Page 14 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

I could feel it in the bond, the way a wound closed within her, some of the bleeding finally slowing.

She remained there for a long time, tears unending as she scent marked him—then did it again. There was blood smearing his face, but the faintest traces of Bella’s absinthe scent vanished beneath Thistle’s frosted moonflower. It settled my nerves more than I might have imagined, having it thick in the air of my room.

Thistle tilted Knox’s chin, examining his face and neck.

“The, uh…” She swallowed, eyes darting to me fearfully, then to the door. “The bond?”

I cleared my throat, mind flashing back to the moment, Knox, on his knees as he offered Bella his bite. “Can’t undo it yet, but we’ll sort it out. We’re safe down here for now.”

She nodded, but I could see the pain in her glittering eyes. I felt it through the bond, too. A stab of panic curdled with a flash of fury.

Turning back to him, she lowered her face to his neck and sank her teeth in, a precious little growl in her throat as she did. Then she drew back, eyes following the faintest trickle of blood seeping down Knox’s neck. She was trembling, jaw clenched, eyes unblinking as she waited, as if it might change anything. When it inevitably didn’t, she leaned down and bit him again. I felt the desperation in it this time, something coming loose, leaving parts rattling within her. Before she could do it a thirdtime, I caught her. She let out a strangled sound of anger, eyes unfocused for a moment until she met mine.

“Y-you don’t… understand…” Her chest was heaving, another stream of tears tumbling down her cheeks. “He… he was trying to protect me.”

“I know, Kitten.”

“He’s not my mate, but he still wantedme. That means he’s mine, r-right?” Her expression crumpled. “But she… she still took him.”

“And I took him back,” I said simply, shifting closer. “I told you we could keep him.”

How we would get out of this mess, though? I had no fucking idea.

If Bella had taken him, she’d be off our backs.

Instead, we’d just killed her Alphas and taken Knox. Three of them had died upstairs, which meant there were six other Alphas left in her pack aside from him.

First, we had to survive Thistle’s heat.

Would Bella feel the claim Thistle had just made on the Alpha in her pack? Either way, she would be out for blood. But right now, we were in pieces—one feral Alpha, one bonded to our worst nightmare, and my Omega was in heat.

Thistle, though, was settling. Her arms slid around my neck as she drew me close. “Thank you.” Her voice was muffled, a damp whisper into my collarbone.

I held her against me, her tiny frame feeling too small and fragile as I swallowed her up in a hug.

I found my peace then. In the flood of her relief through the bond, the beginnings of healing that had seemed impossible even minutes ago.

There was nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do to find peace for my broken Omega. And what was between Knox and I? It was nothing in the face of that.

She pulled back, eyes roaming the bed desperately. Next thing I knew, she’d ducked down and was scrabbling to squeeze into Knox’s shirt. She tore through the buttons with ease before her head popped out the top, fingers curling around the fabric as she settled herself.

From where she was balled up in his shirt, she blinked at me expectantly. I eyed them both and edged closer, stifling my internal protest at the reality that cuddling her inevitably meant cuddling Knox, too.

He never had to know.

As soon as my touch was there, and she was surrounded, she let out the sweetest sigh, and the faint smile on her lips was salve to my panic. Her eyes fluttered closed and she passed out within seconds.

FIVE

ROGUE

A low whine woke me from an uneasy sleep.

I blinked heavy eyes open, trying to orient myself. I was exhausted, my body heavy, darkness like a stain hanging over my mind.

Where was I?

Reality tumbled in slowly.