Page 33 of Tangled in Knots

“She’s innocent!” I yell, closing my eyes in frustration. Damn, I never yell at my sister. “Zela, look, it’s killing me. The things I’m going to have to do to keep that girl safe are going to haunt me. I don’t think she’ll ever be able to forgive me for it.”

“What’s the alternative?”Zela asks, hearing the desperation in my voice instead of reaching through the phone to smack some sense into me.

“She’s Damon’s scent match,” I explain. “They bonded during her heat, and it’s a tighter connection than normal. Granted, I don’t have a lot of experience with bonded scent matches, but?—”

“It happens,”Zela says, cutting me off.“Or rather, it’s possible when there are strong emotions and wild energy when the bond happens. If he can feel her emotions… Morris, this is really bad.”

“It’ll drive him insane,” I grunt. “He can’t cut the connection off completely to block her, though he’s trying to practice. Adira brought him to his knees during surgery from the pain she was feeling.”

“No anesthesia during a surgical procedure is a crime,”Zela snarls.“What else can you tell me?”

“If she’s sold, how is he supposed to be able to survive?” I ask. “Kane and Jed are going to lose their brother.”

“What about her?”Zela asks.“This is fucked, Morris. You’re involved now, and I can tell you’re going to continue on your merry way. But, what about her is so special to you?”

“There’s a fire in her,” I mutter. “She’s sweet but given half the chance she’ll definitely fuck you up. I haven’t even had a real conversation with her. The guys pulled me into her heat, and then I’ve been taking care of her through the gunshot wound. How did I catch feelings for this girl when I don’t even know her?”

“You’re an idiot,”Zela sighs.“Sometimes you don’t need to talk to someone to fall for them. Their personality is large enough to pull you into their orbit and you’re done for. I don’t see this ending well, Morris. Are you really taking her to an auction?”

“I have to,” I tell her. “Rock is already planning to sell her. I can’t tell you anymore. We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“What’s the worst case scenario?”My sister doesn’t have any issues reading between the lines.

“That’s what happens if Adira is sold to someone we can’t control and Damon kills himself to spare her,” I whisper. The words sound like the very gunshot that sounded two weeks ago out here, ugly and desperate. “I have no doubt in my mind that he’d do it. They’re tied closely enough that I believe they’d both die.”

“This is bullshit,”Zela snarls.“You’re involved in this because of them!”

“And I met the woman who could complete our pack because of it too,” I say mildly. “Zela, don’t you want to be an aunt? There’s a lot of special things about her.”

“You don’t know her,”my sister reminds me, exasperated.“You’re making me insane and my mates want to know why I’m yelling.”

“Sorry,” I mumble. “I’ll let you go. I’m going to be hard to get in contact with for a while.”

“I bet you will be. Stay safe. I seriously hate them,”she says.

“I can’t help who I love,” I rumble. “It’s been five years, they’re not going to change and neither am I.”

“I know,”Zela says, defeated.“Love you.”

She hangs up the phone before I can say it back, and I drop my head back.

“Love you too, sis,” I mutter to the air.

Fuck me.

ADIRA

“Hey, wake up, Adira,” Morris murmurs, shaking me awake. I swear, all I’ve done is sleep.

Something tells me that this is wrong, but I keep getting pulled back under before I can put my finger on it. I should want to run…

I just can’t remember why.

Blinking awake, I realize my bladder is screaming. I haven’t been hungry, even though I try to eat a few bites when I’m offered something. Damon, Kane, and Jed are scarce too, and I rarely see them, which feels odd.

Why is everything so confusing?

Struggling to get my thoughts together, I gaze up at Morris. He’s gorgeous, strong, and has been really nice to me. I wish I didn’t have to rely on him to walk me to the bathroom or shower. The beta has seen way more of me than I’m comfortable with.

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