Page 56 of Knot Happening Again

Rhys's smile falters slightly. "She said she works in customer service, but... I don't think that's the whole truth."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I think there's a lot she's not telling us. About her past, about her work. But I didn't want to push. She's been through so much already."

I nod, understanding his caution. An omega with an incomplete bond, working a job she's not comfortable discussing... it paints a concerning picture. "Do you think she's in some kind of trouble?"

Rhys shakes his head. "I don't think so. Not immediate danger, at least. But I worry about her. The bond sickness, the suppressants she's been taking... it's not a sustainable situation."

A protective instinct I didn't know I possessed flares to life. "We'll help her," I say, surprising myself with the vehemence in my voice. "Whatever she needs."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Rhys murmurs. "I was hoping... well, I was hoping you might be able to talk to her."

I blink, surprised. "Me? Why?"

"You're a beta," Rhys explains. "Less threatening than an alpha—and she's had plenty of reason not to trust our kind—but still equally pack. And you have a way with people, Maddox. You might be able to get through to her in a way we can't."

I consider his words, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness at the prospect of meeting Ophelia. "I'll do my best," I promise.

Rhys smiles, relief clear in his softening expression. "Thank you. I think it could make a real difference."

We lapse into comfortable silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I find myself wondering about Ophelia, trying to picture her based on Rhys's description and the intoxicating scent that still lingers in my nostrils.

The sound of the front door opening breaks through our reverie. Heavy footsteps approach the kitchen, and Mace appears, his arms laden with grocery bags.

"Maddox!" he booms, his face splitting into a wide grin. "Welcome home, kid!"

I stand, helping him with the bags. "Thanks, big guy. Need a hand with dinner?"

Mace nods gratefully. "Always. Hope you're hungry. I'm making my famous lasagna."

As we start unpacking groceries, falling into an easy rhythm, I can't help but notice the way Mace keeps glancing toward thenesting room upstairs. There's a softness in his eyes I've never seen before, a tenderness that speaks volumes about how deeply Ophelia has affected him.

All of them.

As we continue preparing dinner, the conversation flows easily. We catch up on what I've missed while away, the latest pack gossip and news. But underneath it all, there's an undercurrent of excitement.

And nervousness.

The possibility of Ophelia returning, of our pack finally being complete, hangs in the air like a promise.

Eventually, Troy emerges from his studio, lured by the smell of Mace's cooking. He greets me with a nod and a fist bump, his usual taciturn self. But there's something different about him, too.

As we all gather around the table, passing dishes and pouring wine, I'm struck by how right it feels.

How much like a family.

The only thing missing is Leon and Ophelia.

CHAPTER 15

LEON

The neon sign outside the Scent Bar flickers above me as I stand on the sidewalk, my heart pounding in my chest. The bass from inside thrums through the pavement, matching the rhythm pounding in my chest.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come. The scent of desperate alphas and omegas hangs heavy in the air, a potent cocktail that makes my head spin.

I push open the heavy door, stepping into a world I thought I'd left behind years ago. The interior is dimly lit, awash in shades of red and purple. Smoke machines create an ethereal haze, adding to the dreamlike quality of the scene. Bodies writhe on the dance floor, a mass of tangled limbs and pheromones.

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