Page 45 of Knot All Is Ruined: Part 2

Chapter twenty-one

With my heart in my throat at Cris’ words, I prayed to the fates that the pack would be strong enough to hold on a little longer. Not to mention I’m fairly certain it’s also the one with the C-4 in it. None of the guys had liked me being so close to it, so they rotated it between them all, and Cris had just been given it.

“Grab my leg,” Lucian instructed, speaking slowly and clearly.

Cris finally responded and twisted to get at a better angle to grab Lucian’s leg. Once Cris was able to grab tight around his calf, he reached out to Lucian’s other leg and grabbed that one too. Now that he wasn’t dangling just by the pack's straps, I felt marginally better.

“Now, you’re gonna need to work your way up until you can wrap your arms around my waist. Toma and Petru are on the other end of this rope, but I don’t want them pulling us up until I know you’re secure,” Lucian informed him.

The Beta nodded and reached up a hand to Lucian’s belt, gripping it tightly as he tried to drag himself up. Lucian had one hand still holding the pack, but his other hand was clasped around Cris’s bicep trying to lift him as the other pulled. I didn’t think they would be able to do it on pure upper body strength alone, but Lucian pulled through. With a roar of desperation, the Alpha made a snap judgment and released his hold on the pack. Cris started to slip with the sudden change in weight, but Lucian already had his hand under Cris’s armpits and hauled the man up.

My mouth fell open as I could see the muscles bulging in Lucian’s arms and veins popping out on the side of his neck. There was no question if that man was giving it his all and then some. It did the trick, though, and Cris not only could wrap his legs around Lucian’s waist but also managed to grab the rope that was between them.

“Pull,” Sorin bellowed.

Instantly Toma and Petru got to work slowly pulling the two men up until Cris could grab the edge and pull himself up with Lucian shoving from below. Free of the double weight, it was much easier for Lucian to get dragged over the trim back on solid ground. Tears streamed down my face as both men were safe.

“I don’t know how many times my heart can take something like that,” I sobbed as Victor wrapped me up in a hug. “But I know I can’t ask you not to do your job or be who you are, and I don’t want to. That was just so scary. I almost lost them both.”

“Shh, Little Spark, everything is going to be okay,” Victor reassured me, rubbing my back.

Gripping his shirt tightly, I shook my head. “How can you say that? We have no idea what we’re getting into once we cross this river. Everything from this point is unknown.”

He pulled me back and searched my face. “You’re absolutely right. Past this point, we don’t know what’s going to happen or what dangers we might face. Though, you could say that about every day you open your eyes. There’s no way to tell what a day will hold, but one thing I do know for certain is that I have all of you right by my side. As long as we face life head-on with each other, then it doesn’t matter what happens.”

I let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh. “Who are you, and what have you done with my cynical Vicky?”

“What can I say, this sassy little Omega showed up one day and made me realize that giving a shit might not be all that bad,” Victor said with a grin and a shrug. “Now, I’m going to kiss you, tell you I love you, and throw your ass across this gap, okay?”

My eyes grew wide, and I started to shake my head but his lips fused to mine with so much need and promise. He nuzzled his nose against mine in an unusually adorable moment, then pulled back. “I love you more than I’ve loved anything or anyone ever in my life. If anything ever happened to you, I’m pretty sure I’d either kill myself or run headfirst into battle hoping someone would put me out of my misery. Now knowing that, I need you to trust me and not fight against what I’m about to do.”

I was scooped up, spun, and launched across the gap with no time to have any feelings on the matter. My mind didn’t even catch up in time to scream before another set of arms snatched me out of the air. Lucian’s chocolate and cinnamon scent swirled around me and that was all I needed before I grabbed his face to kiss the fuck out of him. Meeting my need with his own as he started to purr, I wanted nothing more than to cling to him forever, but he wasn’t the only one I needed. Ripping my lips away from his, I looked around for Cris and spotted him nearby.

Reaching out a hand to him as I pleaded with my eyes for him to take it. He did, much faster than I thought, and soon my lips were being devoured by Cris’s. The two men sandwiched me between them, pressing kisses anywhere they could, desperate to know that we were all still alive and in one piece. When we finally calmed down, Lucian set me on my feet letting his hand linger on my ass. Cris held my hand tightly, interlocking our fingers as if afraid he’d lose his grip on me.

“Thank fuck you’re both all right,” I blurted. “Don’t you ever fucking scare me like that again, or you’re not sleeping in the puppy pile.”

“I’m sorry… the what?” Cris asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

“The puppy pile, you know, when we all sleep together at night,” I explained, confused as to why they were puzzled.

Lucian chuckled and pressed a kiss to my head. “You’ve always had your cute moments, My Heart, but since you’ve been marked they happen far more often, and I love it.”

“I see. Well, keep teasing me and see just how cute I am once you’ve pissed me off,” I shot back. “Alphas, you certainly know how to take a moment and ruin the sentimentality of it.”

Cris gripped my jaw and turned me to face him, placing a sweet kiss on my lips. “Be nice, he saved my life, you know. I think that earns him some slack.”

I melted at the emotions I could feel from him and realized that he’s been shutting me out. Since I didn’t have a direct bond with him I assumed it wouldn’t be as strong, but if what I was feeling now was any indication, he’d been definitely holding out on me.

“Hey, any chance we can come join the party?” Victor yelled, breaking us apart. “I think it might be best if we get a rope attached to Sorin before I chuck him over.”

This got the guys moving, and in mere moments they were ready to get the last two of our pack across. Sorin was able to make it easily enough with them pulling along with Victor’s added momentum. Using the same method, Victor ran full out as Sorin and Lucian pulled him with Toma and Petru standing at the edge to grab him when he got close enough. Thank fuck they were there too as Victor’s boot slipped on the edge, the rock crumbling under his weight. Swiftly they latched onto his arms yanking him forward. Sagging against Cris, I was relieved to have this over and know all my men were safe and sound.

As much as I wanted us to take a moment, Sorin was adamant that we kept going. “We’re too out in the open here. I would feel better if we kept pushing and found a good spot to rest early tonight.”

The promise of this day being over sooner than later had me grabbing my pack. “You heard the Alpha. Let’s go.”

The guys all chuckled at my imitation of Victor but gathered their packs all the same. Forging on deeper into the mountain’s foothills, our pace slowed with the unsteady footing. There was no established path, so we made it up as we went. I trusted Sorin to make the best call, however. Eventually, I heard the sound of running water and tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. None of us could see the source, but after we made it over the crest of the hill we’d been climbing, we found ourselves in a pretty grotto with a small waterfall flowing. The pool of water looked clear, fresh, and inviting.