Page 193 of Knot So Lucky

"The obvious individuals are Richard and Dante," she explains, her voice dropping even though the booth is shielded. "But maybe that's the point. They'retooobvious. Yeah, Marco too, but again—it could be someone we least expect."

The observation cuts through my assumptions with uncomfortable accuracy.

She's right.

I've been focusing on the apparent suspects, the people with clear motive and opportunity. But what if that's exactly what someone wants? What if the real threat is hiding in plain sight, using our focus on obvious targets as cover?

"Someone we trust," I say slowly, running through possibilities. "Someone with access who wouldn't raise suspicions."

"Or someone who seems incompetent. Or uninterested in racing politics." Aurora's expression is thoughtful. "Someone who?—"

My phone buzzes in my pocket, cutting her off.

I pull it out reflexively, expecting a message from Elias or an update from one of my security consultants.

Instead, I find a text from an unknown number.

The first attachment loads before I can stop it—a screenshot showing our current location. The Binary Grounds, this specific booth, time-stamped from maybe five minutes ago.

We're being watched.

Right now.

The second attachment makes my blood run cold.

It's a photo of Aurora—unconscious, tied up in the back of a vehicle. The image quality is slightly blurred but unmistakable. From the kidnapping, hours before hitting heat, and being transported to god-knows-where before we intercepted.

Someone has photos from that incident.

Photos that should have been destroyed or secured by the Lane family's cleanup crew.

The accompanying message appears below the images:

"Omega drivers are easy to replace. Pack Alphas are easier to break."

The threat is clear. Explicit.

They're not just watching Aurora—they're willing to hurt her, willing to target the pack, willing to escalate beyond sabotage into actual violence.

And they have resources that suggest serious organization behind this.

"Adrian?" Aurora's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. "What are you looking at?"

I force my expression neutral, quickly switching screens to pull up my calendar instead of the threatening message.

"Just figuring out what date I'm going to take you on next," I lie smoothly, showing her the calendar with various starred dates. "This was fun, but I need to take you somewhere we can really enjoy ourselves. Proper dinner, maybe dancing, no work involved."

The deflection works.

Aurora's eyes light up with excitement that makes guilt twist in my chest for lying.

"I'd love that," she says genuinely. "Though this was fun too. Getting to see how your mind works, learning about the technical side from someone who actually understands it at a deep level."

"No, I insist." I set the phone face-down on the table, pulling Aurora into my lap before she can protest.

She squeaks in surprise but doesn't resist, settling against me with the kind of trust that makes the protective fury roaring through my veins intensify.

I wrap my arms around her waist, burying my face in her neck and breathing deeply. Her scent grounds me—smoke and vanilla mixing with my amber until we're creating something uniquely pack. My Alpha instincts demand I protect her, keep her safe from the threats that are escalating beyond my ability to fully control.