Page 67 of Knot Happening

Not enough to know why the smile on Declan’s face instantly wipes blank, or why Hayden blinks once, and then jogs toward the pool house.

Kodiak has been having the time of his life, drunker than a skunk in a whiskey barrel. Until his eyes land on his mother, and he seems to sober up significantly. I have to wonder how much of his behavior was alcohol induced and how much is just Kodiak letting loose.

“Happy Birthday!” she cheers, carrying in a gift bag that has a balloon tied to it. She looks the same as I remember her, but with longer hair and a few more wrinkles. She ignores the way the vibes of the party change. The fact that at least half of the guests head back into the house silently, and the way that Silver glares at her. Her men swoop her up and form a triangle around her as they lead her back inside behind the other guests, until I’m the only outsider left out here with the twins and their mother.

Are Silver’s mates protecting her from Melany? Or are they protecting Melany from Silver? Omegas can be violentwhen someone they care for as family is threatened, or even just unhappy, honestly. We’re very protective. And possessive, clearly.

Kodiak, Declan, and Hayden are unhappy. My hackles rise, and I’m gripping the bench under my ass to keep myself planted.

Melany makes a beeline for Kodiak first. “Thirty six! Where have the years gone?” She sniffles, as she hugs her mountain of a son. She turns to Declan, pulling him in for a hug next. “I know yours isn’t until tomorrow, but I brought your gift. I was in labor with you both for–”

“Forty eight hours, yes, we know. And Patty was by your side through it all. How could we forget?”

I can’t see her face when Declan interrupts her, but I see her shoulders sag. “Where is Hayden? I was hoping–”

“No,” Kodiak viciously snaps at her, in a way that would send me running for the hills if he used that tone with me. They’re mad at their mother, and clearly it has something to do with Hayden. I glance behind me at the house. I could go back inside with the others…

But instincts won’t be ignored at the best of times.

I stand, making my way around the yard, heading for the pool house door, but five steps in, my name is shouted. “Tatum?”

I pause, turning slowly to face the clearly shocked woman as her wide eyes take me in. I paste a smile on and try my best to hide how uncomfortable and confused I am. “Uh, hi, Melany.”

Could I be any more awkward? I’m not very far from them, so I close the gap. She sniffs again, looking like she’s fighting to keep her shit together. “Wow, it’s been years. How are you?” She can no doubt smell my scent all over her sons, as well as Kodiak’s on me.

She pulls me into a hug before I can protest. When she steps back, it’s clear she’s shocked to see me, but she’s also lookingat me like she’s about to die from guilt. Like she wants to say something else.

“I’m good. Uh. Just celebrating the birthday boy.”

“It’s good to see you again. I’ve missed–”

“Tatum, why don’t you check on Hayden? He’s in the pool house. He could probably use your comfort.”

I nod at Kodiak’s words, even though I don’t understand why he says them while staring down his mother with a look of pure anger. “Bye, Melany.”

I don’t stick around to hear anything else said between them, just in case they turn all that anger on me.

“Hayden?”

This pool house is more of a guest house, and when I first walk in, he’s nowhere to be seen. I have to walk further in and peek my head into the bedroom at the back, before I find him.

He’s sitting on the edge of the queen-sized bed with his hands in his lap and his head down. Hayden doesn’t look up at me as I walk in, not even when I stand close enough that our feet touch toe to toe.

“Your brothers are yelling at their mother. She asked about you. Hugged me,” I grumble that last bit. “Do you want to talk about it, or do you want me to leave?”

“Can I…hold you? Just for a moment.”

I couldn’t say no to him, even if I wanted to. My instinct to soothe him is overwhelming. I step between his spread legs, until his head is pressing into my stomach, and I push my hands into his hair, tugging his head up to meet my eyes.

Slowly, as if he’s worried I’ll change my mind and run for the door, he wraps his arms around my waist. Hayden presses into me, holding me tightly, nuzzling my stomach to soothe himself with my scent. His body is tense, and I don’t speak as he trembles in my arms. He’s crying, and my chest cracks open as I feel the wetness of his tears against my dress.

The purr I release isn’t a sound I make often. I can’t even remember the last time my instincts took over, and the sound softly rumbled in my chest. He was the last Alpha that pulled it out of me, seems fitting he’s managed to destroy my defenses once again. It works, though. He stops crying. When he looks up at me, his eyes are glassy from the tears, and the pain is still pinching his brows, so I keep purring.

“Thank you.”

I don’t respond to his whispered words. I just keep my hands in his hair, stroking gently as I watch him. There’s a vulnerability in his eyes that softens me up like a stick of melted butter. In the past, I was always the one falling apart in his arms, crying as he held me. He would comfort me until I could pull myself together. I can hold him until he’s okay again. Even if it hurts, just a little bit.

“She…” his voice is rough as he speaks, and I have to tilt my head so I can hear him, as he presses his forehead into my stomach. “She accused me of assaulting you after your heat. When I came home, covered in your scent, she accused me of r-raping you. She called me a monster. That I came from a monster and was just like him, that I would never be any better than the circumstances of my conception. I didn’t understand. Had no idea why the woman I’d called Mom for eighteen years was turning on me. There was so much hate in her eyes… She looked at me like I was the most foul, repulsive beast she’d ever seen.” Hayden’s voice cracks, and he finally looks up at me, searching my face for something.

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