Page 4 of Knot Giving Up 2

Dante, Harrison, and I share looks across the room. He’s not entirely wrong.

“It’ll be even worse if you bond her,” Daniel says. “Everyone knows alphas will do anything for their omega. The media will never believe you. And good luck finding a judge who will rule in your favor.”

This bastard thinks just because he’s some hot shot alpha Olympian with his face on a cereal box, he can do whatever the fuck he wants and get away with it. Maybe Dante was right. We should just throw him off a cliff.

Dante’s still got his hand around the asshole’s throat, and I can see the way his muscles flex as he tightens his grip, shutting Daniel up. Harrison crosses the room and sits down on the coffee table right in front of Daniel. His eyes are dark and menacing. There’s so much alpha energy pouring off my pack alpha that even I want to cower from it. He stares Daniel down and the lesser man immediately looks away and recoils.

“Do you know who my parents are?” Harrison’s voice has turned almost sweet, so calm it’s terrifying.

Daniel tries to lift his head and meet Harrison’s stare, but he only lifts his chin halfway. He manages more than most when he snaps through clenched teeth, “Why would I give a shit about your parents?”

“My mother is Charlotte Kay Hart.”

His face pales. Everyone knows Charlotte Kay Hart. She’s one of the top journalists in the nation and one of the most prominent proponents of omega rights. She’s known for ripping apart reputations and bringing dark secrets to light. Her exposé on illegal omega trafficking overseas was so explosive it led to the resignation of a Prime Minister.

The public trusts her.

And Harrison avoids her like the plague.

I don’t know the whole story, but I know things are rocky between him and his parents. They aren’t estranged or anything as severe as that. But I think growing up with all the attention that came from being the son of Charlotte Kay Hart and two of the most powerful alphas in corporate industry, Brett and Cooper Hart, well, it did a number on Harrison. He doesn’t call on them for help. Ever.

That he would consider going to his mom about this says everything about how much Meggie means to him.

“Now, I don’t really want my mother digging into this anymore than you do,” Harrison cracks his knuckles slowly. One by one. “It would put Meggie in the spotlight more than I’d like.”

It would put all of us in the spotlight more than any of us would like.

“Even if she can’t prove you did this,” Harrison continues, “I’m sure there are plenty of other secrets a man like you wouldn’t want Charlotte Kay Hart to find.”

That woman could find dirt on the Pope if she set her mind to it.

Harrison leans forward until he’s right in Daniel’s face. “I’d rather deal with this my father’s way.”

“A-and what’s that?” Daniel stutters.

Harrison just smiles.

***

“It’s taken care of. He won’t be a problem again.” Harrison says as we walk into the family room. Meggie is curled up between Ellis and Nils while McQuinn sits in the armchair, fidgeting with his rabbit’s foot and staring at his phone. I can see the page for today’s horoscope pulled up when he drops it on his lap to look up at us.

“What do you mean?” Meggie asks. “You didn’t… kill him, did you?”

The guys laugh, but Harrison looks away. I think he would have killed Daniel if I hadn’t pulled him off, and it’s forcing him to look at himself differently. I clamp a hand on his shoulder for support. Harrison may be almost a decade older than me, but I know a thing or two about anger and guilt. I know how quickly it can turn inward.

“Harrison guaranteed mutually assured destruction,” I say, squeezing our pack alpha’s shoulder. He should be proud of what he accomplished. “Our very own Cold War.”

“If he says anything to ruin you,” Dante adds. “We’ll ruin him, too.” He walks around the couch and gives Meggie a kiss before sitting down next to Ellis, his expression hard, still fighting the urge to hurt someone in order to protect our girl.

“You think that’s enough?” Meggie watches Harrison carefully.

“We threw in a bit of an incentive.” I sink into an armchair next to McQuinn, taking the first deep breath I’ve taken since Meggie went missing.

“What kind of incentive?” Nils asks.

“For every month he keeps his mouth shut, he’ll get paid.”

Meggie sits up straighter, her beautiful face contorted in concern. “For how long? You can’t just pay him off.”

---