Page 218 of Knot Unwanted: Part One

Because… because she was.

When we finally pull apart, her cheeks are flushed, her eyes bright and searching. She looks at me like I’m something precious, something she’s terrified of losing, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to put into words what this moment means to me. But I don’t think I need to. I think she already knows.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say softly, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. Her eyes widen, her lips parting slightly, and something about the way she looks at me in that moment makes my chest ache. “I promise.”

She doesn’t say anything, but the way her fingers brush against my jaw, the way her forehead tilts forward to rest against mine once more, tells me enough. I let out a shaky breath, my hand tightening slightly on her waist, and for a moment, everything feels like it’s going to be okay.

But then reality creeps back in.

Above us, I get the sense Stone and Jax are exchanging looks. I never did tell them I was planning to leave. Even before Hailey came into our lives. It’s the first they’re hearing it now. Something else to deal with on another day. For now, I can only focus on her.On the fragile, tentative bond we’re building, on the way her trust feels like both a gift and a weight I don’t know how to carry.

But as much as I want to stay in this moment, as much as I want to let myself believe the worst is behind us, I can’t ignore the unease twisting in my gut. The danger hasn’t passed. The Academy hasn’t forgotten about her. My mate. And they won’t stop coming.

I glance at Jax, at the tightness in his jaw and the way his hand rests protectively on Hailey’s knee. Stone’s dark eyes meet mine for a brief moment, and I can see the same tension reflected there, the same quiet understanding. We all know what’s coming. We all know this isn’t over.

Hailey shifts slightly against me, her head resting on my shoulder, and I feel my resolve harden. Whatever the Academy wants, whatever their plans are, I won’t let them take her. I won’t let them hurt her. I don’t care what it takes—she’s ours now. She’smine. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Even if it means facing the Academy head-on. Even if it means destroying myself to tear it all down.

Chapter 51

Jax

The road stretches out in front of us, a winding ribbon of asphalt cutting through the dense forest. The early morning light filters through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the SUV’s dashboard. I keep my hands steady on the wheel, my grip firm but not tight, though every muscle in my body feels like it’s coiled, ready to spring. The cabin of the vehicle is quiet, the kind of silence that feels heavy, charged with things unsaid.

Stone sits in the passenger seat, his injured arm resting carefully in his lap. His profile is sharp in the pale light, his jaw set as he stares out the window. I know he’s still thinking about last night, about the mercenaries breaking into our home, about how close we came to losing everything. I don’t blame him. I can’t stop thinking about it either.

In the backseat, Finn and Hailey sit close, their shoulders brushing. Hailey’s head rests against Finn’s shoulder, her eyes closed, though I can tell from the tension in her body that she’s not really asleep. Finn’s thumb strokes absent patterns on the back of her hand, his gaze fixed on the passing trees, but there’s a faraway look in his eyes that makes my chest ache. He hasn’t said muchsince we left the house, but the weight of his silence is louder than any words could be.

We’re all carrying the aftermath of last night in our own way. The house—the one place we’d all worked so hard to make a sanctuary—was shattered, and it’s not just the literal damage that lingers. The scent of blood, the sound of breaking glass, the knowledge that enemies who knew exactly how to find us had come prepared to take what was ours—it’s a wound that won’t heal easily.

But for now, we have a destination. Ren’s safe house.

The coordinates he left were scrawled hastily on a scrap of paper, as if he hadn’t planned to tell us about the location at all. But Ren’s plans always run deeper than they seem. The further we drive, the more questions knot in my mind. How long has he had this place? How long has he been watching us, waiting for the right moment to step in? And why didn’t he tell us before?

I glance at Stone. He hasn’t said much since we left either, but I can feel his tension pulse through our bond, the weight of his thoughts pressing against my own. “You okay?” I ask low, low enough that it doesn’t carry to the backseat.

Stone doesn’t look at me, but his lips press into a thin line. “I’ll be fine,” he says, tone clipped.

I don’t push him. I know better than to pry when he’s like this. Instead, I focus on the road ahead, the trees growing denser as we climb higher into the mountains. The winding road seems endless, each curve taking us further from the chaos we left behind. In the rearview mirror, I can see Hailey finally sleeping in the backseat, her head lolling on Finn’s shoulder.

The safe house comes into view just as the sun begins to rise fully, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink. It’s not what I expected. Ren’s always had a taste for the finer things, and I’d half-expected some sleek, modern fortress, all glass and steel. Instead, the house is a sprawling log cabin, nestled into the hillside like it’s been there for decades. The wood is weathered, the roof slopinggently under a thick covering of moss. A wide porch wraps around the front, and beyond it, the forest stretches endlessly in every direction.

The place feels…isolated. Secure. And, despite everything, it feels strangely peaceful.

“Homey,” Finn murmurs from the backseat, his voice tinged with quiet surprise.

Stone lets out a faint huff, his first real reaction in hours. “Not exactly what I pictured for Ren.”

“Me neither,” I admit, pulling the SUV into the gravel driveway. The tires crunch loudly in the stillness as I bring us to a stop. “But maybe that’s the point.”

We sit there for a moment, none of us moving. The weight of the past twenty-four hours settles heavily in the quiet cabin of the SUV, and I can feel the hesitation radiating from all of us. The house might look safe, but after what we’ve been through, that word feels like a lie.

Finally, I push open the driver’s door, the icy mountain air biting against my skin. “Come on,” I say, glancing back at Finn and Hailey. “Let’s get inside.”

We gather what few belongings we managed to bring—two hastily packed duffels and the emergency kit from the trunk. Finn helps a still-groggy Hailey from the backseat while Stone grabs the bags, refusing help despite his injured arm. Gravel crunches under our feet as we make our way to the front door, where I fumble with the key Ren pressed into my hand before he left.

I push the heavy wooden door open, revealing an interior just as surprising as the exterior. It’s warm and rustic, with vaulted ceilings and wide windows that let in the morning light. The furniture is sturdy and well-worn—plush armchairs, a massive leather couch, a dining table big enough to seat a pack twice our size. A stone fireplace dominates one wall, and shelves lined with books and supplies run along another.

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