~ SASHA ~

"I don't understand," Sasha said to Nick, not even trying to hide her voice since neither of them could speak low enough to avoid being overheard by the Chimera. "Why all the resistance, all the imprisonment, all the threats and then… now suddenly it's just okay?"

"I told you, you're very persuasive," Nick said as they watched the females slowly walking towards the massive bus that had been brought to transport them.

Sasha snorted, but didn't take her eyes off the vehicle. She was trying to tell herself it didn't remind her of the cattle trucks she'd seen on highways her whole life. "You also said you tell the truth, and I don't believe that either," she muttered.

Nick turned to look at her, a strange light in his eyes, as if she'd wounded him, which she was certain wasn't true.

But then he leaned in. "You understand that things have been happening here for years, Sasha? And a great deal has changed just in the past few weeks. We've moved Zev from firmly in our grasp, to free and leading the Chimera in Thana—and mated to you. You, who we had on a loose leash since you were seventeen years old.

"We've had females that have been tested, mated, and found wanting, held here and resisting, considered for euthanasia… and you've presented an alternative for their fate that may benefit us and our program.

"We have males in Thana who are physically what we seek, but not capable of the kind of reproduction, or bonding that we need—and one that is perfect in every way, but now out of our hands.

"We have a fresh set of eyes that spent time in Thana, and came back with a proposal, and who has, in the same trip, provided further insight into what is needed—and what is not—for our King to be finally crowned father." Nick paused, shaking his head like she'd disappointed him. "You set about to negotiate and persuade, then you're surprised when it works?"

Sasha stared at him, once again in that turmoil of confusion and uncertainty. She was good at picking liars, but she suspected Nick was better at hiding lies. She read some emotions on his face sometimes, but not others.

Did that mean he was only successful in hiding them sometimes, or that he was choosing to reveal them at others?

Then Sasha blinked, all thoughts of Nick and his subterfuge draining from her head as she realized that while she'd been dealing with the females, he'd changed clothes.

Nick was in one of the black suits, like the one Zev had worn when he first returned, and the ones she'd seen the team in when they came to Thana. The one she was wearing now. Her mouth dropped open. "You're coming with us?" she squeaked.

Nick frowned. "That surprises you?"

"Surprises… Nick, you pissed yourself when you were there before! And… why are they sending you?"

"Because I have relationships with you and Zev," he said bluntly. "Would you rather I sent a stranger?"

Sasha stared at him. She wasn't sure how to answer that, even in her own mind. "I don't… no?"

Nick shook his head. "One of these days you'll figure out that I'm on Zev's side, Sasha, and then you're going to kick yourself for all this suspicion."

"Don't you try and mess with my head," she hissed. "Even Zev doesn't trust you anymore. He told me to run when he found out you were there," she snapped.

Nick didn't answer right away, which didn't seem like him. Then Sasha's stomach dropped as she realized what she'd said.

"Zev knew I was there?" Nick said. "He was there to tell you to leave me? What about all that bullshit about him not being close enough, not being needed because you were Alpha?"

"I didn't lie," she said, eyes on the line of females cowering near the bus, and the others who were in leadership trying to tempt them to walk onboard. Her heart pounded in her ears, though. She couldn't risk Nick figuring out that she could speak to Zev in his head. She knew that would fascinate him—and make them an even bigger target for this fucking project.

"So where was he? If he was so adamant that you should run, why didn't he step in and intervene? Why didn't he face me himself?"

"He wasn't there," Sasha snapped. "We had… messages… delivered and…" she trailed off lamely, scared of giving anything away.

"When you went off in the trees by yourself," Nick muttered. "I knew something was going on there. Was he there himself? Or—"

"No, but he learned that the human was you before I did," she said, honestly, hoping to throw him off the scent. "And he made sure I got the message."

"And you still came with me?" Nick watched her warily, but she didn't let her face move.

She met his gaze evenly and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm Alpha now," she said. "He has to listen to me."

Nick snorted, clearly not entirely believing her, but she didn't care. Let him stew on it. Let him waste time wondering how they'd gotten one past him, the way she was constantly forced to do in dealing with him. Let him have a taste of his own medicine.

"I have to go help them," Sasha said after he didn't respond. "I'm still… uneasy about you being in Thana, but I supposed I didn't make that clear with Nathan, so we'll have to deal with it. But you won't be given freedom with Zev, I want you to know that. Don't head over there thinking you're just going to get in his head again. He sees through you now—and I'm not going to let you play with him. He's not your toy."

"No, he's not," Nick snapped. "He's my son. And I'm not going to let all of this move forward without knowing he's okay!"

"All of what move forward?"

"This. You. The Alpha thing. Chimera… the whole program, Sasha. Your babies, everything. It all centers on him. And no one here cares about him as a person except me. So I volunteered. How does that sound? I chose to go into that hellhole because I wanted to make sure, with my own eyes, that Zev's okay. And I don't care who's standing in the way, if I find out he's not, there will be hell to pay…" he let the threat trail off.

Sasha shook her head. "No, Nick. He's not yours. He's mine. And fucked if I'm going to let you break him any more than you already have." Then she stalked off to speak with some of the females who were frightened to get on the bus.

But the whole time, she could feel Nick's eyes on her back.