Page 52 of Seen Knot Heard

When Chloe first arrived on our island, I was so determined not to let this Omega in. Now, though, seeing her with Holden, I can’t deny the way our bond hums in her presence.

“We came to check what Holden wanted to do about dinner,” Blake whispers. “But he’s down for the count.”

“Good. He needs the rest.” I reach out and ease Chloe’s door shut, careful not to disturb the sleeping occupants.

Blake whines a protest, and Dominic claps him on the shoulder. “You’re not allowed to sneak in while they’re sleeping. You’ll have to wait until breakfast to see her.”

“Dominic’s right. Let them be.” I nudge the two men toward the dining room. “Leftovers will have to do for dinner tonight.”

Dominic and Blake exchange a look but don’t argue.

Quinn sits next to Sprinkles, who is sprawled out in front of the fireplace, and I raise my voice. “We’re eating in the kitchen tonight. Go claim your dinner before Uncle Blake eats everything.”

Quinn tosses her coloring book aside and scrambles to her feet, racing for the kitchen. “I want Uncle Dom’s soup!”

He groans and chases after her. “No! It’s going in the trash!”

“Dominic tried to make Chloe chicken noodle soup earlier,” Blake informs me. “He overcomplicated it, then almost had a meltdown.”

“Is Chloe more open to him now?” I keep my voice quiet so our bondmate won’t overhear us talking about him. “When she found out he was part of our pack, she was ready to leave right away.”

He stops next to the dining table, which still shows evidence of glitter in the cracks. “She allowed him to register as her courting Alpha.”

Shock jolts through me. “What?”

“I haven’t heard the full story, but they found her at the hospital, with a guard outside her room. They set off some alarms and slipped her out in the chaos.” He digs a blunt nail against the table runner. “Dominic drove them straight to the Omega Registration Center to cancel her courtship with Louie. She then signed a new courtship with Dominic and Holden.”

“Was it to…” I frown, not sure how to take this news. We haven’t even talked about it as a pack. “Did she do that to stop Louie from trying to reclaim her?”

“Dominic worries that’s all it was for him, but I’m not so sure.” He peers back toward the back hall. “You saw her and Holden in there. I want to go register tomorrow. Will you come with me?”

“I…”

“Come on, Nat.” Blake squeezes my arms. “You feel it. Admit it, at least to me.”

“I do, and you know it.” Worried that he’ll crush the flowers, I push his hands away. “But I’m not going to run off half-cocked before I speak to her. You shouldn’t, either. The last time you two talked, you were pretty harsh to her.”

Blake’s mouth opens then closes, and his shoulders sag. “No, you’re right.”

“Slow down a little.” I head for the kitchen door. “She’s not going anywhere, at least for the time being.”

“That’s what I thought when we went to search for Quinn, and then Chloe ended up injured while I was gone and vanished from the hospital.” Blake quickens his step to catch up to me at the door. “I won’t risk that happening again.”

I don’t want to risk it happening, either. But Blake rushing got us in trouble. We need to follow the steps in the proper order this time if we want to keep this Omega, no matter how much my Alpha yearns to be closer, to claim and possess her. The bigger part of me demands that I protect our vulnerable mate, even if it’s from one of my bondmates.

“Based on her current condition, she’s not going to be up for wandering around the island alone for at least a few days.” I push the door open, my focus still on him. “Plenty of time for you to talk to her first.”

Blake gives a reluctant nod, and I turn toward the kitchen, only to freeze at the disaster.

Food scraps and a chicken carcass litter the island, and somehow the glitter made it in here already, purple and pink sparkles glittering from the grout between the tiles. Dishes fill the sink, and three pots sit on the counter by the sink.

Dominic and Quinn stand at the open fridge, digging through the bowls and plastic containers that Holden had stashed away.

Unsure where to start, I walk forward. If Holden wakes up and finds this disaster waiting for him…

“New plan!” I announce. “It’s a popcorn and ice cream movie night for Quinn.”

A squeal pierces the air, and Quinn shoves the Tupperware container she holds at Dominic. “I’ll get the popcorn!”

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