Page 79 of Knot All is Forgiven

"It wasn't like that!" Cyrus insists, crossing his arms. "All we did was rearrange her classroom. She wanted me for my strength."

Slime's eyes light up with delight. "Nah, she wanted you for yourmuscles, Cyrus. I can see why you'd get confused."

Jordan cackles as Cyrus hides his face in his hands. Though I feel strange being on the outside of their joke, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. This is the first glimpse I've gotten into what my life could be like if we can make this work.

I like these Alphas. I won't tell Jordan unless she asks me directly, but I can see myself in a pack with them. I can picture the four of us working together seamlessly to make Jordan happy.

It's like Rafe can read my thoughts through my expression because when I look up and catch him watching me, his smile is so grateful and hopeful.

When everyone is done making fun of Cyrus and the plates are cleared, Slime gives everyone a slice of lemon strawberry shortcake. Of course, they don't have tea, so I enjoy a glass of wine while the others drink espressos over dessert.

"So, Pack Stargazer," I say, looking at the three Alphas around the table. "How did that name come about?"

"I'm surprised Jordan hasn't told you," Slime says shyly.

"I don't know why," my Omega responds quickly. "I have always wondered, but I just assumed it was y'all being goofy teenage boys since we spent so much time under the stars."

Rafe raises a brow at her. "You didn't make the connection?"

Once again, my Omega looks between the Stargazers with confusion. She pushes her dessert away after two bites and rests her chin on her hand. "You're being so cryptic. No, I have no idea."

"Stargazer lilies," Cyrus says quietly. "We named the pack after your favorite flower."

There is a long, quiet pause as his words sink in. At sixteen, they were so sure they'd end up with Jordan that they named the pack after her. Maybe they did mean well when they pushed her away. I've seen how much it hurt Athena to be rejected by her pack after so long.

Maybe they really were trying to protect Jordan.

They went about it stupidly because they were nineteen-year-old boys and didn't think to mention their plan to a single person who no doubt would have stopped them, but their hearts were in the right place.

Jordan breaks the silence by bursting out into a peal of laughter, clutching her stomach and laughing so hard that tears fall from her eyes.

"Oh holy shit," she says through gasps. "You didn't."

The men look at each other, confused at her outburst. "What?" Slime asks softly. "Why is that funny?"

"Because stargazer lilies are not, and never have been, my favorite flower." She rolls her lips inward to keep from laughing more but fails, her head hitting the table as she collapses into laughter.

Cyrus looks devastated, his eyes wide as he stares at the hysterical Omega. "What do you mean? You had that painting of them you did and kept in your room. I took a picture of it and…"

"They were tiger lilies!"

"Okay, I'll bite," I say, interrupting their moment. "What's the difference?"

"Tiger lilies represent strength and good fortune, something I desperately needed at sixteen. They look similar to stargazers, but they're different varietals. And they aren't my favorite flower either. I just liked the symbolism." She looks around the room at the confused faces of Pack Stargazer. "What made you think they were stargazers?"

"We took a picture and took it to the florist…" Rafe says, shaking his head.

"Hold the fuck on," Cyrus says, pushing to his feet, "are you saying we could've been Pack Tiger? That's so much cooler than Stargazer! Do you know how much grief we've gotten over our name?"

Jordan pushes to her feet, crossing her arms. "Hold on there, mister. No one has consulted me on this name. You never said anything to me about it. You could've asked me about the flowers!"

The two appear to be equally stubborn, glaring at each other across the table. Despite their stormy expressions, I don't feel any malice from Jordan through our bond. If anything, it almost feels like affection.

No, wait.

Nostalgia.

That's a better word for the emotion she pushes through the bond.

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