Page 10 of Knot Unwanted: Part Two

His grip tightens. “Promise me, Ren.”

The weight of his request settles on my shoulders.

“I promise.” The words bind me like a blood oath.

His grip loosens then, relief flickering across his face as the paramedics prepare to move him. “I’ll be at the hospital,” I whisper, but Finn tries to shake his head.

“Go,” he whispers. “Leave me. Focus on finding her.” The naked fear in his voice slices through layers of rage and determination to the raw guilt beneath.

I’ve left him before. Left him to wake up in a hospital bed without me. Left him to heal alone while I drowned in my own guilt.

And then I left again after what I did to Hailey. After my fists closed around her throat and I almost strangled the life out of her.

I’m a mess. Always running.

It’s time that ends.

Today.

Now.

“I’ll make this right,” I tell him, and in that moment, I mean it more than I’ve ever meant anything. “I’ll bring her back, Finn. I’ll bring her home.”

His eyes flutter closed, the sedative they’ve administered finally taking effect. The paramedics move him toward the ambulance, and I follow long enough to see him settled, to press one last kiss to his forehead, to whisper the promise again.

Then I turn back toward the gala, every muscle in my body taut with barely contained rage.

Veyra is still in there. Still playing her role, still pretending to be nothing more than a successful businesswoman attending a charity event.

And I’m going to rip that mask off in front of everyone.

“Ren, wait,” Jax calls after me, concern evident in his voice. “Where are you going?”

“To get answers,” I snarl, not slowing my pace.

“You need to think about,” Jax says, catching up to me, his hand clamping down on my arm. “If Veyra is who Finn says she is?—”

“She is.” The certainty in my voice brooks no argument. “And she’s going to tell me where Hailey is.”

“Not like this,” Jax insists, stepping in front of me, blocking my path. He lowers his voice to a hiss. “Not in the middle of a gala, with witnesses everywhere.”

“Get out of my way, Jax.”

“You go in there like this, you’ll only make things worse.” His gaze is steady on mine. “You think Veyra doesn’t have security? Connections? You think she won’t have you thrown out—or worse—if you make a scene?”

“I don’t care.” And it’s true. I don’t care about consequences, about witnesses, about anything except finding Hailey. “Every minute we waste is another minute she’s in their hands.”

“And if you get yourself arrested? Or injured? Or killed? How does that help Hailey? How does that help Finn?” Jax’s voice drops even lower, his alpha command bleeding into it. “Use your head, Ren. Not your rage.”

For a moment, I consider shoving him aside. I could do it. Even if he used pack dominance on me, he couldn’t stop me if I was determined enough.

And I am.

But the rational part of my brain—the part not consumed by primal protective fury—knows he’s right. Confronting Veyra head-on, in public, with nothing but accusations and threats, won’t get Hailey back. It might even put her in more danger.

“Fine,” I grit out, though every instinct screams at me to fight, to chase, to destroy. “What’s your brilliant plan, then?”

“First, we calm down,” Jax says, his grip on my arm loosening slightly. He adjusts my jacket, gaze shifting to a few of the guests still lingering outside and shooting us side glances. “Then we go back in there, find Veyra, and watch her. See who she talks to, who she leaves with. Get information, not confrontation.”

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