Page 14 of Knotting Before Them

It wasn’t.

Locked, unlocked, it didn't matter. The whole house bled for us. We were alphas without an omega, men without a purpose.

The house was to give to our mate, the bedrooms to bedecorated to her taste. Our lives were to be fulfilled by her presence, but instead, we walked through these halls for twenty years, knowing no one was ever going to come.

But she was finally here.

I couldn’t explain how. No one had ever mated outside the community before, but Julia was ours, I knew it right in my veins.

How could Noah ignore it? It was too obvious, too painfully clear.

I watched her door for far too long, wanting to bring her to the room that was rightfully hers, but I couldn’t do it without Noah on board.

I marched straight to his door, not wanting to waste a second longer. When he answered my knock, resignation was written all over his face.

So he knew it. He was just too chicken to say it. Thankfully, I wasn’t.

“It’s her.”

He was already growling, shaking his head, but I didn’t let him speak.

“It’s her. I can feel it. Theo feels it, and I know you do too. Her fucking scent is everywhere. I can’t barely think straight, and I know it must be killing you too. Get your shit together, Noah, 'cause I won’t stay quiet and watch you ignore this miracle.”

He banged the door in my face, and the next morning, he was gone.

“Where’s Noah?” Julia asked,munching on a piece of toast.

She looked adorable today in loose, hot pink pants, a faded t-shirt all covered in paint, her hair in pigtails.

“He went out for a job, don’t worry.” Theo brushed it off. “How’s the drawing going?”

“Better.” She nodded, pouring more coffee from the coffeemaker. It was her third cup, I noticed.

“After last night?” I asked.

She blushed and nodded, avoiding my gaze.

“What happened last night?”

Julia opened her mouth, but I was faster. “We went for a run. It opened her mind.”

Theo wasn’t convinced by my explanation. We hadn’t had time to talk yet. When he came down for breakfast, he was quickly followed by Julia, but I bet he could see it on my face.

I was hers, utterly gone. I wasn’t ashamed—not even a little.

“Tell us if you need anything,” Theo told her.

She smiled and shrugged. “I think you did enough. I’ll be around the house, finding the perfect window.”

I watched her as she said it, her cheeks going red when she mentioned the perfect window. She found it already. She was looking all this time for something, and it was here, waiting for her for twenty years.

“How old are you, Julia?” I asked.

“Twenty-six.”

I chuckled. That was why we waited so long. Theo groaned and brought his palms into his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she chuckled at Theo’s reaction.

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