Page 4 of Big Knot Energy (Shadowverse)

That I would finally be free from the world my parents had forced me into.

CHAPTER 2

Cyrus

Four months ago

I’d arrived at the estate of Pack Rivera under the guise of delivering some stuff I’d bought for our soon to be nephew. Or soon to beborn? I wasn’t sure how the hell that would be phrased.

And, technically, he was Enzo’s nephew by blood, but since we were a pack, that made Cora our family and her baby our family. I would protect either of them with my own life.

That family extended to Cora’s beta sister, Isabelle.

Since the day she’d crashed into Pack Rivera’s gate – that had already been fixed and was like new – she hadn’t left my thoughts.

I couldn’t get the way she’d looked that day out of my head. Her face had been battered, bruised, and swollen. Therewas fresh and dried blood on her lips, her hairline, and trailing down her temple. And her abuse had been at the hands of her fucking alpha, the man who was supposed to protect her above everyone and everything else.

She was shy, quiet, and demure. But it felt more like she was afraid. She was afraid of alphas and had every right to be.

Until her sister had become bonded to Pack Rivera, the two of them hadn’t had good experiences with those of my designation. Bain, Ford, Valen, and Cohl were doing their best to make sure she was eating well, getting enough rest, and had regular visits from Doc Henderson. But she needed more than that to fully heal.

She needed her own pack. Her own home. Somewhere to decompress, somewhere she truly belonged.

And with alphas who were growing obsessed with her in the most profound way.

Didn’t matter what Enzo or Ax said – it was obvious by how often they talked about her and checked on her they were as interested in her joining our little group as I was.

Even if she had no romantic interest in us, I knew it would make all three of us feel better if she was under our roof, under our care, and our protection.

Not that Pack Rivera couldn’t keep her safe. Their home and property were a damned fortress and guarded by armed men around the clock. Since they were involved in…less savory activities, they tended to gain enemies. The protection was as much for them as it was for their omega. Or rather,morefor their pregnant omega and extending to them.

We’d all noted the increase in the number of guards posted outside the gates, around the property, and at all entry and exit points since Pack Alvarez and Cora’s originally arranged pack had attempted to assassinate all of them. A few of the guards had even made me, Enzo, and Ax wait at the gate a few minutes while they got the okay from their boss to let us onto the property.

Ax had grown impatient during those times, but I fully understood. If we had someone in our life, I would be just as protective.Especially if that someone was carrying our child the way Cora was carrying the first heir of Pack Rivera.

If we had Issa in our pack, I would make sure she was safe. That shefeltsafe. I would let her make the choices and decisions about her life she’d never been given before. If she only wanted us as packmates, asfriends, then we would give her that space. If she wanted another person romantically, we would add them to the pack if that made her happy.

“Hey,” Corazon said from her place on the couch. Her belly was round, and she had that pregnancy glow that made women look so beautiful. I wasn’t one to fetishize pregnant women, but I’d always found that glow to be damned near ethereal. “What are you doing here…again?” she asked with a wry smile.

Lifting my hand, I showed her the bag I’d carried in that contained several sets of stupidly priced baby clothes. It was stupid because the baby would outgrow each of these items within weeks. But hey, it was our job to spoil the shit out of our nephew.

“I come bearing more gifts,” I said, setting the bag on the coffee table as I tried to inconspicuously look around for Issa.

She wasn’t sitting on the couch with Cora and Cohl, and I wasn’t about to start roaming room to room in search of her.

“She’s on the patio,” Cora said.

My gaze darted to her face and my cheeks burst into flames at the wide grin on both her and Cohl’s faces.

“Dude. It’s pretty fucking obvious. Just tell her you’re into her. Or seduce her or whatever,” Cohl said as his hand made slow circles on Cora’s swollen belly.

Craning my neck, I looked around as much as possible to ensure we wouldn’t be overheard, then lowered onto the coffee table across from where the two sat, ignoring Cohl’s possessive growl. He knew I didn’t want Cora but was the least stable of the four alphas. He even tended to growl at his own packmates when they tried to cuddle with their omega.

“You know her better than the rest of us—”

“Not really,” Cora said, cutting me off. There was sadness in hereyes, even as she smiled softly at me.

“Would she…do you think she’d be up to staying with us? Just for a while. She could decide if she wanted to stay. You know we’d never force anything on her and wouldn’t demand anything of her.”

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