Page 50 of Knot A Chance

“Fine,” I said in defeat. I traced my thumb over the mark on Felix’s neck.

If only I’d claimed him already.

There had been so many moments when it had felt natural to make him mine and I’d resisted over and over again, waiting for him to be as sure about me as I was about him. When we’d spent his heat together, the ache in my jaw to bite him had been so strong that I’d bitten the inside of his leg once, breaking the skin before blowing him. He’d screamed for me to make him his, but I knew it’d been the heat talking. We’d only been on one date, and I’d promised to wait for him.

Every day since then, I’d wanted to claim him and show him that I would be here for him forever.

I thought we had plenty of time.

“You could solve this problem if you wanted to,” Carissa said, gesturing to Felix’s neck.

Julia narrowed her eyes. “She’s right. Why haven’t you claimed him?”

My eyes stung from having to explain this again. “I love him too much not to be patient. With his history, he deserves to be sure that I’m who he wants forever.”

They both looked at me with sympathy before looking at each other.

“How can you tell we’re true mates?” I asked.

If everyone else can tell, I’m finding it hard to believe Felix couldn’t have known. Did he not want to be bonded?

“We see a lot of couples here, Bennett. People so in love that you can see it in their eyes,” Julia said. “But when I watch someone sit next to the bedside of their true mate, they look like their soul has been sucked out of their body. Since the moment I met you, I could tell your soul was lying in that hospital bed with Felix.”

“That would be kind of beautiful if it wasn’t so tragic,” I said.

She shook her head. “It’s only tragic when they don’t wake up.”

Julia and Carissa left the room, assuring me that Dr. Tanaka would be in to check on him soon.

Interlude

Vargkung

June

“Don’t you think this changes things?” she asked through the speaker phone. I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes at Luna.

This is precisely why I don’t deal with the peons in my organization. They’re really very annoying, and I couldn’t care less about their feelings.

Alas, Silver had been called away to deal with other things, and I was the one stuck on the phone with the nurse Luna had recruited for us several years ago.

I muted the phone. “Is she always this dramatic?” I asked. “Why the fuck did you bond her and get her involved with us? I find her voice very grating.”

Luna shrugged and gave me a sly smile. “She has great access to drugs and she gives good head. Better than you.”

“Huh,” I said. “Can I give her a try?”

“Can’t speak for how she handles a dick, but you’re welcome to join us and find out.”

“It would seem a much more interesting thing for her mouth to be doing than how she’s using it now with the way she’s prattling on.”

I sighed deeply and unmuted the phone. “If this alpha hasn’t claimed him, then no, it changes nothing. I want the bond between Ryder and Felix broken. At this point, I don’t care how you stupid fuckers do it. Kill one of them. Kill them both. Hold Ryder at gunpoint until he reverses the bond.”

Hey, that one’s actually entertaining. Maybe I should do that.

“Ryder doesn’t know what he’s doing at all. He’s a loose cannon, sir,” the female on the phone said. “You’re risking too much exposure.”

“I still think he’ll be useful to me.”