Page 41 of Knot a Chance in Hell

My mind tumbled toward a deep sleep. Silas had claimed me. I don’t know what changed his mind, but maybe this was the thing needed to save the pack. Ezekiel and Kodiak already shared me, even if it was uneasy at times, but now Silas could too. They would be able to stay together, and I’d have them all.

I managed a small smile as I let the sound of Silas’ heart beating follow me into my dreams. Everything was going to be alright.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Silas

We woke up just before midnight, and I took her again. This time with less ferocity and more tender caresses. I’d hated hearing Kodiak and Ezekiel talk about her, but they had been right. Nicolette was perfect. I wanted to spend the whole winter locked away with her here.

I cuddled her after we came, with my knot locked in her. Swiping her thick hair back, I kissed over her shoulder to my bite mark on her neck. I’d claimed her. That still shocked me, but as it had in the moment, it felt right. Every instinct declared she was my Omega.

“Mm, what are you thinking about?” Her soft voice slurred a little with sleepiness. She tilted her head back to place a little kiss on the side of my mouth.

I turned to kiss her more firmly. “I was thinking about tying you up and having my way with you again.”

Nicolette giggled which caused her inner muscles to clench at my knot. We both moaned with it. “No, really. You looked pensive. What were you thinking?”

“How I never thought this would happen.” I nuzzled her, and then realizing maybe that wasn’t the right thing to say, I added, “But I’m so glad it did.”

“Me too.” She snuggled in closer to me. “I thought you hated me.”

I sighed. It ate at me that she believed that. Though I’d wanted to hate her, since it would make everything easier, but I couldn’t. “I never hated you. Just the idea of you and the whole situation.”

She lifted her chin, studying me. Fuck, she was beautiful. Even in the dim light and mussed hair, she was the most gorgeous female in the world. “Tell me about it.” When Ifrowned, she tapped my nose. “Don’t scowl and clam up on me. You’ve claimed me. There should be no secrets. Why were you so against having an Omega here?”

The reasons were stupid. I’d been bitter and hurt. None of it had been Nicolette’s fault. It hadn’t been my friends’ fault either. I’d been such an asshole that my fight with Kodiak had nearly gotten him killed. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if that happened.

“Silas,” Nicolette whispered my name and gave me a squeeze.

I kissed her again. No secrets. “So, my past relationships had never been great. I had girlfriends, but never anything serious. But then a few years ago, I met Sarah. She came up here to work through the summer. One of her uncles lived in town and got her a job as a server.”

She nodded, prodding me to continue. I couldn’t remember the last time I talked to anyone about Sarah. I didn’t think I had ever talked to anyone about her. Not really. The guys knew what happened, but we never talked about it. “We immediately hit it off. She claimed to be an Omega, but I never really felt it. Not like I did with you.” I gave her rear a pat. “I thought even if we weren’t compatible, it would be okay. She chose me. Love would come later. Maybe later when she started her heat, we’d find out if we were compatible or not. I didn’t truly know how it worked then.”

And Sarah had used that to her advantage. “Sarah hated that I worked in the Tongass. Said I had more potential. I like to dabble in building houses, and I’m good at it, but that isn’t what I want to do with all my time. I like being in the woods, working with my friends. I’ve had a rocky life and a temper to match, but being out there, it calms me.”

Nicolette smiled at me, sweet and understanding. Now the story fell fast from my mouth.

“Sarah started telling me to be an architect and build log houses for the rich men that came up here to fish. It would be easy money. Big money. She started spreading rumors about Ezekiel and Kodiak, and people would come back to me to tell me they heard the guys were cheating me out of equal pay. A whole pile of nasty bullshit. But her plan didn’t work. I didn’t believe they’d do that to me. No way would any of us turn on each other. That’s when she turned to Plan B.”

I swallowed, ready to spill the real shit. “She bought some black market slick and faked going into heat. Sarah never was an Omega, but that bottled slick, it was potent. Maybe it came from a real Omega. I don’t know, but my Alpha instincts went crazy. Funny thing, I thought I knotted her, but that little bump, no fucking way. It’s not like it really is. Not like with you.” I hugged Nicolette. Nothing was like it was when it came to her. “I didn’t know better. I was ready to leave the pack and do anything she asked. Until I discovered the bottle the slick had come in.”

Nicolette sucked in a breath, nipping her bottom lip. I bet to a real Omega that faking being one is a serious offense. It’s fucking offensive to everyone, but it had been easy for me to find out where the bottled slick had come from, so someone must be making a ton of cash from it.

“I’d never felt more betrayed in my life.” My throat tightened with the words. It still hurt, but somehow, with Nicolette in my arms, it was easier to bear. “I won’t claim I was in love with her, but that didn’t matter. She lied and almost took everything I cared about away from me. Even after I left her, she told people she was pregnant with my baby knowing that I would support her if she did have my child. Her boss made her take a pregnancy test. They couldn’t make a pregnant female work on her feet all day, and that’s how I found out she was lying.Again. She wasn’t pregnant.

“I was furious with her, and even more so with myself for believing all that shit. Way more with myself. I fell to drinking to forget.” I still couldn’t believe I had let myself sink that low. There were some days I couldn’t remember because I drank so much. “I was smarter than that, but I was so angry. And the only way I managed to climb out of that dark hole was because of Kodiak and Ezekiel. They’re my brothers, my pack, and when you came here…” She knew what I thought about that already. I didn’t want to say it again, especially since that had changed drastically now. “Well, you know.”

She shifted and hugged me tight. “Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry you had to go through that crap.” She placed a tender kiss on my neck and it felt everything in the universe was suddenly right. “And just so you know, none of what’s happening here,” she wiggled against me. “Is fake.”

“Oh, I know it, kitten.” I kissed her head and felt my mouth pull up in a smile. “I tried very hard to resist you.”

“You did.” Nicolette caressed my cheek, her fingers toying with my scruff. “So why did you give in?”

“I…” Oh fuck. I dove over her and leaned over the side of the bed to retrieve my pants where my phone was in the pocket. She made a cuteoofsound. Sitting up, I swiped the screen to see a half dozen texts from Ezekiel. They were at the clinic, and they’d be okay. Relief rushed through me and I collapsed back on the pillows. “Fucking hell. That was too close.”

“What?” She straightened and stared at me with wide, shimmering eyes. “What happened?”

“There was an accident—”

“Oh my God!” Nicolette shrieked and grabbed my forearm. I could hear her heart pounding as fear flashed across her pretty face. “Did… did….”

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