Page 122 of Psycho Shifters

“Who are the beasts? Those were truth cuffs. If he says we are fools, then we are.” Jax’s hands were shaking as he stared across the room at the dead beta. Jax liked to be in control, to know all the facts.

Apparently, we didn’t know anything.

“I have no clue. But you can’t touch him. We need to get away from that fire.” I grabbed Jax by his arm and pulled him out of the room. The big guy was still in shock, so he let me manhandle him.

Ascher followed. He was quiet for the first time in his life.

The stakes had never felt higher.

Apparently, we were all wanted men. Ironically, by beasts. And we didn’t even know who they fucking were or why they wanted alphas. Or why they wanted Sadie more.

When we walked out of the torture room and into the frigid night air, Jax whirled around and grabbed me. The chilly air had snapped him out of his shock. “What was that fire?”

I took a deep breath and let the cold center me. The void was a burning inferno of darkness. The chilly air reminded me I wasn’t back there.

I was free.

“You know how I told you I grew up imprisoned?” I asked.

Jax nodded but didn’t say anything.

“I was held by the fae queen. That fire was her power.”

“Cobra,” Jax said softly as he stared at me with horror. He reached a large hand out, wrapped it around my neck, and pressed his forehead to mine. For a long moment, our breaths mixed as we stood in the icy world.

Warm chestnuts filtered through my nose, and the anxiety that gripped my aching heart began to fade. I was safe, Jax was beside me, and I was free of her.

We didn’t say anything for a long moment, just held each other in stillness and offered each other support.

“She covets pretty things.” My voice cracked, and I hated the weakness. I was a warrior, an alpha shifter with terrifying snakes, and yet I trembled at the sound of a woman’s name.

“You are not a pretty thing,” Jax alpha-barked back and wrapped his arms around me in a bruising grip.

“Okay, big man, don’t make it weird.” I scoffed, trying to hide the way my insides burned with warmth when Jax had barked at me. He understood me, and it made me fucking emotional.

Jax released me with a shake of his head that said he knew I was full of shit. Ascher didn’t say anything as we went back inside to our rooms.

Usually we would spar at night, the three of us training and practicing until the early dawn. Sometimes we pulled all-nighters. Alphas didn’t need as much sleep as betas, and all three of us preferred to fight out our aggressions.

At least, we’d used to. Ever since a certain little girl who reeked of cranberry wine had infiltrated our room, no one stayed out late.

I told myself it was because I needed to keep an eye on the girl, to make sure she wasn’t a spy and rummaging through our stuff. But the truth was, I wanted to antagonize her.

I wanted to watch her pretty, little golden cheeks flush with hatred as I taunted and called her names. She was so juvenile sometimes, and it made me angry.

I wanted to fucking throw her onto the bed and taunt her until she agreed I was superior.

My fucking void wanted to swallow her up and welcome her into my darkness. It was fucked up.

I rubbed at my sternum as we walked into the room. The little alpha was still in Jax’s sweatshirt, and I didn’t know whether to groan with arousal or jealously rip it off and wear it. Jax was my alpha, something the girl conveniently ignored.

Now she sat on the bed, looking pathetic and breakable as she read a large book. From the leather binding, it was one of the ones from the mantel.

I had noticed the little alpha liked to read. She spent all her free time hanging with Aran or curled up in her bed with a book.

The thought of the blue-haired beta filled me with rage, and I decided against leaving her alone. Sadie fucking pissed me off.

“You didn’t eat all your food.” I pointed to the half-full plate on the floor beside her bed.