Page 103 of Hard Knot

The memory flashes through my mind.

"You're burning up," I'd told her, trying to convince her to go home. "The exam can wait. We don’t even know if it’s going to happen. You know how it is. People are just hyping shit up to make us anxious of the possibilities."

“Nope. I’d rather passout mid class than potentially miss out on an exam. You aren’t going to one up me, Morrison.”

“Eli…”

“Nah. Get moving. I ain’t being late for class and that courtyard treck on a busy day like this is thirty minutes!” She huffed and walked faster. “Morrison!”

“Yes, yes. I’m coming.”

Elizabeth, stubborn and determined as always, had insisted she was fine. The thought of missing a potential surprise exam had seemed worse to her than whatever was making her temperature spike.

If only we'd known.

The memory of what followed - her first Heat hitting in the middle of campus, the chaos that erupted, the way she'd disappeared afterward despite my attempt to find her — it still haunts me.

The embarrassment of such a public revelation was bad enough, especially in a space that genuinely had no clue about Alphas and Omegas.Even I didn’t know I was an Alpha until the “signs” but I know there's more to the story.

Something darker that made someone as strong-willed as Elizabeth decide it wasn't worth facing the consequences alone in our twisted society.

I can’t fail her again. I just can’t.

"Can you stick around?" I ask softly, needing her to understand this isn't just about the past. "We need to talk. Really talk."

I’m expecting her to rebel because she hates “our talks”. Those non-negotiables where I’d force us to sit down and actually speak what’s stressing us to the core.

Sometimes we talked. Other times, we fucked it out.

Either way, we dealt with the heavy burden of our lives and let it go, relying on one another as each other’s comforter.

I wanted us to do that again.

She nods against my chest, the simple gesture filling me with relief.

I tighten my arms around her, silently thankful that she's willing to trust me enough to help her out of this mess.

And I will get her out, no matter what it takes.

"Smart girl," I murmur into her hair, letting pride color my tone. "So clever, not falling for whatever scheme Phillips had planned."

I turn my attention to the administrator, who's watching our exchange with poorly concealed anxiety.

"Well," I say, letting my voice carry that edge of authority that makes lesser men tremble, "since she hasn't signed anything, I assume that means she's still available as a potential Omega for pack selection, yes?"

Phillips swallows hard, unable to argue with the obvious conclusion.

"Excellent." I allow myself a predatory smile. "Then you should know my score is 390." I pause, savoring the way his eyes widen. "It would be higher, but apparently dropping outof Harvard in your final year is considered rather rebellious. Something about needing to 'get a taste of the real world outside our prestigious system to wake me up,’ or whatever that means."

Elizabeth stiffens in my arms before slowly pulling back.

Her blue eyes are wide as they meet mine, shock written across her features.

"You dropped out?" she whispers, the words barely audible.

Our eyes meet in a moment of shared understanding, years of unspoken feelings passing between us. I can't help but smile despite the sadness and conflict I know she can see in my eyes.

I guess there’s no point in lying.

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