Page 31 of Knot Her Reality

I turn my head forward, finding Bree glancing back at me with a smile as she leads us inside. At least no one seems upset about having to wait an extra week except for Paisley. That makes me feel better as something tells me that Paisley would find fault in just about anything right now. Malachi says they didn’t force her to come on the show, but even if that’s true, I’m not sure she’s willing to put in the effort. I definitely don’t feel a connection to her like I did with Koda.

But even that’s okay. It’s not like I have to be involved with the other omega in the pack, right? I just want everyone to be happy, and as much as the assholes protesting the show and me might say, I’m not actually greedy.

“None of you mentioned it, but I’m curious what you do for a living,” I say as I turn my attention back to Malachi as we step into the house.

“Ahhh. I guess we did skip right over that, didn’t we? I work in my family’s business, doing whatever needs to be done. One day, I’ll be running it, but for now, I have to do it all.” He shrugs. “It lets me learn about what it’ll be like running it when it’s my time, so I don’t mind it.”

I nod. “That sounds amazing—being able to keep your family’s legacy going. What kind of business is it?”

Malachi hesitates for a moment, his smile tightening along with his jaw. “Ahhh, I think it would be best described as acquisitions.”

I want to ask more about it, but he’s already changing the subject. “Ana’s a defense attorney. Actually, my family is one of her clients. It’s how we met. Nash works in the technology industry—though my family is trying to convince him to come work for us. And Paisley doesn’t have to work. She spends her time working with charities.”

Of course, she does.

“That’s awesome. Another thing we missed out on was your ages.”

Malachi chuckles. “We just skipped all the basic information, didn’t we?”

“It happens.”

“I’m the oldest at forty-two. Ana is thirty, Nash twenty-eight, and Paisley is just twenty-one.”

“Wow. I could tell she was younger, but I didn’t realize she was that much younger.” Her attitude makes more sense, though. She’s in a different part of her life than I am. She’s new to this. I’ll just need to remember that in the future.

Since we’ve reached the dining room, I release my hold on Malachi’s arm, moving to sit at the head of the table. Malachi hesitates when he sees the seat I’ve taken, glancing back as the other three members of his pack join us. They all hesitate in the doorway, Paisley smirking as she meets my eyes.

“You’re in Ana’s seat,” she says, seemingly pleased to correct me. Too bad she’s wrong.

I laugh, settling into my seat. “Maybe when you’re at your pack’s home, but not here. Here on Heated, I sit at the head of the table as the twenty suitors on the show are here to meet me.”

“Of course you do.” Ana smiles, though it looks forced. “Paisley, why don’t you sit beside Malachi? Nash, you take the seat on the other side next to Evangeline, and I’ll sit beside you.”

Paisley pouts, opening her mouth to complain, I’m sure, but Ana cuts her off with a look. “Now, omega.”

My eyes narrow at the alpha bark to her words that immediately send Paisley to Malachi’s side. I’m not sure that was totally necessary, but it’s also not my business. They’re not my pack—at least not yet. Though, if this is how they treat the omega already in their pack, do they think they can treat me like that? Because that’s never going to happen.

They settle into the seats that Ana requested just as the meal is brought in. Tonight, it looks like we’re having a buffet of seafood. Yum.

No one speaks as we make our plates. Well, some of us make our plates, while some of us have someone else make our plate for us. I bite my cheek to keep myself from commenting on the fact that Malachi and Ana make Paisley’s before he sets it in front of her.

“So, Malachi told me about what each of you do for work and your ages, but I’m sure there’s a lot more to know about you all,” I say when the silence gets to be too much for me.

Ana laughs, though she doesn’t sound at all amused. “He did, did he?”

I glance between the alphas, frowning at whatever’s going on there. Maybe I should have stayed quiet?

“That was nice of him,” she continues, turning her attention away from him to meet my eyes. “What would you like to know, Evangeline?”

I shrug. “Do you each have activities you enjoy doing in your free time? Or maybe things you like doing together?”

“They enjoy pleasing their omega,” Paisley says brazenly. “We spend most of our time in the bedroom when they’re not working.”

Okay, then.

“Paisley.” Ana’s tone is sharp as she slams her hand on the table.

“It’s fine,” I tell them, turning my attention to Paisley. “Obviously, we need to have a conversation. You know I’m not trying to steal your pack from you, right? Your pack is here to see if they—and this includes you—are a good fit for me and the pack I’m building. They’re not going to leave you just because they’ve met me.”

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