Page 20 of Knot my Alphas

Caleb moves forward and removes the vines and creepers tangled around the bars. “It’s locked.”

I stare at a padlock on the rusting gate. “Fuck!” I shout, kicking at it out of pure frustration.

“Don’t be so noisy,” Caleb warns at once. “We don’t know who else might be around. Now that we’re here, I can feel Iris’s presence close by.”

The uncomfortable, suffocating feeling has only grown stronger. “She’s in pain,” I say, massaging my chest.

“Let’s climb over the gate,” he says in a low voice. “We stay quiet as we move ahead. Keep a lookout for guards and watchers.”

I meet his gaze and nod.

Moving forward, we steadily use the iron grills to climb up the gate.

We stay quiet as we descend on the other side.

There’s no movement as far as the eye can see. Still, it’d be foolish to think no one’s watching us.

The moon overhead is the only source of light around the shadow-infested grounds. We go slow despite the urgency growing within us.

Caleb’s arm shoots out in front of me, halting me in my steps.

I glance toward him and find him gesturing to my right.

It takes me a moment to see why he stopped me. The shape of a helicopter looms in the distance.

My breathing grows heavy. Our assumption was correct. Callahan brought Iris to this abandoned manor in the middle of nowhere.

A glow of embers flares up in the darkness. That’s when I make out the shape of a man standing beside the chopper.

Caleb signals me to stay put while he moves forward. His boots make no sound as he creeps up behind the man. I watch as he silently attacks the stranger.

“Gerroff me!” the man shouts, struggling against my brother.

Caleb silently twists his arm back and pushes him on the ground, subduing him.

“Who the fuck are you?” The man yelps but grows quiet the moment Caleb prods the side of his head with the muzzle of a gun.

I move forward and lean before the man. The darkness doesn’t allow me to discern his features but his subtle scent tells me he’s a beta.

“Where’s Callahan?” I ask as he struggles to free himself from Caleb’s hold.

The man stays quiet. My gaze falls on his left hand that’s slowly creeping toward his breast pocket.

Reaching out, I grab his wrist and twist.

The man yelps, cursing at me.

“Who else is here with you?” Caleb asks in a low voice that’s heavy with dominance.

“No one else,” the man blurts, struggling feebly against me to free his hand.

“Where’s Callahan?” I ask, driving fierce compulsion into my voice.

“Master is inside.”

“Is he alone?”

The man bites into his lips, refusing to answer.