Page 73 of Knot Beneath the Mistletoe

“Place is empty,” he says once we approach, his dark eyes hard. Snow dusts his hair, and there’s a raw scrape across his knuckles that wasn’t there this morning. “I checked the back, broke in. No alarm system—amateur move—but no one’s home.”

He pulls out his phone, fingers flying across the screen as he approaches my driver’s window. The security footage plays stark black and white, and my stomach lurches. Ruby steps out of the bar, tugging her hood up against the snow. The van appears like a ghost, and then... God. Her struggle. The way she kicks out, fighting with everything she has. Then, her body goes limp inside as the door slides shut.

Knox makes a sound like he’s been gutted. I taste blood and realize I’ve bitten through my lip.

“The van heads north out of town,” Dominic continues, his voice clinical, but his hand’s shaking with rage as he flicks through camera feeds. “We lose it after the Morrison turnoff. No more cameras out there.”

“Let’s go out there,” Knox states. “I know that area like the back of my hand. Done trekking up there. If they’re holding her somewhere, we’ll find it. There are only so many places accessible in this weather.”

“Drop your car down the road,” I tell Dominic. “We’ll pick you up. No sense leaving evidence we were here if Marcus returns.”

Soon, all three of us are in Knox’s vehicle. I can’t shake the image of Ruby going limp in those bastards’ arms. The woman who kissed like sin. Who crashed into my world and left me chaotically obsessed with her.

The snow falls harder as we head north, but nothing can erase the fire burning in my chest.Hold on, Ruby. We’re coming for you. And God help anyone who stands in our way.

Knox steers us through the worsening storm, the headlights barely cutting through the thick curtain of snow. Every minute feels like an hour. The surveillance footage Dominic pulled showed their vehicle heading north, but after thirty miles of careful driving, we hit a fork that splits three ways into the darkness.

“We lose camera footage farther back. So, which fucking way now?” Dominic states.

Knox’s eyes narrow as he studies each road, the windshield wipers fighting a losing battle against the storm. He leans forward.

“Those two paths on the left? Just highways. Nothing but empty road for hours. But up there?” He gestures to the right fork. “There’s a bunch of old buildings. Some abandoned ranches. Marcus isn’t trying to skip town. He just needs to keep Ruby hidden until Christmas Eve.”

“Three days,” I growl, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

“Exactly.” Knox shifts into drive. “He’ll want to stay close to town himself. The main roads are too obvious. Has to be this way, and we’re going to hit every single one until we find her.”

Dominic murmurs his agreement as Knox takes the turn, our headlights illuminating the snow-covered path ahead.

Hold on, sweetheart.

We’re coming…

22

RUBY

Marcus looms over me, a self-satisfied smirk twisting his face into something ugly. The dim light filtering through the grimy window catches the silver threading through his hair. Everything about him makes my skin crawl.

“You really should thank me for this, Ruby.”

“Thank you?” I spit the words like poison. “For what, exactly? Showing your true colors as a pathetic excuse for an Alpha who has to chain up women to feel powerful?”

My wrists throb where the chains bite into them, but I force myself to sit straighter on the bed I’m tied to, refusing to cower. He had taken my bag and my phone and left me useless.

“Don’t feel bad. You were running that bar into the ground. Omegas like you can’t run businesses; you have better things to do serving your Alphas. So, I’m doing you a favor, even if you don’t see it right now.”

“Running it into the ground?” A harsh laugh escapes me. “I guess that must really burn you up inside, watching an Omega succeed where you failed. How many businesses are you running right now? None! Or do you just hate Omegas because you can’t find any to love the monster you are?”

“Shut the fuck up,” he snaps. “You don’t know anything.” His smirk falters for just a second, and I press harder.

“What would your stepfather say if he could see you now? Kidnapping women because you can’t handle?—”

The back of his hand connects with my face, snapping my head to the side. A metallic taste of blood fills my mouth, and I whimper as it feels like my head’s cracking. Fuck, that hurt so bad.

“The police will come for you when they find out.” My thoughts fly to the three Alphas who have broken me, yet they never leave my thoughts. I want to believe they might come for me. Except, who am I kidding?

He chuckles like a lunatic. “You think anyone will believe you? Besides, you have no Alphas at your side, and this is just a little insurance to ensure those fucking pricks don’t stick their nose around you until after Christmas Eve. Then, Ruby, I recommend you go to them, spread your legs, and become their Omega so you don’t end up homeless.”

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