Page 15 of Knot All Is Lost: Part 2

“That poor thing, she never should have picked Yoram, no matter what he offered her. If the child hadn’t killed her, I’m sure he would have eventually,” Alton said, shaking his head. “Such a sweetheart, one of the most gentle spirits I’d ever seen. Pity both of them were lost, the bastard didn’t even have a funeral for them. Put them both in the same casket to bury them.”

Marius looked at us questioningly but if Alton could shed some light on the situation from personal experience it would be more help. The others must have agreed with me since he turned back to Alton and laid it all on the table.

“What if the baby didn’t die? What if she was smuggled out of the house, away from Yoram? Then was raised by another couple until she turned eighteen and ran away, stumbling right into the last place she should have been to keep herself safe,” Marius explained, keeping things hypothetical but it was clear what he was suggesting. “If it were even remotely possible something like that might have happened… What would Yoram do if he found her again?”

Understanding lit up Alton’s expression. “There was nothing Yoram wanted more than a child who was an Omega. I used to have to listen to him go on and on about the possibilities it would open up for him. Just think what a disaster it would be if that ever were to happen and he mated her off to some powerful pack in another country. Even worse if the poor thing was mated to a pack in our own city that added to his control over the government. It’s a lucky thing that little girl never had to grow up being turned into the epitome of a subservient Omega like her mother.”

Just when I didn’t think that Cambrie’s life could get worse, it did. Each time Cambrie talked about her mother or situations of her childhood, there were always mentions of how she was corrected in her behavior. Being too selfish, not doing as she was told, stubbornness was bad, and to be exactly what your husband wanted. Could this person have been part of Yoram’s pack as well, or staff in their home?

“Has Yoram ever been able to love again after losing his Omega? I can only imagine what a blow that must be to his pack,” I ventured, hoping he would catch on to what I was asking.

“Before Yoram even met Isabelle he had three other Beta’s in his pack. Two lovely ladies who didn’t interact with others much and a gentleman who seemed to be in charge of running the house. What was his name?” Alton muttered as he scratched his chin. “I’ve only met them twice, at Isabelle’s baby shower and then again at the funeral. Although come to think of it, one of the ladies wasn’t well enough to attend, so stricken with grief. Ah yes, the chap's name was Arthur, real stickler for the rules and roles of each designation.”

The conversation was halted as Eric and Marla returned to the room. In her hands she held a small plate with what looked like a tea strainer on it. “I brought what you asked for but I don’t understand what this has to do with Eric,” Marla grumbled.

I’d heard Marius talk about the fact that as the years went on this pack had become divided in their ideology. Where they’d once seen eye to eye now it was only arguments and pointing the finger at each other. Eric was the other Alpha of the pack, and he had a bonded Beta whose name I couldn’t remember but the only thing keeping those two men from moving out was Phillip, their Omega.

“Yes, I would also like to know why I was pulled out of my office so abruptly and without explanation. I have patients to see,” Eric sneered.

Marius turned to the man. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you were once one of the top biochemists in our country and shifted to working with holistic medicine instead?”

Eric inclined his head. “That’s correct, but still doesn’t tell me why I’m here?”

“I know you and Alton have your differences and have drifted apart over the years, but I hope when I tell you he’s being poisoned that might mean something to you,” Marius said, not buckling under this man’s brusque manner.

“What?” Eric snapped. “Who’s trying to poison the stubborn bastard? If anyone was gonna kill him after all these years it would have been me.”

Marius grabbed the plate and handed it to Eric. “There is something in here that is toxic, causes the lungs to break down, fill with fluid. I also believe they’ve laced it with something to help with his cough so he continues to drink it regularly letting the poison, toxin, whatever you want to call it seep further into his bloodstream.”

“This is the stuff the CoF keeps sending him, isn’t it? Why would they want to knock him off when he’s one of them?” Eric pressed, clearly not understanding that Alton was far from being considered one of them.

