Page 139 of Alphas Like Us

Then he amblesforward.

“Charlie, wait.” I’ll hurt with him if that’s what he needs. I’ll share in his pain. I’ll do anything for him…I know that’s partly the problem.Heroism.

He stops. Looks up atme.

“We’re doing this together?” I ask. “Don’t leave mebehind.”

Charlie takes a breath and nods. “I understand watching your siblings make a mistake and not having the ability to shake them. And all you can do is search for a solution. Anysolution.”

Everything clicks. “The auction,” Irealize.

He slips the sunglasses back on and pulls at his hair. “I convinced Beckett to do the auction because I knew he’d have to take leave from ballet again. He missedSwan Lake, and he won’t return until rehearsals forCinderellabegin. He’s clean fornow.”

That’s good. “Who knows?” Iwonder.

“Me, Oscar, and Donnelly,” Charlie says. “Now you, and I’m assuming Jane and Farrow won’t be far behind. But don’t let it go further thanthem.”

“I won’t.” I’m surprised that Charlie’s bodyguard knew. If I remember correctly, Farrow told me that Oscar didn’t know anything. Since Farrow never lies to me, I’m assuming that Oscar lied toFarrow.

Charlie supports himself on his crutches. “So now can we do this myway?”

I fight every instinct in me that says to hold on to the figurative wheel, but I nod once and relinquishcontrol.

* * *

We ringthe doorbell on the stone stoop of a stucco mansion, a welcome mat beneath our feet. Hanging ferns flank the wide front door, and Charlie leans most of his weight on onecrutch.

Wewait.

A few tense seconds pass before the wooden door swings open. I prepared to meet Easton’s mom or dad or maybe even a sibling—it seemed more plausible—but the face staring back at me can’t be older thansixteen.

First impressions: messy chocolate hair, long aquiline nose, pale sheet-white skin and pinpointed hazel eyes. A navy blue Dalton Academy honor society shirt hangs on his lanky frame. Definitely not built like a jock, and for some reason, I thought he’d be buffer.Older.

He just seems young to me. Reallyyoung.

I don’t know what it is with me and kids around my sibling’s age, but it fucking gets to me. Like there’s a part of me that just wants to protect this boy. And I don’t know him—but I do know he’s a wrench in my brother’s life and I know Xander is partly to blame—but I also see a human being in front ofme.

I never forget that. Ican’t.

“Are you Easton Mulligan?” I ask, ready to solve this crisis withCharlie.

“Yeah…” he says slowly and looks from me to my cousin. “And you’re Maximoff Hale and Charlie Cobalt.” He hangs onto his door. “Um…so Xander didn’t say anything about you two coming over.” He hones in on Charlie’scast.

Even with a broken leg and bent on a crutch, Charlie evokes supreme confidence. His take-no-shit demeanor intimidates the kid so much that he tries to look at me forcomfort.

I’m not that soft either, but I think I’m empathetic enough that his uncertain eyes linger onme.

“We’ll make this quick,” Charlie tells him. “We’re here because you’re getting pills from XanderHale.”

Easton frowns. “How doyou—”

I raise my phone, already on the text that I screen-shotted from Ben’s phone. “You’ve been bragging aboutit.”

“Shit…” Easton curses again. His widened eyes flit betweenus.

“Here’s what’ll happen,” Charlie says, sharpness to his voice. He hands me the crutch that he’s notusing.

Don’t ask me what he’s up to. I don’t know. I’m on edge, holding mybreath.