Page 10 of Rot In Knotty Pieces

When I kiss him, he kisses me back, and he tastes broken, but that’s okay, I’m going to put him back together and make him mine.

I’m going to put this whole pack back together. One piece at a time. Starting with this.

I trail my lips down to his throat and bond my alpha.

He grunts, and though his fingers thread through my hair, he doesn’t pull away, he pulls me towards him, straining against me. Sobbing for air.

When I break free, I drag his lips to my neck and, to my surprise, without argument, Rose bites me. Claiming me back.

The bond is thick and warm and desperate.

The frenzy goes, and he slows until he rests his forehead against mine.

“Help me, Sage. We can’t do it alone.”

“I’ll do anything you need, Aaron, except leave. I’m not leaving you again.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Aaron shudders hard in my arms, and to my utter horror, he starts to cry.

What could be so bad that it’s brought my alpha to tears?

I lead him deeper into the house, watching cautiously as Blaze and Rolly tease and harass Dove. King and Daega have disappeared.

I turn back to Aaron.

“It went wrong right from the start. He knew everything.”

I stare at him, listening to his story, told in hushed whispers. His exhaustion shows in dark bags under his eyes and the weight he’s lost. He explains how Pix suppressed his heats, struggling to cope with the breakthrough, dealing and raising a traumatised eight-year-old who can’t be seen in public.

How they wanted to come home, but she needed time to heal.

Time to heal?

Those words bother me, but the way he says them are so horrified I can’t ask.

I put Roseland to bed and bully Daega in beside him.

We cook Dove cheese sandwiches and entertain her, then put her to bed in the room beside theirs.

Blaze and I exchange looks.

I turn to Rolly. “Go.”

“But-”

“You and King, one in each room. No one gets in or out.”

They go quietly. Rolly will doze in the rocking chair in Dove’s room, while King will sit and watch the other two.

Blaze and I will make sure the rest of the house stays safe and plan our extraction.

Now that we’ve found them…it’s no longer safe.

Rose’s words return, echoing in my mind in a confusing, horrifying admission that I can’t silence.