“Is she safe?” I press, moving toward him. “Ash, is she alright? She was having a panic attack when they dragged me out.”
“When they dragged you out for assaulting someone in Alexei’s VIP box?” Beckett’s voice rises. “For hitting an omega? For starting a fucking brawl?”
“I didn’t hit her.” I stop, forcing myself to breathe. “I wasn’t hurting her. She was overwhelmed. The crowd, the noise…”
“That’s not security’s take.”
“Fuck security.”
“Oh, so you didn’t knock out the VP of Marketing for Titan Equipment?”
“He called her cheap,” I growl. “He was hitting on her all night, touching her when she didn’t want it. He deserved worse than what I gave him.”
Beckett moves further into the room, his gear making him appear even larger in the cramped space. He’s blocking the door now, cutting off my only exit.
“You could have handled it differently,” he says, voice lower but no less intense. “You could have gotten security. You could have walked her out calmly. But no, you had to go all feral alpha again, didn’t you?”
The “again” cuts deeper than it should. My hands clench at my sides.
“Where is she?” I ask once more, fighting to keep my voice steady.
“Liam took her home. She was shaking, Pierce. Terrified.”
The thought of Ash frightened twists something in my chest. But the knowledge that she’s with Liam loosens the vise grip around my lungs just a fraction.
“Why are you suddenly all about her? You don’t even like Ash.”
“She’s my scent match.” I don’t mean to say it, the words just came out.
A thousand different emotions flash across Beckett’s face.
“I’ve been seeing her for what, over a month? Almost two? You’ve been a dick to her. I thought you were jealous. You hate when people get close to me. But you’ve been hiding this from me? Lying to me this whole time?”
“I wasn’t hiding…”
He cuts me off and shoves his hands into his hair. “You know what’s fucked up? What really stings? I’ve been having all these,” he makes a messy gesture with his hands, “happily ever after dreams. We take our time. You two get to know each other better. Maybe fall in love with her too. And we become a real pack. Get a bigger house. Let Liam go crazy with her nest.”
“You love her.”
Beckett barrels on like he didn’t even hear me.
“You’re her scent match. Best fucking thing I’ve heard in my whole life. Seriously. I should be popping champagne. But hiding it? Lying to me about it. Liam probably knows too, right? You and Liam and all these fucking secrets.”
“I wasn’t lying. My nose…”
“Bullshit,” he cuts me off. “Absolute bullshit, Pierce. You always do this.” His voice raises again. “Something happens and you and Liam just say ‘nothing happened’ or dodge the question. For years, Pierce. Years of half-truths and deflections. You think I’m just a dumb jock who doesn’t notice.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” My voice sounds hollow, even to my own ears.
“Then tell me!” he shouts. “Tell me everything.”
The truth hovers on the tip of my tongue. I could tell him. Right now. I could confess that Reed died because of me. That I ran like a coward while Reed bled out on his living room floor.
But if I tell him, I lose him. I lose everything.
“There’s nothing to tell,” I say finally, the lie so familiar it almost feels like truth.
Something snaps in Beckett’s eyes. Before I can react, he lunges forward and shoves me hard against the wall. My back hits with enough force to knock the wind from my lungs.
