Page 5 of Big Knot Energy (Shadowverse)

“I know,” she said with a nod.

And then she went silent, her lips pursed to the side as though she was chewing the inside of her cheek.

“She might not want to be bonded,” she finally said.

“That’s fine. I just…we want her to be happy. And safe—”

“She’s safe here,” Cohl muttered as he lowered his head and nuzzled Cora’s belly.

I’d never really thought a whole lot about being a father. It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested in having a child one day, but, unlike so many alphas, it wasn’t a driving force to my life. If one day we added an omega – or a beautiful Italian beta – and he or she was willing to carry our child, I would love and dote on him or her.

But watching the way these four alphas fawned over Cora, the way they couldn’t resist touching her belly or talking to their unborn child made me almost wish for the day when it was my turn to wait impatiently for my mate’s belly to swell with the life we created, for the day when I would hold my child in my arms. And no, I didn’t give a shit which of us fathered the child – he or she would be ours and would be loved and protected, regardless of how they presented in the future.

“I won’t answer for her.Noneof us will make the decision for her,” she said, gripping Cohl’s hair tight and earning a throaty purr from her alpha. “Talk to her. See if she would want to stay with you. And then, if you all get along, the four of you can talk about forming a pack.”

The sisters had been estranged at best, and that was primarily because of the way they’d been raised. Since Corazon was the only omega child, she was treated like a prize, though she was still raised by someone other than her parents. The entirety of her upbringing had been how to please her future alphas, to produce heirs to inherit her fathers’ empire, and to continue their delusions of grandeur.

But I’d seen the sisters trying to talk, trying to reconnect. Corazonhad made sure her alphas treated Isabelle as a member of the pack, even if it was temporary. Even if she would one day leave.

And hopefully, one day join our pack.

Looking toward the kitchen where Isabelle would be sitting on the patio just outside the sliding door, I gathered my courage and took a few deep breaths. Why the hell was I so nervous? If she said no, she said no.

But if she said yes…

So many possibilities. There was the possibility of these feelings that had sprung to life at the first sight of her battered body growing stronger. There was the possibility of developing a full bond with her.

There was the possibility of rejection.

The fear of that sting would be worth it, though. At least it would be worth it if she didn’t turn down my offer.

I hadn’t come out and directly asked my packmates whether they wanted Isabelle in our home, but all three of us had been talking about her nonstop. And if they were thinking about her half as much as I did, it was a wonder we were able to get shit down or run our club without burning the fucking place down.

“Just go talk to her. Be calm. Out of the three of you, you’re the least likely to freak her out.” Corazon watched me push to my feet and shove my hands through my hair twice. “Or you wouldnormallybe the calm one. Dude. Seriously. She’s already on pins and needles. Just tell her…whatever. How you feel or something. Ask her if she’d be willing to stay at your pack house. Tell her…I don’t know. Tell her you’re worried about her safety and want to help keep her safe.”

“They leave for long hours to work the club,” Cohl muttered against Corazon’s belly where he was still nuzzling it and pressing kisses over her maternity shirt.

“Not helping, alpha,” Corazon said playfully.

With another deep breath, I straightened my shirt, pushed my hand through my hair once more, and forced my feet to carry me from the living room and into the kitchen.

Isabelle was stretched out on a recliner, her head tipped toward the sun, her eyes closed as she soaked up the warm rays. It was stillchilly outside, so she wore a sweater and had a throw draped over her legs.

How often had she been able to do something as simple as relax in the sun, to have a little quiet time to herself?

After one more calming breath, I slowly opened the door so as not to startle her. Her lids lifted and her eyes settled on me…

And she tensed.

“Hey,” I said, closing the door behind me. “Mind if I join you?” I asked.

She looked past me and into the house then back to my face. “Um…sure. Yeah.”

When she moved as though to sit up, I held out a hand. “Relax. You don’t have to…move for me or whatever.”

Smooth, Cyrus.

Internally rolling my eyes at myself, I lowered onto a recliner beside her so I wasn’t towering over her and intimidating her.

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