Page 141 of Sweetheart: Part One

She’d have heard it all.

Me and Drake.

I stood, and—keeping my footfalls as silent as possible—I stepped up to the large cupboard. There were a few boxes stacked beside it—boxes that were supposed to be inside of it. Rage boiled in my chest. She’d violated something sacred to me, and I would make her sorry.

When I ripped the door open, I found a bundle of blankets and cushions crammed within, and in the middle of all of that, was Vex.

She scrambled up in an instant, eyes wide.

Everything clicked as the two truths finally became tangible. One an answer, the other, a solution.

I knew, at last, that I was right.

Vex was lying.

She was an omega. It was the only thing that would explain this nesting behaviour…

“I…” She was staring at me in terror. “I didn’t mean to—”

But she cut off as a clap of thunder split the air. She ducked, arms coming up over her face. I reacted before thought, dragging her against me and holding her in my arms.

What…?

What the fuck was that?

Her deception was deadly.

There was no way I’d react like this to a simple beta. I didn’t react like this to most omegas, even. I had to get to the bottom of this. To get her out of our lives.

“What do you need?” I asked.

“Y-you don’t want to help me,” she whispered, though it didn’t line up with the way her fists were still balled in my shirt. She was trembling violently.

I needed more, though, I needed to find out just how omega she was. She was immune to my lies so far, thinking the worst of me, but everyone had a weakness, and with Vex, I’d just been pressing the wrong buttons.

I took her by the chin and forced her to look at me. “You’re mine, Vex. You have been since that contract was signed. I may not like you, but Iwillprotect you.”

A lie, I told myself. Shewasn’tmine.

She was a snake.

But her pupils, constricted with fear, dilated as she stared at me, as I staked the claim she so clearly wanted.

I finally understood.

This wasn’t about the money, I realised. It wasn’t about fame, or the contract. It’s why she had Drake convinced, because she’d never been lying to him at all.

Thisis what she’d come for.

The claim of an Elite pack.

And no one but me would see it. Drake was smitten with her as it was, and she was taking advantage of him.

But the truth was its own solution, because to hide her designation from us while living here, she would have to be taking some powerful scent blockers.

Drugs.

I needed to catch her with them—which was unlikely if she was this skilled, or I needed to make them wear off.

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