Page 125 of Tangled in Knots

Instead, she’s taking notes on it, and my lips are curled into a perpetual smile as I watch her. I am getting really good at staring at her while taking notes. I’m surprised the teacher hasn’t called me out for it yet, but I guess as long as I’m kind of paying attention, it doesn’t really matter.

As the class ends, I pack and lithely stand, already walking toward her. Adira’s stuck in the middle of a row again, so escape from me isn’t in the cards for her today. Falling into step with her as she finally moves onto the stairs, I stay silent.

Today, I want her to say the first word. I don’t care if we’re quiet the entire time as we walk to her next class, because that’s what my plans are today. I want to stay as close as possible until I have to let her go.

“Were you at the fight yesterday?” Adira finally asks as we walk out of the building into the cold air. Her hair blows out of her face, and I can smell her sweet scent as it does.

“I was,” I reply. “I saw you making the rounds with the Kelly brothers.”

“They wanted to get me out of the house,” she says, shrugging. There’s strain in her voice, a sadness that makes myheart hurt for her. Adira’s finger absently runs over my hand before flinching away.

Did she want to soothe me?The bond pulls two people together, makes them crave each other, even when it's not as tightly entwined as we are. It’s why a dysfunctional relationship is so confusing for a bonded couple. A scent match is supposed to want to be with the person all of the time.

“Why is that?” I ask innocently, not wanting the conversation to die yet.

“It was my day off,” she murmurs. “They also wanted to test a theory.”

I don’t like any theories that have to do with my omega. A low growl fills the air before I can stop it, and she simply huffs in annoyance at me.

“Whatever you’re thinking, is wrong,” she says decisively.

“I know you have a direct connection to my brain, but do tell,” I tell her, smirking.

“The theory is that I react to certain stimuli,” she says primly. Adira Firestone should not be able to be this cute and proper. Talking about sex seems to pain her, though my brother told me about how outspoken she can be.

No secrets means we talk about everything now, even though Morris is drifting further away it seems. Jed is worried about him, but I don’t know how I can help. Or if I’ll make it worse.

“Blood and testosterone?” I guess, raising my right hand if weighing the words.

“You got it in one, Alpha,” she says.

I’ve never been called ‘alpha’ like that before. Kane and I work in the background with my oldest brother. It’s always been due to how uncomfortable I am around omegas and any kind of attention from people in general.

My brother gets fawned over when he attends a meeting with my father, and it always made me feel gross when he talked about it.

Words have power, and the less I’m around ones that remind me of my past, the better.

I don’t think she knows what being called ‘alpha’ does to me, and I swallow hard before I accidentally show her. My cock, however, is rock hard and begging to be stroked in the same way her words just massaged my ego.Damn, little omega.

“So the idea of my closet proposal wasn’t completely out of left field,” I purr. Adira shivers for reasons that have nothing to do with the weather, and shrugs.

“The fact that you’re calling it that is preposterous,” she mutters.

We’re getting closer to her class, and I’m beginning to feel anxious. I need to make a good impression, say something that’ll stay with her.

“I want my omega to be able to live her life in a way that makes her feel safe and cherished,” I growl, knowing it to be true. “Watching my father die, knowing you’re a part of his end, may help quiet the whispers that lie to you in the middle of the night, Adira.”

I was woken up at four o’clock in the morning today to screaming in my mind. All I could feel was fear so deep, it kept me frozen in despair for minutes after she was pulled awake by someone.

Jed came running to my room, and all I could do was rasp, “Adira had a nightmare.”

Jed gazed at me for a moment before sighing and muttering that it was his fault. He had gotten in after me, so I got up and had him tell me all about it.

We’re all mind fucked in some way now.

“Will you still want me if I’m a murderer?” she asks, uncaring of the people around us.

I’ve noticed how people avoid both of us when we walk together lately, but since I don’t care what people think about me, I ignore it. If I find out they’re being rude to Adira, I’ll get involved at that point.

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