Page 260 of Knot Unwanted: Part One

“You do,” I say softly, and the words feel truer than anything I’ve ever said. He choked me, but I saw his reaction afterward. The horror. The guilt. Unlike the alphas that have hurt me before, Ren hated what he did.

Something shifts in his expression, a crack in the carefullyconstructed walls he’s built around himself. He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t argue.

Instead, he just looks at me, those eyes filled with something too deep for words, and for the first time, I feel like I’m finally starting to understand him.

Ren is so much more than I thought he was.

The thought comes quickly, an unsteady plan I haven’t quite thought out. “You can make it up to me. To Finn. To us. All you have to do is do me a favor.”

His brows furrow slightly. “What favor?”

“Say yes and then I’ll tell you.”

I see the shadow of a surprised grin, and then I realize he’s right. I am pushy. The adrenaline continues to push through me, amping up my bravery. I cross my arms over my chest, a challenge in itself that he doesn’t miss.

“Fine. What’s the favor, sweetheart?”

Chapter 59

Hailey

The house feels unusually still as I finish getting ready, the kind of quiet that feels charged rather than peaceful. When I snuck back in last night, Stone and Jax had come down just as I reached the kitchen. Pretty sure they didn’t believe my lie about being hungry. They’d made me grilled cheese anyway and stayed and watched me eat it.

Now, my heart beats faster with every passing second, my nerves fraying even as I take one last glance in the mirror.

The dress Finn had delivered for me clings to my body in all the right ways, the deep emerald fabric shimmering faintly under the light. The neckline dips low, just enough to feel daring, while the long skirt flows behind me like liquid silk. It’s the kind of dress I’d only seen on TV. A dress I would have never imagined myself in, but tonight…tonight is different. Tonight,Iwant to be different.

I’ve pinned my hair up, soft tendrils framing my face, and sprayed extra scent blocker at the nape of my neck and wrists, even though I know it might not be enough if my pre-heat flares again. Still, I’m hoping for the best. Finn even gave me the scent modulators he bought. I’ve got two patches just on the inside of the dress, one under each breast. Well-hidden and they should do the job.

Because tonight isn’t about me. It’s about them—Finn, Stone, Jax…Ren—and everything they’ve worked so hard to protect. It’s about clawing back what the Academy has been trying to steal from them. From me.

My freedom.

And maybe…maybe it’s about something else, too.

I swallow hard and smooth my hands down the front of my dress before stepping out of my room. My heels give me an extra three or four inches of height. Finn, always thinking ahead, had insisted on buying me wedge heels after I nearly twisted my ankle trying on the stilettos he originally picked out.

“You’ve got enough to worry about,” he’d said with a teasing grin as he handed me the box. “No need to add falling flat on your face to the list.”

The thought makes me smile now, even as my nerves buzz beneath the surface. The wedge heels are comfortable enough that I can walk without worrying, yet they still give me the confidence boost I need, the added height making the flowing emerald gown feel even more elegant.

And tonight, I need all the confidence I can get. Taking one final steadying breath, I leave the nest room and make my way to the staircase. When I finally reach the landing and look down, the sight of them steals my breath.

Finn, Stone, and Jax are standing near the bottom of the stairs, dressed to the nines in sharp suits that look like they were tailored just for them. Finn’s gray suit is perfectly fitted, the cool tones making his silver eyes stand out even more, while Jax’s deep navy ensemble is offset by the faintest hint of gold in his tie, a subtle nod to Finn’s impeccable taste. Stone, as always, is a vision of strength and calm, his black suit as imposing as the man himself, the crisp white shirt and black tie giving him an air of quiet authority.

They look like they belong to another world—one of power and prestige, where people command the room with a single glance.

And for a moment, I’m too caught up in admiring them to realize they’ve all gone silent and are looking at me.

When I finally meet their gazes, the intensity in their eyes makes my breath hitch.

They’restaring. At me.

All of them.

Finn’s lips part slightly, his gray eyes warming with something that makes a flutter rise in my chest. Jax’s usual seriousness is gone, replaced by a look of pure, unguarded admiration that sends heat rushing to my cheeks. And Stone—steady, unshakable Stone—looks completely bewitched, his amber eyes watching me like I’m the only thing in the room worth looking at.

“What?” I whisper, uncertainty nearly pulling me down as I descend the staircase.

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