Page 234 of Knot What I Expected

The thought comes instantly.

No hesitation. No qualifier.

Ethan might have contributed genetic material, but that doesn't make him a fucking father.

“When he found out I was pregnant, everything changed.”

“How?”

“He started the bidding.”

I go completely still.

“The what?”

Her scent turns bitter with fear.

“The bidding.”

My voice comes out so quiet Monster barely recognizes it.

“Explain that to me.”

“After I gave birth, Ethan declared me a good breeder. Pregnant on the first try. And he said he was going to give me to the next male who could afford it.”

I stare at the dark woods because if I look at her face right now, I'm going to lose control.

“He held auctions for the right to mate with a female. After I gave birth, he would hold one for me, and I would go to the highest bidder,” she continues. “I’d go to whatever male that won and I would be bred for him. And after that...”

Her voice breaks.

My claws punch through.

Fuck.

I curl my hand into a fist beside the chair where she can't see it.

“...someone else. Until I stopped being able to reproduce.”

“Fuck,” I snarl.

My chest feels tight.

There isn't enough air on this fucking mountain.

“They—they do this to all their females,” she whispers. “It's how they increase their numbers.”

Kill.

Monster isn't roaring anymore.

And that might be worse.

The Wolf has gone deadly fucking quiet.

I understand him perfectly.

Not rage.