Page 56 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

Pix grabs my arm, and I swing without thinking, stabbing my fingers into his windpipe. He lets go instantly, moving out of range. He’s not incapacitated or even injured, but I’ve scared myself. I stare at my hand, then look up at him.

I open and close my mouth, trying to say something, anything.

“Merle?”

I shake my head and wrap my arms around myself, digging my nails into my arms so I won’t let go, so I won’t hurt anyone.

Pix licks his lips, watching me carefully. “Dinner’s ready. Come, eat.”

I shake my head.

“I wasn’t asking,” he growls.

He sweeps in and throws me over his shoulder, carrying me back to where everyone else is waiting. He dumps me in the dirt in front of Roseland, who explodes up, catching Pix’s wrist.

“Don’t!” Roseland growls in deep warning. “Don’t you hurt her.”

The tension in the camp goes through the roof.

“He’s got a point, Pix. You want to throw your weight around, you’ll have to deal with the consequences, and those consequences are more than happy to fuck you,” Sage says conversationally.

Pix growls. “Hard pass.”

Blaze shrugs. “Keep playing hard to get; it will make it all the more juicy when you fall into my trap.”

Pix wrinkles his nose, glaring at Blaze like he’s something foul. “Keep dreaming, Alpha.”

He says the word mockingly, but it affects all five of them. I can feel it. They all focus on him, watching him go to the other alphas and allowing them to feed him. It’s a test of strength that these alphas don’t rip the others apart.

I wonder how he can withstand all the drama he’s creating. Roseland pulls me up and passes me to Sage, who hums as he tugs me onto his lap.

“Yes, this is exactly the right spot for you,” he murmurs against the skin of my upper arm.

I should put the jumper they gave me back on, but before I can do it, Cyn hands me a plate of food with a smile that looks so much like King’s that it hurts.

“One word, Cyn, and I will pun-” King clamps his mouth shut and sighs. “I will make you pay.”

Cyn raises his eyebrows and looks between us. “Huh?”

“Vale, deal with it,” Blaze barks and continues eating.

To my utter consternation, the other alpha jumps to obey Blaze’s order. Vale calls Cyn away, and they sit there talking in loud whispers that I can’t decipher. I don’t care, I’m trying to decide if the food is poison or the person who cooked just can’t cook.

I poke something pale. It wobbles a little, and I look discreetly at King. He picks his up with a sigh and bitesinto it.

I pick mine up and put it in my mouth, but it wobbles, and I nope the hell out of there, dropping it back on the plate.

“Are you done?” Sage murmurs.

I nod emphatically.

He chuckles and brushes my hair behind my ears.

It’s dark now, but everyone opts to go to bed. I stand there, shifting my weight from foot to foot, staring at the alphas until Rolly turns and grabs my wrist, yanking me down into the tent.

“You’re sleeping right here in the middle where we can keep you safe,” he whispers in my ear.

Where is Pix?I don’t dare ask the question.