Page 83 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

“Oh, God! That’s hilarious. If my brothers heard that, they’d be horrified and ban you from ever hanging out with me, because I was a total pain in their ass growing up.” Julia grinned unapologetically. “Who am I kidding? I’mstilla pain in their ass.” Looping her arm through mine, she tugged me further down the hall. “But it makes me happy to know they’re in good hands. I’m so glad they found you.”

I flushed and ducked my head. “I’m glad they found me, too.”

thirty-one

KITANIA

I followedJulia through the twists and turns until she finally opened a door along the hallway.

“This used to be my room until I was forced to live at the OMA,” she explained with a mixture of nostalgia and bitterness. “You can tell my family hasn’t touched it. Sorry for the ridiculous amount of boy band posters. Since I don’t get to spend much time here, I haven’t bothered to update the decor to something a little more… mature.”

She winced, but my eyes went wide as I took in the sight. The room was massive, decorated in a soft mauve with deep maroon accents that made it feel both elegant and cozy. Gold glittered everywhere—from the handles on the dressers to the bedside lamps to the large gilded mirror that leaned in the corner. It was like stepping into a princess’s bedroom, and suddenly I realized that thought wasn’t too far off, given the power her family held over this city.

It was clear that Julia was the jewel of the household, the only girl in a long line of boys.

I skimmed my fingers over the top of the dresser, marveling at how there wasn’t a speck of dust to be found even though she didn’t live here any longer. The light scent of her signature hung in the air, a whisper of her past self. It was odd that the smell of another Omega gave me an immediate sense of comfort. If I had to surmise why, I’d guess it was because my own Omega didn’t view Julia as a threat, given she was my mates’ sister.

“Make yourself at home.” She gestured around the room, then plopped down on her bed with a dramatic groan. Stretching out, her body sank into the plush mattress. “God, I miss my bed. The ones at the OMA are absolute crap compared to this.”

The soft bedding called to me, and I couldn’t resist kicking off my uncomfortable heels and climbing onto the bed. I curled up at the end, tucking my legs under me and smoothing my skirt down, making a mental note to buy a cute jumpsuit like Julia wore someday.

“Did you get special permission to attend the funeral?” I asked, wondering how many strings her family had to pull to make that happen. The OMA had such strict rules for unbonded Omegas.

Julia nodded, sitting up. “Yeah, I got a day pass. It wasn’t easy, but they owe me. Besides, who says no to letting someone attend a funeral?”

The weight of loss hung between us, the silence thick with unspoken sadness. I never knew Nick, but he’d been close with my mates, which probably meant Julia had known him as well. Her grief was palpable.

She took a deep breath, as though she was attempting to shake off the dour mood. “So, which OMA were you at, you know,before?” Her eyes searched mine.

I swallowed hard, memories flooding back. “I was at the OMA in Kipper Valley. It’s across the state.”

“And that’s where you were kidnapped from?”

I nodded, my hands twisting in my lap. “I was taken one night when I was wandering the grounds. It was supposed to be safe…” My voice trailed off, that old, familiar fear creeping into my bones all over again.

Julia’s expression softened. “I understand what you went through—to an extent.” Her attention fell to the bedspread, her fingers tracing the pattern of stitching. “It seems stupid now, but I took my mother’s maiden name in a vain attempt to separate myself from being a Cristenello. I’d hoped it would help me attract a more wholesome pack. All the Alphas who’d asked to court me up till then wanted nothing more than the advantages of being connected to my family. But changing my surname and moving to a new city to get a fresh start made me a target instead. It seemed as though I had no viable relatives. Like I was alone in the world. The perfect mark.” She paused, her eyes distant. “They grabbed me between classes. Drugged me and dragged me away before I even had the chance to scream.”

A shiver ran through me, and I wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m so sorry it happened to you too,” I whispered, my chest aching with empathy.

“It gets better, you know.”

I shook my head, doubt clouding my thoughts. “I want to believe that. But sometimes it feels like this nightmare will never end…”

Julia’s eyes lit up suddenly, and she dug into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. “Trust me when I say there’s a rainbow on the other side of this shitstorm. And to prove my point, there’s someone I think you should talk to.”

As she dialed, I wondered who could possibly understand what we’d been through—and, more specifically, whatI’dbeenthrough. Things had been so dark for so long, and the moment I felt a spark of happiness, of hope for the future, that note had appeared and snuffed it right back out.

A feminine squeal broke through the phone, pulling me from the morose thoughts and making me jump.

“Julia?!”

“Hey Demi!” Julia waved at the screen, a bright smile spreading across her face. “How are you?”

“I’m great! The first trimester of this pregnancy is kicking my ass, but other than the tiredness and the nausea, I feel pretty good.”

Julia snorted. “That sounds horrible.”

I covered my mouth with my fingers to hold in a giggle at the sheer look of distaste that wrinkled her nose.

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