Page 9 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

“Cover me!” I shouted, my brothers already moving as the bullets started flying, surrounding us, shielding the Omega in my arms with their own bodies.

The shots became more sporadic and uneven, and then we were in the car, Marco speeding out of the godforsaken neighborhood.

We whipped around a corner; the force slamming my shoulder against the door. Kitania whimpered, and I shushed her gently, nosing along her hairline in a soothing gesture.

When we were far enough away, Marco dropped the speed to something resembling normal.

“We clear?” I demanded of Gio, who was craning around to check for a tail.

“For now,” he grunted. “But knowing Rocco and Vincent? They won’t back down without a fight.”

He wasn’t wrong, and I expected nothing less. The Valentinos were like rabid dogs, all teeth and fury, with no sense of self-preservation. When they regrouped, they would come at us with everything they had, even if it assured their destruction.

We’d be ready for them. Or we’d find them first and put an end to their reign of terror.

“S-safe?” Kitania looked up at me as I held her in my lap, unable to let her go.

Her sweet voice was small and lilting, though raw from disuse. It proved how little she’d spoken over the last eight months. Or perhaps the rawness was from how much they had made her scream.

I swallowed hard, suppressing the growl that wanted to build, not wanting to scare the sweet Omega any further. My inner Alpha demanded I claim her in the most primal way, mark her as mine so that no one else besides my pack could have her.

No one would ever hurt her again.

“Yeah, Kitten. We’re safe,” I promised. “We’re almost back to our territory. The Valentinos won’t dare cross that line to move against us when we’ve weakened their forces so brutally.”

My thumbs stroked over her arm and thigh where my hands held her, hopefully soothing her in some small way.

She nodded, her eyes dipping closed, then opening again as though she was struggling to stay awake. The adrenaline crash was a bitch, taking a toll on her already exhausted body.

Her traumatized state was so damn clear. Fear still radiated from her in palpable waves, souring her otherwise intoxicating scent.

“You’re safe,” I murmured on repeat, rocking her gently.

“Safe,” she whispered, like she needed to wrap her lips around the word to believe it.

“We’re back in Silver City,” Marco said reassuringly when we crossed back into our turf.

“Head for home,” I demanded, not missing the weighted look he shot me in the rearview mirror.

That hadn’t been the plan, but everything changed the moment we got a hit of her scent.

He grunted in acknowledgment, his attention straying to the woman before returning to the road. I didn’t miss the way his arms tensed, his biceps jumping beneath the thin material of his shirt as he clenched the wheel.

I understood his reaction. One look at the battered Omega spoke to the unimaginable horrors she’d survived. Sickness twisted my stomach at the thought of the depraved things the Valentinos might have done to her.

The underlying sweet notes of her scent grew more sour as she unconsciously reacted to the turmoil tingeing my own signature. Tommas elbowed me gently, and I gathered myself, soothing the woman in my arms.

“Shh, Kitten,” I crooned instinctively, gathering her closer and tucking her head beneath my chin. “There’s no reason to be scared now.”

Some of her tension eased, and she melted into my embrace with a contented sigh.

But as her gaze moved to Tommas, who sat next to me, her body tensed again. She jolted upright in my hold, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Those wide eyes locked onto his bloody bicep, and she tentatively reached out.

Tommas froze, surprise flickering through his expression as her fingers hovered over his wound.

“You’re hurt,” she whispered with so much emotion we all fell into stunned silence.

The delicate waver in her voice cut through me like a blade, stealing my goddamned air.

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