Page 27 of Knot Your Damsel

“Should you be here?” He looks me over, amusement in his gaze.

Then I realise that this fucker was the head of the team who kidnapped us. I almost didn’t recognise him in his normal clothes, but his voice is undeniable.

I put my hand into the pocket of the robe and pull out the knife I swiped from Mathew’s stash on my way out of the room.

As he notices the flash of the metal he takes two steps back and holds up his hands. “I have no wish to fight you. I promise.” He doesn’t look amused anymore, he looks very focused on the knife in my grip. “Once was enough for me.”

The kitchen goes quiet as everyone’s now staring at us. It feels awkward, but also, this fucker is the whole reason I’m here…

“You’re Vera, right?” Another Alpha steps through the door at the back, also holding up his hands as he meets my eyes. He’s clearly an Alpha, but he feels softer somehow, his presence almost calming. “I’m Timothy. That’s Derrick. We work for Mathew.”

He moves his hand to motion to the others in the kitchen. “We all work for Mathew. We have no intention of hurting you or your Alpha.”

“No ‘intention’ of hurting us?” I sneer, glaring at him and then back at the man in front of me. “Then, could you explain why we’re covered in cuts and bruises?”

Derrick takes another step back, lowering his hands, managing to look both intimidating and sheepish at the same time. “Risk of the job, I’m afraid. Or, in your case, risk of being the job.”

I snort. Not able to suppress the laugh. “Is that how you usually run things? That sloppily?”

Derrick lets out a grunt as Timothy grins at him, then Derrick sighs. “We weren’t provided the full details, which we only realised when it was already too late. And I’m sorry for that. If we had been provided with all the details, things would have gone a lot smoother.”

I’m not sure if I believe him, but, at the same time, I’m sure that if what happened last night was normal for them, Mathew probably wouldn’t have the reputation he has…

“Are you hungry?” Timothy eyes me. “I heard that your dinner should be brought up soon.”

Oh, right. “I came here to get some bottles of water. I’m sorry for intruding or something like that.” Great, now I really feel awkward.

Between the anger over being kidnapped, sore from bruises and cuts all over my body and everything else I’ve had to deal with today, I’m not my best and I’m quickly running out of energy to act ‘normal’ around people.

Timothy laughs as he opens a fridge near him. “No worries.” He takes out the bottles. “I just wanted to make sure we’re not keeping you. I know Mathew can be impatient.”

He hands me the bottles. “I’m sure he’ll show you around the rest of the place soon enough, once he’s ready.” He grins which makes my cheeks flush. He clearly knows what we’ve been up to…

“Thanks.” I quickly turn around and bolt from the kitchen. That was awkward, way too awkward!

I take the stairs two steps at a time and slip inside Mathew’s bedroom. The room still smells strongly of our pheromones, but it’s not as strong as it was before. It also feels very comfortable and eases the tension in my body immediately.

As I step onto the balcony, I notice that Mathew is sitting at Caleb’s side, leaning against him as Caleb plays with his fingers through Mathew’s long dark hair, letting the strands run over his hands like water.

My heart twists for a moment, anger flashing —someone is taking up the space that’s mine— before I notice the troubled look in Caleb’s eyes.

Caleb looks up, giving me a soft smile as he moves his head for me to come over. Mathew moves slightly, glancing up, and then quickly sits up, wiping at what looks like tears on his cheeks.

I have no idea what just happened here, but Mathew looks wrung out, broken.

I put the bottles on the table next to Caleb and then walk around the large lounge chair, wrapping my arms around Mathew and pulling him against me.

He awkwardly pulls me into his lap, hiding his face against my neck as his arms are tight around me. I release calming pheromones, hoping to soothe him, as my heart feels troubled, angry at whoever made him look like this, pained at knowing that he’s been dealing with shit all on his own for so long.

He lets out a soft content sigh. “Thank you. You have no idea how perfect you are.” He pulls back slightly and then leans in, his lips close to mine.

I put my lips to his and the kiss is electric, sending need and want through my body, right to my core and I let out a gasp in surprise.

His lips are soft and insistent, his tongue excitedly exploring my mouth as I try to keep up with him, his piercing running along my tongue sending even more sensations through me. He takes my breath away and fills me with life as I hold onto him as best as I can.

Next to us, Caleb chuckles, his body right against us as he wraps his arms around us. “While I’d love to watch you two make out, and join in myself. I think I just heard the door to the bedroom open again.”

“Dinner!” I pull back, looking into the room where Derrick gives me a quick wave as he and one of the others from the kitchen turn around and leave the room again.

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