Page 45 of Knot a Chance in Hell

“What the hell happened? I thought you wanted her gone, Si. You said you hated her.” Kodiak’s bellow echoed in the small room. My whole body shook with it. “You even bought that fucking hunk of junk to live in.”

Silas bought what? He hadn’t been planning on living at the house anymore? It was like a monster’s claws raked across my heart. Even before he claimed me, he had left. Tears ran down my cheeks as I turned to Silas. “What does he mean?”

“It doesn’t matter. That was before—”

“Fuck you, it does matter!” Kodiak pushed at the table and the breakfast containers crashed to the floor. Food spilled out everywhere. “You can’t claim her when you weren’t even going to be there! She’s mine—”

“Hey!” Ezekiel barked, his face red with anger. “She’s mine too.”

“I’m the one who stepped up and claimed her. So fuck you both!” Silas yelled back and moved me behind him. His hands clenched as if he was ready to fight the other two Alphas.

I couldn’t stand it. My body shook with sobs. They were a pack. They’d grown up like brothers. They couldn’t fight like this. I wouldn’t have it. “Stop! I care about all of you, and I don’t want you at each other’s throats.”

“I’m going to bash your head in!” Kodiak launched a punch at Silas, but Silas dodged.

“Try me, asshole.” Silas beckoned with a sneer.

“Stop it!” I cried and covered my face with my hands. I couldn’t stand them fighting. It was so wrong. I needed to make the pack whole again. “I can’t handle this.”

“You guys are being shits. You’re making Nicolette upset.” Ezekiel snapped and hobbled to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to rub my back.

“That’s because she’s going to have to choose. Which one of us will it be, Nicolette?” The sharp edge to Kodiak’s voice made me flinch. I didn’t want to choose. I couldn’t.

Ezekiel held me tighter to him. “Kodiak, don’t—”

“She’s mine already.” Silas lifted his chin in a challenge to Kodiak.

“Get the fuck out!” Kodiak boomed. “All of you. Out of my fucking room!”

It was like I could feel the pack implode. They all turned away from one another, anger furrowing their brows. It was like the others didn’t exist for each of them.

I had ruined their pack.

Silas stormed past and disappeared down the hallway. Ezekiel was shaking as he escorted me out. None of them said another word to each other. Not even a bad one.

Katherine met us in the corridor, her face pale and concerned. Ezekiel whispered to her something, and she quietly escorted us out to the truck. Silas had left the keys in it, and he hadn’t taken it. Where had he gone? My heart hurt with every beat.

Once we got Ezekiel up in the cab, Katherine followed me around to the driver’s side. “Are you doing okay, dear? That was a big mess.”

I was nowhere near okay, and I neither nodded nor shook my head. The words felt numb on my tongue. “Everything is broken.”

“Give it some time. They’ll get past it.” She gave me a hug and wiped my cheeks, more like a mother than a doctor. “I’ll watch over Kodiak for you. You take Ezekiel home and get some rest. I’ll send someone to check on Silas too.”

“I don’t know where he went…” It was a lame thing to say, but I felt so lost. Silas had claimed me, and I never thought he’d leave my side. Now I had no idea where he was, never mind if he was okay.

“Silas bought a liveaboard the other day. I bet he’s there.” At my confused expression, Katherine gave me a small smile. “It’s a houseboat, dear. Don’t worry about it.”

Worry? Fuck, Kodiak had been right. Silas had left and bought himself a new home. No longer part of the pack.

“Thank you.” I barely heard myself say the words as I climbed up into the truck. Shutting the door, I started up the engine and drove us slowly up the mountain. Ezekiel rested a hand on my leg, and after assuring me it would be alright, his gaze went to somewhere beyond the trees blurring by as we went home.

The pack was broken, and there was only one thing that could heal it.

Fresh tears fell. I knew what I had to do.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE – Ezekiel

Nicolette whimpered in her sleep. Whatever nightmares plagued her, I would hunt down and tear apart. I never wanted to see her cry again. The pieces of my heart ached as I gently stroked her hair and wished that when she woke up, she’d be smiling again.

---