Page 111 of Knot Unwanted: Part Two

“Hard to forget.” Stone crosses his arms awkwardly. “It was one of the first things you freely ate. One of the first times you started opening up to us. Letting us in.”

The sweetness of the berry on my tongue means so much more than a simple gift.

“You assholes,” Finn whispers, discreetly wiping away what looks like a tear.

Jax’s grin could power the sun. “Mission accomplished.”

Finn wipes his eyes again, a small laugh in his throat that doesn’t disguise the teasing tone in his voice. “You idiots finally learned how to fluff pillows.”

Stone’s lips twitch. “We practiced,” he deadpans.

The unexpected response startles a laugh out of Finn—a genuine, full-bodied laugh that I haven’t heard since before the gala. The sound breaks something open in the room.

“Do you like it?” Ren asks, uncertainty in his voice as he looks between Finn and me.

“It’s like a palace,” I whisper, using one hand to smooth over a cushion so smooth I want to rub it against my skin. “I love it.”

“Ren, it’s…it’s perfect.” Finn hugs the pillow tighter.

“Really?” Jax presses, as if he needs to be sure.

I nod, moving to hug him impulsively. “Really. I can’t believe you did all this.”

His arms come around me, strong and secure. “You’re our omegas,” he says simply, as if that explains everything. And in a way, I suppose it does.

One by one, I hug them all. Stone’s embrace is enveloping, Ren’s tentative but warming as I lean into him, Finn’s familiar and comforting. There are tears in my eyes by the time I finish, but they’re good tears.

“Can we test it out?” I ask, eyeing the nest.

“It’s yours,” Stone says. “Use it however you want.”

Finn doesn’t need to be told twice. He belly-flops into the nest. “Get in here before I claim all the good spots.”

I laugh before joining him. The nest feels even better than it looks—the perfect balance of firm support and yielding softness beneath me. I sink into it with a contented sigh that’s almost embarrassingly sensual.

“Oh my god,” I breathe. “This is amazing.”

The alphas exchange pleased glances before climbing in. Jax settles behind me, his chest warm against my back. Stone positions himself on Finn’s other side, while Ren stretches out at the foot of the nest, his long legs crossed at the ankle.

For a long while, we just exist together in this space, talking quietly about nothing important, occasionally adjusting our positions but always maintaining some point of contact.

When evening falls, we order takeout and eat it in the nest, laughing as Finn tries to enforce a strict “no crumbs” policythat’s immediately violated by Ren, leading to a mock wrestling match that has us all in stitches. Later, we watch a movie on the large screen opposite the nest, all of us piled together in a comfortable tangle of limbs.

It’s the most normal I’ve felt since the gala. I could almost forget it all happened. And as night falls properly, and one by one, we fall asleep, it feels like the most natural thing in the world to find my place in the center, surrounded by the protective circle of my mates.

Sleep comes easily, cradled in their warmth, their scents surrounding me. But the darkness doesn’t stay peaceful.

I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep when the nightmare takes hold—images of Heath’s cold smile, of Caldwell’s hands, of needles and restraints and the helpless panic of being drugged into compliance. In the dream, I’m running, but my limbs are too heavy, my mind too foggy to escape.

I wake with a strangled gasp, heart pounding, sweat cooling on my skin. For a disorienting moment, I don’t know where I am, don’t recognize the shadows around me.

“Hailey.”

Ren’s voice, quiet but alert. I turn to find him watching me, propped up on one elbow, ice-blue eyes reflecting the faint moonlight filtering through the window. The others still sleep, undisturbed by my silent panic.

“Nightmare?” he asks, though it’s barely a question.

I nod, not trusting my voice just yet.

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