Page 103 of Knot Happening

“Kodiak!” I yelp, as I’m crushed to a warm chest. Hayden.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe. Fuck, you’re safe, you’re safe…” He keeps saying it, as he smothers me in his scent. He marks me, over and over, as I fight to spin in his arms so I can see Kodiak and Easton.

The unmistakable click of a gun has everyone freezing. Easton has a gun–where the fuck was he hiding a gun–pressed to Kodiak’s forehead.

Hayden stops marking me like a hormonal teenager and sets me back on my feet. He keeps one hand on me. Tightly. His free hand moves slowly behind him.

Declan is standing beside his brother, both of his hands raised, but the look on his face screams murder.

Kodiak, the psycho, grins. “You’re no Alpha.” He tilts his head, not the least bit fussed about the fucking gun pressed to his skin. “What you gonna do with the gun, hmm, naughty Omega. You gonna shoot me?”

“Merzotto’s snake is a fucking Omega?” Declan’s eyes are wide, and his hands slowly lower.

“Before you bark at me, I’ve spent a long time challenging the dominance of Alphas. You might be potent, big boy, but you’re no match. Let's just have a civilized chat?” I can hear the taunt in Easton’s tone, and I whimper, worried about my friend. Worried just as much for Kodiak, I realize.

“You’re the one with a gun.”

“Your fat-fingered fist is wrapped around my throat.”

“East…” I hiss. Does he always need to pick a fucking fight?

That's when the first cramp hits. No. No, no, no. Oh, this is bad, this is so fucking bad!

I’m so taken off guard that the long whine that slips free is loud, cutting through all the pheromones and dominance like aknife. No, like a bullet. Fuck! How is my heat here? It can’t be here! My meds…did I really miss enough to cause this? What the fuck?

I bend at the waist as I panic. This… This can’t happen. This is not fucking happening!

Hayden

Nothing can overshadow the relief having Tatum in my arms brings me. Not even the gun pointed at my brother’s head. Not even when she clutches her stomach and whines. Fuuuck. Her scent.

“If you touch her without her consent, I’ll blow a hole through your brother’s head,” the feisty, homicidal male Omega threatens in a deadly tone. I shiver a bit, surprised by how well he fights against an Alpha’s dominance, let alone the strength of three.

“Said the murderer.”

“To a murderer,” Easton snarls right back, and Kodiak smirks.

“Touché.”

“Fuuuck,” Tatum moans, and I tuck the gun back into my holster at my back so I can lift her in my arms. Between the heat coming off her skin and the scent of her arousal, there is no question we are on borrowed time. Declan is closest to his rut, but if Tatum goes into heat, she could trigger Kodi and me as well.

She’s been on suppressants for so long… Unfortunately, the packs Declan sold her were fucking blanks. We only recently found out. As I adjust her in my arms, Declan’s gaze skips fromme, to Kodi, to Tatum. She’d called the homicidal Omega, East. Why was that familiar?

As she breathes in my scent, she starts to calm, my pheromones spiking to soothe her. This is most likely preheat, though. The three of us are capable of restraining ourselves, despite what East thinks. I wrinkle my nose at the name. I like Homicide better.

“You can release me, you overgrown bastard, fuck-face-Alpha-dick.” Homicide keeps the gun pressed to my brother's head as he spews his insults. Clearly, he can still breathe… Unfortunately. His scent blows into me on a breeze, and I nearly choke. The hard on that I had been fighting since the moment I had my Omega back in my arms tried to escape the zipper of my jeans. Goddamn. It’s nearly as alluring as Tatum’s.

“That’s no way to talk to the man holding your life in the palm of his hand,” Kodi taunts.

“The bullet will pierce your brain faster than you can choke me. Are you all beauty, no brains?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were flirting.”

Tatum groans, but this time, it's a sound of annoyance and not pain. Her scent settles, and she lifts her head off my shoulder.

“Why is he always trying to get himself hurt…” she murmurs, and I snort. It only takes her a second to get her bearings, and I let her wiggle free of my hold. Well, mostly. The feel of her body sliding along mine nearly has me coming in my jeans. Once she’s on her feet, I keep my hand on her waist. As she tries to get closer to the others, I pull her back. No way. I’m keeping her within reach and nowhere near that gun.

Then Homicide speaks, pulling me up short.

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