Page 116 of Knot a Good Idea

And we all know exactly why. Her Heat is starting soon.

She sleeps in late and goes to bed early, and while she tries to hide it, she’s fatigued during the day.

She’s still great company, though. She’s taught Liam and me how to bake those amazing cookies, and she’s up for a game every night after we get back from the office.

I haven’t tasted her in weeks, and it drives me fucking crazy that Donovan made her come in the hallway the other day.

I’m jealous as hell, while Liam is patient.

“She hasn’t asked us to help her through her Heat,” Liam says simply. “If she doesn’t want us there, we won’t be. She can have the house to herself for privacy.”

The electronic chime of him losing the game makes me grin, and he hangs his head and sighs.

“Maybe next time,” I tell him, and he glares at me while I smirk.

Donovan enters the room and gives me a dirty look as well. “I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you,” he snaps. “But talking about stealing her underwear is absolutely abhorrent.”

“You’re abhorrent,” I reply easily. “And you know I’m right. She’s close.”

“And?” Donovan crosses his arms and stands over the couch, raising an eyebrow.

He’s such adick.

“So, are we going to talk about it with her or not? The giant nest that’s in her room? You know it’s full ofourstuff, right?”

“I may have left a sweatshirt out,” Liam murmurs, biting his lip. “I’m glad to know she’s utilizing it.”

I’m going to bang my head against the wall.

Donovan is too stubborn to talk to her about this, and Liam is too shy.

Looks like I’ll have to be the one to have the conversation.

“It’s not like I’m going to ask her, ‘hey babe, how’s your Heat doing?’But holy shit, I would love to know if she’s going to include us in her plans. Unlike you guys.” I tilt my head at Donovan. “If she’s not, I’m going to take an ice bath until it’s over.”

My pack leader rolls his eyes and huffs. “Let her talk to us when she’s ready. She’s been through a lot. There’s no need to pressure her.”

I look at him incredulously. “You think I don’t know that, asshole? That doesn’t mean we treat her with kid gloves. We act likeadults. We communicate. You know,communication?”

Donovan growls and runs a hand through his hair. “No.We wait until she asks us. That’s final.”

I chew my lip, wondering if now is the time to challenge him.

He’s inherently wrong on this, I just know it.

He may be smart with our business, but he’s not fucking smart about everything, especially when it comes to our pack.

“Wait,” Liam says. “What are you talking about?”

I look at him. “Huh?”

“You said she’s been through a lot. What do you mean?”

I sit up and glance at Donovan, who looks at me. I don’t know how much he knows, and if April hasn’t told Liam, that’s not my story to share.

But he gives me a subtle nod, one Liam doesn’t see.

“The same bullshit everyone goes through,” I mutter. “Which is why I’m saying it's stupid to discuss this when we could just go and talk to her.”