“Is that what you’ve believed all these years? If there is one person who is actually fighting for the betterment of our people, it’s Alton. Yoram has everyone else in his pocket but no matter what he’s tried, the only option of getting your packmate removed from his position is to kill him. It was thanks to his efforts that I was able to beat out the person Yoram hand picked to take that seat,” Marius stated, his anger at Eric’s assumption clear. “Do you even know him at all? For you to believe he would willingly let these men ruin our country without trying to do all he can to stop it, means you haven’t been paying attention.”

The clenched jaw on the Alpha told me he hadn’t been talked to like that in a long time. If there was one person I wouldn’t want to tear me a new asshole in the most polite way possible, it was Marius. Bonds of a pack were one of the most sacred things to our fearless political leader, and this man was proving he didn’t feel the same way. Eric looked down at the plate, then over at Alton as if he was seeing the man for the first time in years. With a grunt he turned on his heel and started out of the room.

“Stay alive long enough for me to save your sorry ass, Alt,” Eric called over his shoulder before he was gone.

Alton blinked at all of us for a moment before a broad smile appeared on his face. “The bastard hasn’t called me that in at least ten years. Maybe the grouch still has a heart after all.”

Chapter 7

HoldingCambrieinmyarms all night was pure torture. I thought for sure I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, feeling the need to protect her from any harm that might arise. My mind churned with the questions I had about this place, why she was brought here, and what the fuck that bastard who claimed to be her father wanted. There clearly was an endgame to this, but I couldn’t even begin to guess what it was with how little information I had.

Then there was the whole issue with Arthur and whoever put the mother fucking snake in Cambrie’s bed. Whoever put it there meant for her to die. There was no other reason to interact with a snake whose venom could kill you in seconds. I was able to chop off its head once I got it out of the bed, holding its head with my foot and using my knife to finish the deed. Thankfully, the carpet was a dark color so you couldn’t see the blood stain but I didn’t give a fuck. If that pretentious fuck wants to have a beef with me over it, I’ll tell him to shove it up next to the sick in his ass. I was doing my job, end of story.

Glancing at the clock, I groaned knowing it was probably time for us to get up. In my training I’d been informed that breakfast would be promptly at seven, lunch at noon, and dinner at six. If I missed any of those times, I wouldn’t be eating. My schedule was her schedule since I’d been instructed to be attached to her side. This oh so treasured long lost daughter of his was in danger of being stolen again—yeah, by her goddamn pack.Fuck,what was I going to do about that?

Cambrie had been right to tell me we couldn’t have sex, no matter how badly I wanted to. God, she smelled so good, and her taste was simply addictive. If I got to spend the rest of my life eating her out, I’d be just fine with that. Her moans and the way she shattered before my eyes as she came was simply magical. This woman had no idea how alluring and sexy she was, with her shy glances and sweet smiles.

No.I had to stop thinking like this, or I was going to have a painful boner trapped in my pants the whole day. While I would happily suffer, it was distracting, and I couldn’t afford that right now. Danger was high, especially since I didn’t know where it was coming from. Yoram was a powerful man, and if his claim of knowing who I was, was indeed true, I don’t know that I could stand the look of disgust I’d get from Cambrie. Telling her as much as I did about my home was risky, but I refused to lie to her about anything I didn’t absolutely have to.

My attention snapped down to her as she shifted in my arms, looking at me with a sweet sleepy smile. “Good morning, Savo,” she greeted.

Unable to hold myself back I kissed her, loving how she melted in my arms. For her to give such trust to me when I wasn’t sure I deserved it, made me want to fix all this even more. I had to get her back to the others, they were her family, her pack, and those men loved the fuck out of her. That’s where she belonged, not with the trouble I would bring into her life. Until I handed her over to her men, I would treasure every second, knowing they would never accept me into their family, no matter how much she wanted it.

“Good morning,Keksík,” I whispered against her lips. “Did you get some sleep?”

“Kek-seek,” she drawled out the word as if tasting it. “You keep calling me that, what does it mean?”

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