Page 148 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

“You’re worse than Colt and Rex.”

“Why?” I asked. Those were the Alphas in his old pack.

He looked disgusted. “You’re… normal…” He trailed off, the next word twisting in his mouth like it tasted foul. “Functional.”

“No, we’re not!” I snapped.

Howdarehe. There wasnothingfunctional about me and Rogue together. We’d just earned ourselves a lifetime mall ban.

Well.Roguehad. I could go back in a year.

Ace paused. “Why do you both look so… beaten up?” He was eyeing my face—which was fresh with bruises, then his gaze slid to Rogue’s side where the half-healed gunshot wound was blossoming blood through its dressing.

“Because wearen’tfunctional,” I snorted.

Ace shrugged, not seeming to consider tea valuable enough to stick around, shutting the cupboard before starting to leave.

“Sit the fuck down,” I said. “We need to talk.” He’d sat around listening in on the one meeting he’d joined, but offered almost nothing. He was scheming, I just knew it.

“Now?” Ace asked.

“Now.”

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue as he slid onto a barstool.

“You know what I’ve been wondering about?” Rogue asked, leaning against the counter. “Why did you save Bambi?” he asked. “I mean, I’m glad, but you don’t seem the type to care about random Omegas.”

“My Omega claimed her,” Ace said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I didn’t have the cards to raid therest of her house and drag out slaves in front of the Ring. I had a choice. I could have killed Bella, but Bambi would be forfeit.”

I stared at him in silence.

“Did I make the wrong choice?” Ace asked. “I went with the one I found the most idiotic. Thought that would be a good barometer for you soft-hearted?—”

“It was the right choice,” Rogue grunted. “Though I’m sure it had nothing to do with keeping Knox out of the pack for longer.”

Ace grinned, glancing from Rogue to me. “Why do you think I have it out for him?”

But I was with Rogue. I got the impression Ace had it out for any Alpha near her. I didn’t doubt he’d get rid of Rogue if he could get away with it.

“Do you?” I prodded.

“I am, unfortunately, dependent on her stability, so I have a use for Rogue. You—” He shot me a wicked grin. “I’m still undecided about whether you’re… integral. My parents never did teach me to share.”

Rogue rolled his eyes. “I’m sure yourupbringingis the core of all your issues.”

“Are you so sure it’s not?”

“You have a brother, right—is he as fucked up as you are?” I asked.

I knew a little about it already, but I was curious to hear his take.

Ace mulled the question over. “The night my pack mates died, they were in different cities. My brother stuck a poisoned crown on one, then hunted the other and waited until the right second before he jammed a Queen of Diamonds down his throat and suffocated him. I lost my entire pack at the same moment.”

Rogue raised his eyebrows, but I snorted. “Was that because he’s a psychopath, or because you did something unspeakably horrible to him?”

Ace opened his mouth then shut it again, finally nodding with aso-somotion.

“Do we have to watch our backs for them, too?” Rogue asked. “What did you do?”