Page 82 of Knot Her Reality

I automatically tense at the mention of the man I’ll be sending home tonight, but force myself to relax. I don’t want him to know what’s really happening until I’m ready.

He’s smirking when he comes to a stop in front of me. “I guess since I didn’t get a date this week, I’ll be getting one after the ceremony?”

Ignoring his question, I let my smile fall away as I stare him down. His smirk slowly falls away, a frown replacing it.

“How long did you think you could get away with it?” I ask him.

He shakes his head. “Get away with what?”

I snort. “With trying to ruin my season of Heated? You know there are cameras everywhere, don’t you? Even on the gazebo where you and Natalie had your little chat today. I don’t know what’s wrong with you or what happened to make you be the bitter asshole you clearly are, but no one gets to tell me who I can or can’t love. I’m a proud bisexual woman, who loves men and women equally. You and your backward ideas of men being able to love whomever they please, but women not being able to love other women? They don’t belong here.”

Grabbing a black rose, I throw it at his feet. “You and the other people involved in your organization won’t keep me from finding my pack. Whether that’s a pack of all men, all women, or a mixture of both isn’t up to you. It’s up to me. Oh, and just so you know, I will be pressing charges.”

“For what, deviant?” he growls, taking a step toward me but Reginald is suddenly between us. Moments later, I can’t even see Viktor anymore as Malachi, Ronan, and Conrad move to stand between us as well.

“For assault, asshole.” Rolling my eyes, I attempt to peek around the alphas blocking my view, but they just push me back behind them. “You purposefully knocked me from my kayak and then proceeded to hit me with yours. You even admitted it, so I’m sure it’ll be a pretty open-and-shut case. I’d tell you to have a nice life, but I hope it’s as miserable as you are.”

I still can’t see around the damn alphas, but I hear a struggle. When they finally step out of the way, I find Viktor being led away in handcuffs.

“Are you okay, Evangeline?” Malachi asks as the three alphas and Reginald turn their attention to me.

Rolling my eyes, I wave them off. “I’m fine. I had it handled, but thank you for the… alpha wall you built.”

Reginald snickers as he moves to stand beside me once more. “Yes, thank you, gentlemen. If you’ll return to your positions, we still have a ceremony to finish.”

Three sets of eyes narrow on me before they head off stage, until it’s just me and Reginald. “Shall we continue, Reginald?”

He nods, calling out the next suitor’s name. Skylar, Cora, and Tessa all receive a lavender rose, rounding out my group dates. Bradley and Dustin receive peach roses, as I feel like I really haven’t had enough time to get to know them. I’m hoping that having individual dates with the two of them will help out with that. Ronan, Natalie, Alejandro, Conrad, Evander, and Gavin all receive yellow roses.

“Now, we’re down to our last two suitors of the night,” Reginald says with a smile. “Lillian and Koda, will the two of you join us on the stage?”

Koda offers his arm to Lillian before leading her onto the stage. They come to a stop in front of me, their eyes falling to the roses in my hand—a red and a yellow rose. I smile as I lift the roses for everyone to see.

“As you can see, one person will be chosen for my pack tonight, while the other person will be dateless this week. I enjoyed my time with both of you on our dates this week. I can see both of you being a part of the pack I want to build, but I think I’m only there with one of you.” Glancing between the two of them, I hold out the yellow rose and offer it to Lillian. “We might not be there yet, Lillian, but we could be, and I look forward to getting to know you better.”

“Same,” she says quietly, leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek before grinning up at Koda. “Congratulations. I’m not at all surprised by this turn of events.”

With that, she heads off the stage to leave me and Koda staring at one another.

“I guess I should’ve known when the two of us perfumed through all the scent-canceling products when we first met, but I think I fought it. It seemed so unlikely that there would be another omega pair on Heated—not that I’m sure that’s what we are.”

“But you feel the pull just like I do,” Koda offers with a small smile. “I thought I was going to go crazy when I couldn’t see you. Every time you’re out of sight, I’m thinking about you. I wonder what you’re doing, what you’re feeling.”

I nod slowly. “Yeah, all of that. Not to mention, the almost bite the other night. Thankfully, we weren’t alone, and the alphas realized we weren’t quite ready for that yet.”

“But we are now?” he asks cautiously.

“I am. Are you?”

He throws his head back as he laughs. “Evangeline, I’ve been ready since the first time I met you. The other suitors thought I was insane, but I knew you were mine from that very first moment. I knew that you were my present and my future. I knew I loved you before I even knew anything about you. I want nothing more than to bond with you and join your pack.”

Offering him the rose, he takes it before sweeping me into his arms and kissing the hell out of me. I can hear Reginald talking behind us as the other suitors yell and holler as we continue to kiss. It might seem like it’s too much, too soon, but really? It just feels right, and I can’t wait to make Koda mine—for him to make me his.

Chapter Twenty-five

Koda

Gods, I want out of this ballroom now. All I want to do is spread Evangeline open on her bed and worship her like she deserves to be.

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