Page 72 of Seen Knot Heard

“Do you like it?” The question holds a hint of uncertainty, as if afraid I’ll be upset they did this without speaking to me first.

My fingertips brushes over the closed top of my computer as the tears spill over. “This is so… It’s perfect. How did you…?”

“Quinn wasn’t the only one who drew a dream bedroom.” Blake comes up behind me. “We wanted you to have a permanent space to make your own.”

I wipe my cheeks and turn to face him, my heart swelling with too many emotions to name. In that moment, standing in the room the pack created just for me, a sense of belonging sweeps over me.

I step forward and wrap my arms around him, burying my face against his chest. “Thank you.”

As we stand wrapped in each other’s arms, I allow myself to sink into the sense of home, of family, of belonging.

And for the first time in forever, I’m truly, deeply content.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Nathaniel

Ihover outside Chloe’s door, my heart pounding in an erratic rhythm. Her sweet, floral scent wafts under the door, tempting me to draw closer.

A few days have passed since we presented her with a permanent space in the Homestead, and I’ve been struggling to find moments to spend time alone with her. When Blake informed me that I was not allowed down at the job site today, I took it as the nudge I needed.

Swallowing hard, I wipe my palms on my jeans and straighten my polo shirt before I rap my knuckles on the door, the sound echoing down the empty hallway.

“Chloe? It’s Nathaniel.” I try to mask the slight tremor of nerves. “Do you have a minute?”

My ears strain, picking up the faint rustling of fabric and light footsteps padding closer. My pulse thunders in my ears as I wait, second-guessing whether I should intrude on her privacy instead of just waiting for her to emerge.

I know she’s trying to get back into the swing of work, despite still recovering. What if I’m messing with her progress?

Before I can talk myself into retreating, the handle turns and the door opens. Chloe’s eyes widen in surprise when she findsme on the other side, and a rosy blush rushes to her cheeks as she touches the quilted jacket that swallows her small form.

I recognize it as the one I keep by the back door in the kitchen. Seeing her wearing it eases my anxiety.

Her sock-covered toes curl on the hardwood floor as she peeks up at me from beneath her lashes. “Hey, what’s up?”

I marvel at her ability to act so nonchalantly when electric currents crackle in the space between us. Does she feel it, too? This magnetic pull, the instinctive urge to reach out and touch?

I shove my restless hands into the pockets of my khakis. “I wanted to check in to see how you’re settling in and all. Need anything?”

A smile curves her glossy lips, making me wonder what they taste like. “I’m good, thanks. I think Dominic went a little overboard with stocking my closet. I’m still finding new things.”

“That’s great.” I hover, tongue-tied, desperate to prolong this interaction but unsure how. “Well, I’m around. If you need anything.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmurs.

For a moment, we just stare at each other, the silence buzzing with all the things left unsaid.

Then she steps back, slender fingers curling around the door. “See you later, Nathaniel.”

“Yeah. See you.”

The door clicks shut, and I want to kick myself. This isn’t the first time I’ve spoken to an Omega, so why am I acting like a tongue-tied teenager?

I linger, palm pressed flat on the wood, still feeling the heat of her nearness. My Alpha rages, demanding I throw the door open again and cross the threshold into her space, but I resist.

With a growl of frustration, I pivot on my heel and stride away.

This hellish wanting will be the end of me.

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