Page 125 of Knot Happening Again

I pull her closer, breathing in her scent. It's changed subtly, now mixed with mine and Maddox's. The alpha in me preens at the thought.

"Rest, sweetheart," I whisper. "We've still got a ways to go before we land."

Ophelia nods, snuggling into my chest. Within minutes, her breathing evens out as she drifts off to sleep.

I meet Maddox's eyes over her head. He grins, looking as satisfied as I feel.

"Well," he says quietly, "that's one way to distract her from flying anxiety."

I chuckle, careful not to wake Ophelia. "Indeed it is."

As we soar through the clouds, our omega nestled safely between us, I can't help but feel a sense of rightness. This is how it should be. This is what I've been waiting for all these years.

The pilot's voice crackles over the intercom, startling me from my thoughts. "We'll be beginning our descent in about twenty minutes, sir."

I nod, even though he can't see me. "Thank you," I call back.

Ophelia stirs in my arms, her eyes fluttering open. "Are we there?" she asks sleepily.

I brush a strand of hair from her face, smiling softly. "Almost, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

She stretches, wincing slightly as my knot shifts inside her. "A little sore," she admits, "but good. Really good."

Maddox presses a kiss to her shoulder. "Glad to hear it, darling."

As we start to descend, I can feel my knot finally starting to go down. I carefully pull out of Ophelia, both of us hissing at the sensation.

"We should get cleaned up," I say, reluctantly breaking our embrace.

Ophelia nods, sitting up with a groan. "Yeah, probably a good idea."

We take turns using the small bathroom, freshening up as best we can. By the time we're all dressed and settled back in our seats, the plane is touching down on the private airstrip near my cabin.

As we taxi to a stop, I can see the excitement building in Ophelia's eyes. She peers out the window, taking in the snow-covered landscape.

"It's beautiful," she breathes, her breath fogging up the glass.

I take her hand, squeezing gently. "Wait until you see the cabin," I tell her. "It's even better."

Especially now that I get to share it with her.

CHAPTER 36

LEON

"No, not there. That goes in the corner by the window," I say, pointing to the far side of the room.

The contractor nods, hefting the heavy equipment and trudging across the gym floor.

I turn to the next worker. "And you can start prepping that wall for demolition. We need to knock it down to expand the space."

The gym buzzes with activity, a controlled chaos of men moving equipment and marking walls. Dust motes dance in the sunlight streaming through the high windows, catching on the sheen of sweat on my forehead. I wipe it away with the back of my hand, my eyes scanning the room to ensure everything's progressing as planned.

"Remember, this needs to be done in three days," I call out over the noise. "I know it's a tight schedule, but I'll make it worth your while."

A chorus of affirmative grunts answers me.

Good. They understand the urgency.

---