Page 73 of The Alpha's Arrangement

I press my hand to my chest and swallow thickly.

Taylor stands up, “For God’s sake, Miss Waring, that’s enough.”

She flinches and turns back to him. “Give me their names. I’ll take care of it.”

“You’d kill someone?” Taylor barks a laugh.

Scarlet lifts her chin. There isn’t a bit of remorse on her face. No fear. No hesitation. “I’ve done it before.”

The admission falls into the room with the power of a bomb.

Taylor freezes and turns back to face her. She advances towards him, all seductive, fluid movements, her eyes hooded, and her lips parted. “Let me take care of this for you, Alpha.” Her voice is a seductive purr that hits all of us at once.

Fuck me, my cock is so hard I feel like I’m going to tear my jeans instantly. I lick my lips and glance at Gold. He looks dazed.

“I protect what’s mine.” Scarlet purrs up at him.

Yes! Yes! We are yours. And you’re mine!

Taylor frowns. “That’s just it, Miss Waring. They aren’t yours. We aren’t yours.”

It’s like a bucket of cold water is thrown over her. The confident alpha vanishes, leaving a woman behind who doesn’t have a place. Her cheeks turn bright red and then the colour leaches out of her so fast she sways.

It hits me hard, and I snarl at Taylor. I reach out to her, but she ducks my arms. No, no, that’s not how it’s supposed to go. Fuck!

“I, uh, okay. I’m sorry. That was…” she looks back at the door, and I can see she’s fighting not to cry. “I might go home tonight. I have something to do for tomorrow. All right? Good.”

She rushes out of the room, pausing when she remembers her promise to Barren. I see her internal fight and see the moment Taylor’s words and her own doubt win.

All those walls we’ve been tearing down, and Taylor just went and built them back up again.

“I love you, Taylor, but sometimes you’re the biggest prick alive.” I growl and rush after her.

I catch her at the back door and grip her upper arm. “I’m driving.”

“No, I can just…”

“Let me drive you. It’s been a big day.”

She hesitates and then nods her head.

I lead her out to the car, looking up once to see Bar at the window. I glance away and pretend I didn’t notice.

This woman, this strange alpha, is turning us all around. She’s such a conundrum of contradictions. A female alpha who is unsure of her place in society and pack. An alpha who’s never locked before. Who turns into a tiger when people she cares about are hurt, who offered to kill to keep my pack mates from potential harm?

She’s stronger than most of us. I know why she wanted Gold there. Only he and Taylor could use their alpha bark to get her away from Bar. Even in her own pain, she’s taking care of others.

And yet, she’s as insecure as Bar is. Nervous, flighty, wounded. She doesn’t trust us, but I keep finding her watching our interactions with a perplexed expression. Why is she suppressing her alpha side? Why is she hiding out in some backward cabin in the middle of nowhere like her life is over?

I try to imagine what life will be like for her when and if she has to leave. Living alone in a cabin until old age or her nature turns her feral. What kind of life is that?

“What?”

I blink and look at her. “Pardon?”

“You asked what kind of life is that, but I don’t know what you mean.” She smiles at me, all polite, interested. But it’s not reaching the green, icy depths of her eyes. She’s shutting down. Pulling away.

I curse Taylor some more.

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