Page 116 of Believe it or Knot

The rest of them follow on his heels, the door slamming shut behind them. A lock sounds on the other side of the door. “Well, fuck,” Sadie says, sagging into her chair, but only for a moment, before she tugs at her wrists, hissing when the ropes bite into her flesh. “Fucking assholes tied it too fucking tight.”

Vee hums, and I turn my attention to her. She is also working at her ropes, trying to get them undone. Overall, they’re… really fucking calm about this. Like way too calm. At least outwardly. Their scents are telling a different story, turning acrid with fear, but they aren’t letting it control them.

“We need to get out of here,” I mutter. “Who knows what Apex will do to the two of you.”

“And you, to get us to comply,” Vee says.

Guilt I shouldn’t be feeling pinches me. It’s not like I asked to be kidnapped and drugged and used to make my two best friends behave.

Sadie makes a little growling noise. “It’s not going to fucking happen. My pack is probably already tearing the world apart to find me. They’ll get here in time.”

Vee makes another noise of agreement. “Yeah, you’re right. Our packs will find us.”

It’s not the time to have a swell of heartbreak. I have bigger things to worry about than that the Cordova pack didn’t want to keep me and that Gage apparently thinks I’m someone who would trade sex and a bond for material wealth. But I can’t help it.

Sadie and Sylvie both have mates would burn the world for them. Pack that will stop at nothing to bring them back, to save them. I’ll be saved too, but only because I’m with them. If it was just me that was taken, if Sadie and Sylvie had made it safely back to their packs, no one would come for me.

“Hey,” Sadie says, voice softer. “We’re going to get out of this, Sor. I promise.”

I take a deep breath and nod. “I know.”

As new footsteps sound outside the room we’re in, I push away the heartbreak and focus on what’s important. Escape. If not for me, then for my two best friends.

No matter what, I will make sure they make it back to their packs.

Even if I don’t make it out at all.

Track 27: Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)

Hearing from Swift that Sylvie and Sadie had also been taken did very little to soothe me. Especially when it became clear they were vulnerable, on the road from Lake Kilrose to Granton, because they were with Sorrel, helping her mend her broken heart… the heart we shattered so fucking carelessly.

But then, the two omegas are their own type of danger, as we’re just now learning.

We’re at the Falcone penthouse, with the Falcone and Werth packs, and they’re sharing some new information about their omegas.

Stuff that Sorrel never told us. Things we probably should have known to be able to better protect her. Information I hope she would have shared once we were officially with her once we’d made the announcement of our intentions to court Sorrel. But we never got the chance.

A month ago, Sylvie’s crazy doctor kidnapped her and forced her into a heat because they wanted her slick and hormones, trying to create a serum that can make omegas.

Sadie, it seems, lived her life as a beta, because her crazy doctor, that she’d been going to since she was eight, suppressed her omega for years. He’d used her blood and hormones to turn another beta, Claudia Poole, into an omega.

I didn’t even know that was possible. It shouldn’t be. The thought of it makes me feel sick. But I believe both these packs as they relay the information. What reason would they have to lie?

Even if I really don’t want to. Especially when they tell us who is behind the tests.

Apex Pharmaceuticals.

One of the biggest drug companies in the world has our girls. Is running tests and who knows what else on them.

I’m not a naturally aggressive person. In general, I’m easygoing. But the thought of anyone running tests on Sorrel makes me feel damn near feral. The same way I did when Patrick had her pinned to the wall and when we confronted the Stillwell pack. Violence thrums through my veins, and I need to hurt someone. Someone who hurt my girl.

But I can already tell that’s not going to happen. Not if the way Gray keeps glancing at me as they formulate a plan is any indication. And sure enough, when it comes time to assign roles, he strikes.

“I want you to stay here,” Grayson tells me, one of his hands on my shoulder, messaging gently.

“Ha, funny. No way in hell I’m staying here while all of you go on a rescue mission for our beta.”

Gray’s hand slides up to the nape of my neck, collaring me. “Sweetheart, I need you to stay where it’s safe. You can’t put yourself in danger.”

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