Page 8 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

Wrapping Kitania’s hand in a firm grasp, I helped her rise, pulling her up slowly. Like a newborn fawn, her knees shook, and a pitiful whine slipped from her chapped lips as her legs instantly gave out.

Fuck. It was clear she’d been horribly malnourished, and given that she was petite to begin with, the lack of nutrients showed. Her collarbones jutted out, her arms were thin, and I bet if I raised the oversize night dress she wore, I’d be able to see the ridges of her hips.

The desire to cook for her, to feed her, toprovide, was so strong, I had to shove it down in order to stay grounded in the present and the task at hand—getting her the hell out of this dump.

Without asking permission, I lifted Kitania easily off the floor and cradled her against my chest.

Her body went rigid in my arms, every muscle taut. Breathing in uneven gasps that warmed the side of my neck, she started to panic. I could feel her heart hammering against her sternum like a caged bird throwing itself against the bars.

“Shhh, I’ve got you,” I murmured, tightening my hold just enough to secure her safely. I kept my touch gentle, not wanting to cause her more distress. “You’re alright now. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

At my words, her trembling eased a fraction, though she remained poised for flight. Slowly, as if moving through deep water, she turned her head into my neck and drew in a breath. It was shallow at first, then deeper.

The slightest squeak escaped her, and I wondered if she’d just had the same dawning realization we’d had.

Mates.

Whether or not she was in the right mindset to understand the gravity of what we meant to each other, she melted, her entire body becoming liquid as she curled into me. Her arms looped around my neck, holding on tight, her nose skimming against my skin, breathing me in as though my scent was a drug she needed more of.

Take all you want, my sweet Omega. I’m all yours.

I gazed down at her, fucking enamored. Up close, the blue-grey of her eyes was even more striking, gleaming like ice against the coal of her lashes.

An unexpected tenderness I wasn’t used to feeling swelled in the vicinity of my chest. I hadn’t realized I was capable of the emotion, but this little Omega was awakening areas that had laid dormant my entire life.

Tearing my attention away just long enough to address my brothers, I ordered, “Let’s move. We need to get her to safety.”

I carried her out of the room, and her delicate weight settled more firmly against me, head lolling as her remaining strength ebbed slowly. The others’ voices faded, drowned out by the thunderous pounding of my heart as I stared down at her. Even battered and bruised, she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. An ethereal being plucked straight from my deepest fantasies.

Up close, I could see the faint dusting of freckles that sprinkled her porcelain skin. Could count each feathery lash fanning over high cheekbones. Could trace the gentle sweep of her bow-shaped lips. Every breath ghosted across my neck, her unique scent coiling around me in an intoxicating embrace.

Mine.

The word reverberated through my mind, a soul-deep truth I couldn’t deny. This was the woman I’d been searching for my entire existence, even if I hadn’t realized it until this very moment. She completed me in a way I could never havefathomed. As if she’d always belonged nestled in my arms, a missing puzzle piece clicking seamlessly into place.

The need to protect her, to shield her from any further harm, grew in intensity until it was nearly suffocating. A low rumble vibrated in my throat—both a warning to any who dared threaten her and a promise to always keep her safe.

“Easy, D,” Gio murmured, his voice cutting through the fog. “You’re projecting pretty hard there.”

I blinked, suddenly aware of the thick pheromones saturating the air. My scent waseverywhere,and my brothers were no less affected. The open hunger and reverence in their gazes told me as much. All our alpha instincts had roared to life in her presence, our combined signatures staking a claim in the most natural way possible.

Kitania wasours.

Kitania whimpered softly in my arms as I carried her up the stairs, the jostling seeming to cause her pain. A tortured whine followed, and it cut through me like a blade.

My Alpha wanted to fix it, but I couldn’t do anything to ease her discomfort until I got her the fuck out of here.

Bodies littered the hallway, and I turned her face into my neck.

“Close your eyes, Kitten. Don’t look.” The nickname slipped out unbidden, but it fit perfectly.

Instantly obedient, her blue-grey gaze snapped shut. I hummed my approval as her arms tightened around me.

“Good girl,” I praised, stepping over the fallen and forging a path outside.

The cool evening air had her body shivering uncontrollably. Wearing only a thin nightgown, she was woefully underdressed for New York’s autumn chill, but there wasn’t time to stop and shrug out of my shirt to add a layer of extra warmth.

The moment we stepped past the threshold, a gunshot blasted the brick to our right.

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