Page 31 of Break Me Knot

Chapter Fourteen

Adrian

Mira finally dozes in my arms, her small frame weightless against my chest. Three orgasms have temporarily eased her heat symptoms, but the cost is evident in her exhaustion. Her body, already weakened by malnutrition, simply doesn't have the reserves to handle her heat. I count every rib under my fingers, the protrusion of her shoulder blades sharp against my chest.

“Look at these,” I murmur to Zane, my fingers ghosting over numerous scars on her thighs. “These aren't recent. These are years old.”

Zane's face darkens as he catalogs the marks. “They aren't random either. They look systematic. Calculated.”

The scars on her body tell a story of methodical abuse. Not the chaotic marks of random violence, but something far more sinister.

“Who would do this to an omega?” I voice the question quietly, though we both accept there won't be answers tonight. “Someone wanted to make it hurt.”

Could someone at Haven have done this? Surely not. Omegas are cherished in that environment. Was it someone from that hideous building we rescued her from? My blood boils at the thought of anyone wanting to harm Mira.

“And make it last.” Zane's scent spikes with rage as he points out faint dents around her wrists. “These are from restraints. She was held down, Adrian. Bound and...” He can't finish.

I close my eyes against the fury threatening to overwhelm me. Our omega, bound and hurt by someone who took pleasure in causing pain. No wonder she flinches from our touch, expecting cruelty instead of kindness.

“Do you think she’ll tell us who did this to her?” Zane asks quietly.

“Would you?” I study her sleeping face, still tense even in rest. “After surviving whoever did this, would you trust strangers enough to tell that story? And alphas at that?”

The silence that follows is heavy with shared understanding. Whatever happened is not a story she's likely to share willingly.

“We'll have to earn her trust. However long it takes,” I say.

Zane is gentle as he adjusts the blanket over her thin frame. “And then?”

“And then we make the bastards pay.” The promise tastes like blood in my mouth. “Every single person who hurt her.”

She whimpers in her sleep, and immediately we both soften our scents, soothing her subconscious distress. The rage remains, banked but burning.

“Look at this nest,” Zane murmurs, fingers brushing one of the threadbare blankets. “She hid in here rather than use the nest room. These rags are all she trusts.”

I glance toward the closed double doors that lead to the proper nest room filled with soft things, comfort items. Everything an omega should have. Everythingshe's been denied. “She wouldn't even look at those doors. Wouldn't go near them.”

Zane drifts his hand over the worn fabric. “She's had these a long time. Her scent infuses them. They’re her security. This says more about what she's been through than any words can.”

“She needs them. We can't take them away, no matter how much we want to give her better,” I say.

“I'll try Cole again,” Zane says, rising carefully from the nest. “He needs to be here for this. She needs all of us.”

I agree. The empty space in our pack bond aches with his absence. Left alone with her, I study her sleeping face. Even in rest, there's tension around her eyes, her mouth. I fall into a light doze, understanding I’ll need my strength when she wakes up to take care of her heat. She’ll need my knot. My cock and I won’t deprive her of anything.

I jolt awake when Zane returns, his scent sharp with concern. “Cole's not answering. But I brought supplies.” He sets down a tray of water, juice, and light snacks, all easily digestible foods that won't overwhelm her system.

Mira stirs, her eyes fluttering open. They are hazy with exhaustion and lingering heat. She looks confused for a moment, disoriented, before tension creeps back into her frame.

“Here, Little One,” I murmur, helping her sit up. She's so light, so fragile in my arms. “Time to eat and build your strength.”

“I can do it.” She pushes my hands away and I have to keep myself in check as she struggles to sit. She tucks the frayed edges of her blanket over her shoulders and slumps against the wall when she finally makes it upright.

I lift a cup of water to her lips, but she takes it from my grasp before I can feed her. Her hands shake so badly she can barely grip the cup and water sloshes over the rim. She goes rigid, her large eyes zooming in on my face. I’m careful to make a soft smile. The wariness in her expression shatters my heart. “Small sips,” I murmur, helping her hold the glass steady. “That's it, Little One.”

She only takes another small mouthful and pushes the glass away. “That’s enough…Thank you.”

She hasn’t drunk enough for my liking, but I don’t push. She eyes the tray of food Zane brought in but makes no move to take any of it.

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