Page 44 of Buried Secret 295

Knox reacts while I feel dumbfounded. He leans back, grabbing a blanket on the bed, throwing it around my shoulders before tucking it around him. “It’s safe to turn around, but I’m stuck at the moment. For the record, this wasn’t how I wanted to meet my mate’s father.”

“Mate? I guess that means I don’t have to make some weird, threatening move here...” His eyebrow quirks up at me as he pauses and looks at my face. “…unless that’s something you want me to do?” He motions with his pointer fingers between the two of us. “I’m new at this dad thing.”

“No, he is good. But maybe we can have a knocking policy in the future?” This isn’t the first time I have suggested this. Maybe this time, he will listen. I wrinkle my nose, feeling odd about being knotted to my mate when your dad converses with you. “Also, I told my shadows 24 hours. Has it already been 24?”

“Someone gave Ember your bag. She called me, and we panicked because, well, let’s admit it: it’s fucking you. There is usually always something happening.” He throws his hands up in surrender. “Didn’t think you were going to be shacked up with…” He pauses and tilts his head at us. “…what are you? I am trying not to breathe to smell my daughter’s sex air, or else I would know. Not shaming you for fucking in your fuck shack; I fully support you. No details, please.”

The door opens, and Ember stands there, holding my bag of books. Her hardened face softens when she sees me safelyinside. Then her eyes widened on Knox before giving me a smirk. “Oh fuck! Wow! You move fast.”

I groan, and my cheeks redden with embarrassment. My forehead leans on Knox instinctually. I close my eyes and inhale his scent, letting it calm me. This is a new feeling of wanting to lean on someone, and I’m not exactly loving the feeling. Things like this take time, and I feel we are in overdrive because of how fast this is going. When I look back to Ember, I still roll my eyes, trying to be the normal Salem and not this mated version of myself. When I think I finally have a grip on myself, I change again. “Yes, please come in and join in this weirdness. Because why not?” I groan, and my cheeks redden with embarrassment. “Knox, this is my best friend, Ember. Ember, this is Knox.” I want to say he is my mate, but the word feels weird still in my mouth.

There is no use denying my need for him, so I give in and bury my face in Knox’s chest. This whole thing is embarrassing, probably mostly because of my dad having a conversation with me while Knox’s cock is still inside of me. Constantine is incredible, but there are some things I don’t think he needs to see. Then Ember is staring at me in awe and disbelief. “I am so sorry this is happening currently. He is trying his best, and I didn’t want him to ever see someone balls deep inside me.”I tell Knox, using our new link to each other. His beast growls inside my head, probably not liking that I referred to him as someone.

“Hellhound, you can call me Knox.” He smirks at me before winking, steadying himself. The man has charisma, remains in control, and has a level of confidence that doesn’t waver.This helps with knot shrinkage.

Constantine claps his hands together. “Alright, Hellhound is going on the family tree. I am going to go.” He points to me and then the door. “Let me know when you want to do the dream thing. Ember, trust me when I say this. Come back later.”

He shoos Ember out the door. Her hand shoots out and grabs the door frame, peaking over the side of the door as he continues to push her outwards. “Call me because I need details!” Her hand goes off the door, and I hear her griping at Constantine. “Fine, I am going, Shadow Daddy, ugh.”

The door closes, and I cannot hear anything else. I want to tell Constantine about the dream thing, but I want Knox’s dick to not be inside of me for that conversation. I think we will both be more comfortable with that conversation then. Both Knox’s and I’s bodies relax against each other. I lean into him and close my eyes, listening to his heartbeat. At that exact time, Knox’s knot deflates, and cum leaks down between us.

“Very happy that it seems to have waited until after your father left.” I cannot help the laugh that escapes, and I agree with that.

Chapter thirty-four

“Can we stay inbed today?” I ask him, not wanting to function and just wanting to enjoy the afterglow of being mated. “This whole thing is confusing, but I find myself enjoying this.” My head snuggles into him, and he rolls us to our side before kissing the top of my head. If this is what having a mate will be like, I can get used to it.

That thought causes my stomach to drop. It feels like a lead weight is now residing in my stomach, and I don’t know how to process it. I am supposed to have five mates. Five. How will I manage that? On top of that, how will they respond to that? The whole thing doesn’t seem like it would be fair at all to them.

Knox leans over me, snapping me out of my thoughts. His voice is still heavy with sleep. “Where did you go?” He chuckles before adding. “I’ve been talking to you, but you seemed to have gone a million miles away.”

His handsome face frowns slightly at me, waiting for my answer. I reach out with my fingers, run them from his forehead down, and stroke his beard. As much as I want to keep it to myself, I know I shouldn’t. I want to go into this mate bond open and honest. Given how much baggage I carry, it’s the least I can do. I know I am going to fuck this up, but I’ll do it honestly. It only seems fair since my burdens also seem to be his now. “Sorry about that. I guess I was thinking about the latest dream visit.” My face drops. Guilt is a heavy emotion to hold on to. I even feel guilty for looking at him when I am thinking about others, who they may be, and what they will think of all of this. How will we balance all of this?

His fingers grip my chin gently, and I tilt my head up to look at him again. “Don’t do that.” He leans forward and kisses my lips. “Don’t pull away from me. Even if it’s something you don’t think I will like. I am with you, so don’t shut me out.”

I scrunch my nose up and shoot him a slight glare. “That is going to take some getting used to.” I close my eyes and blow out a breath. “I already feel like I am a terrible mate. From everything I know about mates, which is very limited, there is no other. Somehow, I am supposed to have five, and there is only me. It hardly seems fair.”

He huffs out a breath and rolls me onto my back. Knox rolls atop me, his elbows propping him up, but our faces are inches from each other. “I can’t lie. It’s going to be an adjustment. Somehow, this will all work out how it’s supposed to.”

I bite my lip and feel anxious as I lay some honesty out for him. “I think I know who one of them is.”

His head tilts, and the corner of his lip tips up in a smirk. “Me too. It’s Gage.” My eyes widen, and panic slightly grips me, yet I relax as he smiles. Knox must see the shock on my face. “I saw the fight you and your animal were having when we met. I love Gage like a brother. He will protect and love you in a way I can’t.”

“You can’t love me?” It’s my turn to frown, as that thought has my heart sinking.

He shakes his head and laughs. “You see, I am already struggling with my words. Gage cares. He is charismatic and charming. I am good at seeing what people need and directing everyone. We will have a pack, and I think everyone will bring something that you will need. With all the entities inside you, we might need the extra hands to give you what I can’t.” He moves down and kisses between my breasts. “You are more than enough for me.”

Knox will be my leader, and that thought turns me on for some reason. Thoughts of him commanding everyone with my pleasure. It gives me a shiver; even though I doubt it will happen, a girl can dream. Knox slides down and kisses me below my belly button. “What are you thinking about, you naughty minx? Because whatever it is has me rock hard.”

A blush colors my cheeks. “Is that a thing? Are you able to feel my thoughts? Because those are private and slightly embarrassing.”

That catches his attention as he moves back up my body. The tip of his cock teases at my folds. “Now I have to know.”

I close my eyes and groan. “You seem slightly like the leader. I don’t know why, but I keep thinking of you ordering everyone around for my pleasure, and I am here for it.”

My eyes peek open when he doesn’t answer. “That’s a fantasy we can probably make happen after we come together as a pack.” He closes his eyes and groans. “That came out wrong, but you know what I mean. There will be some adjustment period, I am sure.”

My fingers comb through his long, inky black locks. “As much as I want to sink on your cock, I want to know about you. I feel as if you know everything about my life, and I know nothing about yours.”

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