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Alice took a deep breath and sighed as she crossed her arms and tilted her head, looking at Tomas with boredom.

“You are the third person to offer me my freedom as payment… and not one of you is trustworthy. In fact, I am starting to believe that my freedom has too high a price.”

Tomas licked his lips and looked away from her.

“Then what do you want?” he asked.

“First, tell me why you would even offer to help me betray Holden. There is no way you don’t understand the cost of that choice,” she said.

“We all gotta die someday,” Tomas smiled, taking a drink. “Now that Roman is back, my day is getting closer and closer.”

“That’s a healthy parent and child relationship you’ve got.”

“Is that the pot or the kettle?” Tomas smiled.

Alice raised her brow but didn’t comment.

Tomas sighed.

“The agreement I have had with Holden all these years… was not what I planned. I won’t lie and say I didn’t benefit from it. But the cost… ended up much higher than what I wanted to pay.”

“What a surprise. Holden took advantage of you when you thought you could take advantage of him.”

“I made a deal with the devil. I have no thoughts of escaping it,” Tomas sighed. “But my people… they didn’t sign up for this.”_.

“Your people didn’t sign up for you either,” Alice said. “I’ve walked your streets, met the poor and the hungry, seen the things they do just to make it through the day. Do you really think you are any better than Holden?”

“No,” Tomas replied. “I don’t.”

“Then what are you hoping to get out of this?” Alice asked.

“Right now, I’m just trying to save the ones I can,” he answered. “This girl and maybe even you.”

“Bullshit,” Alice laughed. “You don’t give a fuck about me. And I don’t believe you care about anyone else.”

Tomas growled. He observed her, unsure if she would actually be willing to help or not. Finally, he licked his lips and decided to be honest with her.

“She’s a wolf of Winter now,” he said.

Alice looked up at Tomas.

“I wasn’t supposed to know anything about her,” he continued. “Wyatt told me he sent her away, out of the country. But he lied. He kept her close. I tried not to learn anything about her, just in case.”

Alice swallowed.

“Turns out she’s practically his adopted daughter,” Tomas laughed. “Not exactly low-key living.”

“What’s her name?”

Tomas looked at Alice. He saw that he had struck a chord.

“Bell.”

Alice closed her eyes.

“You know her?” Tomas asked.

Alice shook her head.

“No,” she said softly.

Tomas gritted his teeth.

“You don’t have to believe that I want to help you or her,” Tomas said. “But, I know you got ties to Winter.”

“What ties?” Alice demanded.

“I don’t know specifics. You’re good at keeping your secrets. But from what I’ve seen, Holden gets real agitated whenever he’s sent you to Winter over the past year. And he always gets you treated right after. So that tells me there is someone there he doesn’t want you to see or remember. Someone you must care about.”

“What’s your point,” Alice growled. “Are you trying to threaten me, Tomas?”

“It’s not a threat, Alice,” Tomas sighed. “If I can help you get away from Holden, maybe your friends can do something for my people before it’s too late.”

Alice chuckled. She was tired of his half-truths.

“Stop your bullshit, Tomas. I know you’re hiding something. Some reason you think you need me. Even if you do have a tiny shriveled little heart somewhere deep inside that cares about your people, you would never ask for help willingly.”

Tomas took a deep breath and then finished his drink.

“Wyatt and I had a deal. That deal kept a Goddess’ oath on me. With that, no matter what Roman does, I can’t say shit about Bell,” he said. “But, not that long ago, Wyatt broke his vow. I felt the release. Now there is nothing to stop me from telling him everything I know.”

“How about you just man up and don’t tell him anything?” Alice suggested.

“A month ago, that’s exactly what I would have done,” Tomas said. “But, that was before.”

“Before what?” Alice asked.

“Before I broke my own oath to the Goddess.”

Alice raised her brow.

“The packs that attacked Summer, under the command of that piece of shit pet of Holden’s, those packs were pledged to Autumn.”

“I thought they were unaligned… to avoid the Goddess’ penalty,” Alice asked.

“They were supposed to be,” Tomas said. “But Whiteridge and Shadowcrest were never intended to be soldiers. I chose them, and I chose them because they had skills and products that Autumn could use. They were supposed to join my pack, not attack anyone.”

“Then… if they were already pledged to Autumn when they attacked Summer….”

“Yes,” Tomas said. “I broke my oath of peace. I can’t control my wolves anymore. No one has figured it out because I have been locked away since Roman got back. Before that, I had no reason to display my power.”

“Does Holden know?” Alice asked.

Tomas snorted.

“If Holden knew, he would have killed me and put Roman in my place already.”

“Then Autumn… has no alpha?” Alice asked, shocked by the possibility.

“Roman is going to take Autumn. There’s no stopping that. Just a matter of time,” Tomas said. “I may not have been a great leader, and yea, I’m not a good guy. But, Roman?”

Alice sighed. Roman would turn the streets of Autumn red with blood just because he could. And he would start with women, young and old, as long they were his type.

She reached down and picked up the Bitter Night petal. She held it in her hand and sighed.

‘Axel… another deal with a devil for the greater good… for your smile…. You owe me… I hope I get the chance to collect.’

“This game you’re playing won’t last long,” Alice said. “Wolves without an alpha… even if they don’t realize it…they get restless and dangerous.”

“I know,” he said. “I’m shocked it hasn’t already happened.”

Alice took a deep breath.

“I can help you forget Bell. I can guide your mind to believe she was sent to another country, just like you were told.”

“But…?” Tomas asked, listening to the tone in her voice.

“Have you ever had anesthesia?” she asked. “Or a numbing block?”

“What?”

“Answer the question.”

“Yes,” Tomas sighed. “I had surgery a few years back. I had anesthesia.”

“Did you have that moment when you’re waking up afterward, and you can hear, maybe even see, but your control over your body hasn’t returned yet? Just for a moment, you are trapped within yourself.”

Tomas swallowed but didn’t answer. Alice put her hands down on the desk and leaned toward him.

“I have known that feeling every day since I was eight years old. By all rights, I should be insane at this point,” she whispered. “You were right. I know this plant better than most, probably better than the idiots that keep feeding it to me and not realizing that they have left behind this corner of my mind that never quite fades.”

She stared silently. Tomas licked his lips nervously.

“What is your–”

“My point, Tomas,” she continued with a smile. “Is that before I help you forget, you are going to tell me exactly how you can help me escape before all hell breaks loose. And if I think you’re screwing with me… I will introduce you to that tiny corner of your mind that never sleeps. That watches every moment of your life but has no control, say, or a way to stop you from doing whatever I tell you to do. Just watching and waiting for a death that never comes.”