Page 23 of Knot Shattered
Every. Last. One.
And make sure they never touch her again.
Chapter Seven
Odette
August 30th
10:32 A.M
“For the last time, I’m fine!” I called out, the flat tone in my voice betraying my exhaustion. The video call screen was propped up carefully against a stack of worn sketchbooks, balancing precariously on the cluttered surface of my workbench. Fallon and Violet’s concerned faces stared back at me, their expressions suspiciously identical, narrowed eyes, slightly pursed lips, and stubborn, raised eyebrows.
I sighed, dragging a dusty hand through my hair, the vibrant orange and blonde waves escaping from the messy bun at the back of my head. Marble dust had streaked through the strands, turning them pale, almost silvery. My work clothes, an old black crop top and faded denim shorts that clung to my curves, had seen better days. Even my comfortable black Converse were covered in flecks of marble dust, their laces loose and neglected.
Turning away from the phone for a moment, I reached out and ran my fingers carefully along the smooth curve of the statue I’d been working on tirelessly for weeks. The sound of the rasp gliding rhythmically along the marble soothed something deep in my chest. The piece had a name already:Trapped. She knelt in silent agony, wrists bound in heavy marble chains, head thrown back in an unheard scream. Finishing her heels felt symbolic, almost like finishing the last page of a painful chapter.
On the screen, Violet leaned closer to the camera, her gothic makeup immaculate even this late in the day. She wore a sleek black halter top, her silver jewelry glinting under the studio lights, and her dark lipstick contrasting sharply against her pale skin. Fallon sat beside her, golden hair tumbling over one shoulder, dressed casually in a loose cream-colored sweater, her freckles visible even through the slightly blurry connection.
“O,” Violet began gently, a crease forming between her brows, “don’t take this the wrong way, because you know how much I love you, but… You haven’t exactly been ‘fine’ for a while. Even before what happened, you pulled back from us, almost ghosted us. You’ve never explained why.”
I sighed, a wave of frustration and embarrassment washing through me. I’d been avoiding this conversation for so long that it felt unreal to finally face it.
“You remember how I’ve had more than one pack want to court me, only to turn around and tell me they weren’t interested in someone my size?” My voice tightened slightly, the words tasting bitter even now.
Fallon’s face immediately twisted into anger. “Those insecure, little-dick alphas—” she cursed fiercely under her breath, making me laugh despite myself.
My laughter faded quickly, replaced by an aching, hollow silence. “Yeah. Well… There was a pack after that. Another group of alphas approached me. They seemed different—sweet, charming. They said all the right things. And I fell for it.” My chest tightened, but I forced the words out. “The second I felt comfortable enough to send Henry away, everything changed. They dragged me into that basement, and…well, you know the rest.”
Violet’s eyes widened, the horror clear in her expression, but it was Fallon who spoke next, gently but urgently. “But what about those messages you sent us? The ones telling us you were just busy?”
My stomach twisted sharply at the realization of how thoroughly I’d been deceived. “Yeah. They took my phone. I didn’t even realize it at first. They must’ve sent those texts pretending to be me so that no one would look too closely. I guess it worked,” I finished quietly.
For a long moment, none of us spoke. The only sound was the rasp still in my hand, scraping softly over the marble, smoothing the final details of the statue’s elegant, tragic heels. With a deep breath, I stepped back, brushing dust from my fingers.
Fallon finally broke the silence, her voice gentle but hopeful. “So… what now, O?”
“Well, Mom had this trip to Greece planned with her friend. She’s had it booked for months, but postponed it until everything happened to me. I finally convinced her to go.” A small smile tugged at the edge of my lips. “She leaves tomorrow. Meanwhile, my new pack should be here any minute to pick me up. I’m staying with them for a while.”
“Your pack?” Fallon’s eyes lit up instantly, her grin bright and teasing. Violet leaned closer again, her expression shifting into something playful, hungry for gossip.
“Spill it!” Violet demanded eagerly. “We need every detail about these mysterious alphas!”
I laughed softly, surprised at how easy the sound came this time. Just thinking of them sent warmth through my chest, chasing away the shadows that lingered.
“They’re…” I paused, a smile pulling more fully at my lips. “They’re wonderful—Micha’s strong and steady, like a rock. Ravik’s intense but fiercely protective—I don’t think anything could ever get past him. Salem’s got this quiet calmness, this hidden sweetness he thinks I don’t notice. And Haze…well, he’s absolute chaos wrapped in the body of a god. I swear he was sent purely to test my sanity. I’m also 80% sure he’s like a friendlier version of Voss.”
Fallon giggled delightedly. “Absolute chaos? Sounds like you found your match.”
I rolled my eyes, but my smile grew wider. “Honestly, I think I might have. He even wears these ridiculous t-shirts with the most inappropriate slogans imaginable. It’s like dating a living meme.”
Violet laughed outright, shaking her head fondly. “I’m already invested. You better keep us updated, O.”
“Promise,” I said softly. For the first time in what felt like forever, the promise didn’t feel forced or fragile. It felt real. Like maybe, finally, there was something ahead worth fighting for.
Before either of them could tease me further, the studio doorbell echoed loudly through the garage, pulling me back to reality. My heart leapt into my throat, anticipation fluttering nervously in my stomach.
“They’re here,” I said quietly, already moving to put my tools away.
