Page 70 of Knot the One They Want

Addison glares at them each in turn as they pass her in the hall, a silent warning. I manage a slight smile. My fierce, protective Addie. I don't know what I'd do without her.

The alphas gather around my bed as Lake closes the door, their expressions a mix of contrition and concern. It throws me, seeing them like this. Worried. Almost... caring.

But I can't let myself be fooled. Not again. They made their feelings perfectly clear when they left me half-marked and bleeding.

Lake is the first to break the tense silence. "How are you feeling?" he asks softly, his honeyed eyes searching my face.

"Fine," I say, my tone clipped. "Just peachy."

He winces, but presses on. "Evie... why didn't you tell us you were sick? We could have helped, could have?—"

"Are you serious right now?" I cut him off, disbelief sharpening my words. "You really have to ask why I didn't come to you? After everything you did?"

Lake's shoulders slump, guilt etching deep lines into his handsome face. "That's fair. I know we haven't done anything to deserve your trust. But Evie, we've talked and... we want to make this right. Whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. If you'll give us a chance."

I stare at him, my heart a war drum in my chest.

A chance.

They want achance.

After leaving me to rot, to suffer the consequences of their cruelty alone... now they want to play the good alphas?Nowthey want to care?

Anger surges through my veins, hot and potent. I want to scream, to rage, to claw at their faces until they feel even a fraction of the pain they've inflicted on me. But I'm so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of hurting. Tired of being alone in this nightmare.

"I don't know if I can do that," I whisper, my voice cracking. "I don't think I can trust you again. Any of you."

Damien steps forward, his blue eyes blazing with an intensity I've never seen before. "I know we don't deserve it.Idon't deserve it. But I swear to you, Evie, on my life… I will spend every day of the rest of it earning back your trust. Earning your forgiveness."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, stealing the air from my lungs. Damien Blackwood apologizing? Admitting he was wrong? It's so out of character, so unexpected, that for a moment I can only gape at him. Does one of the others have a gun to his head or something?

But then the reality of the situation crashes over me again, a tidal wave of hurt and betrayal. "You left me," I choke out, tears burning my eyes. "You marked me and then you just... left me. Like I was nothing."

Damien flinches as if I've struck him, pain flashing across his face. "I know. And I will regret that for the rest of my life, Evie. But I promise you, I will make it right. We all will." He hesitates, looking at his fellow alphas. "It wasn't… them. It was me. I made them do it."

Damien's words hit me like a slap in the face, shocking and painful. But beneath the sting, a tiny flicker of hope sparks to lifein my chest. Hope I immediately try to smother, not daring to let it take root.

If what he says is true... if he was the one who made the others reject me... it would explain so much. The way Cole, Asher, and Lake have never seemed to hate me the way Damien does. The guilt and regret in their eyes every time they look at me.

But still, it doesn't make sense. Doesn't justify the cruelty of their actions.

I look at the other alphas, my voice tight as I ask, "Is that true? Did he make you do it?"

They exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Cole nods, his jaw tight. "Yes. But it's not an excuse, Evie. We never should have gone along with it, no matter what Damien said."

Asher steps forward, his green eyes pleading. "We were weak. We let our loyalty to Damien override our conscience, our instincts. And we'll never forgive ourselves for that. The moment we met, we all knew the truth. The truth that you are our scent match."

His words fire off like a shot in the room, and everything goes silent for a few eternal seconds. The others say nothing, but I can tell from their faces it's the truth. I can tell from the way Damien flinches.

That would explain a lot, too. The fact that, even on suppressants, they smelled like heaven to me when we first met. Even if that realization turned bitter with their coldness.

I just assumed it was one-sided. I mean, I couldn't possibly be matched to alphas who treated me like I didn't exist, could I?

The realization does nothing to soothe my doubts, though. If anything, it drives the wedge of betrayal in even deeper.

I'm their scent match, and they still treated me like this?

Lake reaches out as if to touch me, but stops himself, his hand hovering in the air. "Please, Evie. Give us a chance to make it right. To prove we're not the monsters we acted like."

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