Page 195 of Knot Unwanted: Part One

I let the noise of the TV wash over me, hoping it will drown out the whispers of guilt and fear. But the image of Vi’s face, her defiant eyes, remains, a constant reminder that she’s just as vulnerable as I am.

I don’t know how long I sit there. The constant flow of the program gets pushed to the background of my mind as other thoughts come to the fore. Thoughts of Vi getting caught. Ofmegetting caught. Of me losing everything these alphas and Finn have tried to give me here.

I don’t…I don’t want to lose it all.

The sound of footsteps is what pulls me from the spiral, and I glance up just as Jax steps into the room.

“Oh, hey,” he says. His voice is warm and easy, like he’s been up for hours.

My body moves before my mind can catch up. I’m halfway to my knees when I realize what I’m doing, my muscles remembering years of training like it was yesterday. See an Alpha, show respect. Submit. Or else.

I grip the edge of the couch, forcing myself to stay seated. Jax isn’t them. He’s nothing like the monsters at the Academy who taught us to kneel, who made Vi, me, and all the others practice proper positions until our knees were bruised and bleeding. Who would punish any hint of the defiance that still blazes in Vi’s eyes on that security footage.

But right now, with the Academy’s ghost so close to the surface, every instinct screams at me to drop my gaze, to sink to the floor, to be a good omega. To survive.

My breath stutters as I swallow hard, forcing myself to stay put.

I can do this.

I am stronger than this.

Jax goes still. He’s big, not in the same way Stone is, but his presence feels…larger. His energy is calm, collected, and commanding, and it makes me acutely aware of how small I feel in comparison.

“I figured you’d be up,” he says cautiously. I’m aware of the fact he doesn’t come any closer. Stays where he is. “Thought you might want something to eat.”

I blink, only now realizing he’s carrying a tray—breakfast, I realize, with waffles piled high and drizzled with whipped cream and syrup. A small bar of chocolate rests at the edge.

I blink at the tray, still fighting the demons that are threatening to pull me under. “You brought me…chocolate?”

Jax’s lips twitch into a faint smile, but it’s more subdued than Finn’s teasing grins. “I thought you could use a little sweetness,” he says, dark brown eyes catching mine. “Besides, they’re Finn’s favorite. I wondered if you would like them, too.”

I don’t know what to say. My stomach twists as I reach for the tray—not in fear now, but in something closer to nervousness.

“Thank you,” I manage softly.

He nods, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he moves to sit across from me. He doesn’t plop down or sprawl; instead, he lowers himself into the chair with purpose, his posture straight and composed. Even sitting, he radiates control.

“You’re watching Finn’s show?” he asks, his eyes flicking briefly to the TV, where the chaotic drama of a reality competition plays on screen.

I shrug, feeling self-conscious. “It was just on.”

Jax huffs softly, almost a laugh. “He’d watch it for hours if we let him. Says it’s relaxing, but I think he just likes to yell at the screen.”

His words make a small laugh brush from my nose.

“Once, I heard him shouting. I thought someone was breaking in. Turns out it was only some omega losing a pack of alphas on screen and Finn was screaming at her as if she could hear him.” His voice is calm, steady, but there’s a faint warmth to it that eases some of the tension in my chest. I take a cautious bite of the waffles, and for a moment, the sweetness of the syrup and the lightness of the whipped cream distract me from everything else.

“You like it?” he asks, his tone quieter now as he watches me.

I glance up at him, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Yeah. It’s… good.”

His eyes catch the motion of my hand, the way my hair falls back into my face a moment later. For a second, he doesn’t move, but then he leans forward slightly.

“I’ve got something for that,” he says, that deep timbre of his voice pitched low.

I blink at him. “For what?”

He doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he rises from his seat. “Stay here,” he says over his shoulder as he disappears down the hall.

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