Page 34 of Sold to Three Alpha Kings

“I’ll ignore the sarcasm in that.” I move past her and walk inside.

“Oh, yeah. Come on in, you’re welcome.”

“I’ll ignore that one too.” I turn around and face her. “You’re really not holding back.”

“You told me not to.” Her arms are folded across her chest as she fights the urge to roll her eyes at me. Her jaw tightens, accentuating the small scowl perched on her face.

I really like that about her already—she doesn’t hide the irritation the way most people around me learn to. Everyone else smooths their face into something diplomatic the second I walk into a room. She just looks like she wants to throw something at my head.

“Come on, don’t look at me like that,” I say teasingly, taking stock of the room. “I’m your fated mate…well, one—of your fated mates.” The slight pause comes when I roll my eyes.

“You mean the same ‘fated mate’ you almost executed, the one you rejected?”

“That wasn’t me. That was…”

“Chris,” she cuts me off, her voice sharp and quick. “It’s all Chris’s fault, isn’t it?” A pause. “You never have a hand in anything.”

“You’re treading a thin line,” I say, annoyed at her words. “And I don’t like it.”

“What? Can’t take the truth?”

My face twists into a faint frown as I begin closing the distance between us. “Okay, first, I didn’t reject you…”

“You didn’t accept me either.”

I continue, despite her interruption, “And second, I didn’t order your execution.”

“You also didn’t stop it.” Her voice is laced with something emotional.

“Goodness me!” I groan in frustration. “Why are you picking on me?”

“I don’t know!” she lashes out. “Maybe because you asked me to grow a personality!”

“Wait, so this is my fault now?” I push my head back.

“I don’t know!” She combs her fingers through her hair, her voice breaking into faint sobs. “I don’t know, okay? I’m just…” She swallows. “My emotions are heightened right now, and I’m feeling everything at once. It has to go somewhere.” The words burst out of her in a nervous rush.

I take her hand, my height towering over her frame. Her expression softens at my touch, her surprised eyes boring into mine in a way that quickens my pulse. She’s a new Omega. I forgot that it could make her emotional.

“I didn’t mean to yell,” she says, much calmer now. “But you’re one of the people who hurt me, and you’re here, so I guess I just…”

“Exploded?”

She waits a moment, then nods.

“Lucky for you, I’m a firm believer in letting emotions run wild,” I say, my voice a low whisper. “Don’t try this around Chris, though; there’s no telling what he’ll do.”

A soft scoff falls off her lips. Short. Genuine.

“You and your brothers have a funny relationship.”

“They’re not my brothers. God, no. We just happen to share a region and, apparently, you.”

“That was supposed to be a joke.” Her chin lifts at that, something defiant sparking behind her eyes. “And nobody shares me. I’m not property.”

“Didn’t say you were.” I hold up both hands, mock-innocent. “Just stating facts. Fate seems to think differently than you do on the matter.”

“Fate can go to hell for all I care.”