Page 123 of Knot Your Fated M.U.S.E.

Near death?

Moments from slipping away forever?

Raw instinct surges beneath my skin – an overwhelming urge to protect that catches me completely off guard. The shadows remain oddly quiet, offering no guidance through these foreign emotions.

Nothing in my years of conditioning prepared me for this visceral need to shield an alpha from harm.

Atlas moves with lethal grace, crossing the distance between us in fluid strides that belie his blindness. Vale's curse of protest cuts through the tension, insisting he's fine even as another spasm wrenches a hiss of agony from his throat.

My shoulders sink beneath the weight of helplessness while my fingers clench white-knuckled around the gun. Fear tastes metallic on my tongue – fear not of death or pain or recapture, but of watching this alpha slip away moments after finding him.

First meeting.

Final farewell.

Beginning and ending compressed into heartbeats.

Atlas drops to one knee beside Vale, radiating contained fury through his controlled movements.

"I told you," each word carries deadly precision.

"Know you did," Vale manages through gritted teeth. "Fuck...didn't think it'd hurt this bad."

"Yeah, because you remember everything about everyone else but conveniently forget yourself." Atlas's tone could freeze hell itself. "You're in so much fucking trouble if we make it out of here."

A weak laugh escapes Vale.

"Figured that. Priority is getting Nyx out though."

"They're initiating final lockdown," Atlas counters, silk wrap shifting as his head tilts toward blaring alarms. "Leave you here, we won't get back in."

"Not risking her when we just found her." Vale's words carry steel despite his obvious agony.

"Should've considered that before leaving the fucking van against orders." Fury bleeds through Atlas's careful control. "Must love being left behind during missions since you clearly can't follow simple fucking instructions."

Vale's groan carries notes of both pain and exasperation.

"Can you wait to scold me until after getting Nyx clear? Give me some dignity in front of her at least."

"Dignity?" Atlas's laugh holds no warmth. "Lost the right to dignity when you injected that shit knowing the consequences. So shut the fuck up about it or I'll enjoy embarrassing you now AND in front of the entire pack later."

Vale subsides into sullen silence, though another violent spasm betrays his continued suffering. Before I can process the implications of their exchange, Atlas rises with preternatural speed that steals my breath.

His height forces me to tilt my head back as he faces me, but it's the gentle press of his palm against my cheek that freezes my thoughts completely.

The shadows stir with interest at this alpha who moves through the darkness with such deadly grace yet touches me like I'm made of precious glass.

The contrast between his earlier fury and current tenderness leaves me reeling. His ability to shift between ruthless pack leader and gentle protector defies everything I thought I knew about alphas.

Everything Ravenscroft taught about their brutality and domination fades beneath the careful weight of his touch.

Vale's pained breathing reminds me of our precarious situation, but I can't tear my gaze from Atlas's blindfolded face. His proximity wreaks havoc with my senses – pine and leather mixing with Vale's rain-washed mountain air until my head spins with competing alpha pheromones.

Two alphas. Two scents. Two pulls on my newly awakened omega instincts.

The shadows whisper in confusion, as lost as I am in this unprecedented situation.

Nothing in my years of captivity prepared me for standing between two alphas who stir such profound responses. Who awaken parts of me I thought long dead under Ravenscroft's endless experiments.

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