Page 85 of Knot Happening Again

Leon looks like I've punched him in the stomach. All the color drains from his face, his eyes widening in what looks like panic. "Occupied?" he repeats, his voice strained. "Is it... is it the omega you met at Temporary Bonds?"

"Yes," I say, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. The reminder of Ophelia, waiting for us at home, sends a pang through my chest. She needs us—needs me—and I'm here dealing with... whatever this is. "Which you would know if you were answering your damn phone or checking your messages. She's in heat and she needs us, Leon. Our scent match needs us. Not some random omega you picked up at a bar."

Leon pales even further, if that's possible. He grips the side of his car like he needs it to stay upright. "She's there now?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. "At the house?"

I nod, my patience wearing thin. Every moment we spend here is a moment I'm not with Ophelia, not helping her through her heat. Not to mention leaving the others to handle it without me. "Yes, and I don't want to leave her for long. So here's what's going to happen. We're going back to the house. You have ten minutes to explain yourself to the pack. After that, you either get your shit together and join us, or you leave until her heat is over. Your choice."

Leon looks like he wants to argue. His mouth opens and closes a few times, but no sound comes out. Finally, he nods grudgingly. "Okay," he says, his voice barely audible. "Let's go."

I turn and walk back to my car without another word, not bothering to see if he's following. As I slide into the driver's seat,I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the rearview mirror. I barely recognize the man staring back at me. My eyes are hard, my jaw clenched tight. I look... angry. Hurt. Betrayed.

And that's exactly what I am.

I start the engine, the familiar purr doing nothing to calm my nerves. In my mirror, I see Leon getting into his own car. As we pull out of the parking lot, I can't help but wonder what explanation he could possibly have that would make any of this okay. What could be so important that he'd risk everything we've built together?

The drive back to the house is tense, the silence in my car oppressive. I keep glancing in my rearview mirror, making sure Leon is still following. Part of me is afraid he'll turn off, disappear again. But he stays right behind me, his headlights a constant presence in my mirror.

As we wind through the city streets, my mind races. What am I going to tell the others? How do I explain Leon's behavior without revealing where I found him? And what about Ophelia? How will she react to Leon's sudden appearance in the middle of her heat?

The familiar streets of our neighborhood come into view, the large houses and manicured lawns a stark contrast to the gritty downtown area we just left. As we pull into our driveway, I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever's about to happen.

I park and get out of the car, not waiting for Leon as I head toward the house. I can hear his footsteps behind me, quick and uneven like he's nervous. Good. He should be.

As I reach for the door handle, I pause, turning to face Leon. He looks terrible up close—dark circles under his eyes, his usually pristine white hair disheveled. For a moment, I feel a pang of concern. Whatever's going on with him, it's clearly taking a toll.

"Ten minutes," I remind him, my voice cold. "That's all you get."

Leon nods, swallowing hard. "I understand," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

I push open the door, steeling myself for whatever comes next. I have no idea what Leon's going to say, but I know one thing for certain: after this, nothing will ever be the same.

CHAPTER 24

LEON

Istep into the mansion behind Rhys, my heart racing. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The entire car ride gave me time to rehearse what I'd say, how I'd explain everything to my pack. But now that I'm here, facing the reality of it all, the words seem to vanish from my mind.

My thoughts wander to the omega upstairs, the one my pack believes is our match. How can I convince them otherwise? How can I make them understand that our true match is out there, waiting for us?

The fact that I can't even contact Ophelia, that she hasn't returned to the Scent Bar, only intensifies my frustration.

As we move further into the house, a scent hits me with the force of a speeding train. Jasmine and ocean breeze, so familiar it makes my head spin. I stop abruptly, my eyes widening as I try to process what I'm smelling.

This has to be a trick my mind is playing on me. For fuck's sake, the guilt is starting to wear at my sanity and now, I'm hallucinating her scent.

Rhys turns to me, his brow furrowed. Despite the anger I know he's feeling, genuine worry colors his voice when he asks, "What's wrong?"

I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. How do I explain this? How do I tell him that the scent filling our home is the same one that's been haunting my dreams for seven years?

Finally, I manage to choke out, "That scent..."

Rhys's expression softens, understanding dawning in his eyes. "I told you she was our scent match," he says, his voice gentle despite the tension still evident in his posture.

My mind reels. Could it be? Is it possible that the omega they found, the one they think is our match, is actually...?

"What's her name?" I ask, my voice barely audible.

Rhys looks surprised by the question. "It's Ophelia," he says, studying my face closely.

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