Page 16 of Rot In Knotty Pieces

“I know, I stole it.”

Blaze chortles. “It’s on her route.”

“Which she isn’t doing anymore because she’s in hiding. We need a week or two to get there. The rafts are waiting for us; the cabin will have a whole heap of what we need. We can stock up before we leave and be deep in the middle of nowhere by tomorrow.”

“All right, say we do this, how do you know this is going to work and we don’t end up with a fucked-up omega on our hands who can’t access her alters?”

“I don’t know that, not for certain, but I do know that they are all fighters, and Merle would come back to us if she could.”

“You really love her, don’t you?”

“I think I really love all of them. But Merle is the one I understand the best. She needs us. Merle needs her alphas. So, she will come back.”

Blaze picks up the map and inspects it again. “All right. Head down and get the supplies. We’ll let the others sleep as long as they can. At dawn, we head back out there.”

Roseland wraps a scarf around the lower part of Dove’s face and kisses her forehead.

“Now, remember, keep your head down and stay between us.”

She nods and climbs in the car.

I take a long look around, checking to make sure we aren’t being watched. There are a lot of trees out here, but I went out earlier and checked everywhere for any sign of surveillance, and I think we’re still safe. There’s always the chance I’ve missed something, but I don’t think I have.

I climb in beside Dove and take her hand.

A minute later, we’re driving towards the orange dawn, and the only place we can think of to make sure we keep these omegas safe.

At the cabin, Pix uses a key and drags out a whole heap of gear that we pick through. He goes inside and turns on a walkie-talkie.

“Cabin Three seeking romance and sexy ladies.”

“Go ahead, Cabin Three. We are fresh out of sexy ladies and romance but carry fleas and ticks galore.”

I raise an eyebrow. These Sandersons are freaking weird. I think that’s Mark Sanderson, but I’m not a hundred percent sure. I’m still seething over him climbing into our house and setting his fucking pack of dogs on us. He’s lucky he’s alive.

I’m not a fan of dogs, and being woken up like that was terrifying. Not going to lie. But having the gun pointed at my forehead and the harsh, bloodthirsty conversation that followed still has my temper burning.

Mark drew a line. If we wish to have any hope of a relationship with Pix, we can no longer threaten or work against Pix’s family. He promised he would destroy our chance with him if we didn’t obey. And then to prove how much power he had, the fucker got Pix on the line.

I don’t know how he did it.

But by the end of it, the truth was clear to see. Pix and Mark are a package deal. Consider him the annoying older brother none of us wanted.

God, he just played everyone like a fiddle. With dogs breathing down our necks, we listened to the entire conversation Mark had with Pix. His fake concern about us and begging Pix to come home.

The whole time, his pack of mutts was one step from tearing out our throats. I have to admit, Mark is more ruthless and smarter than I gave him credit for. Once he was off the phone, he’d grinned.

“Do we understand each other?”

Then he and his mutts just left. They fucking disappeared. I know, I checked. I absolutely am not terrified of that alpha and his dogs. But I am extremely cautious. I shudder just thinking about seeing him again.

He did let us know that the Prince Pack has forgiven us for blowing up their house and gave us a message. “Thank you for the chance to renovate.”

Assholes. All of them.

“Letting you know to abandon hope and enjoy that wet and wild,” Pix says to Mark.

There is a heavy pause.