Page 101 of Knot Happening

I blink. Blink again… “What?”

I’m suddenly very aware of every inch of him that's under me, but he doesn’t repeat himself. Instead, he smirks, and I stare, mouth slightly agape.

“He drugged you. Once we came to bed, he locked me in my room and trapped you in here.”

“How…”

“Mr. Ferris offered me money to allow him to rape you after he induced your heat. I assume he was also planning to keep you extremely drugged and based off of some things I found…you’re not his first victim.”

My eyes bug out of their sockets, and I shake my head in denial. “No…” I whisper. Not because I don’t believe Easton. I do. But…victim?

“I recorded the conversation, so you could see for yourself. I can play it for you?” He pulls his phone out for me, showing me the screen. It’s a video. In the frame, I can see myself in bed, and at the side of the bed is Mr. Ferris, facing a shirtless Easton. With a shaking hand, I reach up and hit play.

“Take the money and get out.”

“I will.”

“Great.”

“So you’re planning to do what? Induce her heat?”

“Tatum is mine. What I am planning for her, is none of your business. That Omega slut has teased me since she was a student. I’ll get what's mine.”

“Mmm.” Easton nods, and moves as if he’s about to leave the room. Mr. Ferris watches him for only a moment and then turns back to me.

Easton locks his phone and pushes it back into his pocket.

“You don’t need to see the rest.”

“What happens after that? Did he…touch me?” Omega slut…teasing him… I was a child. A minor. He–he knew me when I was a kid, before I perfumed as an Omega the first time.

“No. I strangled him with my bare hands and watched him die. Would have shot him, but didn’t want to startle you. The drugs were already messing with your head,” he says it so casually, and I slowly blink at him once again.

Then I lose my fucking mind a little. I lean down and kiss him. Tears fall, dripping off my cheeks and onto his. Easton pushes his hands into my hair and tugs me back enough to look at me.

“Not the response I was expecting, Little Sparrow. I’ll be honest.”

He sounds as breathless as I feel. “He was going to rape me. You…killed him. For me. You protected me… I…”

I’m not sure if this is the correct response to murder…

“Something might be wrong with me,” I whisper. Easton scoffs, a teasing smirk tugging one corner of his mouth up.

“No more than me, Little Sparrow.” Easton pulls me back down, and presses his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. “You have taken everything I thought I knew and turned it all upside down. All I can see when I close my eyes is you.”

Kodiak

I walk through the apartment and frown. We only just arrived, but there’s a scent in the air. Familiar. Unmistakable. I follow it to her closet. The scent is stronger in here. I’m distracted for amoment by the sight of the bear we gave her, and the hoodies in her nest, when I realize what I’m smelling.

Fucking brownies.

Alarm bells go off in my head. My dominance is heavy in my scent as my heart races, and my body floods with adrenaline, ready to face this threat.

“The fuck?” Hayden growls, my head snapping to him as he walks into Tatum’s bedroom, spotting me in my half feral state. Hours ago, Dream was found unconscious outside a bar.

Bleeding and drugged. She couldn’t remember shit. Nothing useful. But just before Hayden was called away, he had been in that same bar with Tatum.

I meet his eyes, as his frown deepens. He winces as the cut in his brow cracks open from the movement. He was attacked too. Now, we can’t find Tatum.

---