Page 141 of Knot So Social

“Why are you wearing a mouthguard?” I blink at him.

He strokes my jaw with his thumb, expression turning tender. “Because the desire to bond you is so strong I can’t trust myself.”

A hot jolt runs through my system. Our connection’s that strong?

“B-But,” I protest. “You don’t even know me.”

He cocks his head, studying my face. The movement brings his eyes into the light. “I feel like I do. Like you’re my everything, Willow.” He drops a kiss on my hair. “Is that weird?”

I open my mouth, and then snap it shut. It should be weird, but Alessandro said the same thing, about us being soul mates, finding each other through multiple lives. Instead of answering I bury my face in Joel’s chest again and he holds me tight.

The door beeps, making me twitch alert. What the—?

It swings open and men in black suits sweep in, guns pointed at us.

“Hands where we can see them!”

Chapter forty-four

Joel

An ominous growl rips through me and I rise, putting my body between my omega and the intruders. Jock catches my anger and barks, his yips instantly turning threatening. Mr Shares whines and thumps his tail on the ground.

“No, no!” Willow cries, trying to roll out of the bean bag.

I sweep one arm behind me to grab her and hold her in place. “Stay still,” I warn. How can I protect her in this tiny space? A beanbag isn’t going to stop bullets.

“Hands up!” one of the intruders roars. “Now!”

Authoritative, yes. Alpha command, no.

I skim the room for options, the instinctual need to protect my omega thrumming through me. The bag. That’s my only weapon.

I lunge, grasping the heavy duffel with both hands. Using the inertia, I leap and swing at the same time, throwing the loaded bag at one intruder and tackling another. We crash to the ground, me on top of him, fumbling for his weapon. With a roar, I toss his gun behind me and smash his head down onto the floor.

The other two men shout as I pull a knife from his belt and set it under the intruder’s throat, holding him from behind. Alpha power floods my system, feeding me everyone’s positions.

“Drop your weapons!” I roar.

We all freeze for an instant, caught in a moment of uncertainty.

Willow throws herself at me, grabbing my legs from behind. “Stop! Please stop!”

Instantly I drop the knife, my desire to please her overwhelming even my raging alpha instincts.

She tugs, and I land hard on my knees, crashing into the back of the attacker’s legs. He staggers forward, out of reach.

“Shit, woman!” I cry, terrified I’ve stomped on Willow’s face in the process.

“Stand down!” she yells. “All of you!”

Her omega scent sharpens with fear and her fingers quiver against my ankles.

I spin and roll in a move I’m not sure I can physically do to get myself spread over her, to protect her with my life. I lift my head and roar at the intruders, every speck of alpha spirit and feral need to protect what’s mine mixed into the sound.

The three men fall back a step.

I growl in warning. Or I try, but the mouthguard slips and turns it into a throaty gurgle.