Page 76 of Knot the One They Want

Her eyes narrow, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Asher, I understand that you have personal obligations. But this is your career we're talking about. You can't just put everything on hold indefinitely. That's as good as giving up."

Anger flares in my chest, hot and bright.

She doesn't get it. None of them do.

The music, the fame, the adoration of the crowds... it all pales in comparison to Evie. None of it matters anymore. Not enough to make a damn difference.

"I'm not giving anything up," I grit out, my jaw clenching. "But right now, Evie is my priority. She's been through hell, Diane. Because of us. Because ofme. And I'll be damned if I'm going to abandon her again."

Something flickers in Diane's eyes, a hint of understanding. She's known me for years, seen the way I've thrown myself intomy music, into my career. She knows I wouldn't put it on the back burner for just anything.

Or just anyone.

She sighs, leaning back in her chair. "Fine. I'll push the tour back a few months. But Asher, you can't keep putting your life on hold forever. At some point, you're going to have to find a balance."

I nod, relief washing through me. "I know. And I will. But Evie comes first. That's just the way it's going to be."

She gives me a long, measuring look, then nods. "Okay. Keep me updated on how she's doing, and let me know if anything changes."

I promise I will, then beat a hasty retreat. I know she's not thrilled with my decision, but tough shit. Evie is more important than any tour, any album, any fucking thing in my life. And it's time I started acting like it.

The drive back to the estate feels like an eternity, my mind spinning with thoughts of Evie. It's only been a few hours since I left her, curled up in her new nest with a book and a cup of tea, but it feels like days. I hate being away from her, hate not being able to see with my own eyes that she's safe and cared for.

But I have to trust that my pack has her back. That they're just as committed to her well-being as I am.

As I pull up to the house, I can already hear the commotion inside. I roll my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips. Fucking twins. They've been in rare form since Evie came home, each of them trying to outdo the other in the attentiveness department.

It would be annoying if it wasn't so damn endearing.

I stride into the kitchen, taking in the scene before me. Cole and Lake are bickering over a tray laden with snacks and a steaming pot of tea, their voices overlapping in a familiar, good-natured argument.

"You brought her lunch. It's my turn to take the tray up," Lake insists, trying to pull the tray out of Cole's hands.

Cole scowls, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah, well, you're the one who got to keep watch outside her door last night."

I lean against the door frame, amusement sparking through me. "Well, well. What do we have here?"

They both freeze, their heads swiveling toward me with identical expressions of guilt. I can't help but chuckle, shaking my head. "You two are something else, you know that?"

Lake flushes, rubbing the back of his neck. "We just want to make sure Evie has everything she needs," he mumbles.

"Yes," Cole chimes in, his tone defensive. "I don't care if she's still pretending like we don't exist. She's been through hell. The least we can do is make sure she's comfortable."

Something warm and bright blooms in my chest, a fierce sort of pride. They're trying. They're really, truly trying to be the kind of alphas Evie deserves. The kind of mates she needs. We all are.

"I know," I say, pushing off the door frame and crossing over to them. "And you're both doing a great job. But I'll settle this one." With that, I snatch the tray from their unsuspecting hands and whisk it toward the stairs.

They both open their mouths to protest, but it's too late. I can feel their glares boring into my back, but I just smirk, taking the steps two at a time.

But as I reach the top of the stairs, I freeze, the tray nearly slipping from my suddenly numb fingers. The scent hits me like a freight train, sweet and spicy and so fucking enticing it makes my head spin.

I know that scent.

I've dreamed about that scent.

Evie.

She's in heat. Full, glorious heat, her pheromones saturating the air and making every alpha instinct in my body sit up and take notice. I groan, my cock hardening in my jeans, my skin feeling too tight. Fuck, I want her. Want to bury myself in her slick heat and never come out.

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