Page 121 of Knot All is Forgiven

Why is he buying me so much underwear?

"Jordan, baby, back me up here!" Cyrus says with wide eyes. "You like it, don't you?"

"It's fucking hideous," comes a pretty, familiar voice from behind me. I spin and see Athena stalking down the aisle towards us with a loaded basket in her arms.

I wrap my arms around her, sighing happily. I know things were weird for a bit when she basically took the Stargazer's side, but she's family. I didn't realize how much I missed her until my arms were around her.

"What are you doing here? What's in the basket?" I ask, trying to peek into the yellow basket she quickly stuffs behind her back.

"Just shopping. You know. For uh." She awkwardly shifts her weight from foot to foot, then sighs. "For you. Icarus texted about what happened, and I just wanted to get you a few things."

I want to tell her she didn't have to do that because she really didn't, but the part of me that loves gifts squeals and squeezes her tightly. "You got me a present?"

"Of course I did! I knew you could use a little pampering after the day you've had." She taps her temple with a clever grin. "I'm pretty good at this type of thing. I had an Omega once, you know," she says wistfully. I hope she gets an Omega someday because she seems so sad whenever it comes up. "I didn't know these morons would bring you shopping right when you get out of the hospital. You still have the bracelet on!"

"Oh, shit!" I mutter, looking down at my arm. She's right. We completely forgot to cut the admission bracelet off, and here I am, wandering around the store like it's this season's hottest accessory. "Don't blame the guys, though," I say before trying to gnaw the bracelet off my arm. "I prashitally fusshed dem to," I mumble around the plastic. Simon takes pity on me and pulls out a pocket knife, gently slicing the bracelet off.

"Ah, so we've entered full whipped, then," Athena hums.

"Hush," Icarus chastises as he pulls his sister into his arms. "But thanks for thinking of my Omega."

"Of course, Icky." She coos the awful nickname like a ballad, and the Stargazers crack up loudly before smothering the sound with a single glare from Icarus.

Why was that look kind of hot? I'm not sure what it says about me that I liked watching him control them.

Athena must pick up on a boost of my pheromones as my mind wanders down dirty paths because she fake gags a little and takes several steps back. "Love you both, but ew, that's my brother, and he," she juts her chin at Cyrus, "may as well be my boss. I'm going to leave this stuff bagged for you at the front."

"You're running off so quick?" I whine.

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Yeah, I am. You just bought a bunch of nesting stuff, and you have four Alphas who just worried over you in a hospital bed. I do not need to see what comes next. I'm not getting in the middle of that."

With promises to come to family dinner and catch up over brunch, Athena skips away.

The moment she turns the corner, I feel the weight of four stares on me. I feel hot all over, and my core goes liquid at their attention.

"It's time to go, Omega," Rafe says softly, touching my lower back. "Let's let the daddies pay for everything and wait for them in the car."

Chapter forty-six

The pretty Omega thatI used to fantasize about is sandwiched between me and the Alpha that I barely allowed myself to dream of, and I can not shake the absolute feeling of rightness that washes over me.

Seeing Jordan in that hospital bed cracked something inside me, and I couldn't hold myself back from Simon anymore.

I couldn't bear the charade of sharing a bed with him, pretending there wasn't anything between us.

That those times we spent wrapped in each other's arms meant nothing to me.

I have a weird relationship with my sexuality. I always have. Truthfully, I don't think much of it. I'm not a highly sexualperson. I never dated casually and never had a one-night stand. In fact, my sexual exploits begin and end with these two people in the backseat of this car with me.

Which is why pretending like Slime wasn't Simon, the man I lost myself in, wasn't working anymore.

Jordan is kissing up his neck, her legs thrown over his lap, when Cyrus and Icarus finish loading the trunk with the spoils of our trip and slide into the front. Their sharp inhales prove that her pheromones and scent are thick in the air. Russ's hands tighten on the wheel as he pulls out of the lot.

I don't mind letting Icarus drive my car, mainly because I've gotten to sit beside Jordan both times. I think his need to drive is a control thing.

We may not have declared it, but there is no doubt in my mind that Icarus is the pack leader, and they like to be in charge. Who am I to question it?

"Why does she smell like this?" Cyrus says with a strained voice. "I shouldn't be able to smell her this strongly."