Page 64 of Knot All is Forgiven

I fucking knew, guys. And I told you I knew. And you tossed me aside like a broken toy.

And then somehow, on the day I present, one of you finds me, and now you're trying to claim me? After ignoring me for thirteen years?

Disrespectfully, fuck you

I huff and toss my phone onto the table beside the chair. The woman working on my toes looks up at me with a smile. "Alpha trouble?"

"You could say that."

"Wanna talk about it?" Her gentle voice and clear, trustworthy eyes make me want to spill my life story to her.

So fuck it, I do.

When I finish, she clicks her tongue and shakes her head as she slides the LED light over my toes. "What a right mess those boys made."

"Right?" I say, burying my face in my hands. "And what am I supposed to do? They are my Alphas, and I could legitimately get sick. But I don't want them in my life anymore."

"Is that truth, though?" She leans back on the stool, adjusting her black wrap top. "Do you want nothing to do with them, or do you want them to have never hurt you?"

"I-" I cut myself off and take a second to think about the question she asked. But it doesn't take long. The answer is clear. "I want them never to have hurt me. I dreamt about them being my Alphas for years. It broke me when I heard they found their Omega, even if it was a lie." They haven't fully confirmed it was a lie to me, but Cyrus did to Vick, so I feel confident in my assumption now.

"And you can never go back and be unhurt. But it sounds like these guys made a damn stupid decision, and now they're trying to pretend like it never happened and step into your life." She switches the light to cure the polish on my other foot. "And you can't let them do that."

"So what do I do?"

"Make them grovel, girl." She chuckles and crosses her arms over her chest. "I read this book where these three guys told theirgirl an offensive, stupid lie and broke things off with her, and then when they tried to get her back, she made those morons earn her attention back. Made them beg for forgiveness."

The pedicurist removes the LED light and slips my sandals back onto my feet, giving me a conspiratorial grin. "An Alpha would look real good on his knees, no?"

The guys were surprisinglychill in their messages after my blowoff. They also didn't blow me up all evening—just one-off texts giving me insight into their lives.

I'm sitting across from Lanie at Sunday brunch when one of those texts comes in.

Simon

Hey, peaches. Are you at brunch?

Yeah, how'd you know?

You've always loved brunch.

Bloody Mary or mimosa?

Mimosa, for sure

Why not a bellini?

That wasn't the question.

But they don't have them at most places, unfortunately.

What about you?

Neither. Spiked coffee all the way

"Uh, hello, Earth to Jordan," Lanie grins. "Who are you texting?"

For some reason, I don't want her to know I'm talking to someone from Pack Stargazer. I still haven't entirely forgiven her for letting Cyrus blindside me.

---