Page 105 of Hard Knot

"Let me make something perfectly clear," I say, my voice dropping to that register that makes smart people run for cover. "I'm not like these other Alphas who let you bat your fake eyelashes and spread your legs to get your way. The only person I'll ever bow to is my rival. The one who can actually challenge me on equal footing."

Victoria's carefully maintained facade cracks further as I continue, "Your family's influence? That precious reputation you hide behind? I can destroy it with one phone call. Don't believe me?" I bare my teeth in what might technically be called a smile. "Try me. I enjoy nothing more than showing entitled princesses exactly how far they can fall."

She opens her mouth, probably to spew more protests, but I cut her off with a sharp gesture.

"Don't push me, Victoria. When people push the wrong buttons, I have a tendency to react...explosively. And trust me, when I decide to make an example of someone, everyone involved suffers the consequences." My smile widens slightly. "Well, everyone except me. I've never been very good at losing."

Elizabeth's soft intake of breath reminds me that she's witnessing this side of me for the first time.

The James she knew at Harvard was ambitious but controlled, competitive but within acceptable bounds. This version — the one forged in the years of searching for her, of building an empire specifically to have the power to protect herand anyone else deemed vital to my existence — is something else entirely.

I hope she understands why I had to become this.

Finally, I turn my attention to Holmes.

He stands perfectly still, the black silk of his blindfold catching the fluorescent light as he faces my general direction. Of all the players in this little drama, he's the one variable I haven't figured out yet.

His silence throughout this exchange could be interpreted in multiple ways — strategic observation, genuine disinterest, or perhaps something deeper. The blindfold itself raises questions.

Is it a symbol of vulnerability or a warning?

Does he hide his eyes to protect himself or others?

What I do know is that his resistance to Elizabeth's inclusion in the pack makes him a potential threat. And I've spent the last five years eliminating threats to her well-being, whether she knew about them or not.

"Holmes, was it?" I let the words hang in the air, deliberately casual despite the tension coiling through the room. "The supposed leader of this pack, yet you seem more interested in giving the world the silent treatment than defending what you claim to want." My head tilts slightly as I study him. "I have to wonder, are you overstimulated by all this drama and that's why you've decided to stop talking? Or are you perfectly content with Victoria being your Omega?"

The way his jaw tightens at my words is subtle but telling. Before he can respond -if he even planned to- Victoria's shrill voice cuts through the tension.

"I'm way out of this pack's league," she announces, desperation making her practiced tones sharp and uneven. "I'm doing them a favor by even considering?—"

"Is that so?" I interrupt, unable to keep the amusement from my voice. My attention returns to Holmes as I continue, "Well,in that case, now's your chance to make a choice." I pause, letting the weight of my next words settle over the room. "Since I carry more than enough points to support this pack through the semester with Felix and Carter on board, you're welcome to exit the group if you're so against having Elizabeth as your Omega."

Holmes's scowl deepens behind his blindfold, the expression making the fine silk shift slightly.

A quiet laugh escapes me as I turn to Elizabeth.

"Stay still for a moment, love," I murmur, pressing a quick kiss to her temple before releasing her.

Each step I take toward Holmes is measured, and deliberate.

The air grows thicker with Alpha pheromones as I enter his personal space, two dominant forces colliding in silent challenge.

Up close, the power radiating off him is impossible to ignore. He's strong - possibly one of the strongest Alphas I've encountered outside my immediate circle.

Yet there's something held back, restrained, as if invisible chains are keeping his true nature contained.

What are you hiding behind that blindfold?

"Holmesovich," I say his full name with perfect pronunciation, acknowledging the Russian heritage it carries.

His frown deepens further, and I switch effortlessly to his native tongue.

"? ?? ????, ??? ????? ?? ???? ? ???? ?????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????????," I say, letting my Russian flow smooth and natural, "?? ? ???? ??? ?????????? ????? ? ???? ????."

I have no idea what's at stake in this constant act of emotional hypocrisy, but I'm not in the mood to deal with it.

The slight tension in his shoulders tells me I've caught him off guard.

---