Page 105 of Knot Happening Again

"Ophelia?" Rhys's gentle voice breaks through my reverie. "How are you feeling?"

I lift my gaze to meet his concerned green eyes. The kindness I find there threatens to unravel the tight control I've maintained over my emotions. I force a smile, hoping it doesn't look as brittle as it feels. "I'm fine."

Rhys settles beside me on the plush sofa, his body radiating a comforting heat. "You don't have to do this tonight if you're not ready. We can reschedule?—"

"No," I interrupt, my voice sharper than I intended. I take a deep breath, softening my tone. "No, I... I need to do this now. If I put it off, I might lose my nerve."

He nods, understanding etched across his features. "Alright. But remember, you can change your mind at any time."

The sincerity in his words makes my chest ache. It's been so long since anyone truly cared about my wellbeing. I've grownaccustomed to being used, discarded, forgotten. But here, in this pack, in the short time I've lived with them, I've found something I never thought I'd have again: a chance at belonging.

My fingers tighten around the teacup. "Leon's part of your pack. We need to at least figure out how to tolerate each other." Even if I don't know how I'll manage to coexist with him.

Rhys opens his mouth to respond, but the doorbell chimes, cutting him off. My heart leaps into my throat, and I have to consciously loosen my grip on the cup to keep from shattering it.

"That'll be him," Rhys says softly. He stands, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before heading to answer the door.

I set the teacup down on the coffee table with trembling hands, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. The murmur of voices in the hallway grows louder, and then he's there.

Leon.

He stands in the doorway, looking impossibly tall and broad-shouldered. His white hair is shorter than I remember, styled in a fashionable undercut that highlights his chiseled features. In his hands, he clutches a bouquet of flowers—peonies and sweet peas, my favorites. The sight of them sends a jolt through me. How does he still remember that?

It's far from a touching detail. More like a knife twisting in my back.

So he remembered that, and he still left. I think it would hurt less if he was completely oblivious. If that night was just a one-time, careless fling for him that meant absolutely nothing.

Our eyes meet, and for a moment, I'm transported back in time. I'm eighteen again, breathless and giddy as he looks at me with heat in his gaze for the first time. The phantom sensation of his lips on my neck, his teeth grazing my skin as he whispers promises he never intended to keep.

I blink, and reality crashes back. I'm not that naive girl anymore. I'm hardened, jaded, marked but unclaimed—damaged goods. My heart is hardened and he's the one who melted it down and hammered it into unbreakable steel.

"Ophelia," Leon says, his voice a low rumble that sends an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Thank you for agreeing to see me."

Leon's scent washes over me, pine and winter air mingling with the floral fragrance of the bouquet he holds. My body betrays me, responding to his presence in ways I can't control. I hate myself for it, for the way my heart races and my skin prickles with awareness.

"May I?" he asks, gesturing to the empty armchair across from me.

I nod, not trusting my voice. As he sits, I catch Rhys watching us both, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. The tension in the room is thick enough to choke on.

Leon holds the bouquet out to me, his movements careful, deliberate. "I... wasn't sure if you still liked these," he says, his voice low and uncertain. "But I remembered how much you used to."

"They're fine," I say, my tone clipped.

"I'll take these," Rhys says, reaching past me to grab the bouquet before I have the chance. I watch in disbelief as he strides across the room, turns them upside down, and deposits them into the trash bin.

Leon scowls, but it's all I can do to keep from bursting out laughing.

Rhys turns, facing his bondmate with a challenging stare as he folds his arms over his chest. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

Silence descends, heavy and uncomfortable. I can feel both alphas' eyes on me, waiting for me to speak, to react. But what can I say? How do I even begin to address the years of pain, of abandonment, of struggling just to survive?

Leon clears his throat. "Ophelia, I... there are things I want to say to you. But first, I want to know if there's anything you want to ask me. Anything at all."

I almost laugh. Anything? Over the years, I've had a million questions swirling in my head.

Why did you leave?

Did I mean nothing to you?

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