Page 142 of Hard Knot

"Ready," Felix says firmly, trying to maintain the peace. "And I'm positive we can drag Holmes along if necessary."

"Good," James approves. "It's time this fearsome leader had someone to rely on too."

I remain perfectly still as they maneuver me, refusing to give away my consciousness. But inside, my mind is racing, processing everything I've heard.

All this time, I thought I was protecting them by handling things alone. By maintaining distance, by carrying my burdens in silence. But they've been waiting — all of them, even James who barely knows me — waiting for me to realize I don't have to do this alone.

That maybe I never did.

Elizabeth's words from earlier echo in my mind:

"Those shackles…they break today."

She couldn't have known how deeply those words would resonate, how perfectly they'd align with this moment of revelation. The shackles weren't just Vivian's influence on the business world, or the scar that made me hide behind silk.

They were my own stubborn pride, my refusal to let anyone help carry the weight of rebuilding.

As sleep begins to reclaim me, real this time, I make a silent vow to myself.

It's time to step out of the shadows I've been hiding in, to reclaim my place in the ruthless community that's been waiting for my return.

Not alone this time.

But with a pack that's stronger than I ever realized.

With Alphas who've been planning my resurrection while respecting my need to ask for it. With an Omega who sees through the walls, I thought were impenetrable.

The last thought that crosses my mind before consciousness fades completely is that maybe this is what real power looks like — not the ability to stand alone, but the strength to let others stand with you.

As darkness claims me, I feel the ghost of Elizabeth's touch on my scarred eye, the echo of her conviction that I'm worth fighting for.

For the first time in years, I allowed myself to believe she might be right.

And in that belief, in that surrender to the possibility of something better, I find a peace I thought I'd lost forever.

Morning Commute Of Normalacy

~ELIZABETH~

"Is this some new model?" I ask, turning the sleek phone over in my hands.

The device feels impossibly light for its size, its surface shifting colors like oil on water as it catches the morning light. The iPhone 18 Pro Max logo gleams subtly on the back, but everything about it screams 'prototype' rather than a production model.

Felix adjusts his glasses in the rearview mirror as he navigates the CyberTruck through the school's entrance.

"Unreleased," he says, a hint of pride in his voice. "Won't hit the market for another year. It's completely waterproof, shock-proof, basically everything-proof. Plus it has a built-in tracker so we can keep an eye on you if needed."

I actually don’t mind the tracker function. Knowing they’ll be able to find me if need be gives me an odd sense of comfort.

"How the fuck did you get her an unreleased iPhone 18?" Carter demands from beside me, genuine offense in his tone. "You won't even let me borrow your 16 since the 17 came out!"

Felix ignores him completely, launching into a detailed explanation of the phone's specs.

"The neural engine is twice as fast as current models, and the battery life is unprecedented. The security features are particularly impressive. Biometric scanning that goes beyond just fingerprints and facial recognition."

"Pretty slick," James comments from next to me, leaning back to get a better look. I’m sandwiched between him and Carter, while Felix is in the driver’s seat and Holmes in his usual passenger seat. "If the tracking interface is solid, that's even better."

"You're all so loud," Holmes grumbles. "Shut up."

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