Page 76 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

I beamed. I’d chosen every element for this renovation, from the cabinet handles waiting to be installed to the intricate tile pattern I’d fallen in love with for the master bathroom. The men had given me free rein, supporting every decision, delighting in my excitement as I transformed their space—our space—into a true home.

I’d felt a little guilty for how much we were spending on remodeling, but the guys kept telling me that we had plenty of money and not to worry about a budget. That if they could buy fancy cars and helicopters, then we could spend whatever we needed to turn our home—the place we spent most of our time—into something beautiful that fit all of us.

After growing up with almost nothing, it was hard to imagine a life where I didn’t have to fret about money. It was freeing to know we were taken care of, that we had plenty to live and enjoy our lives, but I made a vow to use our finances for good, too. To give back to those less fortunate, like I’d been—especially to children who’d lost their families. No child should have to go without a coat in the winter, or have to squeeze their feet into shoes too small for them because their guardians couldn’t afford a new pair. I’d been there, and if I could help another kid not feel so alone, so burdensome, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Dimitri had even said we could start a charity, something I could help oversee. I’d loved the idea instantly.

“I can’t wait for these renos to be completed,” Dimitri said, his voice carrying that slight rumble that always made me want to curl against his chest. “The sooner everything’s finished, the sooner we can focus on other matters.”

I knew what “other matters” meant—safety protocols, security upgrades, and the ongoing issue with the rivalfamilynext door. But for now, in this soft morning light, those concerns felt distant, held at bay for another day.

All I wanted to do for the rest of the week was enjoy my new bonds and hold on to the lingering contentment and happiness from the past week of being in heat.

A familiar thread of joy zipped through the bond, and I looked up to see Tommy strolling into the living room, his hair adorably mussed, dimples flashing as he caught my eye. “Look at this little gathering,” he said, dropping onto the floor at my feet, his back resting against my legs. “What’d I miss?”

“Nothing,” I told him, my free hand automatically finding his hair, combing through the dark strands. “Just talking about the renovations.”

He tilted his head back to look at me, those green eyes sparkling. “It’s nothing like it was before,” he remarked, looking around with appreciation. “Remember how flashy this place felt? It was too formal. Almost like a hotel lobby.”

I nodded, shifting slightly so he could lean more comfortably against my legs.

“I blame the designer we hired when we first moved in.” Marco winced. “But you’re right—it was like a showroom, not a home.”

Dimitri’s fingers continued their gentle path through my hair. “I never realized how much it needed someone like you.” His voice softened as he added, “How muchweneeded you.”

The admissions warmed me more than the tea cradled between my palms. Coming from Dimitri—stoic, reserved Dimitri—such words carried immense weight. I leaned back into his touch, letting my gratitude flow through our bond.

Marco stretched his arm across the back of the couch, fingers brushing Gio’s shoulder in a casual gesture of brotherhood that made my heart swell. “Who would’ve thought all it needed wasthe right touch?” His eyes met mine, intense and adoring. “The right Omega.”

I felt the contentment radiating from all of them, their satisfaction with what we’d built together—not just the physical space, but what existed between us now. Those golden threads of connection that wove together to create a strong, unbreakable bond.

I didn’t know how to describe it—what it felt like now that I was theirs. Not just in body, not just for a night or a season, but truly, irrevocablytheirs.

For so long, I’d lived with the weight of being tolerated. Used. Left behind. Like love was something I had to earn by working hard and being obedient. By shrinking myself, by being quiet and good and small.

But the bond had undone all of that.

It rewired me. Being claimed, being kept—not as some possession but as somethingprecious—it cracked something open in me I didn’t even know was still alive. And in its place, something warm had taken root. Something steady. Fierce. Permanent.

I didn’t just have Alphas now. I had mates. Apack. A home. I had a future that wouldn’t vanish the second I wasn’t convenient. For the first time, I wasn’t waiting for the other shoe to drop. I wasn’t waiting to be discarded.

I waswanted. Forever.

My fingers traced Tommy’s mark again, just to feel that playful tug of connection. My gaze found each of them in turn, letting them feel the full breadth of my love.

The quiet moment shattered when Dimitri’s phone buzzed.

He pulled it from his pocket, his expression shifting subtly as he glanced at the screen.

“It’s ‘Zo,” he said, then stepped away to answer it.

Though he moved to the far side of the room, I felt it immediately—a dark curl of tension, a sharp edge of anger slicing through our bond.

I sat up straighter, my hand automatically finding the mark he’d left on my throat. The others noticed too, their bodies tensing in response to the change in their brother’s demeanor—or perhaps they felt it through me, our bonds creating a complex web of shared sensitivity.

When Dimitri returned, his expression was carefully neutral, but I was already standing, drawn to him by the turmoil I felt churning beneath his composed exterior. I set my mug down, crossing to where he stood.

“What is it?”

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