Page 26 of The Alpha: Part Two
Every eye in the room swings from the unconscious alpha trussed up on the floor to Desir’ee, then to Lopez to gauge his reaction. His mouth tightens, but that’s about it.
“How were you going to do it?” Alex asks, because why wouldn’t he? It’s definitely the most important thing to ask about right now.
Desir’ee reaches into her pocket and pulls out two small vials and one loaded syringe. She holds them out for Alex to see. “Potassium.”
Alex lets out a low whistle and Nathan’s brows raise. Devon reaches over to take them from her hand, but she closes her fist around them and holds them against her chest. “I’m still going to kill him. After.”
Not if I can help it. This is the last time she’s going to be this close to Flores. Someone else can kill him and she can watch from a safe distance.
“Uh-huh…” Alex smiles, tilting his head. “You and Talia are going to be a lot to handle, aren’t you?”
“If you say so,” Desir’ee deadpans. Then she looks up at me. “Do you know where they are? I could only see them on the monitors. I don’t think they’re in this building.”
“We know where they are,” I tell her, and take a breath before I give her the news that’s probably going to piss her off. “I’m going to get them. You’re going with Devon.”
Desir’ee snorts. “I am not going with Devon. I’m staying with you.”
“No, honey,” I soothe, “you’re not. I need you safe. You can’t go where Ben and Michael are. Please understand. Devon, Alex, and Nathan will keep you safe while I go get the twins.”
“Which one’s Devon?” she asks.
“I am,” Devon answers, putting effort into softening his expression.
Desir’ee sighs, sounding almost disappointed. “Of course you are.”
Alex laughs, but I lean down and brush my lips against her hair. “He’s not that bad. I trust him with you. All of them. You’ll be safe, I promise.”
“He is that bad, sweetheart,” Alex teases, “but we won’t let his bossy ass get too carried away.”
“What about him?” Desir’ee gestures towards Flores.
We don’t have an answer for that. We expected to call a clean up crew for corpses. None of us thought to prepare for an interrogation. We’re quietly staring at Flores, no doubt spinning hundreds of potentially disastrous suggestions in our heads, when Lopez speaks up.
“Take him to the docks. We have units there, and everyone there is paid very well to be blind and deaf. It’s where we keep the…” he falters for a moment, but then squares his shoulders. “Keptthe omegas before they’re shipped out. Take him there. You can’t take him anywhere near the boys’ house and keeping him somewhere else would be a risk. I’ll take you there and give you the access codes.”
Devon’s eyes narrow. “Why?”
Lopez rubs his temple with two fingertips. “Because I’m tired. Because things should not be the way they are. And because she,” he nods at Desir’ee, “and they deserve better. This outcome was inevitable, it just took me a little too long to finally put it in motion. It took her bravery to spur me into action. I am so sorry, Miss Romero. It never should have come to this.”
Desir’ee nods, but it doesn’t seem right. A simple, spoken apology for putting her, and Michael and Ben, and all the other omegas and their families through such hell. It isn’t enough. A low growl starts rattling my chest, but Desir’ee reaches up and pulls my face down so she can kiss my cheek. “It’s alright, Seth. He got it right. Late is better than never.”
“This is hilarious,” Alex snorts, and holds up his hands when Desir’ee glares at him. “I’m just saying it's a funny thing that he,” he points at me, “has to deal with him,” he points at Lopez, “in this situation. It’s a fair turn of events, if you ask me.”
Devon pinches the bridge of his nose and Nathan covers his mouth.
“I don’t understand,” Desir’ee says, clearly displeased at being outside the loop.
But I understand perfectly, and it sours my stomach and has scalding guilt clawing at my insides. “He’s my Seth,” I say softly.
The look she gives me tells me that she still doesn’t understand, but she nods anyway.
“This isn’t going to bother you at all?” Devon asks Lopez. “He’s part of your pack, and interrogating isn’t a friendly process.”
Lopez shakes his head sadly. “Of course it will bother me, I’ve been with Ernesto for more than half of my life. But I’m finished. I was already going to sever the bond with him and help James and Bryant through the process. I’m releasing the betas, there isn’t a true bond with them, anyway. We were a functional pack, not a genuine one. I think James, Bryant, and myself can become a true pack if we put in the effort. If they’ll still have me, that is.”
“They’ll have you,” Desir’ee says softly.
I hate that she can speak so gently to him after everything he’s done. Motherfucking hate it. Goddamn.
