Page 94 of Knot Like Other Girls

Cole swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "But your heat?—"

"The suppressants are working," I cut him off gently. "I know my own mind, Cole. And right now, despite everything—finding out about Braxley, going into unexpected heat, discovering I have not one but five scent matches—I feel more real than I have in years."

Cole looks at me with such raw vulnerability that it makes my chest ache. His mismatched eyes search my face for any sign of doubt or confusion, but there's none to find.

Whatever he's looking for, it seems to satisfy him. A soft, shuddering breath escapes him, and some of the tension eases from his broad shoulders. His arms tighten around me, and I settle more comfortably against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heart beneath my ear grounds me, a metronome keeping time in a world that's suddenly spun off its axis.

"I'm sorry," he says after a moment of silence.

I tilt my head back to look at him. "For what?"

"For all of it. For being one more complication in your life when you already had enough to deal with."

A small laugh escapes me. "Cole Beaumont, are you actually apologizing for being my scent match?"

The corner of his mouth twitches, not quite a smile but close. "When you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

"Because it is ridiculous." I prop myself up on one elbow, wanting to look him in the eye properly. "None of this is your fault. Not Braxley's cheating, not my unexpected heat, and certainly not the fact that the universe decided we're compatible on a biological level."

He makes a noncommittal sound, his thumb absently tracing circles on my lower back. The simple touch sends pleasantshivers up my spine, even with the suppressants dampening my body's responses.

"Besides," I continue, unable to resist teasing him a little, "if anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I'm pretty sure I've completely destroyed your reputation as the scary, unapproachable alpha of the Vanguard Pack."

That earns me something that's almost a smile, a slight curve of his lips that makes my heart trip over itself.

"You think I'm scary?" he asks, his voice rough and husky, but with a hint of playfulness I've never heard from him before.

"Terrifying," I confirm solemnly. "The scariest alpha I've ever met. I'm shaking in my boots right now."

Cole actually laughs at that—a short, startled sound like he's surprised it came out of him. The sound warms me from the inside out. I want to hear it again. Want to be the one who makes him laugh more often.

"You're not wearing boots," he points out, his tone lighter than I've ever heard it. But he checks.

"Details," I dismiss with a wave of my hand. "The point stands."

We fall silent again, but it's comfortable. Easy in a way I never would have expected with Cole of all people. His hand continues its slow, soothing path up and down my back, and I find myself relaxing further into his embrace. The lingering heat in my blood has cooled to a manageable warmth, present but not overwhelming.

Outside our little bubble, I hear footsteps pacing the hallway. Heavy, purposeful strides that can only belong to one of the alphas. Probably Troy, judging by the restless energy I can sense even through the closed door.

A moment later, there's a muffled thump and a muttered curse that confirms my suspicion. I laugh quietly, picturing Troy stubbing his toe on the decorative table in the hallway. The onewith the sharp edges I've banged my hip against more times than I can count.

"I think Troy just discovered Braxley's terrible taste in furniture the hard way," I say.

Cole makes a sound that might be amusement. "He's been pacing out there since he checked on us earlier. Driving everyone crazy, probably."

I sigh, reluctantly acknowledging what we both know. "We should probably let them know we're okay. That I'm okay."

"Probably," Cole agrees, but he makes no move to release me. If anything, his arms tighten around my waist even more.

"Or we could stay here and cuddle forever," I offer, equally reluctant to move. It feels too good being here, nestled against him.

Cole doesn't respond right away. Instead, he shifts slightly, burying his face in the crook of my neck and inhaling deeply. The feeling of his breath against my skin sends a pleasant shiver down my spine.

"You smell like home," he murmurs, the words so quiet I almost miss them.

My heart does a complicated flip in my chest. "Is that a good thing?" I ask softly.

He pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. "The best."

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