Page 79 of Knot For Keeps

Even when I kissed him gently on the forehead, inhaling that sweet, familiar scent of comfort, he didn’t budge. So, I decided to let him sleep in.

I’d been assured many times by Kane that the security was now reinforced tenfold, and it should be technically safe for me to roam. He would be able to see my every movement through all the cameras he had dotted around the property. As such, I felt comfortable taking some oats and peas down to the pond for the ducks. After my first time feeding the ducks, I had returned the next day, delighted to find several baby ducklings added to the pond. I didn’t know which of the alpha’s had done it, but it meant the world to me.

We had fallen into a semi comfortable routine with the guys having to return to their various jobs. Kane had been taking calls about security clients and Archer had been working away on his laptop doing something I wasn’t smart enough to understand. He had tried briefly to explain coding to me, but he could have been speaking French for all I understood.

The walk down to the pond was short, but beautiful. The air was crisp, but that just invigorated me. Crouching at the water's edge, I grinned as the baby ducklings, who now knew me, started swimming over. This place, these alphas, had become home in a way. The thought of returning to the Haven made my gut twist.

When did that happen? When did my feelings on my situation change? It had been gradual, but as I fed the ducks I got lost in thought.

I was in love with Pack Rowe.

Taking a deep breath I shoved my feelings down, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn’t ready to address all that yet. Grabbing my snacks I watched the ducks paddle closer to me. I was under no illusions, they associated me with food, that’s why they liked me in the first place, but they made me happy either way. They nibbled at the water, trying to gobble up the oats and peas. I was just about to open the small bag of seeds Theo had ordered for me when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and a sickening sensation spread through my stomach.

“Well, hello there,” A slick, deep voice said behind me. I knew immediately that this wasn’t one of my men.Stranger, outsider, enemy.

Turning to stand, I saw a tall man, but not as large and imposing as my men. He was a thin, clean shaven beta wearing a blue police uniform with slicked back dirty blonde hair that looked too polished, too perfect. His dark eyes bored into my soul, I felt sick to my stomach. Everything about him set me on edge.

“W-who are you?” I asked, praying silently that he wasn’t downwind of me and couldn’t catch my scent.

“I’m Detective Alec Rouche, an old friend of Gage’s.” He smiled, but it wasn’t warm or welcoming, it was dark, and sinister.

“I’m just a housekeeper. I’ll go let Mr. Rowe know you’re here,” I spoke, taking great effort to hide the panicked stutter in my voice. Maybe he would believe I was just a beta maid? After all, omegas were rare, and no stranger would expect to come across one so easily.

How the heck did someone manage to come onto the grounds? Kane had used extreme measures to secure this place.

Taking in the oily beta in front of me I resisted the urge to shudder. Instead I took a small step back, towards the pond. He was mere feet away from me and I didn’t like that at all.

“No need to lie, I know you’re an omega. I’m sorry at how you’ve been treated by these brutes,” he scoffed. “Alphas never know what to do with something precious.” His eyes raked over me, the appreciative glances impossible to miss, even from a distance.

“I-uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I disagreed. “Let me go get Gage,” I tried, turning toward the house, my eyes still darting back and forth from him and my exit.

“No!” Rouche shouted, and I stilled, it wasn’t a bark, he didn’t have the power to bark at me. He smelled like burnt mushrooms, hardly a pleasant smell and very clearly beta.

“I need to go get my boss, he’ll be able to help you.” I took a step toward the house.

A small prick of pain blossomed on my thigh. Turning back to Rouche I was surprised to see him holding a small gun, pointed at me. A split second later I looked down at my leg, noticing the dart that had pierced clean through my jeans. The ground underneath me began to feel unstable and I stumbled back. Rouche frowned, advancing towards me.

“No, no, no, petal. You’ll fall in the pond.” He rushed over to me, gently wrapping an arm around me while he cooed. My mouth felt thick, like it was full of cotton.

“I need to…” I mumbled. My feet slipped and I felt my thigh take the brunt of the fall, the muscle burst into pain and it felt cold. Blearily looking down I could make out the bright red stain. I was bleeding.

My thigh had scraped across one of the semi jagged stones outlining the pond, tearing the skin. My stomach turned at the sight.

“Oh no… Careful now. You look so pale, my lovely. Tsk. Alphas never can properly care for your kind. It was the same with my Juniper. I’ll get you bandaged up.”

I tried to step away, but he was there, easily holding me in place.

“J-Juniper?” I asked, sleepily. My eyelids felt so damn heavy, and I didn’t know how to stop it.

“You’ll see her soon, don’t worry lovely,” he soothed, as my eyelids lost the battle and I slipped into darkness.

ChapterForty-Two

Archer

Iwoke up late. The sun was already blasting through the windows and Lavender’s side of the nest was made nicely with multiple pillows piled up. Stretching, I sat up, looking around for Lavender. She had probably gone to get breakfast and was curled up somewhere reading. She was usually up and about long before this time. I had been up so late, I didn’t even remember falling asleep.

Going downstairs in nothing more than a loose pair of joggers, I ran my hand sleepily through my hair while I sought out Lavender. My stomach was protesting, demanding breakfast, but I could get food once I located my omega.

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