Page 59 of Sold to the Alphas

Her silence unnerved me. She didn’t fight me, didn’t argue, but her gaze lingered on my face as though searching for answers I didn’t have.

The crisp night air bit at my skin, the chill doing nothing to cool the fire simmering just beneath it. The further I carried Elisabed from the house, the less resistance I felt from her, but I knew it wasn’t trust that was keeping her quiet. She was too worn down to fight back. Her body was heavy with exhaustion and everything we’d put her through.

When her voice finally broke the silence, it was soft and laced with fatigue. “Finn...put me down.”

I glanced down at her, her dark eyes barely visible in the moonlight. “Not yet, little omega.”

She moved weakly in my arms, her hand pressing against my chest. “Please...I don’t want to run. I’m tired of running.”

The crack in her voice made me falter for just a moment. I stopped walking, tightening my grip on her as though that alone could shield her from the storm brewing all around us. “You’re not running. I’m getting you away from them,” I said.

“From who?” she asked, her tone sharper despite her grogginess. “Marshall? August? Why are you doing this?”

I took a deep breath to temper the anger bubbling up again. “Because I won’t let them hurt you anymore. I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.”

She pushed against me again, her strength growing with every word. “I’m not some helpless thing you can just carry off, Finn. Ineedto find my sister. I need to—”

“Stop.” My voice came out harsher than I intended, and her startled silence twisted something deep inside me. I softened my tone, though the tension still lingered. “You’ve already been in the middle of more danger than you should’ve ever faced. I’m not letting that happen again.”

Her brow furrowed, confusion clouding her features. “What are you talking about?”

I exhaled sharply, the words clawing their way out of me. “The pact that keeps the six alphas allied—it’s the only thing keeping us sane. When it’s broken—and itwillbe broken—all of us will lose ourselves.”

Her face paled. “I know. Marshall told me a long time ago.”

“He did?” I asked, my voice raw. She nodded. She’s been carrying this weight the whole time, and I didn’t even notice. “So you know what this means,” I continued. “The bond is older than any of us, forged to hold our kind together, and when it snaps, there won’t be any going back. Not unless someone is strong enough to bring us back.”

Her silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. She didn’t need to ask the obvious question—I saw it in her wide, terrified eyes.

“You were meant to be that person,” I said softly, hating how the word felt on my tongue.

“I still don’t understand. Why me?”

I closed my eyes, struggling to find the right words. “Because you’re strong, Elisabed. Stronger than any omega I’ve ever seen. You were strong against Raol and at the trial without your wolf, and you’re even stronger now that your wolf is back. Marshall and I marked you because we thought you could handle it. That you could ground us, bring us back when the time comes. But August...” My jaw tightened at the memory. “After what he did to you, I don’t know if this plan can work anymore.”

Her eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling. “This wasn’t my choice, Finn. I didn’t agree to any of this. This is...this is too much.”

“I know,” I said quickly, guilt clawing at me. “I know, little omega. And I’m sorry. But we didn’t have another option. We still don’t.”

Her tears spilled over then, and the sight of them nearly brought me to my knees. “My sister...” she said. “She’s out there, and I’m here. What if Raol hurts her? What if he—”

“Don’t,” I said sharply, my voice cracking. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.”

Her sobs hit me like physical blows. Her anguish wrapped around me and squeezed until I could barely breathe. I stopped walking, my feet rooted to the ground as I tried to steady myself. “Elisabed...” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

But she didn’t stop crying. And I couldn’t blame her.

My arms tightened around her as though that alone could protect her from the horrors of this world. “I’ll get her back,” I said, the words more of a vow than a promise. “I swear to you, I’ll get her back.”

Before she could respond, a low growl cut through the night air.

I turned sharply, my wolf rising to the surface as I scanned the darkness. My eyes locked onto a figure emerging from the shadows. His broad frame was unmistakable even in the dim light.

“Put her down, Finn.”

Marshall was here.

His face was a mask of fury, his eyes blazing as they landed on me. My hackles rose at his command, my grip on Elisabed tightening instinctively. “Not happening.”

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