Page 86 of The Alpha's Arrangement

The other two go silent, staring at him, then at the windows. Bar leaps at him. “That’s not fair, Gold!”

“There are lots of windows we can share.” Jet purrs at Scarlet.

She raises her eyebrows and looks at me.

I point to the fireplace and the shag rug on the floor. Her mouth parts in a surprised O. I sweep over to her, staring down at this woman, so fucking brave, who has never once recoiled from my touch and has seen past my size and not been afraid.

I sweep my hand up her neck and stare down at her. “You’re stunning this morning.”

Her cheeks redden, and she glances sideways, but then returns to me.

Bar jumps on my back, wrapping his arms around my neck. “You’re cheating, old man.”

Scarlet laughs and leans up for Gold’s kiss. Bar abandons me to chase after Jet. But I stare at Scarlet, wondering if she realises what it is that we’ve done for her.

It’s a gesture of permanence. It’s a silent plea; stay. We want you. This could be home.

I can’t read her well enough yet to tell if she hears our message. A twist of anxiety springs up just thinking about her leaving and how it will hurt our pack.

We weren’t living. We were surviving.

Bar and Gold weren’t the only ones hurt. All our trusts had been broken. We’d learned for the first time that we were vulnerable. That we weren’t infallible, that we could lose.

The panic from the bonds that day still wakes me from my nightmares. Groggy from the drugs Art had put in our drinks, pulled out of it by the sheer fear thrumming through the bond, stumbling, frantic, dazed and confused, searching through the house, hearing the screams inside and outside my head.

And the sight. All that blood.

Scarlet appears and reaches up, putting her hand to the side of my face. “Acton, it’s a memory. Come back now.”

I want to snarl, lash out, but her eyes have so much understanding, so much compassion, that the anger drains out of me.

I shudder and find myself sitting on the couch with her on her knees before me.

“When I was seventeen, I was homeless for a while. A pack of alphas found me, caught my scent, and realised what I was. They held me down and tried…” Her lips press into a thin line. “They didn’t. But I remember calling for help and seeing someone. They hesitated and then turned away. They left me there. I was lucky. I got away. But that memory still comes back sometimes.”

“I never want to feel like that again.” I let my head drop and stare at my hands.

“Neither do I. That’s why I worked to become the strongest, the fastest, more powerful. When that wasn’t enough, I did it with money, all so no one could take that from me again. I can see what you guys are doing here. You’re building what I built.”

“What’s that?”

“Safety. A safe place where nothing can hurt you. You’re building up the walls and making them impenetrable and making this place safe.”

“Did you make it safe?”

She considers that for a long moment. “Yes, but I also made it lonely.”

“Taylor wants us to go back.” I glance at Jet and Bar lying on the floor talking to each other.

“To the city?”

I nod. “He thinks we need to.”

Scarlet nods. “I can see his point. The longer you let fear keep you somewhere, the stronger your enemy's roots grow.”

“Don’t agree with Taylor,” I snort. “He’ll love having you here to help fight his logic wars.”

Scarlet chuckles. “Tell me about your family.”

---