Page 143 of Knot Like Other Girls

"Kind of hard to ignore," Savva acknowledges, his sharp eyes analyzing my expression.

“Told her it should be fine to go into town,” Cole adds from his position by the window. "Early stages can last a full day sometimes."

I nod, trusting Cole's assessment. He'd been with her earlier, would have the clearest read on her condition.

"The nesting supply shop—Soft Spot—is owned by a mated omega pair," I remind them. "Shouldn't be any issues there. It's a safe small town with a vibrant omega community, despite their overall rarity."

"Except five alphas walking in with an omega on the edge of heat might raise some eyebrows," Liam points out, crossing his tattooed arms over his broad chest.

He's right. In a small town like Sweetwater, we'll draw attention no matter what we do. Five huge battle-hardened alphas accompanying a petite omega who's beginning her heat cycle. It's not exactly inconspicuous.

"We'll adapt," I decide after a moment. "Cole and I will accompany Bella inside. Troy, you and Savva check the surrounding area. Liam, you're on vehicle security."

"Copy that," Liam says, grinning, the familiar military shorthand slipping out easily as he slips out of the room.

"I'm not sure about going into a store that specializes in omega nesting materials," Cole says, his gravelly voice pitched low. "Not exactly my area of expertise."

What he doesn't say, what he doesn't need to say because we all know it, is that he's especially self-conscious about his appearance around omegas. About the way people stare, the way they recoil when they see the extensive scarring on his face. Omegas are more afraid of him than most.

"You'll be fine," I tell him, keeping my voice steady. Not gentle—Cole would hate that—but matter-of-fact. "Bella specifically asked for you to go with her."

His eye widens slightly at this information. "She did?"

"She did," I confirm. "Said she'll feel safest if you're there."

Something shifts in Cole's expression. It's subtle—just a slight relaxation around his mouth, a softening in his eye—but it's there. For Cole, whose emotional walls are reinforced with steel and concrete, it's the equivalent of Troy's huge grin.

"Then I'll go," he says simply.

Troy, never one to let a moment get too serious, claps his hands together. "Great! Now can we please talk about breakfast? Because I wasn't kidding about those pancakes. They're life-changing, Bella's going to love them."

"They're pancakes, Troy," Savva says with exaggerated patience. "Not a religious experience."

"Spoken like someone who clearly hasn't had Mabel's blueberry stack," Troy retorts. "That woman puts magic spells on her cooking utensils, I swear."

I allow myself a small smile as they bicker. It's familiar terrain, comfortable. Troy's exuberance balanced by Savva's dry wit, Liam's occasional profane interjections, Cole's quiet presence. The rhythms of my pack, the men who've become my family through blood and bullets and the quiet hours between missions.

And now Bella, slotting into our group with an ease that still surprises me. She should have run screaming when she discovered five lethal alphas were her scent matches. Instead, she looks at us like we're a gift she'd never expected to receive.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway pulls me from my thoughts. Not Bella's—these are too heavy, too measured. Liam returns from wherever he disappeared to a few minutes ago, now fully dressed in dark jeans and a navy henley that stretches across his broad shoulders. The tattoos on his arms are on full display, intricate black and gray designs that tell the story of his life if you know how to read them.

"Cars are ready," he reports. "Filled both tanks."

We have two vehicles at the cabin—a large SUV that can comfortably fit all six of us, and a more discreet sedan for situations that require a lower profile. Both are heavily modified, with reinforced frames, bulletproof glass, and compartments for weapons storage. Habits from our military days die hard.

"Any activity on the monitors?" I ask. The cabin's security system is state-of-the-art, with motion sensors covering the perimeter and cameras positioned strategically along the access road.

Liam shakes his head. "All clear. Just a deer and her fawn near the eastern boundary."

I nod, satisfied. "We'll take the SUV. More comfortable for Bella."

"And less suspicious in a small town," Savva adds. "A beat-up SUV is common enough. The sedan screams 'government.'"

He's right. The black sedan, while useful in many situations, has an unmistakable official look to it. In a town like Sweetwater, that would draw exactly the kind of attention we want to avoid.

"Who's driving?" Troy asks, already reaching for the keys that hang on a hook by the back door.

I snag them before he can. "I am."

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