Knox (The Boundarylands #12) - Callie Rhodes Page 0,6

sooner he got them out of his life, the better.

"I know a couple people who've been through something like this. They might know what to do with you."

The woman still didn't look anywhere close to convinced. Fear and indecision flashed all over her face. Knox resisted the urge to assure her she was safe with him. He might not be a rapey asshole like a couple alphas he despised, but nobody was ever really safe with an alpha—especially these days. To tell her otherwise would be lying.

And Knox didn't lie…not when it mattered, at least.

"I don't know," she muttered.

Strangely, Knox found that it was hard to keep himself from attempting to comfort the woman. He didn't have a clue what she'd been through already tonight, but judging by the ragged state of her hair and clothes, it hadn't been easy.

But she wasn't his problem, he reminded himself. She was obviously a grown-ass woman, and if she needed coddling, she could find somebody else to lend her a hand.

"Listen, lady, I don't give a crap what you do. All I know is I hear three more trucks coming up behind us on the road. If you want to stick around to try your luck with those alphas, that's your choice. But you better figure it out fast, because either way, I'm driving away in thirty seconds."

Knox forced himself not to look at her as he strode back to the truck and climbed inside. He turned the key, bringing the engine back to life as he started counting out loud.

He made it all the way to twenty-three before he heard the clank of chains heading toward the tailgate.

Looked like it was going to be an interesting night after all.

Chapter Three

Getting into the back of the truck without the use of her hands and chains around her ankles had been challenging enough, but it was nothing compared to trying to stay put during the drive. To say the alpha didn't seem concerned with Josie's comfort was an understatement. He took every turn and bump in the road at full speed, and she was slammed from one side of the truck bed to the other, adding some hellacious bruises to the list of her problems.

She finally had a chance to steady herself when the truck finally came to a stop and the alpha cut the engine, but Josie's relief was short-lived. Craning her neck, she could make out the outline of a rustic cabin in the darkness. Almost immediately, she heard the front door crashing open and the tread of heavy boots on the porch.

"Goddamn it, Knox!"

Josie flinched as the man's bellowing voice echoed from the trees that surrounded them. She couldn't see him around the truck, but he sounded furious. Just what she needed…another angry alpha. This night…this horrible fucking night…it just kept getting worse and worse.

But at the same time, another part of her brain was having a different reaction. She’d just learned that the alpha who'd found her was named Knox. Somehow, it fit him perfectly…which was a strange observation given that Josie didn't know the first thing about him.

She'd probably been breathing too many diesel fumes, which meant she ought to add 'mentally incapacitated' to her list of problems, right after freezing, battered, and confused.

But at least she was still herself. Still Josie…still a beta.

Which was kind of a shocker. The second she'd heard this truck coming down the road, she thought she was a goner. When the alpha—Knox—emerged from the cab, her panic had gone through the roof. The earth had literally shaken from his heavy footfalls on the icy road, the vibrations traveling through her body and causing her stomach to drop. When he came into view, her heart nearly stopped from the shock of his massiveness.

The impression Josie'd had was of a huge, ravenous bear who had been roused from hibernation. So it was as confusing as it was surprising when he didn't attack, especially since he knew what she was…and what she could become.

Not only had he restrained himself, he'd offered to help…as long as she rode in the back of his truck. Which was fine by her, even though Josie didn't realize how brutally cold and uncomfortable it would be. Right now, she was shivering so hard that the chains rattled against the floor of the truck bed.

Still, Josie told herself that she could endure anything if it meant a chance of escaping this nightmare, getting back to the city, and making that son of