Page 40 of Knotted By the Demon

“I’m going to the store. I’ll close the shutters while I’m gone. Don’t open them unless it’s an emergency.”

Greek and Sofia exchanged a glance, their expressions too innocent to be real.

“Promise me,” I added, the tone rough, almost pleading. “Promise you won’t open the shutters while I’m gone.”Don’t let anyone in, and please don’t leave me. Promise me.

“We promise,” Sofia replied in that sweet voice of hers, though the glint in her eyes made me suspicious.

My Little Fox was up to something. Her smile widened. My chest ached, not wanting to leave them. My gaze drifted toGreek, who gifted me with a shy smile. Could an alpha have a heart attack from being smiled at by the people he craved? I felt I was on the verge of finding out.

I turned on my heel, unable to handle the overwhelming pull of their presence any longer. Their scents followed me like ghosts as I left the house, haunting me, ensuring I didn’t forget them. How could I forget them when they were my wildest dreams and greatest longings brought to life?

I went to work pulling down the shutters over the doors and windows, locking them inside. If something happened and they needed to flee the cabin, the shutters could still be opened from the inside. Once I was done, I strode down the steps of my porch and looked back at my home.

I inhaled deeply. The scent blockers were doing their job, masking the scents of those inside my home. Part of me wanted to stay. I feared someone venturing onto my territory while I was gone. Though that was unlikely, it was still a fear. Another part of me knew there were essentials I’d be unable to get once the storm hit, so I needed to get them now.

I wouldn’t be gone long. Nothing would happen while I was gone. I hoped. I prayed. I continued staring at the cabin. If I didn’t walk away now, I never would. I took a step back, eyes still glued to the front door. They were safe in there. Nothing and no one could hurt them. I took another step back.

Sighing at how damn ridiculous I was being, I turned and headed to my truck. Sliding into the vehicle, the first thing I did was open the glove compartment and get out a bottle of blocker spray. I sprayed myself, knowing their scents still clung to me. Then, I sprayed the truck before tossing the spray back into the glove compartment.

Keeping my scent masked had become a means of survival over the years. Without blockers, I would’ve been caught years ago and forced to pay for my crimes before the pack that hadturned me into the broken alpha I am today. Those who wanted me dead hadn’t caught up with me yet.

That was only because I never stayed in one spot too long. And now, I was dangerously close to them, only because sometimes hiding in plain sight was the best move sometimes. But now I had Greek and Sofia with me. I shuddered to think of what would happen to them if my enemies found me now.

I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. Nothing would happen because my old pack wouldn’t find me. They wouldn’t find us. I’d make damn sure of that. Or maybe I should take the fight to my old pack and stop running from them. Fear had never been my reason for fleeing.

I didn’t want to kill my brother. That was the only reason I tried to stay off the grid and off his radar. I knew if he found me, he’d end me with no hesitation. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to do the same to him. We weren’t close. Never had been. Never would be. But he was the only family I had left.

Killing him didn’t sit well with me. That was before Sofia and Greek trespassed into my life. For them, I’d kill any threat that came my way. Even Lucius Thorn, my baby brother. The brother who wanted me dead because I’d murdered our father. I turned the radio up and let it play as I drove, hoping it would drown out the memories trying to surface.

A news update on the storm came across the air. The storm was now a category-three hurricane but was projected to drop to a category-two before coming ashore. It had slowed down. Our area was currently under a tornado watch, and the first bands of the storm would come onto land in about two hours. Plenty of time for me to shop and make it home.

Home. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. My cabin, indeed, felt like a home now. I’d do whatever it took to keep it feeling that way. I’d kill whoever I needed to kill to keep it feeling that way.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DEMON

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The fluorescent lights of the general store buzzed faintly over the aisles of mismatched goods. I hadn’t set foot in this place in nearly a year, maybe longer. Usually, I called ahead and had my things delivered to the edge of my property, where I met the delivery associate and paid cash for my items to avoid people, questions, and stares.

However, today, I couldn’t let anyone near my cabin, nearthem. My jaw tightened at the thought of Greek and Sofia, tucked away in my home, their scents still lingering in every corner, on every surface. The thought of someone else catching even a trace of their combined fragrances made something low in my chest rumble, a deep, involuntary sound that escaped before I could stop it.

A beta male down the aisle jolted, wide-eyed, clutching a pack of batteries like it might save him from me. He scrambled off, leaving the aisle empty except for me and my cart. I sighed, forcing the growl back down, reminding myself not to be growly and scare the other shoppers.

I turned my attention to the shelves, trying to focus on my task. I needed supplies. Soft things for Greek. I didn’t reallyknow what he liked. I could take him shopping later, but for now, I needed to bring back something that might make him feel wanted and, most importantly, safe. My eyes landed on a few throw pillows, zeroing in on three specific colors.Red, beige, and blue.

The red reminded me of Sofia, her fiery hair and even fiercer spirit. The beige reminded me of Greek’s hair, pale blond like the morning sun. My fingers hesitated over the blue pillow. It matched my eyes, sure, but would they want something that reminded them of me? Would it feel like an intrusion or, worse, a claim they didn’t want?

I stood there, second-guessing myself, until frustration crept in. With a low grunt, I tossed the blue pillows into the cart alongside the others. If they didn’t like them, they could toss them. But at least I’d tried. The blankets were next, soft ones that were of much better quality than the scratchy ones I had at home.

My fingers brushed over a fleece throw. I picked it up, testing its texture. It was plush and warm. Something that would feel good against Greek’s skin. Something that might help it sink in that he wasn’t in that hellhole anymore. I didn’t know all the details. Actually, I had no details. But I knew he’d escaped something horrific.

I wanted to do everything I could to help him get rid of those bad memories. I grabbed a few of the fleece throws in the same colors as the pillows and threw them into the cart. The store didn’t have much clothing, but I grabbed a few things I hoped would fit Greek and Sofia. The stares hadn’t stopped since I walked in, and I could feel every pair of eyes in the store on me.

It wasn’t just my size that drew attention, though that was part of it. Alphas were usually big, but I was bigger, broader. Taller. Scarred. And I was wearing shades indoors. Needless to say, I stood out in a crowd. And that wasn’t good. Not forsomeone like me. I glanced around, feeling the familiar itch of regret. Coming here had been a mistake.

I was an alpha on the run, but this? This felt like a reckless decision, a moment of weakness that I shouldn’t have allowed. Yet here I was. It was too late to turn back now. I reminded myself that no one from my father’s pack had tracked me here. No one had asked questions in years. I’d been careful. Always careful.

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