Page 18 of Knot Dead Yet

I raced after the people who had risen and started to walk toward gate three. “Five times!” I ran around them and stopped near the gate where the guard was giving me a side-eye. “I will pay five times whatever you paid for your ticket. I only need one seat. There’s another flight going out on Friday. You could fly first class!”

Not one person made eye contact with me. I waved and pulled out my credit card. “Five times whatever you paid. I need to get on that plane! Please help a girl out.”

Tickets were checked and people loaded. The last cold-hearted businessman in a wrinkled suit disappeared through the door. I nearly crumpled to the floor.

“All remaining passengers now boarding at gate three for Allies’ two o’clock flight to Denver.” The announcement zapped me with renewed energy. I straightened and bounced on my toes as a new group of travelers approached. “Tous les passagers restants embarque maintenant à la porte trois pour le vol Allié de quatorze heures à destination de Denver.”

“Excuse me, please!” I clasped my hands in front of me as my heart pounded. “I need to get on this flight. Would anyone be willing to sell their seat to me? I can pay five times the amount you paid. That’s enough to get you a first class ticket and stay a few more days in Winnipeg at the finest hotel. Please, I’m desperate!”

When the first couple of folks didn’t take me up on the offer, I darted directly up to a group of people who looked my age. Surely they would understand my need to get far away from here. “Can you please help me? It’s an emergency.”

“Sorry.” One of the guys shrugged. “I’d love to stay another few days. Winnipeg is totally happening. But we’ve got to get back to work before our boss fires our asses.”

Right. Winnipeg wastotallyhappening. I immediately turned to a pair of older women behind them. “Please, I’ll payfive times the amount for both of your tickets if you want to fly together.”

“No, thank you.” One of the women tried to step around me, but I moved back in front of her.

“This is so very important. You have—”

“Miss,” the tight voice of the guard coupled with his stern look. “Please step away from them and stop harassing people.”

“I’m not harassing people. I need to get on that flight!” My voice cracked. Dammit. I didn’t want to start crying.

“If you don’t have a ticket, you need to step away from the gate.” He motioned with one hand. “If you do not comply, I will take you to our holding cell and call the police.”

Fuck.Having the cops called on me was the last thing I needed. I wasn’t afraid of being accused of trying to buy someone’s ticket, but they’d demand identification. Then they’d discover I was an Omega and traveling without an escort. That would be a gigantic mess. My father would be called, and if they thought I was a flight risk, they could put an ankle tracker on me. I’d never known any Omega who had gotten one, but that threat hung over our heads like a black storm cloud of doom.

Grabbing my suitcase, I zoomed away from gate three. Okay, flying wasn’t an option. There weren’t any buses, but I could still get a car and drive across the border.

Ten minutes later, I screamed out my frustration and scared the pigeons off the edge of the roof of the rental agency which sat across the street from the terminal. A person had to be twenty-five to rent a car. Twenty-five!

“Winnipeg is like a black hole that refuses to let go.” Neither the birds nor the employees suspiciously eyeing me from inside the building cared for my opinion.

I refused to give up. Last night, I had considered hitchhiking, but that would be my last resort. Even though I hated to do it, it was time to plead with my father. I’d tellhim Callista needed me to come immediately to help with some wedding stuff or that Nicolette needed extra help with her pregnancy. He was a good man, and I hated to play on his generous nature, but this was an emergency. I was in heat—not that I would tell my dad that—and the longer I stayed here, the worse it was going to get. Actually, it would get bad no matter where I was, but at least I would be far away from temptation on the other side of the continent.

It was time to think happy thoughts. Escape from Winnipeg and being forever tied to a hockey player or a whole team of them. Maybe my dad would hire a private plane to get me to Seattle. If he wanted to send me with a hired escort, I could live with it. Anything to get me away from this city, away from the hot Alphas whose touch was forever seared onto my skin.

Hopping back into an Uber, I told the driver to drop me off at Bell Arena. Since I didn’t have my phone, I couldn’t call my dad and ask where he was. Plus, it was better I make my plea in person. Yet there was the danger of running into Kane and his pack. No, wait, they said their practice was in the morning. It was nearly two now.

“Let’s do this.” I really needed to stop talking to myself. Anyway, that was a future me problem. It was time to focus on the issue at hand.

I marched into the arena and mentally recounted the route to the offices. A pair of security guards smiled as I walked by, and a series of electronic boards visually blared ads and facts about the Rampage. Tiergan’s handsome face popped up on one monitor reporting his recent shutout, and then Kane with a smoldering gaze. Damn them.

Rushing away from the front of the arena, I made my way down a set of stairs to the offices and knocked on the head coach’s door. I rested a hand on my chest and demanded myheart slow down. It would all be good. Everything would work out.

I knocked a second time, even though I realized no one was there.

Would they still be at lunch? It was possible. Or maybe my dad had another meeting. Was there a conference room here? We had gotten a small tour the other day, but I didn’t remember much besides the plush VIP lounge and boring coach’s office.

The lounge would be my dad’s preference for a meeting. He was very good at schmoozing with a drink in hand. And if he was having a good time in the lounge, he’d be more inclined to let me go to Nicolette’s.

Heading down to the lounge, I smiled to see the door open, but when I stepped inside, the only person there was a dark haired young woman clearing glasses from the tables. She paused and tilted her head my way. “Hello, may I help you?”

“Yes, hi.” I walked further into the dimly lit room. “I was looking for my father, Marcos Birk. I thought he’d still be here.”

She perked up and smiled sympathetically. “Sorry, you just missed him. Mr. Birk and Mr. Taylor left about fifteen minutes ago for another meeting downtown.”

Of course. My fucking luck today. “Oh, alright. Thanks.”

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