Page 81 of Knot A Chance

“You startled me.”

“Mhm,” he said. “More like I disgust you now. Come here.”

He pulled on my arm, and I moved to the edge of the seat and tipped my head to the side to expose my neck. The neglected bond hummed between us. It had been three years since we’d been near each other like this, and it felt like the bond was trying to wake up after a period of hibernation.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as he hesitated.

“Please, Ryder,” I said.

He took a deep breath and moved closer, his breath warm on my neck.

“Felix,” Ryder said, voice tight. He hovered over my scent gland, breathing in and out slowly.

“What?” I asked, meeting his eyes.

His gaze pierced mine, and the look on his face was one that I hadn’t seen in so long I’d almost forgotten it existed.

It was genuine affection.

He shook his head. “I can’t do it. I can’t let you go. And if this is the only way to get you back, then I’m so sorry. You may not need me anymore, but I still need you.”

My heart rate kicked up. “What are you talking ab—”

The sharp sting of the needle made me gasp and I looked down, watching in horror as Ryder injected my left arm with the heroin he’d brought. Warmth flooded my body as the drug flowed through my veins, the instant euphoria mixing with despair making me dizzy.

“Why did you do that?” I asked.

“Because you were wrong. We did love each other, and I know you can love me again.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head as I leaned back in my seat, resting against the headrest. “No. Bennett. I need Bennett. Call Bennett, please. Please, I need my alpha.”

“I can be your alpha again, Felix,” Ryder said, leaning over me. “I can, I promise I can. You always loved me most when you were high.”

Tears rolled down my face and my limbs grew heavy. “No. Only Bennett. He’s the one.”

My eyelids were too heavy to keep open.

I’ll close them for a minute and then I can call Bennett.

“What the fuck are you doing?” a male voice said. “Why is he still alive?”

“Because I’m not going to kill him, okay? I don’t need to be promoted or what the fuck ever, I just want Felix back.”

Am I dreaming?

I turned my head to the side and parted my eyelids just enough to see a man whose face I couldn’t make out arguing with Ryder. He leaned over Ryder. “Did you bring enough to kill him like you were supposed to?”

“Yes, but I’m not doing it,” Ryder said. “Just let us be. I’ll take him away. We’ll leave you and Vargkung and everyone else behind and we won’t be a problem.”

Vargkung? Are they even speaking English anymore?

The man laughed. “You’re a fucking moron if you think that’s an option. Why do you think I’m here?”

He reached into Ryder’s pocket and fought him until he finally pulled another needle out of Ryder’s jacket and tossed Ryder from the car.

“Who are you?” I slurred.

“The person sent to clean up his mess,” he said. He picked up my left arm and pressed the needle to the same spot where Ryder had just injected me.