Page 66 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

She flinched back, still deeply asleep. Another tormented whimper tore up her throat. My Alpha was precariously on edge, ready to tear the world apart and kill anyone responsible for her nightmares.

Goddamn it.I was already regretting the impulse to barge in. I should’ve let Marco be the one to wake her. To soothe her. As the caretaker, he was more equipped to handle the soft shit, and always seemed to know what to say. Hell, any of my brothers would’ve been a better choice. Somehow, they’d all bonded with her, finding a level of comfortability with her I simply lacked.

I had a sneaking suspicion she was mildly afraid of me. Whatever the case, the evidence all pointed to the same conclusion. She preferred them and would be more at ease with one of them here to take care of her.

I wasn’t the Alpha you went to for comfort. Intimidation, business, violence, absolutely. But this? I was woefully equipped to handle this situation.

And yet, now that I was here, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her side.

“Kitten,” I murmured again, petting her hair.

Kitania gasped awake at the touch, her eyes flying open, unfocused and glazed with fear. I braced myself, expecting her to recoil, to scramble away. Instead, to my absolute fucking shock, she lunged forward, holding onto me tightly as she buried her face against my chest.

The force of her embrace was startling, and we rocked backward momentarily before I regained my balance. I enveloped her in my arms, bowing over her small frame.

My Omega clung to me, fingers digging into my back, her entire body trembling. And my heart fuckingbroke—actual physical pain striking through my chest with the intensity of lightning.

Her hair tickled my chin as I breathed in her midnight forest scent—all fresh moss and the soft fragrance of moonflowers—an intoxicating aroma somewhere between jasmine and vanilla. I rubbed my cheek against the top of her head, scent-marking her and stealing some of her signature for myself. My Alpha side calmed at having the smell of her on my skin.

“Shh, I’m here,” I said, hoping it was the right thing to say. That my presence eased some of her anxiety.

Doing what felt natural, I kept murmuring nonsensical things into the soft strands of her hair. I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing, had never been the one to dole out comfort before, but the Alpha in me demanded I figure it out. As some of her tension bled away, I took it as a sign I was doing something right. And damn if that didn’t bolster my confidence.

Deep down, I feared I’d been too hard and unfeeling for too long to be soft with my mate when needed. Feeling her relax in my arms, trusting me to provide for her needs in this way, was a relief I couldn’t put into words.

Kit nuzzled her face into the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. Her warm breath fanned across my skin, and my body responded instantly, heat pooling low in my gut. I snapped my eyes shut, swallowing down a growl as I resisted the sudden rush of desire.

This isn’t the time or place, I scolded myself, grappling for my control with both hands.

Gradually, Kitania’s breathing steadied, her heartbeat slowing to match mine.

“Good girl.” I kissed the crown of her head, then loosened my grip, prepared to pull away, but her fingers dug into my back. I stilled. “Kitten?” The endearment was a husky rasp that came out deeper, darker, and far more ‘alpha’ than I’d meant it to.

“Please don’t go.” Her plea was muffled against my skin. “Stay.”

And just like that, I was fucking destroyed all over again. My heart constricted once more, the striking pain from earlier now a dull, unceasing ache. “For as long as you want me,” I promised, the words escaping before I’d thought better of them.

She’d probably be more comfortable cuddling up to Marco or Tommas. Even Gio, who was as dangerous as a fucking grizzly to everyone else, was a mere teddy bear when it came to her.

Kitania shifted, tugging me down onto the bed with zero hesitation. I followed her lead, taking the spot next to her. Before I could reach for the sheets, she was pulling them up and tucking them securely at my back, wrapping us both in a soft cocoon of bedding. She curled against me, her knees drawn up to tangle with my legs. Her small body molded to mine.

A flicker of movement caught my eye, and I glanced toward the doorway. Marco’s silhouette loomed there, watching. My gaze narrowed at the intrusion, but there was no heat behind it. Honestly, I couldn’t blame him; I’d have done the same if our roles were reversed. The protective instinct of an Alpha was a powerful thing. Making sure Kitania was okay was all any of us cared about.

But as my vision adjusted to the darkness, I caught the expression on my brother’s face. The bastard was grinning, giving us the type of look one would make after seeing an adorable litter of puppies doing cute shit. In fact, I could’ve sworn I saw him mouth a prolonged ‘aw’ before he pulled out his phone. The screen’s glow illuminated his unapologetic smirk as he snapped a picture.

I glared at him, but then glanced down at Kitania. Only the tip of her nose peeked out from under the blankets, her breath warm against my chest. Her dark lashes kissed the beautiful curves of her cheeks. Something in me softened, and I looked back toward my brother.

“Send it to me,” I mouthed, careful not to disturb my resting Omega.

Marco’s grin widened, but he nodded, then retreated, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.

In the silence that followed, I became acutely aware of every point of contact between Kitania and me. The warmth of her body seeped into mine, her soft curves fitting perfectly against my harder planes. Her scent enveloped me, soothing and intoxicating all at once. It was like a fucking drug. One hit was never enough. I drank it down, one lungful at a time, enjoying the high.

As Kitania’s breathing deepened, signaling she’d fallen into a deep sleep, I found myself wide awake. My mind raced, grappling with unfamiliar emotions. This fierce protectiveness,this overwhelming need to comfort and care for her—it was all new territory for me.

I’d always prided myself on my strength, on being the immovable pillar my family could rely on. But lying here, with the woman who monopolized my thoughts nestled against me, I realized that true strength might just be allowing myself to be vulnerable.

The night stretched on, and I lay there, a silent sentinel guarding my Omega’s dreams. As the first hints of dawn crept through the windows, I wondered how I’d ever be able to let her go in the morning.

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