Page 43 of Knot Shattered
“They’re paranoid,” Dare said, tapping a tablet screen with one long finger. “But not random. There’s a pattern. Not the easy kind—but it’s there. Think about zoning loopholes, utility grid blind spots, and municipal codes that no one pays attention to. They’re smart, but we’re smarter.”
Romano beams at Fallon. “Give me one more full cycle and I’ll have it. We’re already sitting at about a seventy-eight percent accuracy prediction on the next site. Once we confirm a few more of their transport drop-offs, we’ll have them.”
Kingston’s voice broke the silence. “Suppliers?”
Still half in the shadows near the intel wall, Voss answered without looking up. “After... questioning low-level lackies, I got some information.” He flashes a feral smile and high-fives Fallon. “They buried the paper trail deep—layers of shell companies. Most of the names attached are either dead, fake, or people who don’t exist. But one name keeps circling back.”
He leaned forward and tapped the whiteboard once. “Mercury Holdings.”
“Fucking M’s.” Fallon throws her hands up. “I swear to god if this isn’t the final M I will start murdering all of them I come across.” She turns to me, doing the finger to the eyes thing. “Not you…yet.”
“What the hell is Mercury Holdings?” Jex asked, trying so hard not to laugh. We are all used to our omegas antics by now.
“A ghost company,” Romano answered, flipping open another folder. “No board, no employees, no building. Just a PO box and a bunch of money laundering trails that lead nowhere fast.”
Arianne crossed her arms, eyes sharp. “And the buyers?”
Romano’s mouth pressed into a flat line. “The worst kind of people. Politicians with offshore interests. CEOs who invest in private merc groups. The kind of assholes who think they’re untouchable because their blood type is money.”
“They really think they can get away with this?” Violet muttered under her breath. “God, I hope one of them tries to run.”
Dare’s laugh was quiet but vicious. “Let ‘em run. Makes the hunt more fun.”
I couldn’t stop watching Odette. She was still so still, the storm behind her eyes gathering weight with every word. She hadn’t flinched. Not once. But I knew her now. I knew what that silence meant. It meant someone was going to pay. And I hoped I got to help her collect.
Kingston leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. His voice didn’t rise—it didn’t have to. It carried the weight of a thousand consequences.
“We hit them on the next rotation—no more waiting. We predict the location. We go in fast, we go in hard, and we tear that fucking ring apart piece by piece.”
He looked around the room. No one nodded. No one spoke. We didn’t need to.
Because this time, the monsters weren’t hiding in the dark.
We were.
And we were done waiting.
Odette
October 20th
6:47 P.M
I leaned back comfortably into the plush cushions of Fallon’s oversized sectional, sipping from a steaming mug of coffee that smelled gloriously of hazelnut and caramel. The Rosetti pack house always felt extravagant, a beautiful blend of luxury and deadly energy, much like Fallon herself. The familiar presence of Fallon and Violet at my side wrapped around me like my favorite fuzzy blanket. I missed them so much.
The three of us were tucked into a cozy corner of Fallon’s expansive living room, curled up like cats and surrounded by an array of pillows so fluffy they looked like clouds. Fallon had her legs tucked underneath her, midnight blue hair tumbling down in casual waves, her eyes sparkling with amused curiosity. Violet lounged beside her, looking dramatically elegant, as usual, her dark lipstick perfectly applied even in our cozy downtime.
“So,” Fallon began with a mischievous grin, swirling her own mug playfully, “spill it, O. How are things really going with your pack? Are they spoiling you properly?”
Violet leaned in immediately, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Details, Odette. Good ones. Don’t hold out on us.”
I laughed softly, warmth spreading through my chest at their familiar, comfortable banter. “It’s… honestly been wonderful. I mean, it’s still new and sometimes overwhelming, but the guys…” My cheeks warmed just thinking of their gentle hands and careful eyes. “They’re really good to me. All of them.”
Fallon wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, smirking over her mug. “And how good exactly is good?”
I rolled my eyes, fighting a grin. “Not like that… yet. They’re being careful with me. Slow. But they’re sweet. Micha is like… steady as a rock. Always calm, always making sure I have what I need. Ravik hardly speaks, but when he does, it’s like the whole world stops to listen—he’s terrifyingly protective. Salemis the quiet one; he’s so gentle it sometimes surprises me. And Haze…” I groaned playfully, hiding my smile behind my hand. “Haze is complete chaos. He somehow manages to be insanely sweet and completely deranged at the same time.”
Violet laughed, shaking her head fondly. “Sounds like you found your perfect match.”
