Page 26 of Psycho Alphas: Part Two

THISTLE

I turned the silver Monopoly hat in my hand before peering back up at Bunny, taking in his perfect glacial blue eyes and messy raven hair. We were both seated on the floor beside the basement cage, and he was leaning against the bars beside the open door. This was where I’d left the board last time.

I pushed the rest of the silver playing pieces toward him.

His gaze, which was fixed on me, drifted down to the silver objects glinting in the low light. The boat, the cat, the thimble, and all the other Monopoly pieces.

He’d play with me, right?

I could help him out.

I was a bit disappointed. He still seemed… distant. Ace wasn’tsupposedto be distant. He was supposed to be a god Alpha.

A king.

Quiet. Vicious. Enough to leave the world afraid—if he could just… you know, leavemeout of the wrath part.

But more than anything, there wasn’t no Alpha in the world better at dealing with danger than my god Alpha.

He reached out, slowly picking up the pieces and turning them in his hand. He ended up on the cat, but then tossed them all back to me.

I frowned, picking the cat up and placing it back in front of him. To my annoyance, he flicked it away, gaze darting back up.

Noneof the pieces were good enough?

I examined them, trying to figure out his issue.

Oh.

“You want the dog?” I asked.

The Monopoly board I’d grown up with hadalwayshad a dog. A little thing with a strange haircut.

I pouted as Ace cocked his head.

That was definitely a yes.

“Rogue went andlostit,” I whined.

In response, he leaned back against the cage bars and averted his eyes.

Seriously?

He wouldn’t play with me unless he was the dog?

What a rubbish Bunny substitute.

I sighed. “Fine.”

Picking myself up, I looked around. Rogue was rummaging through his fridge, and Knox was sprawled out on the couch, resting with a bag of ice on his cheek.

Only about a week or so ago I’d pulled the Monopoly board off the wall where it was displayed in a box.

The dog was probably around somewhere.

“What are you looking for?” Rogue asked as I dropped down to my knees by the cabinet beside where the board had been hanging.

“The dog,” I said, reaching under but finding nothing but dust.