Page 36 of Knot Enough

THIRTY-FIVE

Lena sobbed into my chest, and all I could do was rock her on Grimm’s couch.

My mind was racing and my blood pounded in my ears, but holding her tight was the only thing that kept me focused on what was important.

Her. Not payback. Not justice. Her well-being.

I’d do anything to make sure she was okay.

And right now, there was nothing I could say to comfort her.

Rath would kill Valerie.

And Lena knew that.

I hadn’t talked to my hot-blooded mate. I’d purposely stayed away from him because he’d been wrong. His actions were cruel, his words cut her, and I wouldn’t stand for anyone hurting her. Not even him. It was second nature for me to submit to him, but when it came to her, I’d fought even that.

She tilted her head back, raising her mouth.

I knew what she wanted. I knew the words she was about to speak, the plea to protect her sister, the woman who had killed our packmate.

The thought of it was a bitter taste in my mouth, and I shook my head, a silent refusal.

I couldn’t give her what she wanted. Instinctively, I leaned down and kissed her.

Softly, gently, sweetly. But she burned with a need that threatened to raise everything from the ground up.

Her mouth enveloped mine, taking, demanding, and I moaned. It took everything I had to pull away.

“As much as I’d love to fuck you right here, Butterfly, I know it won’t help you right now. It’ll be over soon. . .” I trailed off, and she nodded. She swiped her face as she got up unsteadily. I held her hand as Axel approached.

“Let’s go. I’ll drive,” Grimm said as he shook the keys with an obnoxiously loud clinking sound. Lena glared at him, her chin trembling.

“Okay,” she huffed, crossed her arms, and rounded toward the exit.

Grimm closed the door and didn’t bother locking it.

Axel followed her closely, helping her into the car.

The guys shuffled in as I reached for my door, but a tatted arm beat me, fingers pulling it open.

Her alpha smiled down at me. I scowled at him and hopped in.

The door slammed, and I watched as he made his way around.

“It’ll be okay,” Axel whispered from the backseat.

I glanced into the rear view mirror to where she was tucked into Axel’s chest, her eyes red and raw, a faint tremor running through her shoulders.

I reached back and squeezed her knee. She caught my fingers, her grip small, but fierce.

It didn’t bother me that she felt for the murderer.

What bothered me was that she was hurting.

Grimm got in and secured his seat belt.

Lena was the only thing that mattered. Everything else could burn.

Grimm drove like a man possessed, and from what I’ve seen, it wasn’t far from the truth.

Eventually, he killed the engine in the packhouse driveway.

I wondered how he knew where we lived. Lena hesitated; the silence enveloped us all, our gaze fixed on her as she stared at the stairway that led to our home.

We waited until she was ready. When she nodded, Axel exited the car and offered his hand. She took it, her eyes glassy as she met my gaze. I slid my hand down on her back, and we made our way in. I could feel Grimm follow close behind.

Axel opened the door, and the moment we entered, I caught it—muffled thuds, the deep rumble of a growl. My muscles tightened, and she whimpered. She turned to me, her hand on my chest as tears fell.

“Please,” she choked.

I knew what she was asking. I wrapped my hand around hers and nodded.

“Show me around,” Grimm said as he linked arms with Axel. The giant looked at me, and I dipped my chin. He hesitated, his gaze stopping on Lena, studying her before he met mine. He jerked his head toward her, and I nodded, confirming I’d take care of her. Then, Axel left.

We headed down the stairs into the basement, where the holding cells were.

The air grew colder with each step, the sounds around us sharpening.

Valerie’s shrill scream cut off as we moved down the hall.

I wanted to believe she wasn’t in the same cell, but deep down, I knew she was.

I wish I could shield Lena from what awaited us.

Her footsteps quickened as we rounded the last corner.

Rath stood above Valerie, his shoe on her throat. He was shirtless, the material a tattered mess on the floor. Lena’s body tensed against mine.

His back faced us, giving us a clear view of the scratches littering his flesh.

Valerie’s lips were split, blood smeared down her chin, arm extended as he stared down at her.

Blood dripped from the severed flesh where her fingertips used to be.

He’d cut them to the first knuckle. Every. Single. One.

Kane leaned against the wall, blood spattered across his shirt.

“Rath,” I called carefully, and his head snapped in my direction. Scratches clawed down his neck and jaw. His lip ring was gone, the skin split where it had been ripped out . That fucking bitch! I should rip her throat out myself.

His gaze slid to Lena. That alone made him ease off, lifting his boot. Valerie coughed violently, clutching her throat, but she never took her gaze off Rath.

Lena was in the cell, mere feet from her sister. The evil twin sneered at her. And I knew whatever she was about to say would cut deep.

“I fucked with your pills,” she rasped, her voice hoarse but dripping with poison.

Her words hit me, and I growled as I stepped forward, ready to rip that stupid smile from her face.

“You weren’t taking your precious depression meds.

Month after month, I gave you suppressants. Why the fuck would I help you?”

Lena gasped. Soaking in her sister’s confession. Kane and I exchanged a glance before he pushed off the wall.

“You’re fucking dead,” he seethed. His lip pulled back, lip curled with disgust. I couldn’t agree more. Valerie wouldn’t live to see tomorrow, but words cut deep, and Lena was the only thing that mattered right now. I was holding Lena’s hand, but she released it as if my touch burned her.

