Page 149 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

“Nothing too terrible,” I put in. “Tortured their pack’s Omega for a couple years, give or take.”

“You’ve been doing your homework?” Ace asked, amusement in his tone.

Of course I had.

“Great. So another pack to keep on our radar,” Rogue said.

Ace shrugged, his eyes cold. “They got their revenge.”

“Is there enough revenge in the world for that?”

“From what I can gather, his…situationwith Thistle may have something to do with it,” I said.

Rogue barked a laugh. “I stand corrected.”

Ace was giving me a strange look, but that was all I’d give up. I needed any advantage I could get with him. He was good, as much as I hated to admit it, but I didn’t just want to beat him to wipe the smugness from his attitude. Ineededto. Thistle saw him as the pinnacle of all things incredible in the world.

I knew Rogue didn’t give a shit about matching Ace—but he was scent matched to her. I was determined to stake an equal claim.

Beyond that, I needed her safe. Heat bonding did a lot of heavy lifting for keeping Ace in line, but I didn’t trust him. There wouldn’t be a move he made, a gift he gave her, or a place he took her that I didn’t want to know about or understand. Especially not until I was in a bond with him.

“You could have told us your plan at the party ahead of time,” I said.

Ace’s smile was mischievous as he looked back at us. “Your ignorance was keeping her safe.”

“How’s that?” Rogue asked.

“If none of us had flinched when they dragged her away, they would have assumed something was wrong. Instead, you took a bullet for her. It made for a perfect finale; they weren’t expecting a second.”

I mulled that over, hating that it made sense. He might be good, but with the limitations of his current resources, I knew Ace had used every piece on the board with that plan. At Bella’s party, that had included us.

“So has anyone decided on what we’re doing next?” Rogue asked.

“We find out where she is and kill her.” That, I thought, was obvious. The Ring wouldn’t blink if she turned up missing now, and wouldn’t interfere when they didn’t have to. I’m sure many had even taken bets on the outcome.

“You two can carry on with your little plans. I’ll carry on with mine,” Ace said.

“What?” I glared at him.

He just gave me a cold smile.

“What does that mean?” Rogue pushed.

I frowned. WhatdidAce plan to do next?

I knew, whatever it was, I didn’t trust it. I was the one trapped in this rotting pack. I was the one who would pay if he was wrong—and I believed him when he said he wasn’t sure if he had a need for me.

Ace, who seemed to consider himself finished with the conversation, was rifling through the toy store box before picking out the pink Bunny. He examined it, then shot us both a flat look.

“Nice, and ah—!” He spotted the deer, tugging that out. “Covering my Omega’s bases, too. How disturbingly… well thought out.”

HisOmega? I really hated when he spoke like—wait.What did that mean?

Rogue was frowning, as if he didn’t know either.

Whatever.

Ace turned the plushie in his grip. “Iwaswondering what would happen when Bambi has to leave—she’s very attached to the toy. Thistle doesn’t cope without it.”