Page 76 of Knot Happening Again

She's ours.

Our missing piece.

And we'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe and happy.

I settle on the edge of the tub, content to watch over her as the medicine takes effect. We have a long night ahead of us, but for now, I'm just grateful she's here, safe in our nest.

CHAPTER 21

MADDOX

My skin tingles from the cold water as I step out of the shower. I never thought I'd need an icy shower to calm down from an omega's scent, but Ophelia's pheromones hit me like a freight train. As a beta, I always assumed I was immune to that kind of thing, but damn. That woman smells heavenly, and she's the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen.

I quickly towel off and throw on some fresh clothes, my mind still reeling from the encounter. When I step out into the hallway, I find Mace and Troy lingering outside the nesting room. They both look tense, worry etched on their faces.

"How is she?" I ask, running a hand through my damp hair.

Troy shrugs, his eyes never leaving the closed door. "She's with Rhys, waiting for the pills to kick in."

An awkward silence falls over us, thick with unspoken concerns and questions.

I clear my throat, unable to bear the tension any longer. "So... Ophelia is... definitely our scent match."

Troy snorts, a hint of amusement breaking through his worried expression. "Look at that, even the beta gets it."

I roll my eyes at him but can't help smiling. "I've never smelled anything like her before," I admit. "It's... intense."

"She said I smell like cookies," Mace muses, sounding a bit baffled. And flattered.

I snort. "She tried to lick me. I win."

Mace chuckles, but grows uncharacteristically somber. "This heat is a hell of a lot more intense than the last one. Has anyone heard from Leon?"

We all shake our heads, and Mace lets out a frustrated growl. He pulls out his phone and dials Leon's number, putting it on speaker. It goes straight to voicemail.

"Leon, it's Mace. Get your ass home now. And it'll help if you take your head out of it first because our omega needs us. Thepackneeds you." He hangs up, his jaw clenched tight.

We stand in silence for a moment, each lost in our own thoughts. Finally, Troy speaks up. "What the hell is going on? Why was Ophelia out there alone? And where the fuck is Leon?"

I shrug helplessly. "I wish I knew, man. This whole situation is?—"

The door opens, cutting me off mid-sentence. Rhys steps out, looking exhausted but relieved. We all fall silent, and he raises an eyebrow. "What did I interrupt?"

Mace clears his throat. "How's she doing?"

Rhys runs a hand through his hair, sighing. "She's feeling much more clearheaded, but still very much in heat. She's asking for all of you."

Mace nods, his expression turning serious. "Now that we're all here—all but one—there's something I need to mention." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out an envelope with a strange logo on it. "I think I know why Ophelia was in that rough area. This fell out of her jacket when I brought it in from your car."

He hands the envelope to Rhys, who looks at it with a mixture of sadness and resignation. "I'm not surprised," Rhyssays softly. "I suspected this was what Ophelia was trying to tell us."

"What is it?" I demand. When he hands me the envelope, I take it, my eyes widening as I see the words "The Scent Bar" right above the logo.

Then, it hits me.

Ophelia didn't just happen to be near there when she called Rhys for help. She works there.

"I think she fears we'll reject her if we know she works there," Rhys says quietly, echoing my own inner thoughts.

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