Page 69 of Traded

I’m breaking apart, and he’s offering me a solution.

And…heismy alpha.

My head bobs before I can stop it.

He exhales. “You sure?”

I nod again, not trusting myself with words. He reaches behind us for his phone, and I frown when he turns up the music. “Why the music?”

“It’s better not to be interrupted.” Liam settles himself back down, his weight a solid blanket of heat. I breathe in his scent as much as I can, hoping it’ll soothe the panic edging into my mind.

“We should wait,” I say hesitantly. “Give it a day or two.”

“To talk yourself out of it?” Liam shakes his head. “You said you’d try.”

I did say that. He shifts until he’s fully on top of me, and I look up at him. “What are you doing?”

“You’re going to feel a bit panicked.” He strokes my cheek. “Contact will help.”

I’m feeling more panicked by the minute. His words pull back the night they told me about Lauren—the sheer, overwhelming fear that swept over me, and I shrink back into the comfort of my nest at the memory. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes,” he says instantly. “This will work. Look at me.”

He never second-guesses his decisions.

I need to trust him.

Why does it suddenly feel so hard?

“Wait,” I breathe. “Wait a minute. I need—"

His hand seals over my mouth. “Shhh. It’ll be over soon.”

I try to pull my hand away, to tell him, but he only presses harder. My eyes dip as I try to escape his grip. To escapehim.

I’ve changed my mind.

Stop.

Stop.

His voice drops into the tone I’ve only heard once before. It sweeps across me, the room twisting and turning until all I can feel is an ice-cold wash of pure fear that swoops over my body, drowning me beneath the weight of his gaze. “You will be quiet until this is done.”

My legs kick frantically against my blankets. They’re wrapped around me, trapping me. The noises in my throat cut out, a power cord yanked out.

I am… silenced. My struggles increase.

“Stop fighting it.” He drops his forehead to mine. Pain pulses from my banged-up forehead as my body stills.

I’m drowning.In him, in them.Help me.

Stop. Please.

Liam pulls his face back. He looks so pale. But determined. Music fills the air between us with an upbeat melody that doesn’t fit.“You will stop fighting the changes in this pack. No arguing. No complaints. You will accept every decision we make.”

Tears spill from my eyes. I can feel a heaviness at the back of my throat. And I hate it already.

It’s a collar around my neck. A leash.