Page 55 of Knot Only His

“Oh. I’m so sorry.”

I shake my head. “Now I have to do what she wants, and that means I have to convince Social Services that I’m better for Jagger than his shit father.” I keep my voice steady, but the weight of my sister’s death hangs heavy in the air.

Harlow’s eyes widen, the gears in her head turning as she processes my words. “What happened?”

I swallow hard, my throat dry as I delve into the painful details. “Jake... he was never around. And my sister had pregnancy complications. He took too long getting her to the hospital, and by the time the ambulance arrived…” I hesitate and stare at the ceiling and back to her. “She died on the way to the hospital. Jagger almost didn’t make it.”

Her breath catches as I speak, tears shimmering in her eyes. “That’s awful.”

“Yeah,” I reply, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Jagger was stuck with a father who didn’t care about him for two months, before he handed him to me.”

She nods. “But now he wants him back?”

“Yeah, and Social Services thinks Jake is ready to be a father, and that Jagger needs a more stable environment.” I hesitate. “And as Jake now has an omega, he’s put in an application to have Jagger returned to him.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching Harlow’s expression soften.

When I finish speaking, I reach out and take her hand in mine. The moment our skin connects, electricity zings down my spine.

“But I’m not an omega.” She smiles. Her warmth radiates through me like sunlight breaking through clouds on a gloomy day.

My heart races as her scent envelops me. And I have to rein in my inner alpha that wants to tell her she is wrong. But this isn’t about me; it’s about Jagger. And about getting her closer to my pack.

“I know.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue. “But you can pretend to be. You can pretend that you’re our pack’s omega.”

“Oh,” she whispers.

“You’ll only need to be at the house when Social Services visit.”

“I don’t need to live with the pack?”

I shake my head. “Unless you want to.”

Her eyes open wide and she shakes her head. “That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“We’d still have a room for you so they believe you do live with us,” I tell her.

Her eyes are on mine. “Can I have a couple of days to think it through?” She hesitates, uncertainty flashing across her face. “It will give you a couple of days to work out how it will work.”

“It’s just a fake relationship,” I assure her quickly. “You’ll pretend you’re mine, Asher’s, and Oliver’s girlfriend.”

Her eyes pop out of her head as she processes what I’ve just suggested.

“I’ll pay you.”

“What! No.” Her voice rises, shock replacing the concern from moments before.

“Look,” I say, trying to keep this grounded while pushing through my own rising panic at how badly I need this plan to work. “This isn’t charity; it’s just business for both of us.”

“Business?” She narrows her eyes at me, defiance creeping back into her stance.

“Yes,” I insist, feeling the tension crackle between us like a live wire. “It’ll help me protect Jagger from his father.”

I’m just not sure what part of the business arrangement will help her.

Unless, of course, she wants more in the end.

Chapter 14

Asher

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