Page 53 of Knot Happening Again

I stand there, flustered but secretly pleased. The act of scent marking is intimate, possessive. It's a clear signal to anyone I encounter that I belong to them, at least on some level. The thought sends a thrill through me, followed quickly by a pang of longing.

What would it be like, I wonder, to truly belong to a pack?

I push the thought away as quickly as it comes. It's a dangerous line of thinking, one that can only lead to heartbreak.

The alphas help me into the car, their touches lingering. As I settle into the plush leather seat, Rhys leans in through the open window.

"Text me when you get home safe," he says, his voice low and urgent. "And please, think about our offer."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. As the car pulls away, I watch them in the rearview mirror until they disappear from sight. The further we get from the mansion, the more I feel like I'm leaving a piece of myself behind.

The drive back to my apartment passes in a blur. Before I know it, I'm standing in front of my door, key in hand. Thecontrast between the opulence I've just left and the reality of my life is stark.

Like waking up from a dream.

I push open the door, wincing at the familiar creak of hinges that need oiling. The air inside is stale, and the silence is deafening after days of being surrounded by the pack's energy and warmth.

I drop my bag on the floor and make my way to the bedroom. My bed, once a source of comfort, now looks small and uninviting. I long for the massive nest in the Carver mansion, for the feeling of being surrounded by alpha scents and warm bodies.

With a sigh, I flop onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow. It smells of nothing but laundry detergent, and I find myself wishing I could transfer the alphas' scents to my own bedding.

The thought spurs me into action. I sit up, reaching for my bag. Maybe if I unpack quickly, some of their scent will linger on my clothes.

As I open the bag, something catches my eye. Nestled among my clothes is a pillowcase I didn't put in there. I pull it out, bringing it to my nose, and I'm immediately hit with the combined scents of Rhys, Mace, and Troy.

My eyes widen in surprise. One of them must have slipped this into my bag when I wasn't looking. The gesture is so thoughtful, so caring, that it brings tears to my eyes.

I clutch the pillowcase to my chest, inhaling deeply. Their scents wrap around me like a warm embrace, soothing the ache of loneliness that had already started to creep in.

"I've lost my mind," I mutter to myself, even as I curl up on the bed, the scented pillowcase held close.

As I lay there, surrounded by the comforting scents of the alphas, I find my resolve weakening. The idea of spending mynext heat with them, of experiencing that level of care and attention again, is too tempting to resist.

But I can't just jump in blindly.

I need to protect myself, to set boundaries.

I make a decision then and there: I'll spend my next heat with the pack, but only if Rhys talks to the rest of the pack and they all want me there. And if that happens, I'll tell them the truth about my job.

The thought of revealing that part of myself sends a jolt of fear through me. I can already imagine their reactions—disgust, disappointment, rejection.

But if they still want me after knowing the truth, as unlikely as that seems... well, maybe it would be worth taking the chance.

I close my eyes, breathing in the alphas' scents once more. For now, I'll allow myself this small comfort. Tomorrow, I'll face reality again.

But tonight, I'll let myself dream of what could be. Of a world where I belong to a pack that accepts me, flaws and all.

As I drift off to sleep, clutching the scented pillowcase, I can't shake the feeling that I'm standing on the edge of something life-changing.

Whether I'll have the courage to take that leap remains to be seen.

CHAPTER 14

MADDOX

Istep into the foyer of our pack house, the familiar scents of home washing over me. The place feels oddly quiet, almost too still. Leon's absence weighs on me, his mysterious "personal business" nagging at the back of my mind.

I can't shake the feeling that something's off.

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