Page 64 of Knot Happening Again

I nod, understanding the gravity of what I'm proposing. "I know. But I think it's a risk we have to take. For Ophelia's sake, and for our own. Besides, I know him. Sometimes he just needs a little push."

Mace nods. “Alright. I'm with you. What's the plan?”

Relief washes over me at his support. With Mace on board, I feel more confident in my decision. "First things first," I say, pulling out my phone. "I need to call Ophelia."

My finger hovers over her contact information, a mix of excitement and nervousness churning in my stomach. This call could change everything. It could be the first step toward completing our pack, toward giving Ophelia the family she deserves.

Or it could push her away for good.

But as I think about her—her smile, her laugh, the way she fits so perfectly in our arms—I know it's worth the risk.

We can't let fear hold us back.

Not when there's so much to gain.

With a deep breath, I press the call button. The phone rings once, twice, three times. Each second feels like an eternity. Just as I'm about to give up, to resign myself to leaving a voicemail, there's a click.

"Hello?" Ophelia's voice comes through, soft and slightly groggy. The sound of it sends a thrill through me, awakening every protective instinct I possess.

"Ophelia," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "It's Rhys. I hope I didn't wake you."

There's a pause, and I can almost see her sitting up in bed, running a hand through her tousled hair. "No, it's fine," she says. "I was just getting up anyway. Is everything okay?"

The concern in her voice makes my heart swell. Even after everything she's been through, she still cares. It only reinforces my belief that she's meant to be part of our pack.

"Everything's fine," I assure her quickly. "I just... we've been thinking about you. A lot, actually. And we were wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner sometime this week. To meet the rest of the pack, no pressure or expectations. Just a chance to get to know each other better."

The silence that follows my invitation feels endless. I hold my breath, waiting for her response. Beside me, Mace leans in, his expression a mix of hope and anxiety I'm not used to seeing on him. He's always the rock of our pack, keeping it together when everyone else is falling apart.

Finally, Ophelia speaks. "I don't know, Rhys," she says, her voice hesitant. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just..."

"I understand," I say quickly, not wanting her to feel pressured. "It's a big step. But I promise, there's no ulterior motive here. We just want to spend time with you, to show you what our pack could be like. If you decide it's not for you, we'll respect that. No questions asked."

I can hear her breathing on the other end of the line, can almost feel the conflict radiating through the phone. When she speaks again, her voice is small, vulnerable in a way that makes my chest ache.

"What if... what if I'm not what the others expecting?" she asks. "What if I disappoint you?"

The raw honesty in her question nearly breaks me. I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms, to show her how impossibly perfect she is. Instead, I pour every ounce of sincerity I possess into my words.

"Ophelia," I say softly, "you could never disappoint us. You're already more than we ever dared to hope for. We just want a chance to show you that."

There's another pause, but this one feels different. Charged with possibility. When Ophelia speaks again, there's a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Okay," she says. "Okay, I'll come. When?"

Relief and joy flood through me, so intense I feel lightheaded. "This Friday, if that works for you." It's not a lot of time to get my pack on the same page, but I'm afraid any longer will give her time to get into her head and back out.

"Yeah… okay. Friday."

We work out the details, and by the time we hang up, I feel like I'm floating. Mace is grinning from ear to ear, his excitement palpable.

"She said yes," I say after I hang up, still hardly believing it myself.

Mace breathes an audible sigh. "I knew she would," he says. "She belongs with us. She'll see that soon enough."

"Yeah. You're right."

But the relief doesn't last long until reality starts to creep back in. We still have a lot of work to do. We need to prepare the pack, to make sure everyone is on board.

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