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I flipped the gun so the barrel was in my hand and smashed it into the face of the Alpha at my side. A gunshot split the air.

It missed—or I thought it had, since I wasn’t slowed.

I grabbed the Alpha by his shirt and used every ounce of weight to shove him back. He caught Knox and Bella, and they all went down. I leaped after them an instant later, kicking a stray gun from the tangle of limbs.

I hauled Knox from the chaos before they could pick themselves up, and his dead weight dragged against me.

I didn’t hesitate, though. I needed him. The fact I couldn’t kill her without killing us all was a problem—it was the only thing that would free Knox from the bond he’d just made with her. Without it, he could get over himself and claim Thistle.

His low, vicious growl rumbled through my bones, but he was completely dead weight. I had to throw my shoulder under his arm as I made for the door.

I heard a shout behind me. It was Bella.

She knew what I was doing—stealing away the Alpha that had just entered her bond.

I didn’t give a fuck. He wasn’t hers. He was Thistle’s.

He was mine.

I launched for the door, dragging him with me. The sound of metal against stone caught my ear—one of them going for the gun?

I didn’t wait to find out. The handle was in my grip and I shoved Knox through. I let him drop without ceremony as I turned, ripping the door closed behind us just as a gunshot echoed.

My hands were shaky as I fumbled with the lock.

I felt another spike of fear in the bond.

Thistle…

Finally, a click sounded and the door was secure. Not enough, but it would do for now if I was fast.

Knox’s breathing was ragged, each breath short and sharp as I turned back to him.

Well.

Fuck me.

He’d been drugged to oblivion, and there was no way he was walking anywhere.

I didn’t wait, knowing time was against us. He was in Bella’s pack, and I couldn’t bank on her letting that go, no matter how much danger the chaos in the ballroom posed.

So, with little dignity, I lifted Knox into my arms, almost stumbling a step since he wasn’t fucking light. As I staggered up the hallway he shifted in my grip, ragged breaths breaking into growls.

Was he trying to escape?

I glanced down to see his gaze fixed on me, utter fury in it.

“Stop fighting!” I snarled.

Stupid prick.

We were in the slim hallway that led to the back staircase I’d used to sneak up here.

To my left was the doorway to the ballroom. I glanced down at Knox in my arms, doing a quick calculation. Couldn’t go in like this—not if any of Bella’s Alphas were still in there.

I made for the closet to my right.

Fighting with the door, I ignored another furious growl from him.