Page 26 of Sold to the Alphas

The walk back to our rooms was steeped in tension, and none of us spoke aloud. Elisabed led the way, her back straight and her chin tipped up, but I could see the slight stiffness in her shoulders and the way her fingers twitched at her sides.

She tried to pretend she wasn’t affected by the stares in the dining hall or by the little scene with the barmaid, who had openly ogled us, but I’d seen her glance at the woman through dinner. Elisabed’s jaw had tightened, and she’d pushed the stew around her bowl a little more forcefully.

Her jealousy was adorable and gave me hope that our little plan would work out. My wolflovedhow possessive she was over us, and she was getting stronger every single day.

We reached her door, and Elisabed pushed it open, stepping inside without looking back. I caught August’s eye as he pausedat the threshold. He exhaled slowly, his usual calm demeanor giving little away.

“You did well today,” he complimented her, his voice soft enough that she might’ve missed it if she hadn’t turned to face him. “Your wolf is getting stronger.”

Her lips parted slightly, surprise flashing across her face as she bit her lip. “Thank you.”

It was a brief moment that shouldn’t have stirred anything in me, but it did. She looked so good like this, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed with delight. Fuck. I’ve never been good with words, always quiet, but if praise gets this reaction out of her, I’d become a poet just for her.

Finn ruined the peace and my train of thought by leaning against the doorframe, his smirk already tugging at the corner of his mouth. “So,” he drawled, glancing between August and me, “who’s staying with her tonight?”

Elisabed stiffened, her eyes darting to Finn before quickly looking away.

August frowned. “We don’t need to decide here,” he said, glancing at Elisabed as if she wasn’t already aware of the conversation. “She doesn’t need to—”

“Shedoesneed to decide,” I said sharply, crossing my arms. “If we’re all supposed to protect her, then she gets a say in how we handle it.”

Elisabed blinked, clearly caught off guard by my words. “Just draw a straw,” she muttered, her gaze darting between the three of us like she couldn’t pick which one she’d like to sleep with.

“Fine,” Finn said, straightening and searching for something we could use. When he was done, each of us pulled one.

I got the shortest.

Finn sighed dramatically, annoyance obvious in his expression. “The brute stays.” He stepped toward Elisabed, leaning in close enough that his breath stirred the loose strands of her hair. “Jealousy looks good on you, my little omega,” he murmured, his voice low and teasing.

Her breath hitched, her cheeks darkening, but she turned her face away, pretending his words hadn’t sunk their claws into her.

When Finn straightened, his smirk was sharper and more satisfied. He cast a parting glance at August and me before sauntering out the door. August followed him, his expression as calm as ever, though I caught the faintest edge of exasperation in his sigh.

And when the door clicked shut, Elisabed finally turned to face me, her eyes cautious but searching.

Until now, we’ve never had alone time, just the two of us, and I wasn’t sure what to say. I wasn’t even sure what I was feeling. The tension from the dinner still thrummed under my skin, but it wasn’t just that. Something about being alone with her, the way her presence filled the small room, made me feel off-balance. My wolf begged me to move closer to her, to throw herover my shoulder and take her to bed like a fucking caveman, but I ignored him. This wasn’t the right time for that.

I had made my decision the moment I drew the short straw.

I was going to tell her tonight.

Awkwardly, we both chose the same moment to speak.

“I’m not sure—” she started.

“There’s something you need to know—” I said.

We both stared at each other, and she laughed softly, her smile the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. “Go ahead.”

I exhaled and cleared my throat, running a hand through my hair. August wouldn’t be happy about this, but it wasn’t right to keep it from her much longer. She was only getting stronger every day. Her wolf would show up soon, there was no doubt about it. “This is something we probably should’ve told you from the start,” I said.

Her posture shifted, her body going rigid as she waited for me to continue.

“There’s a fight coming. A big one. One that will throw our world into chaos,” I said bluntly, the words heavier than I intended.

Her breath caught, her eyes widening as she stared at me. “Chaos? A fight? Against who?”

“Everyone,” I said. “The pact—the one that binds the council alphas together—is falling apart. The other alphas are power-hungry and more ruthless than ever, and they’re turning thecouncil against each other. They’ve made their alliances and turned their backs on the original intent of the pact. The council is corrupted to the core. August, Finn, and I don’t trust the other alphas to make the right choices...so we’re going to break the pact.”

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