Page 195 of Knot Happening Again

I hear the front door open, Leon and Troy's voices drifting up the stairs. They sound tired, frustrated. Nothing like two alphas who've just been caught cheating.

"No," I say, a calm certainty settling over me. "They wouldn't do that to me. They love me."

The words leave my mouth just as Leon and Troy reach the top of the stairs. They fall silent, and I know they've heard me. I turn to face them, phone still pressed to my ear.

"And I love them," I continue, meeting their eyes. Shock and relief bloom across their faces, mixed with a wariness that breaks my heart. "All of them. They're my pack. My family."

There's a choked sound from the phone, but I barely register it. I'm too focused on the men in front of me, on the emotions playing across their features. Relief, joy, and beneath it all, a deep, aching love that takes my breath away.

"Effy," Natalie's voice comes through, small and desperate. "Please, don't do this. You don't understand?—"

"I think I understand perfectly," I cut her off, my voice gaining strength. "What I don't understand is why. Why would you do this, Nat? Why try to come between me and my pack?"

There's a long pause, filled only by the sound of Natalie's ragged breathing. When she speaks again, her voice is cold, all pretense of tears gone.

"Because you don't deserve them," she hisses. "You're nothing but a used-up whore, Effy. You think a pack like that really wants you? They're just using you, and when they're done, they'll throw you away just like Leon did before."

Her words should hurt. They should cut me to the core, reopening old wounds and insecurities. But as I look at Leon and Troy, at the love and concern shining in their eyes, I find that Natalie's barbs can't touch me anymore.

"You don't deserve any of it,” she continues, her voice strained with every word she shrieks out. “It should have been me! You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth and you threw it all away for that asshole. Now you get the perfect pack, too? It's bullshit. Did you really think I'd be okay playing second fiddle, watching you flaunt your new pack and all those flashy presents in my face?"

"That's not what I was doing!" I cry, shocked by the bitterness in her voice. "All I ever wanted was to include you. To share the things that are important to me with my best friend."

The harsh laugh that fills the line severs what's left of my hope that this is all some out-of-character drunken meltdown she'll apologize for come morning. And I can tell from her voice, she's stone cold sober.

"Please. Save the Pollyanna act for someone else. You got what you deserved, and the media is right. Sooner or later, that pack of yours is going to dump you and realize the same thing your family did: You're nothing but damaged goods."

"You're wrong," I say simply. "And I feel sorry for you, Nat. Sorry that you can't understand what real love and acceptance look like. Sorry that everything you're saying about me, you clearly feel toward yourself."

Leon and Troy come into the room, standing on either side of me. Neither says a word, but each alpha puts a hand on my shoulder and their touch steadies me. I feel their support and strength through our bond, and the marks on my neck hum with warmth where I once felt only pain.

"You stupid bitch," Natalie snarls. "You have no idea what's coming. Don't come crying to me when it all falls apart."

The line goes dead, leaving me in stunned silence. I lower the phone slowly, my mind reeling from everything that's just happened.

"Ophelia?" Leon's voice is soft, hesitant. "Are you okay?"

I look up at him, then at Troy. They both look worried, uncertain. Like they're waiting for me to break down or lash out.

Instead, I surprise myself by laughing. It bubbles up from deep inside me, a release of tension I didn't even know I was holding. "I'm fine," I say, shaking my head in disbelief. "I just... I can't believe I never saw it before. How toxic she was. She was always sending me those nasty articles… always saying little things I told myself I was reading into or overreacting. I feel so stupid."

"You're not," Leon insists, stroking my cheek. "You just want to see the best in people. You're willing to give them a chance when no one else will. That doesn't make you stupid, it makes you strong."

"Look at that. We agree on something," Troy says dryly. "I'm just sorry that psycho called you before we could get here." His expression grows grim. "What did she say?"

"Nothing worth repeating," I mutter. "Just some bullshit about you two showing up at the club to pick up another omega, and then threatening her."

"And you didn't believe her?" Leon asks hesitantly.

"No," I admit, holding his gaze. "I didn't."

"Why?" he murmurs. "I've given you no reason to trust me."

"That's not true," I say, reaching out to lace my fingers with his. "You made a mistake. A huge one. But you've spent seven years trying to put it right, and these last few months… you've proven to me you're not the man you were back then." I turn to glance at Troy. "You've all proven you love me."

"We do," Troy says, stepping closer, leaning down to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth. "More than anything. I'm just sorry we couldn't protect you from this."

Leon runs a hand through his hair, a familiar gesture of frustration. "We were going to tell you. We just... we wanted to be sure first. To have all the answers."

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