Page 75 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

He stomps off, disappearing, but Rolly appears and winks at me. “Nice start. We’ll wear him down, eventually.”

I look at him hopefully.

He throws an arm over my shoulder and turns me back to the alphas that are getting ready to go to bed. “Oh, don’t worry, we’ve decided to keep you both. So, I guess that means we’re all one big pack. We just need to figure out the logistics.”

I jerk awake, the nightmare is fading away, leaving me frightened but confused about why. I wish I could remember, but then I’m kind of glad I can’t.

Rain is falling in heavy drops that have turned the tent into a drum. When I look around the tent, I realise that Blaze is missing.

Something feels wrong. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s this sense of urgency that pushes me into getting up on my knees. I listen intently, but I can’t hear anything but the rain. A silent whine presses against my teeth.

Something's wrong.

Where is Blaze?

I sneak out of the tent and step out into the rain. Immediately, my hair and clothes are wet. The rain is freezing. I huddle, and my teeth start chattering. I swipe my hair back from my face and see a shadow in the trees coming towards me.

With a relieved smile, I move towards him, but a low sound that is not Blaze has me freezing. My instincts scream louder and louder. He’s bigger than Blaze. His shoulders wider, he’s in all black.

This is a stranger. He’s coming straight for me.

He comes faster and faster, almost running, and then he is running, and there’s nowhere to go. Nowhere to run.

I stare at him, panic eclipsing everything. He’s wearing a mask, his eyes are huge. He’s close enough that I can see the dark colour of them.

He swings, and I realise the blow is probably going to knock me out. I step into him instead, grabbing hold of his arm and spinning us so our positions are reversed. Our gazes connect, and then we’re yanked apart.

There’s a sharp pain in my neck, and the world melts.

I think I hear a scream, but it’s probably mine.

“Good morning, you adorable little naughty puppy!” Rolly whispers in my ear and nuzzles me.

I groan and turn into his chest because he’s like a furnace of heat.

“Do you remember getting up and going out into the rain? It’s lucky we found you before you got too lost. You were drenched and seeing things.”

I stop moving, thinking it over quickly.

I was seeing things? Wait, what happened, and why can’t I remember it?

“Don’t worry about it, King and Sage found you and brought you back. I was the perfect gentleman and only peeked a little when I got you naked.”

I let out a squeak and look down. I’m dressed, but they aren’t the same clothes I went to bed in.

“In my defense, you can call it punishment for going out and trying to catch your death,” he scolds. “And my reward because you are so pretty.”

I struggle free, trying to be mad at him, but he just throws himself back, laughing and refusing to let me escape.

“See, those lessons from our lovely boy Pix would come in handy right now, wouldn’t they?”

I stop struggling, but now I’m sprawled across his chest, my legs on either side of his hips, and he’s got a part of his anatomy that I have been deliberately ignoring right, front, and center.

“This is how much I want you, all the time,” he whispers. “So much it’s painful.”

I stare at him, terrified by his words. I can’t give myself to them if I don’t know who I am, and the thought of having any kind of sex is enough to make me want to run.

“Shhh, we don’t have to do anything. I’m not asking. I’m not taking. I just wanted you to know that I find you desirable. That, to me, you are perfect, and I want you in any way I can have you, even if that means we’re only cuddle friends. I love sleeping with you. This isn’t pressure, this isn’t me asking. This is simply me telling you that you are so beautiful you make my soul, tarnished though it is, shine.”