Page 32 of Down Knot Out (Pack Alphas of Misty Pines #3)

The thought slips away as movement on the water catches my attention, where a white shape cuts across the bay, sunlight glinting off its wake.

The water taxi is early.

My heart lifts at the sight, my conversation with Emily forgotten as I track the boat’s approach. They’re early, a full hour ahead of schedule, but I can’t find it in me to care about the disruption to my day. Not when Chloe is on that boat, returning to where she belongs. With us.

With me.

Emily follows my line of sight across the water. “Looks like your people are back.”

I try to school my features into a semblance of professional interest rather than the hungry anticipation pulsing through my veins. “So they are.”

My feet are already moving, carrying me toward the path that winds down to the dock. Emily falls into step beside me, tablet tucked under her arm, her stride matching mine despite her shorter stature .

The last time I stood on these weathered boards, Chloe had just escaped Louie’s compound.

I’d frozen as she stepped off the boat, hollowed out and pale, her pink hair limp around her face, her movements stiff with pain and exhaustion.

I’d held myself back, unsure of my welcome, and watched while my bondmates stepped in to care for our Omega.

Not this time. I refuse to waste a single moment questioning where I belong.

The water taxi grows larger as it approaches, the noise of its engine carrying across the water. I spot two figures on the deck, Dominic standing at the rail in a dark suit that catches the breeze, and beside him, a smaller shape that can only be Chloe.

My pulse quickens. Even at a distance, she’s not the same girl who came to us shattered.

She stands tall now, shoulders squared, head high, no trace of the wounded woman.

As the boat approaches, I catch the gleam of her pink hair twisted into a flawless chignon, the clean lines of a navy blazer that molds to her curves.

The transformation stirs contradictory feelings within me. Pride at her confidence, a twist of unease at the change, and beneath it all, a fierce possessiveness that burns hotter with each meter the boat closes between us .

The water taxi slows as it approaches the dock, Kyle cutting the engine to a low rumble. Dominic spots us waiting and raises a hand in greeting. Even across the distance, I catch the exhaustion in his movements, the slight stiffness in how he holds his shoulders.

Whatever happened on the mainland took its toll.

As the boat glides the final few meters to the dock, Dominic vaults over the side without waiting for the vessel to be secured, landing on the wooden planks with practiced ease. The boat rocks in his wake, gentle waves lapping at the pilings.

“Line!” Kyle tosses a thick rope.

Dominic catches it with one hand, moving to secure the boat while nodding a greeting in my direction, and a current of silent communication passes between us. There’s important news to discuss with the pack.

I step forward as the boat makes contact with the dock’s rubber bumpers.

Chloe stands at the rail, her makeup still perfect despite the wind and salty spray of the ocean.

Up close, I see she wears a navy blazer over a silk blouse and tailored pants that accentuate her curves.

She looks like she belongs in a corporate boardroom, not our cozy cabin .

I move to stand in front of her and hold a hand out to help her disembark.

“Welcome back,” I say, the words inadequate for the relief flowing through me at seeing her safe.

Chloe’s pink eyes find mine, and her lips curve upward as she places her small hand in mine. Her skin feels cool from the wind over the water, her fingers slender and delicate compared to my larger ones. I guide her over the side of the boat onto solid wood.

The moment her heeled shoes touch the dock, all my careful restraint shatters.

I pull her into my arms, hands splaying across her back as I draw her close.

She’s taller than usual, the top of her head brushing my chin, but when she melts against me, her body still fits mine as if designed for this purpose.

Beneath the lingering traces of department store perfume and the faint chemical tang of hairspray, she smells like home.

“I missed you,” she whispers, the words warm puffs on my chest.

My arms tighten around her, one hand cradling the back of her head, careful not to disturb the elegant updo. “It’s only been a day.”

She burrows closer. “Felt longer.”

“Yeah.” Felt longer for me, too .

With her pressed to me, the bond hum grows from a gentle vibration to a song that resonates through every cell in my body. No longer just an echo of what Dominic and Chloe share, but a direct connection, humming between us with increasing strength.

I close my eyes, savoring the sensation. This is what I’ve waited for, what I’ve wanted since the moment I scented her in our home.

Holding her now, I try to determine if her scent has grown stronger, sweeter, or if that’s just wishful thinking.

The doctor had warned that the suppressant overdose might disrupt her natural cycle.

Combined with the constant proximity to her true bondmates, she could be pushed into Heat sooner than normal biological timing would dictate.

The possibility sends a wave of protective desire coursing through my veins.

I lift my head to find Dominic watching us, his expression a mirror of what I feel. Relief, hunger, and beneath it all, a silent understanding between bonded Alphas.

