Page 31 of Knot the One They Want

Even if I have to carve it out myself, one painful step at a time.

CHAPTER 14

EVIE

This is it. My new home.

The thought echoes hollowly in my mind as the limousine glides to a stop in front of the imposing Blackwood pack house. I stare up at the sprawling mansion, which is far from the sleek lines and cold glass I expected, and try to quell the rising tide of anxiety in my chest. This place looks like some sort of Victorian mansion with its vast columns and ivy climbing up the sides. Even the lights coming through the big, stately windows seem to have a warm and inviting glow, as if they've been waiting just for me.

It's exactly the kind of house I dreamed of living in as a little girl. The flicker of excitement in my chest quickly becomes a stone weight as I remind myself that while this may be the place I live now, it's far from my home. Not yet.

You can do this, Evie. You have to.

I take a deep breath, wincing as the movement pulls at the tender skin of my neck. The mating bites throb in time with my pulse beneath the collar, a constant reminder of the chains that now bind me to this pack. Tothem. I can't for the life of me understand why it's customary to still wear a collar if they're this painful in the immediate aftermath.

I know the marks will heal quickly once the mating is complete, but the thought sends a shiver of dread down my spine rather than offering any relief. Mating with one alpha would be daunting enough, but four? Four alphas who have made it abundantly clear how little they think of me, how unwelcome my presence is in their pack?

It feels like a cruel joke, a twisted fairy tale where the princess is thrown to the wolves instead of being saved by her prince charming.

Stop it,I scold myself firmly, giving my reflection in the tinted window a stern look.Pity party over. Time to be the omega you were trained to be.

The pack may be arriving later, but that doesn't mean I can afford to let my guard down. First impressions are everything, and if I want any hope of winning them over, of carving out a real place for myself here, I need to be perfect.

The perfect omega. Demure, graceful, domestic. Ready to build a warm, inviting nest for her alphas.

No matter how much the very thought makes my stomach churn with resentment.

The driver opens the door and I step out, my heels sinking slightly into the gravel drive. I take a moment to center myself, to slip on the mask of serene composure that has been drilled into me since I first presented.

Smile, Evie. Chin up, shoulders back. Glide, don't walk.

I ascend the steps to the front door, my hand trembling slightly as I reach for the handle. The door swings open easily, revealing a grand foyer all done up in sleek modern lines that contrast garishly with the warm, classic exterior of the house.

It's lovely. Cold and impersonal, but undeniably lovely.

Rather like my new alphas,I think wryly.

I make my way deeper into the house, my heels clicking on the polished hardwood floors. It's eerily quiet, my own breathingunnaturally loud in the stillness. I feel like an intruder, an unwelcome guest in a home that is now meant to be my own.

You have time,I remind myself as I explore the sprawling layout, committing each room to memory.You can make this a home. You WILL make this a home.

Because I am Evangeline Beaumont, and failure has never been an option. Not in my studies, not in my social standing, and certainly not in this, the most important role I will ever undertake.

The heart of the pack.

And I will be flawless. I will win over these alphas, even if it means smiling so hard my cheeks ache and my jaw cracks. Even if it means swallowing my pride and burying my true self so deep she suffocates.

I will do whatever it takes to belong. To finally,finallyhave a place to call my own.

The maid's sudden appearance startles me out of my reverie, her stern face and crisp uniform a stark contrast to the warm welcome I had foolishly allowed myself to imagine.

"Miss Beaumont?" Her tone is clipped, impersonal. Just like the rest of this place. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room."

I force a smile, falling into step behind her as she leads me up the grand staircase. "Thank you so much. And please, call me Evie."

She doesn't respond, her shoulders stiff as she walks briskly down the hallway. I try not to let it bother me, focusing instead on the artwork lining the walls, the plush carpet beneath my feet. Opulent, but sterile. No personal touches, no warmth.

We stop in front of a set of double doors and the maid pushes them open, stepping aside to let me enter. I catch my breath, taking in the spacious room with its ornate furnishings and lavish en suite bathroom. It's like something out of a magazine,all sumptuous fabrics and gleaming surfaces. There's a big bay window with a little nook that would make theperfectreading nest, and I instinctively yearn to curl up in it.

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