Page 238 of Knot What I Expected

“You saved your son. You saved yourself. You got both of you out.”

“I should've left sooner.”

“No.”

“I should've fought⁠—”

“No.”

My dominance slips into the word. Not to control her.

Never that.

To stop the poison before she can swallow any more of it. Her amber eyes widen.

“You survived until you could run. Then you made the decision to save your baby and got the fuck out.”

I wipe the tears from her cheeks.

“That's what happened. And I am so fucking proud of you, Honey Girl.”

Her lower lip trembles.

“But he's still looking for us.”

There it is.

The threat.

Monster rises.

This time, I don't push him down. I let just enough of the Wolf come forward for my eyes to burn, my canines to lengthen.

Gabby watches me.

She doesn't recoil. Doesn't look afraid.

If anything, the matebond warms.

She trusts the monster.

Fuck.

I lower my forehead to hers.

“Then he can keep looking.”

“Rowan—”

“Because if Ethan finds you now, Honey Girl, he finds me.”

My thumb brushes across her cheek.

“And Wreck.”

Another tear slips free.

“And Justin.”