Page 53 of Knot Giving Up 2

“My cousin was given an illegal substance without his knowledge at a party. It wasn’t made correctly. It was essentially poison.”

Meggie gasps, her hands flying to cover her mouth.

“Thankfully, he was rushed to the hospital, and they were able to save him. I knew right then that I wanted to do that. I wanted to save people who were put in impossible, dangerous situations.” Holding Meggie’s gaze, I try to convey the weight of my feelings on this. “Without the safety of a regulated lab, the women Glenn is selling to could be put in that same position.”

“Fuck.” Oz drops his elbows to his knees and his head to his hands. “That could have been Meggie.”

“It wasn’t,” I say, firm and calm. The atmosphere in the room is a strange mix of anxiety and relief.

“We’re not putting Meggie back on suppressants,” There's a firm set to Harrison's jaw as he looks at me. “Even if this Knox guy brings them.”

“That’s not your choice to make,” Meggie says.

Harrison’s hands tighten around hers. She yanks away and stands up, stepping around him. “I’m taking them. I can’t go into heat here. You know that.”

Harrison growls, shooting to his feet. “You. Will. Not. Take suppressants again.”

“Did you just fucking bark at me!?”

We’re all shocked. Harrison has put authority in his voice, slipped close to a bark, but he’s never barked at any of us. Meggie brings out the most primal side of him, and it’s clear he doesn’t know how to control it.

He winces and shakes his head like he’s trying to clear it. “Shit. I’m sorry, Meggie. I just…”

She takes a deep breath, and her face softens. “I know. It’s okay. Just don’t do it again.”

“You can… you can take…” He can’t bring himself to say it, so I put a hand on his arm for reassurance.

“Harrison, she’s gonna be okay. I had a friend test her suppressants as soon as I found out she’s an omega. And I’ve been watching her closely. There’s no reason to believe she’s at risk. I wasn’t trying to scare you,” I look around the room, “any of you. I just wanted Meggie to understand why we have these laws, and why it would be a good thing to put a man like Glenn in jail. There are other ways to fight for omega rights.”

Harrison pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “Alright. We’ll get her suppressants and get through the Olympics. But after that, we’re revisiting this conversation.”

“After that, we’ll bond her and there won’t be any need for suppressants.” Ellis grins like a kid who's just been told he’s going to Disney World.

The tension in the room dissipates, and I’ve never been so grateful for his cheeky playfulness. Meggie blushes a gorgeous pink, and no one argues with Ellis’s statement. It’s the closest we’ve all come to admitting what we want. And it takes a weight off my shoulders to know my pack mates finally realize what I’ve known all along. She’s ours.

“So how are we supposed to put this bastard in jail so we don’t have to throw the final?” Oz asks.

“We might have a way.” Meggie shares a look with Dante and Ellis, who both look like they don’t like whatever Meggie’s about to propose one bit.

“If it keeps us safe from Glenn, it’s worth the risk,” Meggie adds.

Ellis nods, pulls out his phone, and turns toward the other room. A second later he says, “Em, hey, we need a favor from your—” His voice cuts out as he closes the bedroom door.

29

Ellis

Em’s new boyfriend is an intimidating man. Slightly older than Harrison, he’s got the look of someone who’s seen too much life. I can’t say he’s who I would choose for my sister, but it’s early, so maybe it won’t work out. For now, their relationship works in our favor.

“So what’s this about?” Declan folds himself into the only comfortable chair in our small apartment. He tugs Em close and positions her on the armrest, with his hand on her hip. She smiles down at him, and I have to admit, the way he looks back at her makes me feel a little better about the guy. It’s the way I see my pack mates look at Meggie, like we’d do anything for her.

“First of all, thank you for coming so quickly.” Harrison takes the spot across from Declan on the couch, while the rest of us stay standing, except for Meggie, who places herself next to Harrison with a foot of distance between them. It’s clear she doesn’t want to break his rules, but needs to be close to her pack alpha while we have this conversation.

“No problem,” Declan replies. “I know you have a game today, and Emily said it was urgent.”

Again, that look directed at my sister. I can’t decide if I want to punch the guy for looking at her like that or tell him to bite her already.

“We have information about someone selling illegal suppressants that we think you might be interested in,” Harrison says.

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