Page 44 of Unhinged Alphas

I don't know what to say. I've never heard an alpha take responsibility like this, never imagined that one would even consider the suffering of omegas as something they should be accountable for.

So I just stand there, rendered temporarily mute.

Thane takes a step closer, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "I swear to you, Ivy, I will make it right. It may take time, but I will make sure that no other omega has to ever go through what you suffered. And I'll make sure you have vengeance."

"Why?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why does it matter? Why do you care?"

Thane seems taken aback by my question, hisbrow furrowing in confusion. He studies me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine as if trying to unravel the tangled knot of my thoughts.

"If you have to ask that," he murmurs, his voice tinged with a quiet sadness, "then I and the others clearly haven't done a good enough job of showing you what it means to be our omega. What you mean to us."

I open my mouth to respond, to demand clarification, but before I can utter a word, the distant rumble of an engine catches my attention. My gaze is drawn to the horizon where a cloud of dust is rising in the distance. As it grows closer, I can make out the shape of a vehicle, its outline becoming clearer with each passing second.

My heart jumps into my throat as undeniable relief floods me.

Plague and Valek. They're back.

Chapter

Twelve

PLAGUE

The Chateau looms before us, the familiar concrete and steel both welcoming and imposing in the fading golden light. I glance over at Valek. His eyes are hidden behind his executioner's mask, but I can sense the anticipation radiating off him.

He can try to play it cool all he likes. But I know him too well.

It's been a long damn time since any of us had something to go home to. Something more than just the assortment of concrete and steel outbuildings. But even though the base looks the same, it's different this time.

Our omega is here.

I take a deep breath, the filtered air hissingthrough my mask as I watch Thane and Ivy emerge from the garden. Even from this distance, her presence tugs at something deep within me, a longing I've never known before. It's almost painful, the way my heart constricts at the sight of her. This wild, untamed omega who has somehow managed to burrow under my skin.

I want nothing more than to stride over there, to gather her into my arms and hold her close, to breathe in that honeysuckle scent and let it wash over me like a balm. But I know better. Ivy is skittish, wary, especially after the intensity of her heat. I can still feel the echoes of it thrumming through my veins, the primal need that had nearly consumed me.

She's like a feral kitten, just as Whiskey says. One wrong move, one too-quick gesture, and she'll bolt, disappearing into the shadows of the Chateau. I have to be careful, to approach her slowly—gently—no matter how much my instincts scream at me to claim her, to make her mine.

Even Valek seems to know that instinctively.

I watch as she walks alongside Thane, her steps measured, cautious. She keeps a careful distance between them, her body language guarded. It's a stark contrast to the way she was with me duringher heat, when she'd pressed against me, her skin warm and soft, her scent enveloping me like a cocoon.

The memory sends a shudder through me, and I have to clench my fists to keep from reaching for her. I want to feel that again, that connection, that sense of rightness that had settled over me when she was in my arms.

But I know it's too soon, too much.

Ivy glances in my direction, her blue eyes piercing even from across the courtyard. For a moment, I swear I see a flicker of something in their depths, a hint of the warmth I'd glimpsed during our time together. But it's gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by that wary reserve that seems to be her default.

I nod to her, a small, subtle gesture of acknowledgment. I don't expect her to respond, but to my surprise, she inclines her head ever so slightly in return. It's a tiny thing, barely noticeable, but it sends a thrill through me nonetheless.

I turn my attention back to Thane as he approaches, Ivy still at his side. "You're back," he says, his voice gruff but not unkind. "How did the mission go?"

I consider my response for a moment, weighingthe information we'd gathered against the unpleasantness of the task. "Valek's contact was a cretin, as expected," I reply, my words muffled slightly by my mask. "But he was an informative one."

Beside me, Valek rolls his eyes, the movement just barely visible through the shadows of his hood. "There's a lot to discuss," he says, his tone impatient. "We should get the whole gang together."

Thane nods, his expression thoughtful. "I'll call a meeting," he decides, and with that, we all head inside, the heavy reinforced doors of the Chateau swinging shut behind us.

As we make our way through the dimly lit halls, I find myself acutely aware of Ivy's presence, the soft sound of her footsteps echoing in my ears. She walks a few paces behind Thane, her posture still guarded, but there's a certain ease to her movements now, a sense of familiarity with her surroundings.