Page 19 of My Knotty Mountain Men

Clearly not.

I shut off the mobile, and Nolan jumps off. “No!” he cries out. “The Jeep is gone. She’s gone!”

I refuse to believe it. I take off running toward the front door and find it’s unlocked. I open the door and step inside. The lights are off, and the place looks empty. “Violet!” I shout over and over as I search the house.

Nothing. She’s gone.

Nolan is standing in the doorway, tears wetting his face. “She’s gone.”

How do I go from having everything I ever dreamed of to losing it all in the blink of an eye?

Chapter 8

Violet

Leaning my cheek against my hand, I stare out at the runway, watching the planes move about. I feel numb, empty.

I managed to keep it together the whole way to the airport, but as soon as I dropped the rental off, another wave of sorrow hit me. I was a sobbing mess all through security, earning me quite a few questionable looks.

“Here you go.”

Pulling my eyes away from the window, I smile up at the flight attendant as she hands me a bottle of water. The sweet woman took one look at me when I sat down at my gate and took pity on me, asking if I needed anything.

“Thank you.”

She nods, giving me a polite smile. “Of course. The plane will be boarding in half an hour.”

Sighing, I uncap the bottle and take a drink. The cool water feels good. Keeping hydrated is probably a good thing, seeing how I’ve probably already cried half my weight in tears by now.

The back of my eyes sting at the thought of them. Squeezing my eyes shut, I rub at them, trying to stop the tears from flowing.

I’m a mess. My head is killing me, and I’m so tired. But every time I close my eyes, all I see is them.

My face brushes against my sweater, the faintest hint of campfire filling my senses.

A sob slips free, and I lose it again.

“Stupid Alphas,” I cry into my hands, not able to find it in me to care that there are people all around me in this crowded airport.

“We’re not all that bad,” a playful voice sounds from beside me.

Wiping at my face, I blink up through blurry eyes to see a man sitting a few seats down. I immediately hate him. He’s too attractive for his own good, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He’s dressed in a leather jacket and tattoos cover his hands.

“I know you’re not, but right now, I’m wishing every stupid Alpha would just disappear off the face of the earth,” I mutter, bringing my feet up onto the seat and wrapping my arms around my knees.

“Damn, that's a little harsh, don’t you think?” he asks, still teasing.

“No,” I grumble, shooting him a look. “You’d think so too if you found out your scent matches already had a girlfriend. Apregnantgirlfriend, might I add.”

“Ouch.” He nods his head. “Yeah, that's not good.”

“Nope,” I mutter. “I feel like a homewrecker,” I sigh heavily, trying not to cry again.

I’m a big ball of hormones right now. Coming down from a heat is not easy. You don’t just wake up, and everything’s back to normal.

There are still leftover hormones swimming around inside. It takes a few days to be back to your normal self.

Adding all the heartbreak I’m feeling right now, and I’m a wreck.

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