Page 120 of Knot Unwanted: Part One

Finn’s hand tightens around mine, his touch both reassuring and unsettling. “For omegas, heat is a natural part of our biology. It’s when our bodies are most fertile, most…receptive. But it’s also when our instincts take over. When everything feels more intense. More urgent.”

I swallow hard, my throat dry. “And you think I’m…going into heat?”

“Preheat,” he corrects gently. “It’s the stage before full heat. Your body is preparing itself, and that means your hormones are changing. Your scent is changing. And those changes…they can affect how you feel. How you react to people around you.”

My mind races, trying to process what he’s saying. “So…we kissed…just because of my hormones?”

Finn’s silence is answer enough. I feel a pang of something sharp and painful in my chest, like a knife twisting. The warmth I’d felt earlier—the sense of belonging, of safety—starts to crumble, replaced by a cold, hollow ache.

“It’s not that simple,” he says quickly, as if sensing my distress. “Your feelings aren’tjustbecause of your hormones. But they’re…amplified. Intensified. And I need you to understand that. Because if we…if we let this go too far, it might not be what you really want. Not when the heat passes.”

I pull my hand away from his, curling into myself. The nest feels too big suddenly, too empty, even with Finn sitting rightbeside me. “So, what are you saying? That I shouldn’t trust myself? That I shouldn’t trust you?”

“No,” he says firmly, his voice cutting through the darkness. “I’m saying you should be careful. That we both should. Because I care about you, Hailey. More than even makes sense. And I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re not in your right mind.”

His words hang in the air. I can feel the truth in them, the sincerity, but it doesn’t make the ache in my chest any less painful. I want to believe him. I want to trust him. But how can I, when everything I’m feeling feels so real?

“How do you know?” I whisper. “How do you know it’s not real?”

Finn exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Because I’ve been through this before. I know what heat feels like. I know how it twists your thoughts, your desires. And I know how easy it is to get lost in it.”

I bite my lip, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over. I know it’s wrong to want Finn…but it feels real to me.

Finn is very still. For a long moment, he doesn’t say anything. Then, slowly, he reaches out, his fingers brushing against my jaw. His touch is so gentle, so tentative, like he’s afraid I’ll pull away.

“Hailey,” he whispers, his voice rough with emotion. “If it’s real… if what you’re feeling is real…then we’ll figure it out. But not like this. Not when you’re not in control.”

His words should comfort me, but they don’t. Instead, they stir a bone-deep anxiety. Pure dread that isn’t bottled up. Dread I can’t control.

For a long moment, Finn doesn’t move. Then, slowly, he leans in, his forehead pressing against mine. His breath is warm against my skin, his scent wrapping around me like a shield.

“Do you feel it right now?” he whispers, voice low and rough. “The heat? Low in your gut? Like a fire you can’t put out?”

The dread gripping me doesn’t intensify. But it also doesn’tdrown out the heat he’s talking about. The one that rises within me at just being close to him.

I nod, unable to speak. The heat is there, burning through me, making it impossible to think, to breathe. All I can focus on is Finn—his touch, his scent, the way his body feels so close to mine.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against my forehead. “It’s okay to feel it. Just…let me help you.”

Before I can respond, his lips are on mine, soft and insistent. The kiss is sweet. Slow. Like he’s trying to savor every moment. I melt into him, my hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.

Finn groans softly, his hands sliding down to my waist, holding me steady as the kiss deepens. His tongue brushes against mine, and I moan, the sound muffled against his lips. The heat inside me flares, spreading through my body like wildfire.

“Finn,” I gasp, breaking the kiss. My chest heaves so hard I can’t control it.

“I know,” he murmurs, his voice rough with desire. “I know what you need.”

His hands slide lower, gripping my hips as he slides into the nest and guides me onto his lap. I straddle him, my breath coming in short gasps as I feel the hard length of him pressing against me. The sensation sends a jolt of surprise through me, that makes my hips jerk on their own accord. I can’t help but flush with embarrassment.

Finn’s hands tighten on my hips, holding me still. “Slow down,” he says, his voice strained. “Let me take care of you.”

I nod, my body trembling. Finn’s hands move to the hem of the shirt, lifting it slowly over my head. The cool air hits my skin, making me shiver, but the heat building inside me quickly overpowers it. Finn’s eyes darken as he takes me in, and I realize immediately that this is the first time I’ve been unclothed in his presence. This is different from being naked at the Academy. Completely different. The way Finn’s gaze roams over my body with hunger makes my breath hitch.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, his hands sliding up my sides, leaving trails of fire in their wake. “So fucking beautiful.”

I whimper, my hips rocking against his again in a movement I can’t seem to control. Finn groans, his hands tightening on my waist as he guides me to move against him. The sensation is overwhelming, pleasure building low in my gut with every roll of my hips.

“That’s it,” Finn murmurs, his voice rough yet tender, lips trailing hot kisses along my shoulder as his hands slide up my sides. “Just like that. Let go, Hailey. I’ve got you.” His fingers pause to trace the curve of my ribs, featherlight and deliberate, before settling at my hips again. But this time, he doesn’t just guide me—he slows my rhythm, his touch firm but patient, teaching me to savor every shift and shudder. “Ease back,” he breathes against my throat, teeth grazing the sensitive spot beneath my ear. “Don’t rush it. Use me.Feelme.”

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