Page 41 of Knotted By the Triad

“Don’t worry, Princess. We'll figure something else out,” she said. “There are other ways to get money. We could sell something.”

“You mean, like working at a brothel?” I asked.

“Uh, no. Not that. I meant like setting up a food stall and cooking for people.”

“Ohh. You want us to sell food.”

I’d thought she wanted us to do something strange for a little bit of change.

“If I, the Princess, was caught selling food in the market, those alphas would have a fit.”

“You’re right,” she said. “I forgot, we’re no longer those two wildlings from the countryside.”

“I think living life in the countryside would be easier than being a Princess without any money,” I muttered.

Allie nodded. For a long time, we just sat there on that rock, both lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I admitted defeat.

“Let’s go home,” I told Allie. “We’ll figure something else out tomor...”

Before I could get that last word out, my chest tightened, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. I sucked in a breath and pressed my hand against the center of my chest. The sensation wasn't exactly pain.

It was more like pressure. Like a sudden, terrible heaviness had taken up residence beneath my ribs, making it difficult to pull in a full breath. My heart started pounding as panic rushed through me.

“Princess?” Allie whispered.

The pressure intensified.

Allie jumped from the rock and turned toward me. “What's wrong?”

“I don't know,” I rasped.

“Are you hurt?”

“No. I...” I pressed my palm harder against my chest. “I think I'm having a heart attack.”

“What?” Allie's eyes went wide. She immediately grabbed my shoulders. “Can you breathe? Does your chest hurt? Should I get help?”

“I can breathe. Just give me a second.”

Another wave of panic rushed through me. I closed my eyes. Something was wrong. This sort of felt like a panic attack. Yet, not really. Then a single word drifted through my mind.

Mine.

My eyes flew open.

Allie stared at me. “What? What’s wrong?”

This feeling. I'd felt it before. This morning in Mei Lin's courtyard, when Kai had looked at me and almost smiled. Something inside me had reacted to him. Something warm and possessive had risen from somewhere so deep inside me that I'd immediately blamed Old Zuri.

Mine.

I'd ignored it then. I couldn't ignore it now. The presence inside me wasn't warm this time. It was agitated. Frightened. Urgent. I slowly lowered my hand.

“Kai.”

Allie's brows drew together. “What about him?”

“I think something's wrong with Kai.”