Page 24 of Shaken Knot Stirred

Beg gave him a searching look, digging into the pack bonds for more information. Nico once said I was lucky I didn’t have to work so hard to keep Beg out of my energy because it was exhausting. He had no idea what it was like keeping both of them at arm’s length.

Beg adjusted his belt, unsure if he’d won or lost this interaction. Nico was getting good at not giving a fuck anymore.

“If Moxie leaves this building, I’ll slit your throat,” Beg said on his way out. I didn’t know if he was talking to me or Nico. But it didn’t matter. We both paid for each other’s mistakes.

When Nico was sure Beg wasn’t coming back, he bent and gently picked up the girl, laying her on the leather sofa. He smoothed her hair back and arranged her limbs in a more comfortable position.

“Moxie,” the words were so soft I barely heard them. His thumb traced along the raw marks on her wrist.

Moxie.

Her name was never said unless Beg was using it to hammer Nico to send him over the edge. He was here because of her. Not directly, of course, but nothing was straightforward with Beg Knightbridge.

Nico sat back on his heels. I felt his rage seep around the room. He looked up at me, and his face fell. Groaning, he stood and breathed hard, as if it were a marathon effort just to be on his feet.

“I didn’t mean…” He refused to look at me or at her. “I… He’d get bored faster if she was out of the equation.”

I could practically taste his sense of guilt. Even with a direct bond, betas could only get a vague sense of their packmates’ emotions. Betas couldn’t see auras either, no one could. The little that I could feel of Nico’s emotions rarely matched his body language or words. So, I pretended. When I picked up on his care and concern, I liked to pretend it was real. Right now, he felt angry and guilty.

“I have… to go,” He spoke through a clenched jaw. “Can you stay?”

I nodded. He didn’t have to ask me, and I didn’t say yes because he asked me. No one should be left unconscious and vulnerable with Beg.

Nico turned before closing the door. The quiet desperation glowing in his eyes squeezed my heart.

When the door closed and the lock clicked, I sobbed out a breath and covered my mouth with both hands to keep the bile in. Work it off. That’s what Beg had said. Things were going to get very bad for Moxie, probably for all of us.

I pulled my hair back and tied it in a quick knot so it wouldn’t get in my way. I tore through the contents of the freezer for the ice packs I kept buried under frozen pizza.

This wasn’t a home. It was barely an apartment. They were management offices and a break room converted into living quarters. Beg, the control freak that he was, couldn’t stand to be away from the Pax. So, we were all stuck here.

Squeezing my fingers to stop them from shaking, I knelt next to Moxie and wrapped the ice pack in a paper towel. Gently, Iturned her face toward me and pulled open her eyes. Dilated pupils would be a bad sign, especially in an omega. In an alpha, it could mean a concussion or rut; neither of those was good either. Her pale blue eyes responded to the light. I delicately laid the ice pack on her cheek, adjusting it to get the best coverage. Her skin was fair enough that a black eye would be hard to hide.

I brushed back a lock of hair, leaning in for a closer look. She had one hell of a stylist to get that shade of platinum with no roots. The shoulder-length bob faded out to a pale blue at the tips. It couldn’t possibly be natural.

I traced the marks on her wrist with simmering anger. It was swollen and raw. Beg loved his zip ties. They did little to hold a raging alpha, but they cut the skin fairly easily and Beg enjoyed leaving marks. If Beg touched her again…

Shocked, I pulled back. What would I do exactly if Beg touched her? What a ridiculous idea to have. I couldn’t save myself or Nico. What made me think I could save this… omega?

Moxie was an omega.

I went queasy at that. Beg was violent and unpredictable on a good day, but with an omega around? Her scent everywhere? I leaned in close. She smelled sweet and dry, like some kind of fruity wine. It was subtle. It could just be her shampoo. Scent didn’t really have an effect on betas.

Her groan startled me, freezing me in place. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled, filling the room with this warm glow, like she had missed me and was glad to see me. I clenched my jaw to hold back sudden tears. What the hell was wrong with me?

I sat back as she scanned the room. I had been practically on top of her. She propped herself on her elbows, forcing the ice pack to plummet to her lap.

“Nico is a man of his word. He did say he would punch me in the face if he ever saw me again,” she said absently, touching theedges of her face. “Thanks for this.” She handed the ice pack to me.

“Does it hurt?” I asked, feeling stupid. Of course, it hurt. That was dumb. I was a sudden ball of nerves, like we were on a first date. I stood and started organizing random things on the worktable.

“We’re at the Pax?” she asked. I nodded. “How long are they going to be gone for?” I shrugged.

Moxie stood up, a little wobbly on her feet. I bit my lip. Maybe she needed more than ice on her face.

“You think I’d have better chances if I went out through the bar?” She had a devilish grin, like a kid breaking curfew, making her beautiful. It took me a second to register her words.

She beat me to the door, but I shoved it closed with my palm, then pushed her shoulder into the wall.

---