Page 130 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two
She clasped her hands together. “He’s got the bond.” I could hear the pout in her voice.
“I won’t come asking,” Bella hissed.
Ace snorted. “And that’s the same thing?”
“I want to live.” Bella’s voice was rough.
There was a pause, and then Ace said, “There’s only one way that happens.”
The smug happiness slid from Thistle’s face in a second.“What?”
At my side, Knox shifted just slightly.
Ace went on, not noticing, or caring for our response. “There are two things you have left to bargain with—two things my Omega has claimed.”
Bella stared, and I could almost see her mind working a million miles an hour.
Shit.
This wasn’t right.
Bella had to die.
And it wasn’t like last time. The others in here were afraid of Ace. We could do it—they’d just seen her try to kill Thistle. This would be fair revenge in their eyes.
But I couldn’t shake the part of me that worried Ace might consider Knox disposable. Knox said nothing, but I got the impression it took every ounce of effort. Ace leaned in, and the words he spoke to Bella were for her alone before he leaned back.
Bella’s voice was shaky. “Agree to leave my home, and I will deliver. Kill me, and you’ll never see half that deal.”
Ace narrowed his eyes, but Bella dared lift a hand, peering back to one of her Alphas. Ace nodded at the guard holding a gun to his head, and he lowered it. The Alpha hurried forward, and Bella spoke to him in a low hiss. He listened, then backed away, vanishing from the room.
“Give them a few minutes, then go.” Bella’s voice was shaking.
“Bunny…” Thistle’s voice was annoyed as she tugged on Ace’s shirt. “Shehasto die.”
Ace smiled as he slid his eyes from Thistle back to Bella, who was stock still. Ace’s thumb pressed to Thistle’s lips. “Perhaps not.”
“What about Daddy?”
Ace shrugged. “She promised she wouldn’t chase.”
A strangled sound came up Thistle’s throat, and she had her dainty little hand around Ace’s neck in a flash. “He’s mine,” she hissed. “He’smine. Not hers.”
“Shh, Omega. I will give you everything you’ve claimed.”
I frowned, parsing through that.
Knox was still tense, but if he argued with Ace right now, he’d break the illusion. The one thing that would keep us safe after we left was the belief in his destruction. If he didn’t say a thing, there would be no one left in this place with a shadow of a doubt that he had been subdued.
I couldn’t help noticing Knox’s eyes slide to me as if demanding I say something. Could I come up with a reason that wouldn’t sound suspicious?
Perhaps…
I wanted Bella dead, too.
Knox needed to join the pack—for Thistle. They were as inseparable as any scent match now. But I couldn’t work out if this was part of the plan… Or if he was trying to put real dominance behind that pack lead title he had.
If it was a dominance play, we’d have a million more chances to upend it—but tonight, we needed to walk out of this party alive first. Something else played at the edge of my mind, though—a piece of this puzzle that wanted to fit but just wouldn’t quite.
