Page 49 of Break Me Knot

“Come on. Let’s eat dinner. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” His arm remains steady around me as he helps me to my feet when my legs wobble. The weakness frustrates me. I've survived so long on my own strength, and now my body betrays me with every shaking step.

Coupled with the weakness, heat still simmers under my skin, a low, persistent warmth that shouldn't be there anymore. My heat should be done, but something is not right about it. The wrongness makes anxiety curl in my stomach, but the smell of dinner pushes all thoughts aside.

Zane keeps a supportive hand at my lower back as we enter the kitchen, his touch gentle but grounding. Adrian stands at the stove, commanding the space like he was born to it. His sleeves are rolled up to reveal strong forearms dusted with dark hair, his expensive shirt protected by an apron that looks natural on him. He moves with easy grace between multiple pots, adding seasonings here, stirring there, completely absorbed in his task. There's something mesmerizing about watching such a powerful alpha engaged in a domestic activity.

When he turns and sees me, his whole face lights up with a smile. His hazel eyes warm with genuine pleasure at my presence, like my appearance in his kitchenis a gift rather than an intrusion. The stone in my stomach eases at the simple acceptance in his expression.

The kitchen is warm and domestic, with soft lighting, bubbling pots, and the scent of good food and caring alphas. I’m stepping into a dream I never allowed myself, but there’s a hole because Cole isn’t here.

I shouldn't notice how the kitchen is unbalanced without his presence.

But I do.

“Cole went to the office after his workout.” Zane helps me settle at the kitchen island. My head snaps up, surprised he read my thoughts so easily. A knowing smile plays at his lips, softening his strong features. “We're pack. We notice when one of us is missing.”

But I'mnotpack. I'm nothing, just a stray omega they helped through her heat. The words stick in my throat, so instead, I focus on the plate Adrian sets before me… roast beef cooked to a perfect medium-rare, the meat glistening with its own juices, vegetables glazed with herbs that make my mouth water, potatoes that smell like butter and garlic and heaven itself.

The meal takes me back to my childhood. To better times. To when I thought I was a beta child and life was simple. Mom used to cook a roast for Sunday dinner. She’d cook enough that we’d have leftovers on Monday. I’d forgotten about that. She liked to cook just as Adrian does. I shrug off the memories before they curdle.

“Adrian almost became a chef, you know,” Zane says, accepting his own plate with a grin. He settles beside me, his thigh brushing mine in a casual touch that sends warmth through my body. “Before we started Pinnacle.”

“Really?” The word escapes before I can stop it, genuine curiosity coloring my voice. I shouldn't engage, shouldn't show interest, shouldn't give them more reasons to keep me here, but Adrian's cooking smells divine, and their easy presence makes something in me want to find out more.

“You know I didn’t, brother. I just like to dabble,” Adrian chides, his cheeks coloring slightly. The flush makes him look younger, more approachable. Less like the powerful alpha who runs a pharmaceutical empire and more like someone I could get used to in my life.

Don’t think like that.

I take a bite of the beef and have to suppress a moan as the flavors bloom across my palate.

“Good?” Adrian asks. There’s something vulnerable in his expression, like my opinion actually matters. Like he genuinely wants to please me rather than just feed me.

I nod, not trusting my voice. Each bite is a revelation, the crisp exterior of the potatoes giving way to fluffy insides seasoned with herbs and butter, the vegetables still having bite rather than being mushy, the gravy rich and complex with layers of flavor.

“The more he wants to impress, the more elaborate the meal. This is definitely a three-star dinner,” Zane stage-whispers to me, his breath warm against my ear.

“It’s worthy of five stars and you know it.” Adrian throws a dish towel at him with perfect aim, and they fall into easy banter. The kitchen fills with their laughter, their scents mixing in the air to create something that feels dangerously like home.

Like family.

The easy domesticity of the scene makes my heart ache with longing. The way Adrian and Zane interact speaks of years of friendship, of trust, of genuine love. Just like it was for me with Mom and Dad before I ruined everything when my omega designation came in.

They’d still be alive if it weren’t for me. If I was a beta, I wouldn’t have had a birthday at Haven. I would have been at home where I wanted to be.

These alphas’ bond is obvious in every shared glance, every inside joke, every comfortable silence. The way Zane steals a roast carrot from Adrian's plate and gets his hand playfully swatted, the way Adrian automatically refills Zane's water without being asked. The little moments paint a picture of deep connection.

They must be like this with Cole too, when he's here. I'm the reason he's staying away, the reason their pack is fractured right now. I'm coming between them, disrupting what was clearly a perfect harmony before I arrived. My fork clatters from my fingers to the plate.

I don’t belong.

Just like I’ll never have my parents back, I’ll never belong to a family ever again.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mira

The conversation stops, and I realize both alphas are watching me. Adrian curses softly, his eyes darkening. “Cole needs to pull his head in.”

My hands shake and I shove them in my lap. No, Cole's absence is good. It helps me keep my walls up, helps me remember why I can't stay. If he were here too, if all three of their scents were surrounding me, if I had to face the full force of their combined care... I don't think I'd have the strength to resist. Notall of them together. Their scents already call to something deep inside me. Adding Cole's oiled leather and fresh pine to the mix would be overwhelming.

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