Page 15 of Knot that Simple

Wasthatwhat happened last night? Gabriela asked for a kiss and Lorcan said no?

Was he thick or something? What man would ever say no to her of all women?

“You can always ask for anything,” Lorcan said next. “I just need time.”

She nodded her head, looking down at her lap. “I understand.”

I bet she didn’t. She must have felt like it was a rejection; she already thought he was disappointed, so I couldn’t imagine what she thought now. I opened my mouth to say something, but Oisin tugged my sleeve and shook his head.

They needed to figure out their own relationship. That was what happened in a pack. The dynamic had to be unique between every member so we could create a harmonious family. Each one of us was going to bond with our omega in a different way. It was important to the survival of the pack.

But Lorcan was bad with words and even worse with his feelings. I knew him long enough to know what it looked like when a storm was brewing behind his eyes. When the days were long and the nights were even longer, he used to take the boat out, not caring if the Atlantic wasn’t going to be kind. He neededto punish himself until he couldn't feel the emptiness of a nest without an omega.

Lorcan taught me everything I knew. I had a trade because of him, so I promised to stand by his side even through the darkness. This wasn't darkness, though. This was the best thing that could have happened to us, and I didn't want to lose her because he wasn't used to good things in his life.

He perhaps understood that too, if I was judging by his clumsy apology. I relaxed in my seat. He’d win her trust with time.

Silence descended on the car as we all let the subject go. I decided not to feel anxious about Lorcan, trusting we were going to find our way before Gabriela went into heat.

A kiss.

She asked for a kiss. I shook my head to myself; I’d devour her mouth if she asked me. I’d leave her breathless for the rest of my days, but of course, she didn’t ask the goofy one.

Bitterness filled my heart as that thought raced through my mind. There was no place for jealousy in a healthy pack. She was going to learn to like me too. She'd ask for my kisses one day.

After a while, the silence felt oppressive over my shoulders, so I busied myself playing car games with Alice. It wasn’t straightforward, since I had to look on my phone a lot to translate, but it was worth it just to make her laugh.

“I spy with my little eye…” she said, already copying the exact words. “Alguma coisa laranja!”

My phone translated that as“something orange”, and I went to work, trying to find what she meant.

I quickly spotted orange cones to the side of the road, and she laughed, not caring at all she was losing. We played more rounds of the game, and soon, we were close to home.

As we exited the motorway and started down the country roads, Gabriela straightened in her seat, looking around apprehensively.

“We are close,” Oisin told her as we passed Dingle.

“This is beautiful.”

The wild Atlantic slapped the rocks at the coast, the salty air brushing our hair out of our face. It was the authenticity of our county that made tourists fall in love. I could see it in Gabriela’s eyes.

Lorcan took a left up the hill, leaving Dingle behind. To our right was the vast sea, and to our left, a stone half wall keeping a dozen sheep away from the road.

“Olha, mãe! As ovelhinhas!”

“Eu to vendo,” Gabriela chuckled.

Alice was no doubt talking about the sheep, her nose glued to the window as she watched them in wonder.

“We have more of them up the hill,” Oisin said, and Gabriela translated.

Sheep. Kids were that easy. The four adults in the car radiated tension, afraid that want wasn't enough to fit into each other's lives, while Alice had a huge smile on her lips just because she was watching the sheep.

The car bounced down the precarious dirt road, every bump bringing us closer to our remote village. The more we pressed forward, the more it looked like we were going to be swallowed by water. The field where the sheep slept was left behind, and more water replaced the view. We turned left to the entrance, right when the beach appeared into view.

“Rocks,” Gabriela whispered.

It probably looked completely different from what she knew as a beach, but to us, it was home. As the road opened, a view from the beach came perfectly to our left. Rolls and rolls of boatswere lined up, waiting for us, and to the right led to the main street, where small business usually kept busy.

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