All Chapters of AN ALPHA IN HEAT: KNOTTED BY THREE POSSESSIVE ALPHAS: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The heavy steel elevator doors slide shut with a loud mechanical thud, and the digital locks click into place. The sound echoes through the open living space of the underground bunker.Seth, Dean, and Daniel are gone. They are heading up to the surface to execute a strike team assault, and I am alone with the rival Northside Boss.The silence in the room is heavy. It presses against my ears after the chaotic noise of the morning.Rhett stands directly in front of me. His large fingers still rest against the top button of my crisp white dress shirt.His slate-blue eyes watch my face with steady patience. He does not rush to undress me, and he waits to see how I will react to the sudden intimacy.My stubborn pride flares up in my chest. I have run the Southside Syndicate for ten years, and I am not used to anyone handling me like a fragile glass doll.I lift my hands to push his broad chest away. My fingers reach for my own shirt collar because I want to maintain some level of control o

I end the encrypted call with Rhett and toss my headset onto the desk. The glowing monitors in the estate's secure communications room light up my face in the dark space, and the cool air from the ventilation system hums a steady rhythm in the background.I just told Rhett to get ready because the thermal imaging scans on my primary screen are showing a massive problem. The cartel mercenaries are not holding standard perimeter positions inside the abandoned textile factory like a normal guard detail should. They are moving in erratic, disorganized circles around the main floor, and that means Vincent Rossi is getting paranoid.I push my wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of my nose, and I lean close to the console microphone. I need to get Seth and Daniel out of those underground utility tunnels fast."Seth, give me a status update right now," I demand over the open radio channel. "The cartel guards on the ground floor are shifting their patrol routes, and they look restless.""We are

The heat inside my veins burns through my skin. I toss my head back against the soft pillows of the bunker bed, and a harsh groan escapes my dry lips. My stomach cramps again. The sudden spike of pain forces my knees up to my chest. I tangle my legs in the heavy down comforter, but the thick blankets offer no real comfort against the chill settling deep in my bones.Ten years of toxic pills are finally leaving my system. My body does not know how to function without the synthetic chemicals regulating my hormones. My biology fights a desperate war to repair itself. Every muscle aches, and my lungs struggle to pull in enough oxygen. I twist my torso to the side, gripping the gray cotton shirt Rhett put on me earlier. My fingers dig into the soft fabric. I try to ground myself in his cedar scent, but my mind slips away from reality. The fever climbs higher, blurring the edges of the dark bedroom.The shadows in the far corner of the room begin to shift. I blink my heavy eyes, trying to c

RHETT'S POVThe high-pitched siren from the portable heart monitor screams through the underground bunker. The noise is deafening, and it bounces off the concrete walls to amplify the sheer panic in the room.Beau arches his spine backward against my chest while his eyes roll far back into his head. A violent tremor rips through his entire frame. His muscles lock up tight, and his arms thrash outward without any conscious control. He hits his knuckles hard against the wooden armrest of the loveseat, and a sharp gasp leaves his throat.The small furniture is far too narrow for this kind of medical emergency. If I leave him seated here, he will slide off the leather cushions and crack his skull against the sharp edges of the coffee table.I do not freeze, and I do not let the fear overtake my mind. My Alpha instincts step up to manage the crisis."Move the table out of the way right now," I shout over the blaring siren.Dean grabs the edge of the heavy wooden coffee table and pulls it a

My lungs refuse to draw in any air, and the edges of my vision grow dark as my failing heart struggles to beat a steady rhythm. I lie on the massive mattress inside the bunker bedroom, and I feel terrified because my body no longer listens to my own commands. The chemical withdrawal from the toxic suppressants is shutting my major organs down one by one, so I cannot even lift my hands to defend myself.Seth climbs onto the bed right next to me, and his heavy weight settles directly over my hips to trap my legs against the sheets. I try to push his broad chest away to maintain my independence, but my muscles hold zero strength against his Alpha size.Seth reaches down and grabs my weak wrists so he can press my arms firmly into the pillows above my head."I am sorry, baby," Seth whispers near my ear, and his voice carries a thick layer of guilt because he hates forcing me down. "I know you are scared, and I know you want us to stop. We have to do this. You have to let Rhett claim you s