Page 117 of In Knots

Simon’s grip falls away and when I peer in his direction, I find him wrestling with Bear. I scrabble on my hands and knees towards them, Simon’s forearm jammed under Bear’s chin, his face turning purple. I scream and Bear flips the smaller man over his head, crashing his body against the stone floor.

“Stay back, Omega,” Bear growls through his teeth.

Around us there are shouts and screams. Everyone is fighting. My father’s men, the pack, the motorcycle club, Simon’s friends, Jonathan. Fists swing, legs kick, fingers scrape. Bodies tangle together, men swearing and grunting.

My mother cowers in the corner and the vicar has disappeared behind the altar.

I peer through the skirmish and catch Cam’s eyes as he swings his fist at one of Simon’s friends. Ryan punches at a man who blocks his path to my father and Buzz has another man in a headlock.

I swing my gaze around, desperate to help, unsure how I can.

“Alexa!” my mother beckons from the far end of a bench, huddling against the wall with my aunts.

I shake my head and turn back to the foray.

One man lies slumped on the floor now, another cradles his bloodied nose and a third is backing away. My pack is winning. It’s clear they’re winning.

I twist back to Bear, his hands are at Simon’s throat, and this time it’s his turn to squeeze the air from Simon’s lungs.

“No,” I scream, rushing towards him and tugging on his arm. “No, Bear, don’t!”

“He was going to claim you, Alexa!” He presses on Simon’s windpipe, and the man scrabbles at the fingers around his neck, his heels skidding helplessly along the smooth tombstone beneath him. “Force you! Steal you away forever!”

“It’s OK. I’m safe now. He isn’t worth this.” I yank on his arm, seeing the murderous look on his face. “Please, Bear. If you do this, they’ll take you away forever and I can’t lose you.” His eyes flick to mine and his features soften, his fingers loosen. Simon heaves in air, gasping and choking, and I pull Bear away.

The pack and the motorcycle club have the other men where they want them now and the church is suddenly silent apart from panting breaths and Simon’s coughs.

“Kiddo,” Jonathan says to me. “Time to get out of here.”

I pick up the skirt of my dress and run down the aisle, reaching up onto my toes to kiss his cheek.

“Go on, go,” he repeats. “I’m sure someone in the neighbourhood will have called the police.” I glance at my father who stands to one side, my mother sobbing on his shoulder. The other guests have vanished, disappeared into thin air, and I wonder what tales they’ll soon be spinning. “Don’t worry, kiddo. He won’t try anything like this again.” Jonathan glowers at my father. “Not if he doesn’t want me to spill some of my secrets.”

Cam’s palm rests on my shoulder. “Little one?” he asks. I collapse against him and he scoops me up into his arms, peppering kisses on my neck, hurrying along the stone path, the others right behind us. “We need to get you away from here. Need to get you home.”

Home. That sounds amazing. Safe and warm.

He stops by his bike and places me gently on the ground. Then he climbs aboard and kicks up the stand. I don’t wait for an invitation, I jump up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, leaning into him, inhaling his scent. Around us the others climb onto their bikes too. Engines growl. Cam’s bike vibrates. And then we’re moving. Sailing out of the churchyard and through the streets, away from the chaos behind us.

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