Page 38 of Unhinged Alphas

The sun beats down mercilessly on the barren landscape, the heat shimmering off the cracked earth in dizzying waves. Sweat trickles down my spine as I shift uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the battered off-road vehicle Valek's friend was "kind" enough to hook us up with. Considering it's broken down three times already and still smells like burnt diesel, I'm pretty sure he was just trying to kill us by getting us stranded in the desert.

Beside me, Valek drives with a single-minded focus, his eyes hidden behind dark goggles and mouth set in a grim line. He hasn't said a word in hours. Not since we left the seedy underbelly of the black market behind.

But his silence does little to ease the tension crackling between us, the unspoken frustration and resentment that simmers just beneath the surface. We've been at each other's throats since the moment we set out on this godforsaken mission. Our tempers fray more and more with each passing mile.

And now, after a full day of traveling through the wasteland, I'm starting to wonder if it was all for nothing. If Geo, with his sly smiles and calculating eyes, was just leading us on a wild goose chase. Sending us to our deaths in the irradiated desert.

At least it isn't utterly filthy out here. Not enough lifeforms for filth. I'm going to need a bath in a vat of acid after today.

"We've been driving for hours," I say, my voice rough and grating in the oppressive silence. "Are you certain Geo's intel is good? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like he sent us on a one-way trip to nowhere."

Valek's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his temple. "Geo's intel isalwaysgood," he says, his words clipped and terse. "He may be a snake, but he knows better than to cross me."

I snort, shaking my head in disbelief. "Right. Because you're just so terrifying with your knivesand psychotic grin. Newsflash, Valek. We're all killers here. Geo included."

Valek's head snaps toward me, his eyes flashing behind the dark lenses. "Watch your mouth, princess," he snarls, his voice low and dangerous. "Or I'll show you just how terrifying I can be."

I open my mouth to tell him where he can shove his threats when something catches my eye on the horizon. A glint of metal, but not ruins. A flash of something that doesn't quite belong in this desolate landscape.

"Wait," I say, leaning forward in my seat. "What's that?"

Could be a fucking mirage for all I know.

Valek follows my gaze, his brow furrowing as he squints into the distance. When his eyes find the same mark, one of those terrifying grins spreads slowly across his face.

"That, princess," he says, his voice dripping with satisfaction, "is Belvast."

I stare at the ramshackle collection of buildings that rise up from the barren earth, a haphazard jumble of shining metal and crumbling concrete. It looks more like a graveyard than a town, a monument to the decay and despair that plague the Outer Reaches.

But Valek seems unfazed by the grim sight, his eyes gleaming with a feral sort of anticipation. "Raven's hideout can't be far," he says, gunning the engine. "Keep your eyes peeled."

I bite back a retort, scanning the desolate landscape for any sign of life. But there's nothing, just an endless expanse of scorched earth dotted with occasional wreckage, the remnants of a world long since fallen to absolute ruin.

And then, just as I'm about to give up hope, I see it. A dilapidated house shell, its walls pockmarked with bullet holes and the roof caved in like a shattered skull. It's a far cry from the sleek, high-tech compounds I'm used to, but something about it sets my teeth on edge, a prickling sense of unease that crawls up my spine.

"There," I say, pointing to the ruined structure. "That has to be it."

Valek nods, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good eye," he says. "Let's go say hello."

I give him a grunt in response. He never gives compliments to anyone he isn't trying to fuck over. Best case scenario, he just wants me to feel like part of this godforsaken mission and not like his sidekick.

He pulls the vehicle to a stop, the engine sputtering and dying with a rattling cough. I climb out, my boots crunching on the rocky ground as I stretch my aching muscles, trying in vain to shake off the lingering stiffness from hours of sitting.

Oh, god. There's sand under my clothes. Sand and sweat.

I'd better not fucking die like this.

Valek is already moving, his steps swift and silent as he approaches the ruined house. I fall into step beside him, my hand drifting instinctively to the dagger at my belt.

We're barely ten feet from the door when it happens. A sharp crack splits the air, the unmistakable report of a shotgun blast. I drop to the ground on instinct, rolling to the side as a hail of buckshot rips through the space where I'd been standing.

Valek is already moving, his knives flashing in the harsh sunlight. He lunges toward the source of the shot with what appears to be unadulterated glee at the idea of bloodshed. But before he can close the distance, a lean figure steps out from behind the ruined wall, a shotgun leveled at Valek's chest.

"Well, well," the figure drawls, his voice muffled behind a black mask that covers thelower half of his face. "Look what the wasteland dragged in. A couple of lost little lambs ripe for the slaughter."

I push myself to my feet, my hand tightening on the hilt of my knife. But Valek holds up a hand, his eyes never leaving the masked man.

"Raven," he says, his voice calm and even. I remember Geo mentioning Valek should keep his accent muted, but I'm still not sure if that was a joke. "Geo sent us."