Page 98 of The Knotty Omega

“Yes, of course. We’ll reach out if we have any more questions.”

We leave the interview room and head out to the front of the station, where Hannah, Wren, Brennan, and the security guard from the bar are waiting for us.

Before I can say anything, both omegas have me wrapped up tight. “Oh my god, Cady! I was so scared!” Hannah sobs into my neck, and Wren’s arms tighten around me.

“I’m so sorry that happened, Cady,” she sniffs.

“I’m okay. Really.” I pull back and look at the two of them. “I’m pretty shaken up, but I’ll be okay. Plus, I got to throat-punch someone.”

Our emotions are so heightened that when we all giggle, it quickly devolves into hysterics, grasping at each other. Wren’s apple cinnamon scent makes me feel warm and safe, but I quickly realize I can’t scent Hannah.

It never used to bother me that I can’t scent her strawberry-vanilla scent in public due to her putting on de-scenter whenever we go out, but right now it would be nice to sense how she’s feeling.

Smiling at my girls, I take a step back and smile at Brennan. “Thank you for coming with Titus.”

He gives me a sheepish smile. “Well, I would have come anyway, but Wren threatened to string me up by my uh…unmentionables if I did not ‘go with the grumpy alpha and get her best friend back’.” He puts the last bit in finger quotes and gives Wren a warm smile. I reach out and gently squeeze his forearm, and he nods at me. Then, I hold out my hand for the security guard to shake. “Thank you for taking care of my best friends while assholes attempted to abduct me. What’s your name?”

The guard, a pretty cute guy actually, blushes slightly as he shakes my hand. “Oh, um, Austin, ma’am. And No problem, ma’am, just doin’ the right thing.” Oh. A southern accent. No wonder Hannah seems smitten, what with his ginger red hair, freckles, warm brown eyes and impressive build.

“Okay, angel, you’ve thanked him long enough and the rest of our pack is itching for you to get home.” The only reason they didn’t come to the station is because I begged them not to, I didn’t want to feel even more anxious than I already do with everyone waiting for me.

“Miss Hannah, do you need a ride home?” Austin asks ever-so politely. Hannah blushes, her cheeks turning nearly as pink as her hair.

“That’s okay, I don’t want to put you out anymore than I already have. I can get a ride-share—”

“With all due respect, Miss Hannah, absolutely not.” Austin says with surprising authority. “My mama would kick my behind all the way up to Canada if she knew I let a lone omega take a rideshare at night. Especially one as pretty as you.”

Well bend me over and fuck me sideways.

Is this the kind of alpha Hannah’s been holding out for? He’s certainly the type of alpha she deserves.

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with your mother,” Hannah says coyly, twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

Titus chooses now to speak up, “We could always—” a swift elbow in his side has him raising his brows at me, but he gets the message and stops talking. Wren shoots me a wink as Brennan pulls her closer to his side.

“Alright you guys, we’ll catch up tomorrow, okay? I have to go spend some time with my pack.”

As Titus and I walk to the car, he pulls me close, and presses a kiss to my cheek. “You ready to get out of here, angel?”

I sigh. “So ready. Let’s go home.”

***

Just before we come up the driveway of the pack house, I ask Titus to pull off to the side of the road. “Everything okay, angel?” he asks as he puts the car in park and turns on the hazards. “Besides the obvious.” He grimaces.

“I just…I need to talk to you about something.” The words have been sitting on the tip of my tongue now, but I haven’t had the courage to say them yet. After tonight, I realize that I could have been taken, and Titus never would have heard me speak the words I’ve already said to everyone else.

“I know, and you’ll never know how sorry I am.” He looks down in shame and my heart breaks a little for him.

“Titus, what are you talking about?” I ask, confusion filling me. What is he apologizing for? Hesavedme.

“I failed, you angel,” he says, his fists tightening on the steering wheel. “It was up to me to keep you safe, and I…” he shakes his head, “I’m not worthy to be called your alpha.”

A horrified gasp leaves me as I lean over the seat and take his face in my hands. “No, Titus. Don’t youdaresay that. You are my alpha. You have always protected me. We may have gotten off to a rough start, but we both know that wasn’t really your fault. Trauma fucks with our minds. As for tonight? Even if you had followed me to the bathroom door, you couldn’t have stopped Laura from coming in. One way or another, they would have figured out a way to get me. The important thing is that you came for me.”

He tries to shake his head, “I could have—”

“No.” I say firmly, and his honey brown eyes stay trained on mine. “We were told the Sheffields didn’t have a possibility of bail. There was no way we could have known.” It’s time to get the words out so he never doubts his worth again. “You are the most growly, grumpy, stubborn alpha I’ve ever met.” He grunts, but I keep talking. “You’re also the most loyal, fiercely protective, determined alpha I’ve met. You are my anchor in the storm, my impenetrable fortress, my raging river. You are my soldier. My promise of safety. Of home. Because…I love you, Titus. And nothing could ever change that.”

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