Page 96 of Knot the One They Want

As they turn to head back upstairs, Lake pauses, looking back at us with a soft smile. "We're happy for you both. Really."

Once they're gone, I look down at Evie, worried about how she's taking all of this. To my surprise, she's smiling, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Well," she says, her voice tinged with laughter, "that wasn't exactly how I imagined telling them."

I can't help but chuckle, the tension draining from my body. "No, I suppose not. Are you okay?"

Evie nods, her fingers dancing across my shoulder. "Yeah. Better than okay."

"You're ours now," I tell her, even though I finally understand she always was. She was always meant to be.

A sleepy, satisfied smile spreads across her perfect face. "I guess I can get used to the sound of that."

I nuzzle her neck, holding her close as I shift our positions to be more comfortable for her. As she drifts off, I find myself staying awake, listening to the sound of her heartbeat, feeling itagainst my knot. Each pulse seems to drive the bond forming between us deeper. Binding her to me.

I hold her tighter, breathing in her soft scent. The light from her that chases away the dark thoughts of the past and how close I came to losing this.

Losingher.

I'm never going to make that mistake again.

Never going to let her go.

CHAPTER 40

EVIE

Ihum softly to myself as I flit around the house, straightening picture frames and fluffing pillows. It feels good to be up and about again after being cooped up in bed for days, lost in the haze of my heat. The alphas were reluctant to let me out of their sight, but I managed to convince them I was well enough for some light nesting and supervising the staff while they're out.

My fingers brush against the marks on my neck, now fully healed and formed into complete mating bites. The skin there tingles pleasantly at my touch.

It's still surreal, being mated to four alphas.

To the Blackwood pack.

The marks feel different from anything I've experienced before. A constant, pleasant buzz under my skin, reminding me of my new status as a fully claimed omega. It's a soothing balm to any nerves that are still frayed. I can feel them through my bond as if they're right here with me in this very moment.

The intensity of the bond thrums through me, a constant reminder of our connection. It's overwhelming, all-consuming. No wonder Daria left such a gaping wound in their souls. The phantom pain of a severed bond must be excruciating.

I trace the marks on my neck, lost in thought. Their pain doesn't excuse what they put me through. But now, feeling the depth of our connection, I can almost feel their agony, too.

When Daria left, she didn't just break their hearts. She tore away a piece of their very beings. The alphas were left raw, bleeding, desperate to fill the void she created. They lashed out, clinging to the idea that they could recreate what they lost.

It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

But I understand them better now.

The realization settles in my chest, heavy yet oddly freeing. Empathy doesn't erase the hurt they caused, but it helps me make sense of it. Helps me see a path forward.

A tentative hope blooms in my chest as I think about our future together. We've come so far from those first painful weeks, and yet...

Damien's words about Daria echo in my mind, an unwelcome intrusion. I can't help but wonder if they're truly ready to let her go. If I'll always be living in the shadow of their first omega.

I shake my head, banishing the thought.

No use dwelling on what-ifs and maybes. For now, I'm determined to enjoy this moment, this fragile peace we've found.

The doorbell chimes, interrupting my musings. I perk up, assuming it's the delivery driver with the new decorations I ordered for our nest. I've been itching to add some personal touches, to make it trulyours.I already have personal items and those pillowcases from each of the alphas, so I have their scents wrapped around me at all times, but I'm nothing if not a perfectionist.

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