Page 75 of Knot Broken

Only for Nadia to let out a bone-cracking yawn.

“You’re getting tired,” Grey told her.

“Eh, I’ll watch another couple of episodes, then have a nap,” she replied, though she sounded drowsy.

“Omega…” Nadia shot Grey a rebellious look at his growly tone. “If you’re tired, your control will start fraying. You need to be well rested, just in case your wolf decides now is a good time to make an appearance.”

“Fine.” Her grudging reply was all that was needed for me to sweep her into my arms and start carrying her into the bedroom. “Tex!” She yelped as I kicked her door open. “You can’t keep carrying me around like a doll.”

“Watch me,” I said, flipping back the covers with one arm, then placing her on the bed with the other. Dragging the blankets up and around her, watching her nestle into the pillow, did something to me.

“If you really want to help,” she said, eyelids growing heavy. “You could lie down with me.”

“Not sure how much sleep you’d get, omega.”

“Just to snuggle.” Her hand grabbed mine, drawing me closer. “Please?” As if I could ever say no to her. Toeing off my shoes, I lay down beside her. “Mm… little spoon.”

I couldn’t stop myself from pressing a kiss to the back of her neck, of shifting a strand of hair off her face. She sighed and then her eyes fell closed. It felt like my eyes were burning in my head as I stared down at her. Every slow breath, every sigh, I caught them all, loving this small moment of intimacy.

Of course, I wasn’t allowed to just enjoy it.

“No…” Nadia barely breathed the word, but my whole body stiffened when I heard it. Perhaps because the wolf inside me came rushing to the fore. “Mm…” That little moan gave me hope, only to be dashed as her forehead creased. “No… no…”

“What’s going on?”

Grey came storming into the room, hands halfway to claws, ready to tear me a new one for doing something our mate didn’t like, only to find her starting to move on the bed. Slow, jerky things, then more violent movements.

Shit.

“She’s starting to shift.” As Grey said the words, Ethan appeared in the doorway in time for all three of us to see a fine layer of white fur form down her arms. “We need to get Riley and her team now.”

“Wait.” Ethan moved closer, not stopping until he was crouched beside the bed. “If she’s this close already, maybe it’s time.”

“Can’t wait to meet her wolf,” I said, lowering myself back down to press my nose into her hair, but when I did, the scent was far from sweet. Fear had this sour tang to it, anger, the stink of burned hair, and I got both.

“No…” She was shaking her head now, and when she clutched at the sheets, the sound of tearing fabric filled the air. “No, no.”

“Hey, baby.” My voice shook as I tried to say that in soothing tones, right before I picked her up in my arms. “It’s OK. You’re OK.” But she didn’t wake up. Lolling in my arms, her body was disturbingly limp. Like all the life was being sapped from her bones as the seconds ticked by. “Nadia?” I stroked her face, trying to wake her from her dream gently. “Love, you need⁠—”

“No!”

Whatever I had to say was cut off by her roar, because that was the moment her whole body went rigid. Muscles twitched and bones cracked as her entire back bowed.

“I’m calling for Riley.”

Grey slapped his hand down on the button on the wall, then dropped down onto the bed. His hands gripped hers, right as they spasmed. Claws buried themselves into his flesh, but a slight hiss was his only response.

“Nadia?” If I wondered how Ethan would take our mate’s first shift, I didn’t anymore. He moved swiftly, touching her cheeks, hair, arms. “Nadia, you’re in the middle of a dream and you need to wake up now. If you want…” He swallowed hard. “If now’s the time for your first shift, you need to wake up.”

“Why the fuck isn’t she waking up?” Grey snapped. “What’s wrong with her? Ethan!”

“Pretty sure she’s suppressing the wolf when she’s awake.” He studied her closely, placing a hand on her forehead. “Fuck, she’s burning up. Where’s Riley? Where’s any of the Taylor pack?”

“Maybe we don’t need them.” I curled Nadia closer. The way her muscles twitched and jerked agitated my wolf, but I forged on. “Maybe its just her pack that she needs.”

Of course, fate had to go and show me how wrong I was.

Nadia’s scream took all of my half-realised hopes and crushed them like a bug.