Page 28 of Knot All is Forgiven

"Mrowp."

He doesn't seem pleased with that answer.

"When did you get another cat?" Henrik snaps. "You know I barely tolerated the other one."

"It's not your fucking concern, Henrik. Give me my key." I reach, trying to grab the keys from his hand, when he snatches my wrist and squeezes it tight. I yelp at the pressure. "Let go, Henrik."

"Not until you hear me out."

"I told you we're done. Let me go and get out."

He pulls my arm up, stretching it above my head. "Not until you stop being a bitch and just listen to me for a moment."

"You have two seconds to take your fucking hands off of her," Icarus growls from behind me. My body slumps, his presence bringing a much-needed sense of safety.

"And who the fuck are you?" Henrik postures. Does he think he's at all threatening to an Alpha like Vick?

"I'm her Alpha. Who the fuck are you?" He takes three large steps and is upon us, easily breaking Henrik's hold on me.

"Alpha? She's a fucking Beta dude. I know she is always saying she's an Omega, and it's fun for, like, roleplay shit, but don't let her delusional bullshit fool you."

Apparently, this is very much the wrong thing for Henrik to say because the Alpha's growl deepens, and he grabs my ex by the shirt collar. "You don't get to talk shit aboutmyOmega inmyhome. You do not get to touch what'smine."

Wow, I didn't think I would like that macho Alphahole stuff, but woah, that really did it for me. My stomach feels all fluttery. He drags Henrik out of the apartment.

"Wait!" I shout, breaking the fog of arousal. "He has a key."

"Oh, hell no. Give it here, asshole," Vick says, shaking the Beta. Henrik tosses a key into the condo, and it lands at my feet. I double-check that it's the right one before Icarus literally tosses him out the door, closing and locking it behind him.

He's on me in a second, grabbing my arms gently and turning my wrist over, searching to see if I'm injured. A low growl is still rolling in his chest, like a summer thunderstorm, and his cool eucalyptus scent washes over me. "I'm okay, Alpha," I say quietly.

Slowly, his chest stops heaving as his breathing slows. "I'm sorry for how I acted, Omega," he says quietly. "I just saw red."

"It's okay. I'm glad you came and got rid of him. He wasn't going to go without a fight."

"Who was he?"

I walk into the kitchen and turn the kettle on. "My ex. We broke up a few weeks ago."

"Why was he here?" His questions don't feel like the ones Henrik used to lodge at me. Instead, they feel like safety and care.

"Unsure," I answer honestly. "I just got home from brunch, and he was here."

Icarus glances around the kitchen like he's checking for other intruders. "I don't like him."

"Me neither." Pulling down his pretty wooden box, I pick up one of the infusers I've seen him use and try to measure out the dried leaves carefully. When I hand him a cup of tea, the water still steaming, he grins at me like the cat who got the canary, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"What?"

"You made me a cup of tea."

"Well, yeah. You were stressed. I thought it'd help." I rub my hand on the back of my neck. "I'm sorry if I overstepped. I know we don't know each other very well. Well, at all. I just thought –"

"Omega." He interrupts. My head snaps up, eyes locking on his. "I sorely needed one. Thank you." His broad smile assures me he means what he says. He notices my leftover container on the island and opens it up. "Why didn't you eat more?"

I freeze in place on my way to the fridge to get some water. I make sure my back is to him when I say, "Oh, I just wasn't very hungry."

It's got to be the millionth time I've said that phrase.

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