Page 41 of Unhinged Alphas

A mixture of emotions swirls inside me as I spot the familiar vehicle. Relief, despite my best efforts to suppress it, bubbles up.

Traitorously.

I shouldn't care which of them has returned. They're all part of the same oppressive system. The very one that labels those who dare to resist as "savages."

I glance back at the abandoned book, its pagesstill open, that word seeming to leap out accusingly to describe the resistance movement. The bitter taste of propaganda lingers on my tongue. How can they be so blind, so thoroughly indoctrinated, to believe that everyone outside their control is some sort of barbarian?

But even as indignation flares within me, I can't deny the small part of me that wants to understand them better. The alphas. Thane, Valek, Plague, Whiskey... Each one a puzzle I can't quite piece together.

All except Wraith. I understand him more than I ever imagined. More than I understand any of them.

Both savage. Both feral.

And in that cave, I realized he was so much like me. We're from the same world, him and I, even if we represent opposite sides of it. And even if I get the feeling he's hiding from me more often than not, knowing he's here, knowing someone here knows how I feel… it puts me at ease.

The crunch of gravel announces their approach, and I find myself edging closer to the window, curiosity getting the better of me. I strain to catch a glimpse, to discern which of them has returned.

I hate the anticipation that coils in my gut, the way my pulse quickens at the thought of facingthem again. I'm not supposed to care. I'm not supposed to feel anything but contempt for these alphas who represent everything I've been raised to fight against.

Yet here I am, my forehead pressed against the cool glass, my breath fogging the window as I watch the vehicle come to a stop. The doors swing open, and I find myself holding my breath, waiting to see who emerges.

It's a betrayal, this flicker of relief that warms me when I recognize the broad shoulders and confident stride of Thane. But it's followed immediately by concern for the fact that Plague and Valek aren't back yet.

Am I fuckingworriedabout them?

I linger by the window, my internal conflict raging until I can no longer bear the uncertainty. Before I can second-guess myself, I'm out the door, my feet carrying me toward the courtyard where Thane has just arrived.

As I approach, Whiskey beats me to the punch, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did you bring us any souvenirs from the capital, oh fearless leader?"

Thane's response is flat, his eyes barely acknowledging Whiskey before they drift to me. "No."

But there's something in his gaze that catchesme off guard. A flicker of emotion I'm not used to seeing in those intense dark depths. It's not quite pity, not quite concern, but some unnerving blend of the two that makes my skin prickle.

"Ivy," he says, his voice gentle. "How have you been? Everything alright while I was gone?"

I swallow, trying to maintain my composure under his scrutiny. "Everything was fine."

The words come out clipped, more defensive than I intend. But admitting that I've missed him, that I've been waiting for his return... it feels like a weakness I can't afford to show.

Thane's gaze lingers on me a moment longer before he turns to Whiskey. "What about my brother?" he asks guardedly.

Whiskey shrugs, his posture nonchalant. "Reclusive as usual. You know how he is."

I bite my tongue, resisting the urge to chime in. To tell them the truth about how Wraith and I have bonded on a level they don't seem to think he's capable of. Even Thane doesn't.

But something holds me back. A sense that the others might not approve of my growing closeness to Wraith. That they might try to put a stop to it, like they stopped me from letting him help me through my heat. And maybe Thane wasright to be concerned that wasn't safe. It probably wasn't.

But what we're doing now…

Would Thane just refuse to let us keep seeing each other in private? He's nothing if not rigid. If he thinks Wraith is such a rabid beast that he can't be trusted to be around me even when I'm not in heat, I'm sure he'd find a way to put a stop to it.

Or at least try.

Because I don't think Wraith would let him.

I've seen my fair share of monsters, and Wraith isn't one. But just because he wouldn't hurtmedoesn't mean that applies to anyone else. And I'm pretty sure a serious confrontation between him and Thane would be the biggest nuclear blast Reinmich has seen since the wars.

I'm not taking a chance, that's for damn sure.