Page 164 of Knot Happening Again

I force it down, clenching my jaw as I carry the groceries to the kitchen. Maddox is there, filling a tray with drinks.

"How is she?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

He gives me a knowing look. "Settled in the nest. Rhys is with her now. Troy just got here, and Mace is on his way."

I nod, unpacking the bags with more force than necessary. "Good. That's good."

Maddox's hand on my arm stills my movements. "You okay?"

"Fine," I grunt.

He raises an eyebrow. "Bullshit. Talk to me."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I just... I hate that I can't help her. That I'm the reason she's been suffering all these years. And now, she's finally having a normal heat because of the mark."

"You can help her," Maddox says gently. "You're here now. Better late than never, right?"

The only response I can give is a pained grimace.

"Hey," he says, growing serious. "You're still a part of this pack."

"Am I?" I ask bitterly. "She can barely look at me most days. And now..."

Now her heat is filling the house, calling to something primal inside me. The alpha in me wants to claim her, to bury myself in her scent and never come up for air.

"She needs time," Maddox says. "You both do. But you're trying, Leon. You've proved that over the last few months. That counts for something."

"It's not enough," I mutter, echoing the mantra I've repeated for seven years.

I'm halfway through loading the tray when Maddox's phone chimes. He glances at the screen and lets out a long-suffering groan. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What's wrong?" I ask, pausing with a bag of chips in my hand.

Maddox rolls his eyes. "It's just Mace. The big guy was in such a hurry to get home, he locked his keys in the car when hestopped at the pharmacy to pick up the meds Rhys asked him to get for her. Again."

I can't help but chuckle. It's such a Mace thing to do. "So what now?"

"I'll go pick him up," Maddox says, already grabbing his jacket. "Can you take the food upstairs?"

My heart skips a beat. "Yeah, sure. No problem."

As Maddox heads out, I finish arranging the snacks and drinks on the tray. My hands shake slightly as I lift it, Ophelia's scent growing stronger with each step toward the stairs.

I pause outside the nest room, taking a deep breath to steady myself. The door's ajar, and I nudge it open with my foot.

The sight before me stops me dead in my tracks.

Troy's on his knees at the foot of the bed, face buried between Ophelia's thighs. Her head is thrown back, raven hair spilling across the pillows. Rhys is at the head of the bed, kissing her deeply, swallowing her moans.

I freeze, unable to move, unable to look away. Ophelia's scent hits me like a freight train, ocean and bliss and pure, unadulterated need. My body responds instantly, cock hardening painfully in my jeans.

Rhys breaks the kiss, green eyes flicking to me. "Right on time," he says, voice dry but tinged with arousal.

I swallow hard, forcing myself to speak. "I'll just... put these down and give you some privacy."

"No!" Ophelia's voice is breathy, desperate. Her blue eyes lock onto mine, heavy-lidded and glazed with heat. "Stay. Please."

She nods toward the chair across the room, and I move on autopilot. Setting the tray down on a nearby table, I sink into the chair, my entire body thrumming with tension.

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