Page 155 of Knot Happening Again

Leon flinches at that, his jaw clenching.

But I can't stop now.

The words pour out of me like venom.

"I've already dealt with the pain of being tethered to a man who doesn't want me. I've lived it every day for years. So tell me, Leon, how couldcompletingthe mark possibly make it worse?"

He opens his mouth, then closes it again, at a loss for words.

"That's what I thought," I say, my voice bitter. "But let's get one thing straight. If we do this, it doesn't mean anything changes. Not for me. You're the one who'd finally be bound by the mark. So if you don't want that..."

"Of course I do," Leon says quickly, almost desperately. "Ophelia, I want?—"

"Fine," I cut him off again. "Then we're agreed. It's just a mark. Nothing more, nothing less."

Leon seems to want to argue, holding my gaze, but instead, he sighs in resignation. "Alright. If this is truly whatyouwant."

"It is," I say, my voice sounding more certain than I feel.

Than I need to be.

Rhys clears his throat. "We can give you two some privacy if?—"

"No," I say, turning to face him. "I want you to stay." I glance at the others. "Maybe… just Rhys. If that's okay.”

Maddox gives me a reassuring smile. "Of course it is, darling. You're the one who calls the shots here."

I sigh shakily in relief.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about the rest of the pack jockeying with each other at a time like this. As protective as they are, they've always put my needs first.

At least… all but the one I'm about to let mark me.

And this time, it’s for real.

But I meant what I said before. The half-mark was torture. It can't be any worse to finally have it completed. If anything, maybe it’ll clear my head not to have this incomplete thing always begging in the back of my mind for resolution.

Leon is already in my life.

We're already bound as a pack.

Maybe completing the mating bond will make it easier to keep him at the emotional distance I need him to be at, as counterintuitive as that seems.

Surprise flickers across Rhys's face, followed by something else.

Interest?

Desire?

It’d better not be desire.

And I’m sure it is, but now isn’t the time to ream him about it.

"We'll be close, if you need us," Troy says, and even though I can tell he's not thrilled about leaving me with Leon, it means a lot that he's willing to support my decision.

"Are you sure?" Leon asks once the three of us are alone, his voice strained.

I nod. “I’m sure. But don’t ask me again.”

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