Page 78 of Knot All that Glitters: Part 1

I’ve always hated this man. Ever since I first learned about him, I’ve hated him. So I’m surprised at the sharp spike of it in my chest as I look at him now. Knowing how he’s treated his daughter, possibly the sweetest woman I’ve ever met, makes me hate him even more.

I can’t fucking wait until we can end him.

“Gentlemen,” He says, running a hand down the front of his jacket much the same way his bodyguard had. I wonder who is emulating who. “How can I help you today?”

Hale takes the lead, as he always does. “We’re here to see Haven.”

The expression on the older alpha’s face doesn’t falter, he just keeps smiling at us. “Are you?” He glances over his shoulder up at the house. “Well, I’m afraid she’s not here. She’s meeting with a wedding planner.”

All the blood drains from my face and my mouth is suddenly dry. “What?” I can’t stop myself from asking.

Now the politician’s expression changes, forming into a mask of pity. “A wedding planner. For the wedding.”

“Who’s?” This time it’s Tic that asks. “You getting married, senator?”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “No, no. Not me. Haven is.” He says it so simply, like it's a fact. Like he’s known this tobe the case for a while now, and not at all like it’s something he’s just pulling out of his ass at the moment.

Bell tilts his head and considers us. “Did she not tell you that while you had her locked away in your pack house doing god knows what to her?”

I have to give him props for his acting. He almost sounds like an overprotective papa there. But we know the truth.

Hale shakes his head slowly. “You know, Senator. She didn’t mention it. Not once.”

The senator sighs and moves closer to us, shaking his head. “I’m sorry about that, boys. Truly. Haven is… difficult. I’ve done my best to keep her under control, but sometimes she just acts out like this. I apologize if she led you on, or made you think this was something more than what it was?”

“What was it?” Creed growls.

If Bell senses my pack mate is about three point four seconds away from ripping his head off, he doesn’t show it. No, he just gives him that same pitying look from before. “Cold feet, I’m afraid. She’s just nervous about her pending nuptials.” He glances around like he’s about to tell us a fucking secret. “But I know she couldn’t be happier. She’s such a good girl normally.”

“Why haven’t you announced it to the media?” Tic asks, sounding curious, like he isn’t also a writhing mass of rage inside.

“We wanted to keep the joy to ourselves for a bit before we send out the announcements.”

“Right,” our prime says, sounding perfectly at ease. “That makes sense. You understand our confusion though, seeing as she made no mention of it to us during the time we spent together.”

The senator grins. “Like I said, cold feet. She wouldn’t exactly tell you she’s cheating, would she?” He glances over his shoulder at the bodyguard. “Speaking of, I can trust you won’t goto the media with this, correct? She’s a very confused omega and can’t make up her mind. Her struggle with her instincts is very real. She has little slip ups. But she doesn’t mean any harm.”

I bite back the snort of disbelief at that. Turning Haven’s time with us into a matter of the instincts he views as so abhorrent, making everything about this her fault. On her shoulders, as though we are in no way to blame at all. Never mind that we approached her.

“Of course, you know you can count on our discretion,” Hale says with an amiable smile on his face. “I must apologize to you too on behalf of my pack. I’m sure you understand had we known we would never have-”

“Of course not. Of course not. Your pack has been one of my biggest supporters this campaign season. I know you would never do anything to jeopardize everything we’ve accomplished.”

That’s the kicker. In order to see our revenge through, we had to get close to him. And for a man like Bell, the easiest way to get close to him is to support his ambitions with money. Lots of fucking money. What he doesn’t know is every penny we’ve ‘donated’ to his campaign has come directly from his hidden accounts in the Caymans. It’s quite a lovely little bit of code I wrote there. Hiding that we’ve all but drained his personal accounts there to fund that campaign that is going to fail.

Frederick Bell will not be re-elected. Not this year. Never again.

We’ll destroy him before that ever happens.

“We’d really love to congratulate the happy couple,” Hale says, still smiling at our greatest enemy.

The senator nods, though his smile is a bit on the strained side. “Of course. I’ll make sure Haven adds you to the guest list for the engagement party. I know Brian would love to have you there. You’ve all worked so closely together. And I’ll keep Havenunder control, warm those feet of hers right up, so you won’t have to worry about her approaching you.”

“Brian Coogan. That’s who she’s marrying?” Creed sounds just as disgusted as I feel about it. But once again, Bell doesn’t react.

He just beams at us. “That’s right. They’ve been dating for a couple of years now. And the timing just seemed right.” Bullshit. Every fucking word out of his mouth is bullshit. “She really couldn’t be happier about it.”

There’s no way that’s true. None. No omega would be happy to marry a man who doesn’t respect her rights, her instincts, her fucking body.

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