Page 36 of Knot A Trace: Part One

Part of me is mortified, but the other part is too drained to care.

So, we stand in my kitchen with the fluorescent lights illuminating us as I fall apart in his arms.

He’s murmuring something to me, but I can’t hear it. All I feel is the ache in my head and the searing pain in my chest.

I allow myself to be comforted, even if it will hurt in the end.

Any second now, I expect him to turn back into the River from hours earlier, when he wanted nothing to do with me.

But something incredible happens instead.

Just like Landon, his chest vibrates, and an Alpha purr resonates through him. Combined with his scent, it’s so comforting that I sag my weight against his chest, allowing him to embrace me fully.

12

SKYLAR

Eventually, my tears subside, and I pull away from River. I’m embarrassed at the mess of tears I left on his shirt.

But the cry felt good. It was a release I’ve needed for weeks. The sorrow of losing April has been eating me alive, and the lack of sleep and food has left both my mind and body drained.

I clear my throat to break the silence and look away from River. “Um, I should get to bed. There’s food in the kitchen and a bathroom down the hall. Eat whatever you want. Goodnight.”

He frowns and looks like he wants to say something, but I push past him before he can and make a beeline to my room. I shut and lock the door behind myself, then collapse on my bed.

Everything in me screams to go back out to him. He may be good at reading people, but working in customer service long enough has helped me figure out personality traits as well.

He’s stubborn, guarded, and probably touch starved, like me. I showed him my vulnerability, and instead of being an adult about it, I ran into my room and locked the door.

What did I think he was going to do? Follow me in here?

I can practically see April rolling her eyes at me.

I make my way to the bathroom connected to my room, wincing as I limp onto the cold tile.

And when I slide my underwear down my thighs, I grimace.

The slick pad I wore is drenched. Thankfully, I wore shapewear underneath as well to add extra support, but I still shouldn’t have been that wet from simple interactions with Alphas.

Just to be safe, I take my suppressant dose before I forget, swallowing the pill down dry.

Then I do my best to wash both Landon's and River’s scents off me. I scrub, lather, rinse, and repeat, using my raspberry scented body wash.

But the slick doesn’t stop, continuing to dribble down my thighs in rivulets.

I pray that River can’t smell me and that my suppressants are working as they should.

My mating gland itches and I pat it gently, but squirm at the sensation.

It’s overly sensitive.

My Heats have been less and less frequent since Jason, but all the signs are there that one is coming soon.

How inconvenient.

I close my eyes, inhale the steam, and almost lose my balance. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I didn’t catch myself—would River have run in here and seen my naked body drenched in water and slick?

Don’t think about it!

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