Page 62 of Knot Happening Again

Nothing yet. He just said he's dealing with some things with his family and he'll be home in a few days.

I hit send, but the words feel hollow.

It's not like Leon to stay away after a match, especially not for this long. A nagging voice in the back of my mind suggests that this has more to do with us finding an omega than any family issues.

I've always known Leon was hesitant about bringing an omega into our pack. But I thought... Ihopedthat once he met Ophelia, once he saw how special she is, he'd change his mind.

How could he not?

She's our scent match, for crying out loud.

She's perfect for us in every way.

But Leon hasn't even given her a chance. He hasn't even met her. And now, with his prolonged absence, I'm starting to fear that he never will.

I haven't even gotten the chance to tell him about her broken mark.

My phone buzzes again with another message from Mace.

Have you heard anything from Ophelia, then?

I feel a pang of guilt as I type out my response.

No, she hasn't texted either. I did message her, just to let her know we were thinking about her. But I'm afraid of coming on too strong and scaring her off.

Mace's reply comes quickly.

I get that. But it's been almost two weeks since her heat. We should probably start making arrangements for her to meet the others before her next heat starts. Otherwise, things might be really awkward.

He's right, of course. We can't keep Ophelia in limbo forever. She deserves to know where she stands with us, to meet the whole pack and make an informed decision. But the thought of pushing her too far too soon makes my stomach churn.

You're right. I’ll give her a call to see where she's at mentally.

I pocket my phone, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily on my shoulders. As the de facto leader of our pack in Leon's absence, it falls to me to keep us united.

But right now…

I feel like we've never been further apart.

Leon is off doing God knows what, avoiding the very idea of Ophelia. Troy is less guarded than before, but I'm sure his old insecurities will manifest eventually. Mace is eager but cautious,not wanting to push too hard any more than I do. And Maddox, bless him, is trying to be the voice of reason, but even he seems at a loss.

And then there's Ophelia.

Beautiful, guarded Ophelia.

The missing piece of our pack, the omega we've been waiting for without even knowing it. She's been hurt so deeply, betrayed by an alpha who should have protected her. The thought of causing her any more pain makes my chest ache.

I lean against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment. The hospital bustles around me, a constant hum of activity that usually energizes me.

But right now, it just feels overwhelming.

I need my pack to be united now more than ever. We need to present a strong, stable front for Ophelia. To show her that we can be the family she deserves, the support system she needs. But how can we do that when we're all pulling in different directions?

With another sigh, I push off the wall. I have patients to see, lives to save. I can't afford to get lost in my personal problems right now. But as I walk down the sterile hallway, my mind keeps circling back to the same questions.

How do I bring my pack together?

How do I convince Leon to give Ophelia a chance?

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