Page 101 of Knot Happening Again

"Hey now, none of that," Troy says, reaching up to brush the tear away. His touch is so gentle it nearly undoes me.

"I don't... I don't understand," I manage to choke out. "Why would you want me? I'm damaged goods. Half-marked. Used."

Now that my heat has fully subsided, their interest in me makes even less sense. But it hasn't lessened at all.

The growl that rumbles through the room startles me. It's coming from all of them, a protective sound that makes my omega instincts sing.

"Don't you ever say that about yourself again," Mace says fiercely. "You're perfect, just as you are."

"But—"

"No buts," Rhys interrupts. "We want you, Ophelia. All of us. You're not some broken thing to be fixed. You're strong, and beautiful, and we'd be honored to have you as part of our pack."

I look at each of them in turn, searching for any hint of deception. But all I see is sincerity. Hope. And something that looks dangerously like a certain four letter word I promised myself I would never believe in again.

"I don't know what to say," I whisper.

"Say yes," Maddox urges. "Let us take care of you. Let us be your home."

Home. The word echoes in my mind, stirring up long-buried hopes and dreams. I've been alone for so long, convinced that I didn't deserve anything more than quick, meaningless encounters. The idea of belonging somewhere, to someone... it's terrifying.

And exhilarating.

"What if... what if it doesn't work out?" I ask, voicing my deepest fear.

"Then we'll figure it out together," Rhys says firmly. "That's what pack does."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "And Leon?"

The mood in the room shifts slightly. Mace's jaw tightens, and I can smell the faintest hint of anger in his scent.

"Leon has a lot to answer for," he growls. "But that's between you and him. We're not going to force anything."

"We just want you safe and happy," Troy adds. "Whatever that looks like."

I nod slowly, processing. It's all so much, so fast. Part of me wants to run, to retreat to the safety of my solitary life. But a larger part, the part I've been trying to silence for years, is screaming at me to stay. To take this chance.

"Okay," I whisper, hardly believing the word as it leaves my lips.

"Okay?" Rhys repeats, a smile breaking across his face.

I nod, more firmly this time. "Okay. I'll... I'll stay."

The room erupts in cheers. Suddenly I'm engulfed in a tangle of limbs as they all try to hug me at once. Their scents mingle—sweet and earthy and dark and rich—wrapping around me like a blanket.

I feel safe. Protected. Wanted.

As they pull back, still grinning, reality starts to set in. "I'll need to get my things," I say. "And... and talk to my landlord. I'll be breaking my lease."

"We'll help," Mace says immediately. "Whatever you need."

"And don't worry about money," Rhys adds. "We've got you covered."

I open my mouth to protest, but Troy cuts me off. "Nope, no arguments. You're pack now. What's ours is yours."

I've been on my own for so long, the idea of letting someone else take care of me sits like a lead weight in my stomach. "I don't—I can't take anything from you."

"Why not?" Maddox challenges. "We're your pack. You're our scent matched omega. It's normal for a pack to take care of their omega, isn't it?"

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