She’s safe now. She’s home. And neither of us will let anything threaten her again.

I release Chloe with reluctance, my hands lingering at her waist. The wind picks up, whipping strands of pink hair loose from her elegant updo. A shiver passes through her frame, and my body responds to her discomfort before my mind processes it.

My fingers find the buttons of my jacket, unfastening them swiftly. The fine wool slides from my shoulders, still warm from my body, and I wrap it around her shoulders. The fabric engulfs her smaller frame, dwarfing her in a way that stirs possessiveness in my chest.

“You’re cold,” I rumble, adjusting the collar to shield her neck from the wind.

A soft blush spreads across her cheeks as her fingers curl into the lapels, pulling the jacket tighter around herself.

She ducks her head, nose brushing the collar in a subtle movement that might look accidental to anyone watching.

Anyone except an Alpha attuned to every nuance of his Omega’s behavior.

She’s scenting the jacket. Taking in my pheromones, surrounding herself with my scent.

Satisfaction purrs through me, a warm current beneath my skin. My hand rises to cup her cheek before I remember we have an audience.

Emily stands a few paces away, her expression neutral but knowing. Kyle busies himself with the boat, politely ignoring our display .

Dominic steps closer, his own scent mingling with mine around Chloe, our combined Alpha pheromones marking her as ours to anyone with a sensitive nose.

“You two look wiped out.” Emily taps her tablet against her thigh. “Maybe you should call it early today, Nathaniel. Get them settled back in.”

The suggestion sounds perfect. My schedule can wait. Everything can wait compared to the need to get Chloe somewhere safe, somewhere that belongs to our pack.

“Good idea,” I agree. “I’ll check in later about the?—”

I tilt my head toward the trailer where we viewed the security footage, not wanting to discuss the theft out in the open.

She lifts her chin in understanding. “I’ll handle things here.”

I place my hand on the small of Chloe’s back, guiding her up the path from the dock. Dominic falls into step beside us, his larger frame a windbreak that shields Chloe from the sharpest gusts coming off the water.

“The golf cart is parked at the top of the path.” I point up the small incline. “We can head straight to the cabin.”

“Nathaniel. ”

Kyle calls for my attention, and I turn to find him jogging toward us, clutching his scally cap to his bald head to stop it from flying off.

“Go ahead,” I tell Chloe and Dominic, gesturing toward the golf cart visible at the end of the path. “I’ll be right there.”

Concern flickers across Chloe’s face, but Dominic places a hand on her shoulder, guiding her forward. As they continue up the path, Kyle reaches me, slightly out of breath.

“What is it?” I ask.

Kyle glances around, ensuring no workers are within earshot before leaning closer. “The mechanic found something when he did the repairs on the water taxi.”

Despite the warmth of the late afternoon sun, a shiver goes through me. “What did he find?”

Kyle’s hand rises to adjust his cap in a nervous gesture. “The engine issues weren’t normal wear and tear. The mechanic says it was tampered with. Not enough to fail right away, but enough to fail under strain.”

My mind races, calculating possibilities. “Could it have been from vibration? Poor maintenance?”

Kyle shakes his head. “The mechanic says no way. The part had a thread-locking compound on it. Someone deliberately backed it off just enough that the vibration would do the rest.”

The knowledge settles in my gut like ice water. First the equipment theft, now this.

“Did he find anything else?” I scan the site as if the culprit might be watching us at this very moment.

“He’s still checking, but wanted to inform me right away.” Kyle shifts his weight, gravel crunching beneath his boots. “Said we’re lucky we made it to the Mosswood docks yesterday before the engine started acting up. Could have been dead in the water instead.”

My gaze drifts to where Chloe and Dominic are waiting by the golf cart. Wind tugs at loose strands of her hair, creating a halo effect around her face. So vulnerable. So precious.

Was this another attempt to delay construction? Or had it been intended to strand Chloe on the mainland long enough for Simon to make another attempt?

The timing is too perfect to be a coincidence.

I turn to Emily. “Add the water taxi to the security rotation.” I turn back to Kyle. “And I want a full inspection of the water taxi before each crossing. No exceptions.”

He sucks on his cheeks. “I can do basic inspection as usual, but if you want the engine looked at, we’ll need to hire another dockhand.”

“We’ll find someone.”

It’s worth the cost if it means keeping my people safe.

As he heads back to the boat, I nod to Emily, then turn to join Chloe and Dominic at the golf cart. I keep my face impassive, but beneath my composed exterior, every instinct screams to gather my pack, to build walls around them, and to eliminate any threat that dares approach.

Someone tried to harm what’s mine. They won’t get a second chance.