Page 94 of Seen Knot Heard

She pauses, fiddling with the zipper on my jacket, the metal clicking. “We had dinner together at least once a month, though. Just the two of us.”

“Ah, the obligatory child interview,” I say with a knowing chuckle.

“Exactly!” Chloe spins toward me. “Oh, man, those were always so awkward.”

At the sweet sound of her laughter, something warm unfurls in my chest. I want to hear it again and again.

She nudges my arm. “What about you? What was life like growing up in the Burton pack?”

I tense as old resentments rise. “Full of pressure. My entire life was planned out for me from birth. Every decision, every move, scrutinized and controlled.”

Agitated, I rake a hand through my blond hair. “It was suffocating, and the older I got, the more I realized I could never raise my own pups in that environment.”

Chloe’s scent shifts, soft and soothing, her compassion calming me the same way my bondmates would. “That must have been hard. I’m sorry your pack didn’t take your own desires into consideration.”

Her sympathy settles over me like a balm, gentling my jagged edges. I take a deep breath, letting her sweetness fill my lungs.

“What about your mom?” Chloe asks. “Were you close with her?”

“Yeah. She was a bright spot for me, her and my grandad.” Memories rush in, golden and treasured. “Every summer, we’d come here to this island. Grandad taught me how to build a fire and how to fish, the importance of loving and respecting the land.”

Wonder softens Chloe’s face. “Sounds nice.”

“It was,” I agree, the old joy of those summers washing through me. “I looked forward to it all year. Even after Grandad passed, Mom and I still came.”

Grief tightens my throat. “And then…she died. It was a brain aneurysm. In an instant, she was gone and the island was mine.”

Chloe makes a soft, pained sound. She lays her small hand on my forearm, and the touch sears me even through layers of fabric. “I’m sorry that you lost her so suddenly. I can’t imagine how much that hurt.”

I cover her hand with mine, her skin so soft and warm. “Thank you. Some days, I still can’t believe she’s gone.”

We stand for a long moment, the whole world narrowing to the feather-light weight of Chloe’s hand on my arm, the mingled scent of leather and lilies, and the aching tenderness in her expression.

When Chloe withdraws her touch, the loss of contact causes a physical ache. “So…your father wasn’t thrilled you inherited the island?”

I shake my head. “He expected Grandad to name him as heir. He wanted control of the property, but Mom had other ideas.”

Her delicate brow furrows in confusion. “Were they not bonded mates?”

“No.” I tear my eyes away from her face. “Mom was Marked, but they never scent matched. He contracted her for exclusivity until she birthed me, after which she was free to roam the pack.”

“Ah,” Chloe says. “Was that difficult for you?”

“It was complicated. They didn’t like each other, but my dad kept tabs on her for…” I gesture at the garden. “Mom was always her own person. She loved me, but she didn’t want another child.”

Chloe nods, her bun bobbing. “My mother was the same way. My father wanted a male heir, so he kept extending the contract, but Mom never produced another child. Neither did the other Omegas who came through our house.”

I blink in surprise at Chloe’s revelation. “Your mother didn’t care about the other Omegas?”

She shakes her head. “So long as she remained his only mate, no. She had what she wanted.”

We walk in silence for a moment, the only sound the tap of our shoes on the stone pathway.

Chloe’s steps slow, and her wide, uncertain eyes lift to mine. “What’s the plan for your pack?”

“We haven’t discussed it much,” I admit, my fingers twisting the silver ring on my right hand. “Expanding the pack was supposed to be a future plan, after we established a stable income and could prove we were capable of providing for an Omega and future pups. But…” I trail off, searching for the right words.

“But?” Chloe prompts, her expression hopeful.

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