Page 57 of Seen Knot Heard

“I’ll be right back. Don’t move a muscle.” He plants a tender kiss on my forehead before sliding out of bed, pulling on his pants but not buttoning them before he strides into the en suite bathroom.

Happiness crashes through me, and I stifle a soft cry against the pillow, not wanting to worry Holden. I’m back where I belong, and I have no plans of leaving.

Rolling onto my side, my heart lurches.

A dark figure stands outside the French doors that lead to the garden.

Opening my mouth, I scream.

Chapter Eighteen

Nathaniel

Ibolt upright on the office couch where I had fallen asleep earlier, my heart pounding as a scream pierces the air. The acrid scent of burnt flowers hits my nostrils.

Chloe.

In an instant, I’m on my feet, stumbling toward the door as I fight off the fog of sleep. My head spins from the abrupt awakening, but I force my legs to move, propelling myself down the darkened hallway, her terrified cry echoing in my mind, urging me faster.

I burst into Chloe’s bedroom, and it takes a moment to register the scene before me through the haze of sleep and adrenaline.

Holden stands by the bed, wearing a pair of unbuttoned jeans, his bare chest heaving. He holds Chloe tight against him, trying to cover her nakedness with the quilts. The sweet scent of vanilla mixes with her garden pheromones, saturating the air.

“What’s going on?” I demand, my voice rough with fear. “What happened?”

“I…I saw someone.” Chloe points a shaking hand at the French doors leading to the garden. “Out there, looking in.”

Holden’s concerned gaze meets mine over her pink hair. “I didn’t see anyone.”

“Someone was there,” Chloe insists. “Watching us.”

Did Louie already send someone after her? The potential threat to Chloe’s safety sends anger rushing through me. I have to protect her. Nothing else matters.

“Stay here,” I order Holden, striding toward the doors. I’ll tear apart anyone who dares to threaten her.

The bedroom door crashes against the wall with a bang just as I’m about to step outside. I whirl around as Dominic bursts into the room, a fireplace poker gripped tight in his hands, his handsome face etched with rage. The scent of his citrus musk floods the room as he searches for danger.

“Potential intruder in the garden,” Holden tells him.

Before anyone can move, Quinn’s scream pierces the air, cutting through me like a blade of ice.

Oh, god, no.Not that sweet little girl. She’s already been through so much. We promised to keep her safe here. Torn between rushing to her and pursuing the intruder, I freeze.

Dominic’s steel-gray eyes flash with protective instinct. “I’ve got Quinn.” He pivots on his heel. “Go!”

Trusting Dom to protect Blake’s niece, I surge through the French doors and out into the moonlit garden. Dew from the stones of the pathway soaks into my socks as I run, my heart a frantic drumbeat.

I scan the hedges and topiaries for any sign of movement but find nothing. No sound, not even the chirping of crickets and my own ragged breaths. No hint of foreign pheromones on the breeze.

Dammit!

Frustration burns through my veins as I circle the perimeter, checking behind every shrub and statue. Each second that ticksby feels like an eternity, the primitive part of my brain screaming at me to protect, to eliminate the threat.

But there’s no one here.

Did Chloe imagine it? Or did the bastard slip away unseen? The unanswered questions niggle at the back of my mind as I turn to head back, my fists clenched at my sides.

I need to check on Chloe, need to ensure my Omega is safe. Need to scent her and Mark her as mine.

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