KESTER.

I was slowly unraveling. I looked like a twitchy addict who had been deprived of their addiction bfor /bbfar /bbtoo /bblong /bbas /bI walled by the door for our big guests.

My jaw was tight. My nails dug crescents into my palms. I probably looked like hell… wrinkled bshirt/bb, /bred beyes/b, messy, unkempt hair… but I didn’t care. I didn’t even have the energy to care,

Let them see me like this. Let them fucking witness what I’ve be since Kasmine was taken.

Outside, I could hear the murmurs of pack members gathering. More of them had started showing up the moment bthey /blearned the truth, that I wasn’t the one who killed their stupid messiah and that I, their Alpha, was a better leader bwith /bKasmine by my side.

I didn’t give a fuck about them right now. I didn’t need their sympathy. They realized the truth a little toote. Their support for Kasmine right now was useless to me.

Behind meb, /bon the couch, my mother was crying again, and her gut–wrenched sobs had been going on since bthe /bnight Kasmine was taken. Jorja hadn’t slept, and she hadn’t stopped begging gods she never prayed tob. /bKadeb, /bmy fatherb, /bbsat /bbeside her with his one arm around her shoulders and his face drawn tight with something like guilt, but not enough of it to make me feel anything close to forgivenessb. /b

bHe /bcleared his throat and asked shamelessly. “When’s Alpha Saint getting hereb?/bb” /b

I didn’t answer because the question disgusted me. Who informed him that he finally had the right to speak to me?

Non stepped in, sparing them both a nce. “Any moment nowb,/bi” /ihe said.

Jorja looked up, eyes puffy. “Kester…”

My jaw twitched. “Don’t. Not now.”

She reached for me, “We didn’t know…b” /b

“Save it,” I snapped, not turning around. “You didn’t want to know. All you cared about was your imageb./bb“/bb. /b

Silence swallowed the room. My father exhaled sharply like he was about to say something, but even he knew better.

I turned slightly, just enough to nce over my shoulder.

“You both built this mess with your bare hands,” I said. “And now you’re crying because we’re all bleeding for it.”

Jorja sobbed harder, while Kade pulled her closer.

I faced forward again, my eyes burning toward the front door.

Aperrantly, Alpha Saint and his bcrew /barrived town yesterday, but Non had looked for a bway /bbto /bbstall /bthem bbecause /bbhe /bknew it was only a matter of time before I’d break and take back bmy /bbwords /babout not wanting bSaint’s /bbhelp/b.

bHe /bdidn’t tell them I didn’t want help or that I wasn’t ready to talk or that I bwas /bstill sticking to bmy /bpride band /bbbleeding /b

bChapter /bb362 /b

bout in /bsilence like bthe /bbroken beast I’d be. No. He covered my ass as busual/b.

Fuck. bI /bdon’t know what I’d do with Non. Sometimes I was tempted to call him a sweetheartb, /bbbut/bb, /bfuck itb, /bbI /bbwasn’t /bAlpha Saint and Beta Kyrie.

Non shifted behind bme/bb. /b

“You ready for this?” he asked.

bI /bdidn’t look at him. “Not even a little.”

He exhaled softly. “But you’re doing it anyway.”

“Because I’ll burn this whole fucking world down before bI /blet him have her another bday/bb./bb” /b

There was a pause. Then he spoke, “I knew you’d say that.”

I scoffed under my breath. “You really need to stop being right all the time. It’s annoying.”

The sound of engines rolled in. I stepped closer to the window, fingers twitching at my side, and watched bas /bfive bsleek/bb, /bpredatory cars pulled into thepound. They were all matte ck, spotlessb, /band fucking expensiveb, /btoo. The ass hole also had a high taste.

My guards outside straightened instinctively, some of them already stepping aside without being told.

Then the car doors opened.

Men in ck suits stepped out first. They moved as if their suits came with training manuals. All of them headed for one car. The sleekest and darkest.

And then the back door opened, and Alpha Saint stepped out.

Something ancient stirred inside me.

He was annoyingly tall. Angr jaw like it had been carved by wolves. Clean–shaven. Full silver–grey hair bswept /bback like a storm had kissed it. Every strand looked like it had a ceb. /bLike it knew better than to move without permission.

His eyes…

Steel–grey. Set deep. Cold enough to carve through bone and leave the marrow trembling. They strip effortlessly.

He didn’t nce around like a man curious about where he was. No. He moved like he owned my fucking pack, and like the air here was lucky to have been inhaled by him.

Emotionally bankruptb… /bThat’s what everyone called him.

My jaw ticked but not out of fear – fuck no my roof.

it was out bof /birritation. That this bwas /bthe bman /bbI /bnow had to bwee /bunder

Another figure stepped out of the same car, almost the same physique bas /bSaint bbut /bslightly bdifferent/bb. /bbAsh/b–brown bhair /btousled with streaks bof /bsunburnt gold, catching what little light there bwas/b.

Beta Kyrie.

His warm, hazel eyes scanned my environment as if a threat was hiding somewhere within my walls. He was reading everything and everyone. And not just for himself, but for him – Saint.

I’d heard Kyrie could read Saint’s silence like scripture. They called him the fire to Saint’s cier. He was fierce, loyal, and dangerous when provoked.

Non stepped up beside me as my front doors opened wide, and they all stepped in. The room suddenly grew colder. It was the raw, heavy, unapologetic power that made the walls feel too thin.

My guards straightened without realizing it. Jorja’s sobs stopped. Kade went still.

Saint’s gaze scanned the room once. He didn’t look impressed. Or curious. Or bothered.

He just… looked. Fucking asshole.

Then he locked eyes with me.

And the world narrowed.

Alpha to Alpha.

I held his gaze and looked into his empty soul. He did the same, just standing there like an iceberg in human form.

Kyrie nced around and nodded once at Non. “Thanks for receiving us,” he said.

Non returned the nod, “We are d you could make it.”

Funny. I wasn’t particrly d, please.

Saint and I still hadn’t said a word.

But finally, I spoke. And my voice was edged with enough resentment tost him a lifetime.

“Wee to MY pack, Alpha Saint,”

His face was still nk, and when he responded, it was barely a murmur.

“Let’s get to work,” was all he said.

You see? The Asshole.

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