Page 74 of Unhinged Alphas

"Hey, the girl likes what she likes," Whiskey calls from the hall. I can hear him rummaging through the cabinets like a bear. "Maybe she's a monsterfucker."

I bristle at that. "He's not a monster."

Valek's eyes narrow, something dark flickering in their depths. "Heisa monster," he mutters. "And the sooner you accept that, the better."

I glare at him, fury bubbling up inside me all over again. "You don't know shit about him."

"And you do?" Valek challenges, leaning forward. "Tell me, little omega, what do youreallyknow about the most lethal Ghost in the pack?"

I open my mouth to argue, but the words die on my tongue. WhatdoI know about Wraith? He'sferal, like me. He tears enemy soldiers and guards apart like they're made of paper. I don't have to have seen him without his mask to know he's severely scarred beneath it. Maybe he doesn't even look human. But...

"None of that matters," I mumble. "He's not?—"

"You love him, don't you?"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I jolt, staring at Valek with wide eyes. "What?"

Valek gives me a knowing smirk. "I can tell. It's the way you look when you defend him. The fierceness, the loyalty in your eyes."

I shake my head, trying to deny it, but my heart's racing so fast I can barely breathe. "No. That's… that's insane. I don't love anyone."

Valek leans back, studying me with those piercing eyes. "Is that why you haven't tried to flee?" Valek presses. "The real reason?"

My stomach twists. I look away, unable to meet his gaze. I don't know how I feel about anything anymore, or any of them. It's all so tangled up inside me, a mess of fear and anger and... something that scares the hell out of me. Something I promised myself I would never, ever feel, or even consider.

"I don't... I don't want to talk about this anymore," I mutter, wrapping my arms aroundmyself. "I just don't want you to say that ever again. About Wraith being a… monster. It's not just stupid alpha banter, it's cruel. And it's not true. Even if it is, it's nothing he can help. Okay?"

Valek watches me for a long moment, his silver eyes unreadable. The silence stretches between us, thick and heavy. I shift uncomfortably under his gaze, fighting the urge to look away.

"I need to clear something up," he says finally, his voice low and serious.

I tense, bracing myself for another barbed comment or cruel joke. But there's something different in his tone, a gravity I'm not used to hearing from him.

"When I say Wraith is a monster?—"

"For fuck's sake, Valek! I told you to drop it!"

Valek holds up his palms in a placating gesture. "Let me finish," he says, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Please."

I clench my jaw, biting back the torrent of angry words threatening to spill out. After a moment, I give him a curt nod.

"When I say Wraith is a monster," Valek continues, his eyes never leaving mine, "I am not trying to be cruel. I am stating a fact. He is a killing machine,not fully human. You need to believe me—for your safety, if nothing else."

I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. "How could you possibly know that? Thane's father found him in the forest, right? You don't know anything about where he came from or why he's the way he is."

When he just watches me soberly, I go on. "Actually, I don't think any of you know much about each other at all. Thane and Wraith grew up together as brothers, but the rest of you were all strangers before you became a pack, weren't you? I don't know anything about any of your histories. Oh, other than you being a freakingserial killer."

He tilts his head slightly. "I thought you like that."

"Why would you think Ilikethat?" I cry. "No! Can you take this seriously for five minutes?"

Valek's expression shifts, something dark and haunted flickering in his eyes. For a moment, I think he's going to defend himself, but instead, he looks away and gazes off into the distance, past the mountain range beyond the window that faces north.

"We may not know for certain, that is true," he says quietly. "But I suspect Wraith and I might share a common origin point. There are things in thisworld, little omega, that you can't even begin to imagine. Horrors beyond your wildest nightmares."

My anger falters, replaced by a cold knot of dread in the pit of my stomach. "What do you mean?"

Valek goes silent, his face a stony mask. The silence stretches on, growing more oppressive with each passing second. I can hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, feel the cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck.