Page 161 of Knot All is Forgiven

"We're going to be dads," Rafe echoes. "We're going to be dads."

Simon scoops Jordan up in his arms, spinning her in circles as he hollers excitedly. "You're carrying our baby! Baby Knight! Oh my God, I can't wait to see you with a big, round belly. Are you feeling sick? Do you want some pickles?"

Jordan bursts into hysterical laughter, and Rafe rescues her from the green-haired tornado. "You're going to be an incredible mom," he whispers, kissing her softly and setting her on my lap.

"Are you happy?" she asks me fearfully. "You don't seem happy."

"I am so happy, sunshine," I tell her, gathering her to my chest. "I wasn't supposed to know first. That's not how this was supposed to happen. You were going to find out you werepregnant and tell us, and it would've been a beautiful moment. I took that moment from you."

She smiles softly. "I don't need a moment like that, Vick. Who finds out first doesn't matter to me."

"I was also worried how you would take it."

She sucks on her teeth, stretching her legs across my lap to poke Cyrus with her toes. "I am surprised, certainly. Part of me wondered if it would ever happen since it hadn't already." She rests a hand on my chest, her smile nearly blinding. "But I am thrilled. A tiny baby Knight wandering around? It's going to be beautiful."

"You're sure?" Cyrus asks as he grabs her feet and kneads her arches. "Are you ready to be a mom?"

"I thought I was ready to be an Omega, and I wasn't. I don't know if I could ever truly be ready to be a mom. But just like with my presentation, I have you four to help see me through it." Jordan grabs Simon and Rafe by the hand, grounding herself by touching all of us.

I feel pure, brilliant love light my chest up from our bond, relaxing all my muscles. She must push it out to the others because they all visibly relax as well.

As we luxuriate in each other's company, I feel the anxiety I had earlier melt away, replaced by the certainty that our pack is exactly where it's supposed to be.

Crystal

Dr. Talbot chews hislip as he stares at me with watery eyes. "Please don't make me do this."

"You know the rules, Walter."

His fingers tremble as he repeatedly runs them through his white hair, wincing with each glance at me. "I've more than repaid my loan."

"That's not for you to decide, now is it?" I purposefully keep my voice emotionless.

I hate this part of my job. I get no pleasure from shaking him down week after week. But I don't have a choice.

We all have a part to play, and this is mine.

And woohoo, lucky me, I didn't even have to audition.

"Let's go, Walter. They're waiting for us." I turn and walk swiftly from his office, knowing he'll follow behind me if he knows what's good for him. Sure enough, I hear his heavy loafers slap the tile behind me.

My heels click as I rush through the Clinic to my car. It's a beater, and I hate driving people in it. Luckily, he's trustworthy enough to follow behind me.

No one would be so stupid as to try to escape.

I turn into the lot behind Prism and shrug out of my lab coat. Bypassing the regular staff entrances, I wait for Walter by the unmarked door that can only be opened from the inside. I knock the familiar pattern on the door when he heaves his substantial form out of the luxury sedan he drives.

It swings open almost immediately.

Trey eyes me with an appraising look. "Crystal, baby, he's going to be so happy you dressed up for him."

"Oh, can it, Trey." I push past him, Walter trailing behind me like a lost puppy, and turn left down the quiet hallway.

Trey's footsteps sound in my ears. "You're going to the interrogation room," he calls over Walter's head.

"No surprise there," I mumble, opening the door to a set of stairs that head down two floors below the nightclub.

"How did a nice Omega like you get wrapped up in this, Crystal?" Dr. Talbot asks for what must be the thousandth time.

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