Page 132 of Knot Like Other Girls

We all glance at Cole, who's standing by the window, his massive frame silhouetted against the night sky. His relationship with Bella has progressed further than any of ours, and I wonder if sharing her, even in this innocent way, is more difficult for him.

God knows he doesn't like to be touched.

"She wants it," he says stiffly, his broad shoulders rising in a slight shrug. "It's fine."

We change quickly with no concern about modesty. There's that, at least. After years sharing close quarters, privacy is a luxury none of us cares much about. Except Cole. He turns away to change his shirt and lets out a low growl when he catches me glancing at him.

We're all gonna get shanked tonight, aren't we?

Then a soft knock at the bathroom door makes us all freeze.

"Is it safe to come out?" Bella's voice is muffled through the wood.

"Yes, we're decent," Roman calls back, shooting Troy a warning look that says behave clearer than any words.

The door opens, and Bella steps out in an oversized t-shirt that hangs to mid-thigh. It's black, like the one Cole was wearing earlier, and I'd bet my last euro it's his. Her dark hair is loose around her shoulders, and her face is scrubbed clean of makeup, making her look somehow more vulnerable.

Five pairs of alpha eyes track her movement as she pads barefoot across the hardwood floor. The air in the room thickens with our combined scents—all of us responding to her on a primal level we can't fully suppress.

"So," she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "how do we do this?"

Roman takes charge, as he always does. "You'll be in the center," he says, pulling back the covers. "Cole and I on either side of you, with Troy, Liam, and Savva on the outside."

It's a tactical arrangement, I realize. The strongest fighters positioned closest to her, creating a protective formation even in sleep. Roman's mind never stops working, even here, where we're safe.

"Okay," she says, climbing onto the bed. The mattress dips slightly under her weight, and I catch a flash of smooth thigh asthe t-shirt rides up. I quickly avert my eyes, heat crawling up my neck.

Cole follows first, moving to the left side of the bed closest to the window—his sniper's instinct placing him where he can see outside, even though it means positioning Bella on the side of his face he usually tries to hide. He settles in beside her, leaving a careful few inches between them that she immediately eliminates by scooting closer to him and snuggling into his side.

Roman takes his place on her other side. There's a moment of awkward stillness as they arrange themselves, and then Bella reaches for Roman's hand, pulling it onto her waist in silent permission.

The rest of us hover at the edges of the bed, exchanging glances.

"Don't be shy now, lads," I say warily. "Not like we haven't shared quarters before."

"Yes, but usually with more guns and fewer omegas," Troy quips, but he climbs in next to Roman, settling on his side.

I take the spot beside Troy, because I'd like to live, hyper-aware of my bulk as I try not to jostle the bed too much. Savva completes our formation, sliding in gracefully next to Cole as if this is the most natural thing in the world.

The bed is large, but not large enough for five men our size plus Bella. We're pressed together like sardines, arms and legs finding awkward places to rest. Cole and Roman have the easiest positions, curved protectively around Bella, but the rest of us are a tangle of limbs.

I shift against Troy, trying to find a position that doesn't involve being stabbed in the ribs. The California king that seemed so massive when we walked in has shrunk to the size of a life raft now that we're all piled in here like puppies in a basket. Five alphas and one omega—it's a miracle the bed frame hasn't collapsed yet.

I'm about to murder Troy if he doesn't stop elbowing me in the ribs. No court in the world would convict me. The guy's somehow got the sharpest fucking elbows I've ever encountered beneath all that beef, and he keeps jabbing them into my side with every little shift.

"If you elbow me one more time, Shepherd," I mutter, "I'll tie your arms behind your back."

Troy's laughter shakes the mattress. "Promises, promises."

"For fuck's sake," Roman growls from his prime position next to Bella. "Can we not make it through one night without you two bickering?"

"Impossible," Savva comments dryly from the far side of the bed. "It's the only way they know how to show another alpha affection."

Bella's soft giggle cuts through the tension, a musical sound that makes something in my chest loosen. "I don't mind," she says. "It's nice. Reminds me of family."

We all go quiet at that.

Family.

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