Page 91 of Knot Her Reality

“No, Ana!” Paisley pushes her chair back, ignoring when it tips over on its side. “I always need you. This isn’t a competition.”

“Isn’t it, though?” Narrowing my eyes at my omega, I scoff. “It’s always a competition when there are alphas involved. You’ve been seeking out Tessa, which tells me that you’ve found something lacking in your pack. I don’t know what else it would be besides me, so I’m just going to remove myself from the situation and allow you to get what you need from her.”

“Ana, it’s not like that.” Paisley’s voice is pleading, and part of me feels bad about my words, but it’s like the rage fills me up and makes me forget everything else.

“It’s really not, Ana,” Tessa says as she and Evangeline also stand. “She’s never sought me out specifically. We’ve only ever spoken in groups. She’s never shown any interest in me, but I’ve been curious about you and your pack. I would’ve asked you, but you don’t seem to like me, so I haven’t tried.”

“Of course, I don’t like you. You’re trying to take my omega away from me and block any chance I have with Evangeline.” Even as the words spill from my lips, I know they’re not true. But if they’re not true, then why do they feel true?

Evangeline grimaces, and I know I’ve fucked this up so badly. “This might have been a mistake. I shouldn’t have forced the two of you to be around one another when it was clear that you weren’t comfortable. I’m sorry, Ana.”

I scoff again. “You’re sorry for rubbing it in my face just how much better of an alpha Tessa is? Well, don’t be. I already know. Everyone is a better alpha than me.”

“I never said that. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Evangeline’s back goes ramrod straight. “I’m not sure what’s going on inside your head, but you’re definitely seeing things that aren’t there. Maybe you should stop by and talk to Finn—“

“Now you’re calling me crazy?” I throw my head back as I laugh, feeling more than a little crazy. “That’s just great.”

“Evangeline, I’m sorry,” Paisley says as she wraps her arm around my waist. “I need to get her back to the pack. This isn’t going to work.”

Snorting, I shake my head as I try to pull out of her hold, but Paisley is far from weak. “Don’t try to handle me, omega.”

“I want to go back to the compound, Ana. I don’t want to be here anymore. Please, take me back?”

I blink at the tears in her eyes and the pleading in her voice. My omega needs me.

“Of course. We’ll have the driver take us home so Tessa and Evangeline can have their date.” I pull Paisley into my side, feeling the emotions leveling out and leaving me feeling empty. “I don’t want you to be anywhere you’re not comfortable.”

I see Paisley share a look with Evangeline, but I refuse to turn my head toward the other omega as it will also mean looking at Tessa. I need to focus on Paisley and remove her from this situation that’s completely my fault. I’m the one who did this to her—that made her cry. I don’t know how I’ll make it better, but I will.

“I’ll see you later, Evangeline,” Paisley calls as I lead her toward the door.

“Yeah. Bye.”

It takes more effort than I’d like to admit to not turn around and look at Evangeline. The disappointment is clear in her tone, and I hate disappointing anyone, but clearly coming on the show was a mistake. I’m obviously not over my issues as much as I thought I was.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur as I pull Paisley more firmly against my side. “I tried—I really did.”

“It’s fine.”

But her tone tells me it isn’t fine. I just don’t know if I can make it up to her or not.

I wish I could be a better alpha for her. I wish I could be everything she wants or needs. But I’m not sure I can be and that hurts more than it should.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Evangeline

“I’m so over this week.”

Koda snorts as he sets aside the magazine he was reading—something to do with tattooing that he’d begged Bree to get for him since he can’t get online to read it. “It wasn’t that bad. Or at least not the dates I went on with you. If you’d just let me come to the date on Monday, maybe it wouldn’t have gone as bad.”

Rolling over to look at him with raised eyebrows, I scoff. “What the hell dates were you on? Because clearly you weren’t on the same ones as I was.”

“Sure, Nash and Skylar got into a screaming match at the bowling alley, and Malachi and Cora might have almost been arrested for indecent exposure, but up until then, we were all having fun, weren’t we?” Koda wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest.

Laughing, I shake my head. “Yes, until the police showed up, we were having a great time with Malachi and Cora. It probably would’ve been better if you weren’t on that date, though, since you were the one egging them on to streak down the street.”

“You might be right about that.” Koda tries to bite back his laughter, but his body shakes with it. “And the dates with Bradley and Dustin weren’t that bad. There was no drama.”

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