“Mysteriously, huh?” Vito cocks his head. “That sucks.”
“Not for me. Now I’m Head Alpha.” Silvanus bares his teeth in a wicked smile.
Just for a moment, Ambrose’s eyes glitter with admiration at Silvanus’ ruthless ambition, before he catches himself.
Then he regards my cousin, coolly. “Congratulations. But you should understand that Juliet was legally under the Romeo’s guardianship, when she was offered a bonded place.”
“She was working at your fucking academy, bitch.” Silvanus pushes his hair in angry motions behind his ear. “But as an Omega, she’s not the same as the Betas who are there. You crossed the line, when you bonded with her. It was criminal.”
“I consented,” I rush to explain. “The Alphas saved my life, during my heat.”
Silvanus’ expression gentles, as he turns to me again. “They’ve trained you to think that. Soon, they won’t be able to make you obey them again.”
Ambrose’s control shatters.
He launches himself at Silvanus, grabbing him by the neck and driving him backward over the bonnet of his car.
I wince at the bang as Silvanus’ head clangs against the metal. Ambrose holds him down with a strong arm across his throat.
“Juliet makes her own decisions.” Ambrose presses down more firmly on Silvanus’ neck.
“Bullshit,” Silvanus rasps, scrabbling at Ambrose’s arm. “An Omega can be swayed by an Alpha through scent, pheromones, and Alpha Command. She’s a Cinders, and I’m taking her home to our ranch. That’s right,hit me. Then I’ll add assault to your list of crimes. You’re tough out here, now you’re a man. But do you think that you’d survive in the Alpha Center? Would that pretty biker trash who you call your Second Alpha?”
Vito reddens, ducking his head.
Ambrose slaps Silvanus across the face with his open palm with a resounding crack.
Somehow, it’s more insulting than if he’d given him a black eye.
Silvanus’ eyes water. “Asshole.”
“Then cuff me,” Ambrose replies. “Where are the cops?”
Anxious, I glance between the two Alphas.
Ambrose is playing a dangerous game. But then, so is Silvanus.
They’re both bluffing, right?
It’s Silvanus who drops his gaze first. “We don’t need the cops. We used to settle our differences on the track, remember?”
Ambrose gives a curt nod.
He backs up, allowing Silvanus to struggle to his feet.
Silvanus smooths down his curls. “If I report this, then I’ll damage my cousin’s reputation, as much as yours. Let’s settle this privately. How about a race along with a bet? Three laps to decide the winner.”
“What are the stakes?”
“If you win, then I won’t contest your bond. You can take Juliet home with you, along with my blessing as Head Alpha.”
“I agree.”
I swallow.
Silvanus doesn’t know how good a driver Ambrose now is.
He thinks that he’s already beaten him.