Page 88 of Knot Your Possession

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “She’s overtired and has already had chocolate.”

“You’re not her mother. Why are you being so mean?” Nicole said, as she turned and walked out the door with Angel. It was a low blow. None of us had seen our mothers in a long time. I didn’t know how much Angel would even remember hers.

Emma and I shared a glance before we both hustled out the door after them. They turned down a different hallway to the one leading to the kitchen, though.

“Where are you going?” Emma asked her.

“I found a storeroom that had food stocked in it. I think it was for events. There’s lots of yummy stuff in there,” Nicole said, as we went down a flight of stairs and she flicked on a light in a dark hallway.

“Yay,” Angel yelled and did a little happy dance as she walked. She was more jogging to keep up with Nicole, though. I wasn’t sure why we were in such a hurry.

“Why didn’t you tell us about it?” I asked her, trying not to let my annoyance peek through. “We’re rationing and sharing food.”

“I’m pretty sure I just did,” Nicole said as she glared at me over her shoulder.

“Where exactly is this storeroom?” Emma asked as she looked around.

I followed her gaze and noticed we were heading past the doors to the secret labs.

“It’s just up ahead,” Nicole said as she picked up her pace and half dragged Angel with her.

My growing doubts suddenly flared into a feeling of imminent danger. The light at the end of the hallway didn’t seem to work, and it wreathed the end wall in shadows. “I think we should go back.”

“I agree,” Emma said. “It’s far too late to be wandering around down here.”

Emma made to grab for Angel’s other hand, but Nicole swung her around to her other side. “Don’t be a spoilsport.”

Suddenly, a panel opened up, and the end of the hallway disappeared into an abyss of darkness. A pale movement caught my eye, but before I could scream, someone yanked me forward and shoved a sharp smelling cloth over my face. I struggled, but my head was swimming and everything seemed to fade away. My legs wouldn’t hold my weight and I crumpled as terror overtook me. I was being taken.

I’d thought when I’d first bonded with River and Ryder that it would never be dark again, with their bonds glowing in my chest. I tried to yank on their bonds now, but a fuzzy darkness cut me off from them before it swallowed me whole. I felt myself being lifted and carried deeper into the dank emptiness of a tunnel.

Then there was nothing.

thirty-seven

Iwatchedtheballroomdoors with a fixed determination, barely blinking.How long did it take women to pee?

I had no idea, but it felt as if Ava had been gone too long. River was shifting restlessly beside me and he kept glancing at the doorway, too.

A sense of annoyance throbbed in my chest. I told myself I was being irrational and that if I went storming into the women’s bathroom, I’d embarrass her, or worse, piss her off. She was probably just talking to her friend. More than likely about us. I’d watched her with Lexie and Maia. My experience with friendships was nonexistent, but I could plainly see she got something from them she didn’t get from us. I would never begrudge her that. After being alone for so long, I knew having people who cared about you was a good thing. My interactions with River, Ryder, and Nick brought me a simple joy, even if my interactions with Cary were complicated.

Yet she hadn’t taken Lexie with her, and it seemed more likely she would talk to Lexie. She’d been a little reserved around Emma at times. I growled under my breath, as I felt the annoyance change into unease. River shot me a concerned glance.

“Did Ava say she was going anywhere else?” I asked Nick. He turned to look at me and shook his head. His eyes tightened with worry.

I took a deep breath, trying to quell my fears and paranoia. She was fine. She was just in the bathroom with a friend.

“She’s fine,” River said, as he echoed my thoughts. He sounded as if he was trying to convince himself, rather than me. His eyes stayed fixed on the doorway, too. I glanced at Ryder. His gaze was traveling over everyone in the room, as if he was trying to account for everyone and assess any threats. They always worked instinctively and seamlessly together.

“Should we go check on her?” Nick asked. But we all hesitated. None of us wanted to look like overbearing, possessive alphas, especially when our bond was so new.

“She could just be having a conversation with Emma that’s making her uncomfortable. Or Nicole’s being a bitch. She disappeared a while ago, too. None of them are back yet,” River said, but tension was riding every line of his body in contrast to his words.

“What am I not getting?” Cary asked brusquely, as he turned to look at us all. He looked as tense as the rest of us.

“Ava’s uneasy,” Nick said, sounding more gruff than he normally did.

“You can feel that in the bond?” Cary guessed. His face went dark as he realized what was going on. That he couldn’t feel her the way we could. “I can sense a slight uneasiness, but I thought it was just, nevermind.”

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