“Please,” Lena begged as she looked between me and the guys.

“Give me a minute with. . .” I nodded my head, and the guys filed out one by one.

When it was just me and Kane, he growled, but followed me out.

We squeezed into the hall, unable to leave her completely alone, but we were just out of view.

There was no way we were leaving her alone with that psychotic bitch.

“Why?” Her question was a whisper. “Why would you do that to me?” Lena cried, her voice seeped with heartbreak.

“You think I give a fuck? It didn’t matter what you were. I just needed to make sure my stupid little sister didn’t beat me. On the off chance that you were an Omega, I wasn’t going to let you present. Ever .” Valerie spat.

“I wanted Pack Reaper, and their stupid little Omega was in the way.” Her grin widened, sick and mocking. “I like real alphas. I already took 2 of them with me. No one wants the ugly, stupid twin.”

Lena’s breath hitched. Every word lashed at my soul like a whip, so I could only imagine what it did to her. I felt every shuddered breath for what it was, pieces of my mate as her sister broke her.

“I’m going to take your pack, Lena. Why? Because you’re nothing.”

This bitch is insane.

A wounded sob cut through the silence. There was a scuffle and a sickening sound of skin tearing, and we raced to her.

Rath was in the cell first, and I followed close, staring at what was before us.

Valerie gasped, but all I saw was Lena. Pushed against the wall, a hand pressed to her cheek as her hair shrouded her face.

Rath shoved Valerie back, and she dropped a rusted screw.

That metallic taste of blood was back in the air, and this time, it was Lena’s.

I stepped in front of her and tipped her chin up.

I searched my mate’s face, taking in the deep gash that cut through her brow and ran down her chin, but it was her eyes that gutted me.

Her bitch of a sister’s words had affected her more than the wound she now wore.

Kane grabbed Lena, positioning himself in front of her. Rath’s roar exploded in the confined space and echoed down the hall.

Rath’s focus was on Valerie as he spoke. “No one wants you, Roach. And you’re wrong. You’re the ugly, stupid twin.” Hope fluttered in my chest.

Her face morphed with unadulterated anger, but before she could speak, Rath stooped down, picking up the screw, and pierced his brow before dragging it down in one slow, deliberate motion.

Skin split. Blood welled. The sound—wet and grating- turned my stomach.

My heart broke and mended all at once. My vision blurred as I witnessed Rath’s devotion.

It was beautiful. The anger that festered and weighed me down disappeared.

“I don’t deserve her, but I’ll love her and worship the ground she walks on. I’ll spend the rest of my life atoning,” he said through the pain, his voice steady. “My mark matches hers. If anyone stares at her, I’ll force them to stare at me.”

Val froze where she lay sprawled on the floor. Mouth agape, eyes fixed on the raw, jagged wound slicing through his face. I couldn’t look away. That mark—it wasn’t just skin deep. It was a vow carved into flesh. This was his way of saying it. He loves her.

Beside me, Lena sobbed. I gripped her waist and angled her chin to look at me.

It was no longer a wound her sister inflicted, but a mark my mates now shared.

Gently, I peppered kisses along the puffy, raised skin.

Tremors ran down her shoulders and arms, and tears rolled from her cheeks.

She stared at Rath and the gash that mirrored hers.

The sound of rushed footfalls reached us before Grimm and Axel ran in. Kane swiped some of Rath’s blood with his knuckles.

“This isn’t exactly what I meant when I said to apologize. It’s better.” He slapped Rath on the shoulder. “We’ll handle it from here.”

I stepped forward and grabbed Rath’s hand.

“Pack comes first,” I murmured, glancing at Lena.

“They’ll get tired of you!” Valerie’s shrilled scream filled the cell as Rath let me lead him to Lena.

When I’ve got a hold of each of them, they follow me through the cell door and up the stairs.

Valerie hurled insults until her voice faded under the house.

When we’re in the bathroom, I push them both back so they sit on the tub.

I grab the first aid kit under the sink and focus on Lena first. Gently wiping her cheek and dabbing at the cut.

It would need stitches. Rath grumbled at her side.

After the slow, meticulous process of stitching her up, she never released his hand.

She seemed out of it. Her fingers remained laced with Rath’s as I moved to him, beginning my work on his wounds.

When she squeezed his hand, he didn’t pull away, and I saw the way his fingers tightened in a fierce grip.

His thumb began to gently caress the back of her hand, and her lip trembled.

His eyes, usually shadowed and hard, had lightened, darting vulnerable looks at her–a silent admission that his defenses were gone.

“I hate what you did, and I hate that I understand why. Nox … should have been here. If not for my sister… he would have been mine too. Maybe … someday … I’ll find a way to forgive you. But that’s not today, nor is it tomorrow.” Lena’s words say he’s got a chance, one that isn’t deserved.

I held my breath until he nodded.

I worked slowly, dabbing at the split cut that ran from his temple to the edge of his lip.

I quickly stitched the ragged wound where that bitch had ripped his ring out.

Then swiped the last of the blood from his brow and cheek before moving back.

Lena stood, a soft smile on her face as she checked my handiwork. So much was said without words.

They’d made amends, and everything would be okay.