Bound to the Alpha

21. Conditions

The terse silence that followed her announcement was not a good sign.

She imagined, and even expected several kinds of responses. She just hadn't expected incredulous laughter, nor did her ego that deflated rapidly under the dark chuckles from Casper.

"Well, fuck." Casper snorted, wiping the corner of his eye. "Funniest shit I've ever heard in my life." He heaved.

Angelina noted that she would've been more shocked that the man could laugh, if she wasn't so irritated. "Oh, please. Do carry on with the laughter." She waved her wrist in the air with nonchalance. This made him laugh more as he held his flat belly, like the force of the humour he found in her words was something he couldn't comprehend nor contain.

Mason hadn't laughed but there was wry humour that glittered in his hazel gaze. She wanted to rid him of that specific look. He took a few steps away from her, his expression amused but bitter all the same.

"Why the hell would we need you?" Casper asked, humouring her. She was well aware that Casper had disliked her on first sight. She hadn't expected the man to find out about Rosie so soon. She thought she had longer to find Evie, before her lies caught up with her.

"Yes. Enlighten us." Mason added, tilting his head as if he couldn't help but feel begrudgingly curious.

"There's something else I wanted to add to the deal-"

"Oh for fuck's sake-"

"Casper." Mason warned, lacing his tone with a hint of Alpha Authority.

Casper tensed but effectively shut his big, fat mouth. Her wolf purred, pleased by his submission.

"Does Eris know you know about Rosie?"

"I'm not an amateur. I know what I'm doing. I can cover my tracks."

"Good. We need to keep it that way until we find Evie and we have Rosie far away from him."

"You're painting a pretty picture here. You want Evie found. You want Rosie away from Eris and you don't want your Alpha to know that we know that he's an oath breaker. Is that it?" Mason had an unfamiliar look on his face. She couldn't make sense of it. There was still rage in his body but he had honed it in, containing it. She had a feeling he was merely using the time to sharpen his thoughts.

"Mason, let's just lock her away in the damn cell again."

"What is your offer?" Mason asked, ignoring Casper's suggestion.

"Me." She repeated.

Casper scowled, rolling his eyes.

Mason didn't look amused this time round. He took a deep inhale, gritting his teeth. "Once again, you have no idea-"

"You said that an Oracle said you needed the Montgomery heir?"

Mason nodded, tense.

"Then take me." Angelina held his unwavering gaze. "Rosie and I are twins. She may be the older child, but she doesn't carry the Alpha Authority."

The men opened their mouths to refute the claim but her next words stole their breaths.

"I do." She confessed.

She noted the abrupt change of Mason's expression. Confusion and disbelief fell across his features as he let her words sink in and the truth embed in his head. "I'm the Montgomery heir that you need." She lifted her chin, letting the revelation hang between them.

Mason shook his head slowly, "You're lying. I would've been able to sense the Alpha Authority in you-"

"I hid it." She intercepted his words. "I've been hiding it the moment I entered this Pack." She let her shields and barriers fall as her power seeped through, coating her like an armour. She felt the familiar tendrils of the Alpha Authority caress her skin, calming her heartbeat and loosening her tense muscles. Approval from her wolf sent flutters skating up her sternum.