The rest of the pack was here. I could see them through the door, filtering in behind Holden, none getting too close.
The whole fucking Ronan pack. Seven alphas left. One was already dead, but it didn’t seem as though they’d examined hisbody. If they had, they wouldn’t be lingering back, eyes drifting occasionally to the ammo-less gun in my hand and back to their pack lead, as if awaiting instruction.
“You promised the Wakefield pack Crescent?” I asked.
A betrayal like this was a gamble. It meant a full flip in loyalty. Building trust would be difficult in the future if their word meant nothing.
The reward would have to trump all of that.
“Your value was used up the moment your pack bonded her, Sin. If they don't get invites to watch you with those other omegas, they aren't interested anymore. But I told them not to worry. When you're dark bonded to us, they'll get all the shows they want—and a sweet little piece of ass on top.”
I got to my feet, grip white-knuckled on the bed frame as I looked between them.
My heart was racing.
Where were the others?
Alive… I could feel it, but they weren’tgood.
And Vandle was almost non-existent in the bond now.
I shoved back the momentary panic that shot through my nervous system.
Holden grinned. “Those alphas of yours are dead.” He pulled a key from his pocket and held it up like a medal before putting it back. “I’ll take you to look at their bodies in the cages after—the Wakefields tore them to pieces, I bet. But first, we're going to get a heat and a dark bond all in one.”
I wasn't nearly out of it enough to truly look like I was in heat, but I think Holden's pack had so much obsession for me that they were seeing what they wanted to.
And if I was right, and my blockers had worn off, my scent should be in this room more than hers. Sterling had obviously mentioned heat, and they thought it was me.
My eyes flickering to the door, I caught Wyatt following my gaze before snapping back to me, a purely feral look in his eyes.
As if he wanted me to run.
I had to hold it together.
Not long ago, this would have been my worst nightmare. The outcome I’d protected myself from ever since I’d arrived here. But Crescent had changed everything. The whole dynamic of Anarchy had shifted, alliances crumbling, previous, perfectly laid plans and protection, like dust in the wind.
This outcome, perhaps it had always been inevitable, but at least it wasn't my worst nightmare any longer.
Seeing Holden with his hands on her, that was something I couldn't survive.
Holden took a step, closing some of the distance, and I lifted the gun, levelling it at him.
He stopped, eyes darting between mine, amusement in them. “They will tear you limb from limb if you do that, Sin, and you know it.”
We stared at each other, and he slowly took one more step. On pure instinct, I flipped the gun and pressed it up to my chin.
Again, he paused, cocking his head as if curious. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, a smile playing on his lips.
There was a long silence as I ran through every useless plan possible. I was fucking trapped. Before I could do anything, Holden closed the final gap between us, his huge fist closing around the gun and my neck.
I trained every fucking day in this godforsaken place, but it didn't matter. It never would matter in the face of an alpha with an aura.
My free fist caught him in the cheek before his aura burst into the air. It made him far faster than me, and in a half second flat he’d dragged me from the bed and slammed me against thewall. His foul smell of sour whiskey was everywhere as he leaned close.
“We found Grady’s body, Sin,” he said. “Shot to the stomach, and there aren’t that many guns around here, are there?”
I snarled, struggling uselessly as he adjusted his grip, re-angling the gun to my chin properly. I tensed as he moved his finger and I heard a click.