Page 137 of Knot Their Arrangement

A massive SUV –one of our pursuers– has been expertly maneuvered into colliding with a traffic light post, taking another vehicle with it in a spectacular display of precision driving.

Our collective gazes slowly shift to Rhett, who maintains an expression of pure innocence as he whistles some upbeat tune.

His eyes remain fixed on the road ahead while he casually signals a lane change, cutting across four lanes of traffic to reach the emergency lane with surgical precision.

The van doesn't so much as sway despite the aggressive maneuver, a testament to both the vehicle's modification and Rhett's exceptional skill.

The silence in the van grows pointed as we process what just happened. Rhett merely shrugs, the picture of nonchalance.

"What?"

"Remind me not to piss you off," Kieran sighs, though I catch the slight upturn of his lips that suggests both exasperation and admiration.

The knowledge that we're successfully en route to the airport, combined with visual confirmation that our pursuers have been neutralized, allows some of the tension to leak from my muscles.

Kamari's steady breathing beneath the mask provides additional reassurance – we got to her in time, and prevented whatever our enemies had planned.

Perhaps it's this sense of relative safety that finally allows the chemical agent to properly take hold.

My eyes grow increasingly heavy, my head wanting to drift forward despite my best efforts to maintain alertness. Years of training scream at me to fight it, to stay conscious until we reach complete safety, but my body has other ideas.

A gentle touch to my forehead stops the forward momentum.

Through increasingly heavy eyelids, I manage to focus on Damon kneeling before us, one hand steadying me while the other maintains a firm grip on Kamari's breathing apparatus.

The sight of him managing both tasks with such careful attention makes something warm unfurl in my chest.

I try to assure him that I'm fine, that I can maintain consciousness until we reach our destination, but the words refuse to form.

Instead of accepting my unspoken protest, he leans forward until our lips meet in a kiss that somehow manages to be both brief and deeply meaningful.

The contact carries none of our usual heat or passion. Instead, it feels like a promise, an assurance that transcends our complicated dynamic. In this moment, he's not just my Alpha or my occasional lover – he's my partner, my protector, the one person I trust completely to handle things when I can't.

"Just rest," he murmurs against my lips, his voice carrying that particular tone of command that bypasses all my usual resistance. "I'll handle the rest."

Those words, combined with the growing heaviness in my limbs, make it impossible to keep fighting.

I've done my part – gotten Kamari out safely, and maintained function long enough to ensure our escape. Now I can pass the responsibility to my Alpha, to the man I've spent years pretending not to love despite every instinct drawing me to him.

As consciousness slips away, I find comfort in knowing that Damon will protect both me and our Omega.

He'll guide us into whatever new territory awaits, and handle whatever challenges arise while I recover. It's a level of trust I never expected to develop with anyone, let alone someone who walks the line between law and crime with such careful precision.

The last thing I register is the solid warmth of his presence, the way he arranges himself to support both me and Kamari as the van continues its journey.

Even through the growing darkness, I can sense his protective aura enveloping us both – the criminal mastermind who commands empires choosing to focus entirely on keeping his detective and their newly discovered Omega safe.

The world fades to black as the van speeds toward our destination, carrying us away from danger and toward whatever future awaits.

We're a pack…this is going to be what we fight for.

And nothing –not chemical attacks, not pursuing enemies, not even my own stubborn resistance to admitting deeper feelings– can change that fundamental truth that we want this to be everlasting.

As consciousness finally releases its hold completely, I give myself over to that certainty, knowing that when I wake, they'll have ensured we're all safe.

Together.

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