an anguished roar that fills the cell.

The other alphas spring into action, moving away from him like he's going to explode into a feral rage, but I'm moving, too. I sheath my knife back in its hidden holster as I rush to Wraith's side, grabbing his fallen mask, but the scream of pure terror that echoes through the cell tells me it's too late.

Protective rage flashes through me, but I ignore Cosima's panic, focusing instead on Wraith. He's still covering his face with his hands and quaking like he's going to explode, but I pull his head down toward me and press my forehead against his to try to calm him down.

"It's okay, it's okay," I say softly, kissing the backs of his hands. "Look at me."

His hands move slightly and I catch a glimpse of his blue eyes on mine. I search worriedly for the feral rage that overtakes him when something like this happens.

To my shock, there's no rage there. Just confusion, shame, and a hint of concern as he looks over me.

Like he's worried aboutme.

He cautiously signs to me.You okay?

I stare up at him, watching as the others remain frozen, their hands resting on their weapons in varying states of preparedness to control the impending chaos.

Chaos that… isn't happening, apparently.

"Yeah," I croak, still fixated on Wraith and vaguely aware that the omega's screams have faded to ragged breathing. But I'll deal with her later. "Are you?"

Wraith glances down at the wolf mask in my hand and motions for me to give it to him. When I do, he quickly puts it back on, tying the ribbon as he glances warily to the other corner of the room.

Cosima has flung herself off the bed and into the corner, her eyes fixed on Wraith, pupils blown so wide there's only a sliver of violet around them.

He looks back at me and sighs. He gives a curt nod.

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