Page 52 of Knot Dead Yet

Kienna stood gaping at me from within the glass enclosed shower. The smokiness of the bottom half of the glass hid most of her gorgeous body. Her pink hair was slicked back and her hand gripped her chest. “What the fuck?”

She’d stayed. She hadn’t run.

I blew out a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Straightening the door as it was sitting askew, I tried to pretend I hadn’t just freaked out and mumbled, “I was worried about you.”

“Worried that I was going to drown, or slip and fall or,” Kienna dipped her chin and gave me a stern yet maybe amused look. “Have a heart attack when a crazy Alpha bursts through the door?”

I ran a hand through my hair and said nothing. There was no way I’d never not be overprotective of her. I wasn’t going to apologize for that, but I didn’t mean to scare her. “Sorry. I just… I’ll…” I patted the broken wood of the frame. “I’m going to get a hammer and nails and fix this.”

“Uh-huh.” Kienna watched as I walked backwards out of the bathroom, and just as the door was closed most of the way, she said, “I wasn’t trying to escape through the window or anything. I would never run from you.”

I leaned against the wall in the hall. Her words wrapped me up and dampened my panic. Yet the fact she still wanted to leave Winnipeg as soon as possible gnawed at my mind. I’d do everything I could to convince her to stay, but I’d never force her.

She wouldn’t run from me and the pack, but she might walk away. I could barely handle the thought of it, never mind it actually happening. If I was a mess right now, then I’d be utterly destroyed if she got that ticket to Alaska.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO – Kienna

The VIP lounge was crowded and noisy. Usually that would never bother me. There would be a good chance I’d be the center of the party and having the best time. Tonight too much weighed on my mind.

I’d nabbed a spot standing by one end of the glass so I didn’t have to be squished between the Rampage’s elite fans and their girlfriends or wives who were way too dressed up for a hockey game. They wore cocktail dresses and diamonds. I had on one of Tiergan’s old team jerseys over top of my sweater.

I hadn’t spied my father in the lounge, and I didn’t see him by the team’s bench. He hadn’t texted me at all. I didn’t know whether to be worried or hurt that he didn’t have time to even send me a message.

Kane sped down the ice as Alderic passed him the puck. One of the Flurry’s defensemen body checked Kane and Ewan slipped in to nab the puck. There was some shoving between Kane and the Chicago player, but they split before it turned into a fight and rushed to get the puck which Ewan had shot at the net and was deflected.

Both teams were good, but I was biased. The pack—and I included Casimir in that—had a more intuitive connection. They seemed to know where one another were and could out-pass the Flurry. Chicago, on the other hand, was faster to hit hard, and seemed to be focusing that aggression mostly on Kane.

If they purposely hurt him, I would go out there onto the ice myself and smash them with a stick.

I pursed my lips at the vehemence of the sentiment. I accused the Alphas of being too overprotective, but I was feeling the same way. I hadn’t even been angry with Maddox when he smashed his way into the bathroom. Something had worriedhim and nothing was going to stand in his way to get to me. It was comforting. He made me feel safe. And I especially needed that after getting those flowers.

A shudder went through me. A stalker. I didn’t know why me, but it was terrifying.

The Flurry had the puck and rushed the net. Tiergan made the save, but one of the Chicago players bulldozed into him and knocked them both back into the net. The ref blew his whistle as one of the Flurry took a shot and raised his arms as if he scored. No way would that count, but the player was arguing with the ref about it, and Tiergan, now on his feet, was shouting too.

“Excuse me, but are you Miss Kienna Birk?”

I jumped, gasping as I flattened my back against the window. I turned to see an older man in a black suit and a woman with her hair done up in a French Twist. She had diamond earrings, but she was more conservatively dressed than the other women in the lounge.

“Oh, we’re sorry to startle you.” The woman smiled kindly. She had a pretty pixie-like face softened by age, and I guessed immediately she was an Omega. Her mate—as was clear by his arm around her waist—looked very familiar. “We wanted to introduce ourselves.”

It was possibly someone my father knew. I didn’t know how many business connections he’d made since coming to town, and I was very easy to pick out in a crowd. I gave them a polite smile. “No need to apologize. I was just absorbed in the game. I am Kienna.” I held out my hand. “And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

The man took my hand and held it gently. “My name is Maxim Velky, and this is my lovely wife, Ivania.” Oh oh. They were certainly Casimir’s parents. The resemblance betweenfather and son was clear now. How did they know who I was? “We have heard wonderful things about you.”

From who? I swallowed hard. “That’s so nice. You have been speaking with my father then? I’m his only child, so he does tend to brag.”

They laughed lightly, and Ivania patted my hand. “Oh no, dear. Casimir speaks fondly of you. We’ve yet to meet Mr. Birk. We were actually hoping he’d be here tonight.”

Casimir had told his parents about me? Oh fuck. “Dad should be here in the arena somewhere.”

Maxim nodded and sipped the beer he held in his free hand. “Good, good.” His slavic accent was as smooth as Casimir’s. “We hope to speak with him. Not only about the team, but about Casimir’s interest in you.” Shit, shit, shit! “Your father is well-respected considering what happened with Julian Birk. It really is a tragedy.”

“Darling,” Ivania gave her husband a tolerant look. “Please, let’s not discuss that. See how the girl has paled.”

Had I gone pale? I was not ready for the stuffy arrangement of courtship for an Alpha and Omega from rich families. It had been painful to watch my cousin go through it and several of my friends from St. Anne’s too. My dad promised me long ago I’d get to pick who I married, and while he’d introduced me to Alphas when he could, I’d never clicked with any of them and he never pushed it.

“My apologies, Miss Birk. I realize it must be a delicate matter for you.” Maxim dipped his head, honestly remorseful about making me upset.

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