Page 77 of Knot Beneath the Mistletoe

“Whatever you want,” Dominic adds, then exchanges loaded glances with the others. “We’ll take all the time you need, except for one thing...”

My heart stutters as they look at each other, then back to me.

“We don’t have anything to give you right now,” Knox says softly.

“But...” Garrett continues.

“Will you marry us?” they ask together.

I stare at them, wild snowflakes catching in my eyelashes, my heart threatening to burst from my chest. Three pairs of eyes—ice blue, forest green, and dark brown—watch me with such naked hope and love, it steals my breath away.

“Why are you saying this?” I choke out, my throat thickening as tears blur my vision. “I wanted you to suffer a bit longer, and then you say that?” I shake my head, but something in their intense gazes makes my heart stutter. Deep down, I suspect I know why.

Garrett rises to his feet, snow falling from his knees. The others do the same.

“We know the truth about your aunt’s will, and fuck if we’re going to let Marcus take your bar. We’ll marry you, gorgeous, and if you don’t want us, we’ll step aside and take nothing from you. We have everything we could want… money, success, except for one thing... an Omega to love.”

“You’re everything to us,” Knox adds, his voice raw. “These past days without you, not knowing if you were safe, were torture.”

Dominic steps closer, his presence achingly tender. “We’ll spend our lives protecting you, cherishing you, if you’ll let us.”

I cover my face with my hands as tears spill freely, my chest tightening. This is crazy; this whole situation is insane. It’s like a wild dream where everything I’ve wanted comes true in the most chaotic way possible. Part of me worries it’s too fast, too soon, but another part knows with bone-deep certainty that this is it. And after what Marcus just tried... I can’t let him win. Not when I have three days left...

They surround me, strong arms enveloping me in warmth and familiar scents. Suddenly, I’m off my feet, cradled against Dominic’s chest.

“Okay, let’s get you somewhere warm,” he murmurs in my ear.

In the SUV, Marcus whimpers from where they’ve shoved him between the door and back seats, begging to be released. Dominic glances back.

“Oh, we’re dropping you with your father. He wants to see you… knows everything you’ve been up to.” His smile is all teeth. “And just so you know, you come anywhere near any of us, especially Ruby, and I will break a bone in your body every fucking time, starting with your neck. Thank your stars we didn’t bury you out in the woods today. But there’s always another day if you cross our paths again.”

The silence is beautiful.

I’m nestled between Dominic and Garrett while Knox drives, his ice-blue eyes finding mine in the rearview mirror with soft smiles that have my heart flipping. It feels surreal—the warmth of their bodies, the gentle way they touch me as if I might disappear if they let go. After everything that’s happened, I should be more scared, more uncertain. Instead, I feel... home.

They pause in front of a massive business building, Knox and Dominic dragging Marcus inside.

“What’s going to happen to him?” I ask Garrett.

“Something bad, hopefully.”

“Really horrible,” I add, and we both laugh. He pulls me close, nuzzling my neck. “Just so you know, we’re never letting you out of our sight. Every day, we’ll be at your bar until you’re ready to have us... to live with us.”

I blink at the speed of it all, even though it feels right. “Three homes, three Alphas... what is this, some kind of rotation schedule?” I tease.

Garrett chuckles, cupping my face.

“Our biggest regret is ever hurting you. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you. You know that, right?”

Tears well up again—will they ever stop? “I’ll hold you to it.”

After a solid fifteen minutes, the others return, and Knox is laughing as we pull away.

“That prick Marcus might just be disowned by his stepfather. Everything taken from him, leaving him penniless...”

My jaw drops. “After all those times he told me I’d end up with nothing, homeless...” I let out a whoop that makes them all laugh. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear he’s going to suffer. And I have you three to thank.”

“Just the beginning of everything we’ll do to ensure you always smile,” Knox promises, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror with such tenderness it makes my chest ache.

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