Page 106 of Knot Happening

But everything is different now. I’m still scared. Terrified, really.

Only, not for the same reasons as before.

Ghost’s hands are shaking, and the tension in his scent is masked, like he wanted to protect Easton from the influence of his pain. I can’t help it. I break into tears as I realize how fucking horrible all of it is. This man that stepped in for my Alphas when they needed him most, lost the last connection to his sister the same day.

Easton lost his father, who was working to make a better life for his son after the death of his mate, and the only uncle in his life that wasn’t a piece of shit.

The whine that slips from my chest has my Alphas crowding in on Easton and me. Their hands are more insistent now. One in my hair, gently caressing. One on my back, rubbing soothing circles. Two on my stomach, clutching to me like I’m their lifeline.

Then there's Hayden, who’s holding Easton and I both… I cry harder.

“Oh, shit…” Declan says suddenly, startling me enough to get a grip of my tears and search the room for a threat.

“What's w-wrong?” I hiccup, eyes wide as I search his face for signs of anger or upset…

“The suppressants, they…the ones I’d sold you were duds. I didn’t know, and we only just found out. I have some real ones, though.” Declan jumps to his feet and rushes from the room.

I stare at the spot he had evacuated blankly for a long moment, and then…fall apart. I scramble away from Easton, who remains seated in the arms of my Alphas, and the sight stalls my brain. I watch, half my head splintering, the other half mesmerized by the sight of Kodiak grabbing East and wrapping him up in his arms next. Hayden looks miffed, until I realize Kodiak did it for me. Hayden pulls his shirt off and reaches for me.

I launch myself at him like a flying squirrel, and I scent mark the fuck out of him, rubbing up against all the delicious bare skin.

“I’m going to give you all some privacy,” Ghost says, standing. He takes a step toward us, but stops when my glare narrows. He’s not pack…

“Thank you, Ghost,” Dec says as he steps into the room, placing his hand on the older Alpha’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll call you when they’re…more lucid.” Dec clears his throat, and the older man chuckles. “Tell Omar thank you for these.” Dec flashes a silver pack.

“I will. He misses you boys. And I know he desperately wants to meet Easton. If they’re okay tomorrow…”

“I’ll call you,” Dec agrees.

I turn away from them, switching to the other shoulder, and rubbing all over Hayden, loving the feeling of his purr rumbling his chest.

My scent spikes as soon as I do, though. Holy Mother Teresa. Kodiak. Shirtless. Holding Easton, who’s shirt is still on my body. He refused to borrow any from Ferris. Understandable.

Turquoise eyes turn to meet mine, and his scent thickens in the air.

“Here, Tatum. These will actually work,” Declan says from my other side, and I drag my eyes away from Kodiak and Easton to focus on Dec, who came to stand by the love seat.

I stare at the packet of suppressants, for a long moment. Then a hysterical laugh breaks free from my lips, and I have to slap a hand over my mouth to contain it.

“They were duds?” I’m still giggling, as Hayden runs his hands up and down my sides soothingly. Their three Alpha scents are mixing deliciously with Easton’s. “That explains a lot at least,” I snort. Like why I turned into a feral little psycho when we arrived here. I thought maybe the cramping earlier was breakthrough cramps or a result of the drugs from Ferris.

Turns out, I went cold turkey by accident.

“I knew…found them at your place the night I brought you ice cream.” Easton says, speaking for the first time in a long while. So long, I thought maybe he was checked out of reality. “Was gonna get you pregnant. So you couldn’t leave me after I killed these three.”

I turn slowly to face the other Omega, my eyes wide. There’s a stillness in the air, as the others all stare at Easton with me.

“Well, actually my original plan was to replace them. But then… I didn’t want to give you up. And I was scared if you had a choice, you’d leave me,” Easton adds, making Kodiak snort.

I simply sit here, staring at him with my mouth hanging open.

“That is actually so unhinged, you know that, right?” My disbelief is clear in my tone, but East shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“You are the first person I can remember caring about since I was five.”

“Oh my god…” I pout, my heart cracking a bit at his confession. “That’s really sad, and really sweet…and really concerning. ”

“I was going to make love to you when you went into heat, and then hope you didn’t hate me.” East sits up, crawls off Kodiak, and reaches for me, pulling me off Hayden and into his arms. Both Alphas let out a disgruntled grumble.

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