Page 19 of Knot All That Glitters: Part 2

Haven gets up at six, dresses in workout gear, walks to the in house gym, works out for an hour exactly, returns to her room, showers and gets ready for the day. At eight-fifteen she eats breakfast, then moves to the bed and just sits there, staring straight ahead, until her lunch is delivered at one pm sharp. She eats and retreats to the bed again. The afternoon varies. Sometimes Bell and Coogan come to visit her. Sometimes a woman who looks like a seamstress comes for a fitting. Sometimes she spends the time alone. But always, always, just after her dinner, either Coogan or Bell injects her with something. It knocks her out within thirty minutes. Just enough time for her to get ready for bed.

It kills me to see her like that, working on autopilot. She’s not being physically harmed, but she sure as hell is being hurt. Just not in a way we can see.

We’re in the living room of the pack house, and Ren is huddled in the corner of the couch, knees drawn up to her chest,wrapped in a blanket, glaring at us like a disgruntled owl with her too big kaleidoscope eyes.

“You got her out before. Why can’t you just do the same thing again?”

I run a hand over my face. “Before there weren’t bars on the fucking windows, and across the door on her balcony. I tried to go in that way, believe me, I fucking tried, but it didn’t budge.”

Nearly got my ass shot off in the process, too, but they don’t need to know that.

“He increased all aspects of his security.” Tic tilts his head. “I don’t think we’ll be able to get to her while she’s on the estate.”

“So we’ll get her when she’s out,” Ren nods. “Only they never fucking let her leave!” It’s always startling hearing Florence swear. She looks like a damn cartoon princess all wide eyed and blond hair, but she swears like a sailor.

Hale taps a finger on his chin. “We know when she’ll be out of the house for sure.”

“The engagement party,” I say, catching on.

“Can’t very well have an engagement party without the bride to be.”

Florence’s brow wrinkles. “I wasn’t invited to that. It seems I’ve used up all my good will with Frederick fucking Bell.” Her chin wobbles and tears fill her eyes. “God, what if I never see her again?”

The four of us freeze at the sight of her tears. It’s an alpha’s instinct to soothe upset omegas, but none of us is sure she would want that from us. Even Jude, the golden retriever that he is, hesitates. In the end, it’s Tic that slides into the space next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to tug her against his chest. She remains stiff for a moment, then sags into his hold.

“You know we will not let that happen, Florence,” he murmurs. “We’re going to get her out and safe, and the two of you will see each other whenever you want. Right?”

It takes a moment, but eventually she nods again. “Right.” Ren swipes at her cheeks and straightens her spine, leaning back against the couch, but Tic stays near her. I eye the space between their bodies and can’t help but think he’s sitting awfully close to an omega that isn’t the one he professes to love.

None of my business, and besides that, I know how Tic feels about Haven. I used to feel it every time he looked at her. This is just him taking care of the most important person in Haven’s life.

“So the night of the engagement party,” Ren says, getting us back on track, shaking off her momentary weakness.Strong omega. But not my omega.

I nod. “Yeah, we’ll have to get her out then.”

Hale shakes his head. “There’ll be guards, a lot of them, and he’ll be expecting something like that.”

“It’s probably why he invited us.” Tic leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Keep us where he can see us.”

“And rub it the fuck in that he’s forcing our girl to marry that asshole,” Jude mutters.

“That too.”

I blow out a breath. “So we go, mingle, be seen and at some point in the night kidnap Haven and get her to safety.”

“Is it kidnapping if she goes with you willingly?” Ren asks, tilting her head.

“You’re assuming she’ll welcome us with open arms.”

Florence barks out an unamused laugh. “Not open arms, but I’m sure she’ll recognize a rescue attempt when she sees it.”

Hale licks his lips. “She might not be in the right frame of mind to see it as a rescue attempt.”

That makes my stomach tighten in anger. And grief, because he’s fucking right. We know Hale’s command to ignore her father’s bark is still intact, but Brian Coogan has free fucking rein. He could order her to do anything, even be happy aboutgetting married. He could tell her to fight us with every ounce of strength in her petite body.

It won’t stop us from getting her, from saving her, but it’ll make it a hell of a lot harder if we have to force the issue.

“What the hell?” Jude mutters, drawing all of our attention to where his hands are hovering over his keyboard as he stares hard at the screen.

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