Page 76 of Tangled in Knots

“Olivia,” Wren murmurs, making me confused. “I’ve heard of bonds that are forced behaving like this, but she didn’t choose her bond. You and Damon both bit each other to solidify the bond.”

“I can look into it,” Aisling says. “I’ve never heard of a bond acting like that. So he’s a persistent pain in the ass even though you’re not together?”

My lips twitch in a slight amusement. I wish I could feel more than pain and sadness.

“Basically,” I say. “The bond ties us together forever. I’m going to have to deal with it at some point, and I know he didn’t know his brother’s plan to plant a buyer. Jed was worried that Damon would somehow warn me with an errant thought.”

“Sometimes I wish biology wasn’t such a bitch,” Aisling says. “Wren and I both had rocky beginnings with our packs. I didn’t think that I would be able to move past things, but I was wrong. Everyone has a different path, though.”

“Just because you’re bound together doesn’t mean you can’t make them work for it,” Wren says. “Even if it takes years, they need to show you that they’re different. Ultimately, it’s your decision.”

Nodding, I think about that. Could I just cut them off? A pissed off pulse makes me growl under my breath. Dammit.There’s something to be said about being alone in your thoughts, and I no longer am.

“Everyone deals with things differently,” Aisling says. “They’re not all the best coping mechanisms, but I think short term, they help to get you through things. I stay busy, help people.”

“I throw myself into projects around the house,” Wren says. “I remake my nest, make the guys help me decorate, while Flynn will stress bake. My pack has two omegas.”

“I’ve never heard of a pack with two omegas before,” I tell her. “Is that difficult, sharing space?”

“He’s one of my best friends,” she says. “We had an instant connection. He was at an auction I was being sold at and bought me. I can’t imagine what would have happened if he didn’t. They were there for other reasons.”

“It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows after that,” Aisling grumbles. “The auctions are a product of greedy, sick alphas who are looking for a vulnerable omega they can groom to do whatever they want, and people who refuse to give it up.”

“It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows,” Wren agrees. “My alphas had to come a long way to deserve me. Biology forced me to bend sooner than I would have, but they’ve never been less than amazing since.”

“I love the shitheads too,” Aisling chuckles. “Wren and her pack basically adopted me and helped me when I was depressed and silently spiraling. There’s always a point where we need to ask for help. Things can get really dark very quickly otherwise.”

“In keeping with staying busy,” Wren drawls, “we have aptitude tests for omegas who are trying to figure out their next steps. Is there anything you enjoyed?”

“Reading,” I say with a shrug. “I was never allowed to leave the house, and my father’s guards made me uncomfortable. I stayed in my room often. It’s sad how pampered I was. I didn’trealize he was feeding me hormone suppressant pills every morning. He made it part of my routine.”

“You can’t blame yourself for not seeing it when it was considered part of your norm,” Wren says. “You trusted him.”

“You may be a little hesitant about pills with good reason after everything, but there are hormone supplements that will help with your heat,” Aisling says. “You not only have a scent match, but are bonded. From experience, I can say heats without your pack are awful.”

“My upcoming one will be next week unless my body decides that I can’t physically handle it,” I say.

“That’s possible,” Wren says. “My body skipped heats because of trauma. We unfortunately won’t know until it happens.”

“What will happen if I take a hormone suppressant?” I ask. “When I took the ones my father gave me, I didn’t go into heat at all. I’m twenty-two and just had my first last month.”

“It forced you not to mature at all,” Wren mutters. “I was on hormone suppressants, but it kept me almost childlike. My heat was very difficult afterward. We may need to have some blood tests done before we decide whether or not it’s safe.”

“At a hospital?” I ask, chewing on my bottom lip.

“We have the beginnings of a clinic starting,” Aisling explains. “It’s nothing fancy, but a doctor friend of mine is donating the time of the residents and newer nurses at his hospital to help us.”

“Really?” I ask. “Is there anything you don’t have here?”

“Lots,” she says with a smirk. “The room is a large storage closet and really rudimentary, but it’s a start. One of the nurses comes in later today if you’re comfortable with seeing her.”

“Would it be possible to have one of you in there with me?” I ask, my voice cracking. “I don’t have the best track record with needles or IVs recently.”

“Of course,” Wren says. “Shaw is picking me up soon, I think, but Aisling can. I wanted to meet you, so I had him drive me. He’s working in the city to stay busy in the meantime. You may notice it’s been quiet here.”

“Yeah, I did. Why is that?” I ask.

“I just redirected everyone to another area of the building,” Aisling says with a shrug. “This gives Wren a little space too. We all work around each other’s abilities, and no one minds.”

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