Page 97 of Knot Only His

“How much time do you need, Miss Foster?” Mrs. Jenkins says, surprising me because she usually calls her by her first name, and she’s assumed that it’s Harlow holding back on being claimed.

Harlow shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t need any time. I have four alphas and you’d think they’d be climbing the walls to claim me,” Harlow whispers.

“We won’t push you,” Parker tells her.

“But you’ll push me to be legally bound to you, but not bound to your souls?”

“You have it all wrong, Harlow,” Parker says, his voice gravelly.

Harlow glances at the ceiling and shakes her head. Tears glisten in her eyes as she whispers, “Then why am I here?”

"Because you're our omega."

Harlow just stares at him.

The room goes still. Mrs. Jenkins’s pen stops moving.

Shit.

My stomach drops as I watch Parker’s face tighten. We’d carefully constructed our story around being an established pack.

“I mean they don’t have to claim me—” Harlow backpedals, her hand trembling in mine. “We are more modern than most packs.”

Mrs. Jenkins’s eyebrows rise. “Modern how?”

“Like...” Harlow’s voice gets smaller as she hitches a shoulder. “They're giving me time to choose when I want to be claimed, not doing it without my consent and—” She cuts herself off,clearly seeing Parker’s expression. “I’m just feeling emotional today. I need to lie down.”

She pulls her hand from mine and practically runs from the room.

The door barely closes when Carver appears, his coconut rum scent sharp with concern. “Why does Harlow look like she’s about to cry?”

“Later,” I mutter, watching Mrs. Jenkins scribble on her notepad.

Carver grumbles. “I’ll go see her before Oliver and I leave for training.”

I close the door on Mrs. Jenkins and rush down the hallway to Harlow’s room. She is lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling with tears still tracking down the sides of her face.

Her scent is muted, tinged with distress that makes my inner alpha want to fix whatever negative thought she is feeling.

“This is normal,” I tell her, staring at Carver, who is lying next to her, holding her tight. “You’re newly awakened and your emotions are all over. They’ll settle down soon.”

“I feel like I’m so dumb sometimes. I thought I was this intelligent alpha and all along I was just a stupid fucking omega.”

“What you said wasn’t dumb, Harlow,” Carver tells her.

“I agree with Carver. You have genuine concerns. I get it.”

“I wish my mom was still here,” she muses. “I need to talk to Freya.”

“Your momhad to go back to the east coast, but Bardot is still around for another day,” Carver tells her. “Do you want me to call her?”

She shakes her head. “I need to speak to Freya. She understands me.”

Carver glances at his watch as he looks at me. “I need to go to the stadium. It’s—”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Just go.” Her voice lifts an octave.

He presses a kiss on her lips. “Sorry baby. We’ll sort it all out.”

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