Page 25 of Fall of the Alpha

He didn’t feel like he should be either of those things, yet his desire to run had gotten less and less with each passing hour. It wasn’t just the pleasure. It was reconciling what it meant to be both Alpha and Omega with the ideas he’d always had about both. The lies he’d believed about both.

From everything he could see, Cora and Trace were fair Alphas. They didn’t let their instincts override everything. But he didn’t know what was happening with Bella and the Wolf. That was his main concern.

Was she hurt?

Was she scared?

Would the Wolf harm her?

Thinking about Cora’s and Trace’s reassurances on that last worry always brought up thoughts of his father and Zone One. Had his father really killed the Wolf’s mate? He couldn’t imagine his father actually getting his hands dirty that way. Could he imagine his father ordering someone’s death?

Yes.

It was the idea that he’d done it himself that Alek struggled with.

Gentle fingers stroking down his cheek brought him back to the present. Aria was frowning at him in concern, her light caress bringing him back to himself.

“What’s wrong?” she asked in a whisper.

“Nothing… just… worried about Bella.”

Understanding flashed through her eyes, along with another emotion he couldn’t read.

“Her heat should be over soon. You’ll be able to see her then.” There was something accusatory in her tone, something almost… jealous? Alek couldn’t help but feel amusement. A few days ago, Aria had seemed jealous of the attention Trace and Cora were paying to him, and now she was jealous of Bella?

He supposed that meant she accepted him now, and he was surprised to feel a flash of satisfaction at that knowledge. Some part of him had wanted her to accept him, not just tolerate him because of Cora and Trace.

Sudden pounding on the door in the main room had all of them jumping to attention. Alek instinctively curled around Aria as Cora and Trace both leapt to their feet, snarling as they glared at the open bedroom door. The sound ripped through the air, filled with menace, and Aria squeaked, curling into an even tighter ball in Alek’s arms. He could feel her quivering against him and felt like snarling as well, but… strangely, he trusted Cora and Trace to take care of whatever the threat was, leaving him free to comfort and protect Aria.

“Cora!” The deep voice calling out her name was slightly muffled, but Cora and Trace both immediately relaxed at the sound of it.

Cora glanced at Trace.

“Let him in.”

Nodding, Trace stalked into the main room and went to hit the lock on the door as Cora pulled on her clothes. She glanced at Aria and Alek and nodded in approval as she took in the sight of Alek still wrapped around the little Omega, unwilling to move yet.

“It’s Marek,” Cora said, and Alek felt Aria relax. She obviously recognized the name, even if she hadn’t immediately known his voice the way Cora and Trace had. He still didn’tknow who it was, though, and cautiously sat up as Aria pushed her way out of his arms. Quickly, he followed Cora’s lead in getting some clothes on.

The door between the bedroom and the main room remained open, so he could hear Trace greeting the other male. Alek was the last one in the other room, just in time to see Aria hugging another female. Just looking at her, he instantly knew she was an Omega, even though she was taller than Aria.

Both the new Alpha, who must be Marek, and the Omega looked up as Alek walked into the room. Cora turned to see him as well.

“Alek, this is Marek and his mate Lara. Marek is one of Malachi’s captains.”

Marek nodded his head by way of greeting, but his gaze was all business, as were his next words.

“We’ve caught one of your father’s spies.”

Alek froze.

“My father’s what?”

The smile that Marek sent his way was not entirely friendly.

“Your father’s spies. Would you like to come with us to question him?”

17

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