Page 142 of Knot Unwanted: Part One

Dawn creeps over the mountains, painting the house in shades of gray and gold. My morning patrol is routine—has been since Hailey arrived. Even before I exit my room, I catch a whiff of her honey and vanilla scent. Combined with Finn’s sage, it creates an atmosphere so charged with omega pheromones that I’ve taken to conducting my patrols with shallow breaths, fighting the constant arousal that’s become my new normal.

Each room, each window, each potential entrance is checked and secured. The basement door locked. The front door’s three deadbolts engaged. Ren’s room is empty—not even the blankets ruffled, which suggests he didn’t spend the night here. At least, not in that bed.

I save the nest room for last. These days, it’s where both our omegas sleep—fuck, I can’t believe that thought is even real. Something in me needs to know they’re safe before I can truly start my day. The door is slightly ajar—not unusual. Finn always left it like that, even before Hailey arrived. Like a silent invitation that we can come in.

The wave of their combined scents hits me first, intertwined soperfectly it seems like a single note rather than two distinct omegas. My body responds instantly, cock hardening against my will. It’s been this way for days now. Jax, Ren and I have taken to showering more often, trying to wash away the effect of living in a house saturated with omega sweetness. The cold water provides temporary relief at best.

When I nudge the door open with a finger, the sight that greets me stops me in my tracks.

They’re tangled together in the nest, a mess of limbs and blankets. Their combined sage and honey has permeated the entire room, creating an intoxicating cloud that makes it hard to focus on anything else. Ever since Hailey arrived, the omega pheromones in the house have intensified, becoming almost impossible to ignore. The sight of them together, coupled with that potent scent, makes me bite back a groan, muscles locking to prevent myself from climbing in and joining them.

Finn’s slender frame curls around Hailey like a shield, one arm draped over her waist, his face buried in her hair. She’s pressed back against his chest, small hands clutching his forearm even in sleep. And Jax…

I…can’t believe what I’m seeing. Jax lies facing them, close enough that his breath stirs Hailey’s hair. One of his hands rests on Finn’s hip, possessive even in sleep. They look…so good together. My family. My pack.

The perpetual tension in Finn’s shoulders is gone, replaced by a peace that makes him look like the soft thing I’ve dreamt about tugging to my chest all those times I wasn’t brave enough to face him.

I take a step forward, unable to stop myself. That’s when the morning light catches on tear tracks still visible on his cheeks. I stop short, a familiar pain rising in my chest.

Movement draws my attention—Jax shifting, his nose twitching as he catches my scent. His eyes open slowly, chocolate-dark and heavy with sleep. For a moment, he just stares at me.

“Hey,” he whispers, voice rough with slumber.

“Hey yourself.” I give him a slight nod, gaze shifting back to Finn.

Jax follows my focus before sitting up. “He’ll be okay. She had him.” His gaze slides to Hailey. “Even before I came in here, she had him.”

There’s wonder in Jax’s voice, and perhaps a touch of something else—not quite jealousy, but longing. A recognition of the connection forming between our omegas that we’ve been unable to forge ourselves. I understand it perfectly. The past weeks have been a slow torture, watching Finn pull away, feeling our bond thin to a gossamer thread. Now, in the space of days, Hailey has somehow reached him in ways we couldn’t. The relief is overwhelming, but so is the ache of recognition—that sometimes what our omega needs isn’t us at all.

A slow exhalation makes my shoulders sag. I lean against the doorframe, unwilling to disturb this fragile peace.

Jax’s fingers linger on Finn’s hip, a gentle squeeze, before he begins the delicate process of untangling himself from the nest of limbs and blankets. Finn makes a soft sound in his sleep, pressing closer to Hailey, who burrows into the warmth he offers. Their faces smooth in sleep, bodies curving toward each other like petals closing at dusk. I could stand and watch them forever. It’s a sort of peace that only comes in these rare moments.

Jax stretches as he stands, all muscle and barely contained power. His jaw has a shadow of a beard and he gives it a scratch as he steps forward. My focus dives immediately out of no fault of mine. It’s pretty fucking hard to ignore Jax when he’s aroused and his boxers do little to hide his morning situation. Despite that, neither of us acknowledges it. Pretty sure I’ve heard him handling his problems every morning while I do the same. None of us are talking about it, but the heavy concoction of omega pheromones in this house will eventually drive us all insane. The only one whodoesn’t seem affected is Ren. Or maybe heisaffected and that’s why he’s mysteriously absent this morning.

“Time?” Jax asks, still scratching absently at his jaw.

“Just past seven.” I keep my voice low, though our omegas seem dead to the world. “Office today?” I study Jax. Our argument yesterday seems to have blown over but the fact remains. He was right. I put our omegas in danger. I shouldn’t have stepped away from them for even a second. And Finn… Poor Finn. He shouldn’t have had to fight. That’s what he’s got me for. That’s what they both have me for.

But Jax doesn’t bring up what happened. He was never the one to hold grudges. That’s why he’s our leader. Always level-headed. He nods, gaze drawn back to the nest like he can’t help himself. “That merger isn’t going to fuck itself up.”

I snort softly. “Could probably manage it just fine without you.”

“Probably.” A small smile plays at his lips. “You staying?”

My eyes drift back to our sleeping omegas. “Someone needs to watch our little birds.”

The endearment slips out without thought, but it feels right. They do look like birds—Hailey especially, all quick movements and startled eyes, ready to take flight at the slightest provocation. And Finn…Finn who builds nests and nurtures and protects with fierce devotion.

Jax’s expression softens almost imperceptibly. “Birds, Stone?”

“You don’t think so?” I nod toward how they’re cuddled together, all soft edges and quiet breaths. “Could’ve fooled me.”

He rolls his eyes, but there’s fondness there. And something else—like a weight has lifted from his shoulders. “Try not to mother-hen them too much while I’m gone.”

“Try not to terrorize our employees with that beard,” I counter. “You look like you’ve been living in the woods.”

His middle finger appears as he heads for the door, but he pauses in the hallway. “Seen Ren?”

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