Page 122 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

“I won’t accept you leaving here with my mate.”

Thistle sneered at Bella, taking a step back until she was pressed up against Knox. Her hand wound around his, and he moved—likely on instinct—drawing her up against him. “Learn to read,bitch.”

If I were to pinpoint the exact moment I knew we were unequivocally fucked, it was the moment Bella’s eyes finally fell on what was written on Knox’s forearm.

Across Knox’s flesh in the crimson marker we’d been given to mark our claims, was scribbled:‘Property of Thistle and Bunny’right above‘Bella Morgan smells like poo.’

And of course, Thistle—bright eyes locked with Bella—sank her little Omega fangs into Knox’s arm with a possessive chirp.

Well.

Fuck.

That was it.

Bella’s lips drew back in a snarl, and whatever she felt must have snapped through her entire pack bond by the way Knox stiffened.

I reached for my own gun, but knew it was too late.

Bella’s Alphas and her security had guns trained on us instantly. Mine remained in my grip, useless at my side. Banner kept his gun pointed right at my face as he stepped forward.

No one else in the room moved—no one coming to Ace’s defense. Not even the ones I’d seen him whisper to throughout the night.

Shit…

I’d banked too fucking hard on whatever plan he’d had in mind—played the part too well while my enemies pointed weapons right at us.

He’d miscalculated.

The stupid prick had miscalculated, and we were fucking dead.

I could see the relief in Banner’s eyes from behind the gun he was pointing at my face—as if they hadn’t known either what might happen if they challenged Ace.

“Come here, Maverick slut,” he growled, glancing at Thistle. “Or we’ll start putting bullets in your Alphas.”

“No!”I reached out on instinct, trying to grab her, but she staggered back as if she knew I’d try, violet eyes wide as she stumbled right into Banner.

She opened her mouth, but he clamped a hand over it, dragging her back against him.

Knox’s growl was low at my side, but the Alpha beside him jammed the gun against his head in warning, and Thistle let out a whine of panic, gaze darting between us.

Fuck.

I glanced back to find Ace hadn’t drawn a weapon at all—he hadn’t even stood up. Instead, he was tossing Bunny between his hands, watching everything with unnerving calm.

What thefuck?

“Do you want to know why we bid on her?” Bella asked, taking a seat on the table before Ace and peering down at him.“Banner wanted her. We don’t get enough fighters these days—the Ring is just too good at their job. They’re all dull by the time they get on that stage, but she was like a feral cat. How could I deny him?”

Ace watched her silently, not speaking.

“But he has a lesson to learn—they were all supposed to see last time. I wanted her ruined, but they only half-finished the job and that won’t do.” She paused. “I’ll help you see the truth, too.”

“See whattruth?” Ace asked, setting Bunny down, slowly pressing his palms to the chair arms and standing, as if he needed to stretch—not as if half a dozen guns were pointed at him.

Bella looked up at him, but kept her composure. “There isn’t an Omega in the world I can’t convince you to be disgusted by.”

“Is that so?”