Page 99 of Knot All That Glitters: Part 2

Creed’s eyes slip closed and his head tips back as he fists his hands so hard his knuckles turn white. “Fuck,” he growls, while Jude and Tic move closer to me, brushing their hands over my body in apology. “Fuck!” Creed shouts.

His chin drops and his sharp gray gaze lands on me. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I never should have suggested it.”

I give him a soft smile and move into his space, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my face in his chest. “I know, alpha. It’s hard, but you can do it. I believe in you.”

His arms close around me, holding me so tight my ribs ache. “I’m honestly not sure I can, Haven. I’m not so strong thatthe thought of losing you doesn’t cut me off at my fucking knees. I’ll fucking die if anything happens to you.”

His lips brush over the top of my head repeatedly. “It’ll be okay,” I whisper into his black tactical shirt.

He hums but doesn’t argue.

“If you’re going to do this,” Hale says, continuing his thought from before. “You’re going in with a bullet-proof vest and a weapon. We’ll be only two blocks away. And I’m going to bark at you again to ignore your father’s commands. You’ll be as safe as you can be. Deal?”

I nod. “Deal.”

Jude blows out a loud breath. “Now that we’ve got that settled, we need to figure out where the hell he is.”

Right. My father demanded my presence, but didn’t say where to meet him. “Did we ask him?”

“Yep. No response.”

I pull away from Creed and move toward my phone, approaching like it’s a wounded animal ready to bite. “Play the video again. Maybe we’ll see something in the background.”

Tic runs a hand down my spine. “You sure, angel?”

I nod. “Yeah. Maybe just… turn the sound down.” I don’t think I can handle hearing the crack of her bone, the scream ripping from her chest again.

Jude does as I ask, and soon we’re all bent over the screen. I make my eyes focus not on my friend, but on the space around her, the white walls and the metal shelving. It’s weirdly familiar, but I’m not sure why. Still, an uncomfortable feeling twists in my stomach.

When the video stops, I demand, “play it again.”

This time, I note the heavy door with a metal handle, and it clicks into place. I gasp and look up into the icy blue eyes of my prime alpha. “I know where she is.”

Chapter 28

Throat Punched

This was a stupid idea.

Really, really stupid.

But it’s too late to back out now.

I stare up at the abandoned building. The same place where I survived the first harrowing hours of my first ever heat. Of course he brought Ren here. Of course he chose the site of my greatest betrayal in his eyes, the place where I gave into my animalistic omega instincts.

Nevermind that I had no control, or that I didn’t actually fuck anyone during it. He views that moment as my greatest failing. As if I should have been able towill awaymy body’s natural response. I wonder if he’d ever try to convince a beta thatthey could stop their period from coming if they just had enough willpower.

I imagine he’d be throat punched if he did.

With a glance over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being followed, I round the back of the building, into the same alley I traversed before. The window has been boarded up again, but I don’t need to break in. The door next to it is propped open with a brick.

Bold of my father. Anyone could have walked in.

My heart thunders as I do just that, slipping into the dark interior with a wince when the door groans, announcing my presence. Not wanting him to do something stupid, like shoot Ren, I call out, “It’s me! I’m alone.”

There’s a brief breathless weightless pause where I strain my ears for any noise further in the abandoned restaurant. I glance toward the walk-in freezer. I know that’s where Ren was when he… when the video was taken, but there doesn’t seem to be any noise coming from that direction. So maybe he moved her?

I have the brief thought that maybe she’s still in there just… no longer able to make any sound. That maybe he grew tired of waiting and just killed her as a punishment for me. A wave of nausea threatens to make me heave stomach acid onto the floor, but I swallow it down and breathe slowly through my nose until the wave passes.

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