Page 187 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

Her, and not Bella.

No cruel, twisted Alphas.

A bright, moonflower goddess.

A bond I wanted.

I didn’t get happily-ever-afters—at least, I wasn’tsupposedto. But this bond felt warm. Safe. It was connection, not chains—I could feel it from the first brush of it against mine. I was shaking, and blinked something hot and wet from my eyes.

Thistle choked out something I couldn’t understand, and then she was sobbing, curling up beneath the blankets and burrowing in next to me.

“I love you,” I told her. “I love you so fucking much, Little Doll.”

Rogue jolted awake at the addition of a whole new Alpha in the pack. He staggered to his feet, eyes wide, hands up like he was fending off attackers.

“Fuck.” He rubbed his eyes, then stared. “Oh…”

He got up, then almost fell as he made for us, rubbing his head. I wondered what Petal had given him.

“We’re a pack!” She shook me, then Rogue as he sank onto the bed beside her, then lifted Bunny up, fists seizing him so tight I thought he might rip.“We’re a whole pack!”

Thistle was completely different to the bond I’d had before. Bella had been a void, cold to the touch. But the Omega at the centre of this pack… I didn’t think it was possible for a person to feel that much joy, but Thistle was a neon paint splatter across my mind and soul. With each breath I took, that essence tangled with me, drawing a smile across my own face.

“Where’s Ace?” I asked.

“Last I checked he’d passed out in your office, face stuck to your keyboard.”

“How’d he get into that?”

“Vance. He was on a rampage trying to get tails on every Ring member trying to flee.”

“They’re running?”

“Oh yes they are. Whole thing fell apart. Bella vanished, then Carrion. No one knows what happened, so you can imagine the rumours.”

“And Ace is tracking them down?”

“Said he gave Bella a head start, but that’s just so the chase is more fun,” Thistle said, a little hum of happiness in her chest.

“You… alright?” Rogue asked me.

“Yeh. Feel fine.” I don’t know what was in that poison, but it didn’t feel like it had any lasting damage.

“He justfakekilled you, didn’trealkill you, though. And—” She leaned close, teeth digging into my arm for a second. “I think he likes you.”

“He fucking better. I saved all of your asses.”

She grinned for a moment, positively glowing, but then it all fell away. “Um…”

“What?” I frowned, on high alert.

She just stared at me. “Are you… better?” she asked, unsure.

“I feel fine. Why?”

“Cuz uh…” She trailed off. But she didn’t need to say more.

Oh.