Page 109 of Knot Happening

"Here," Theo's quiet voice comes from the other side of the nest. "I'm here, Belle. Not going anywhere."

I turn my head to find him sitting at the edge of the nest, his dark eyes intense with emotion and carefully controlled desire. Of all three alphas, Theo is the one who's best at hiding what he's feeling, but I can smell his want, his need, his love as clearly as if he'd spoken them aloud.

"Come closer," I request, and he immediately moves to settle on my other side.

Now I'm surrounded by all three of them, Marcus's mark fresh on my throat, Felix's hands stroking soothing patterns onmy skin, and Theo's solid presence grounding me. This is what safety feels like. This is what home feels like.

"I love you," I tell them, the words easier to say now that the bond with Marcus has opened up pathways in my heart I didn't know existed. "All of you. I love you so much it scares me sometimes."

"We love you too," Felix says immediately. "More than we ever thought possible."

"You're our everything," Theo adds quietly. "Our omega, our mate, our future."

"Our heart," Marcus finishes, his arms tightening around me possessively. "You're the heart of our pack, Belle."

The words wrap around me like the softest blanket, settling into my soul and making me feel cherished in ways I never imagined possible. This is what I've been searching for without knowing it—not just love, but belonging. Not just acceptance, but celebration of who I am.

"Rest now," Marcus says, pulling a soft blanket over all of us. "Sleep if you can. When you wake up, we'll continue."

"Will you stay?" I ask, though I think I know the answer.

"We're not going anywhere," Theo assures me. "Belle, you're stuck with us now. Permanently."

"Good," I murmur, letting my eyes drift closed as exhaustion from the intensity of the bonding catches up with me. "That's exactly what I want."

I fall asleep surrounded by the scents and warmth of my pack, Marcus's mark fresh on my throat and the knowledge that when I wake up, Felix will be next. Then Theo. Then all four of us will be bound together in ways that nothing and no one can break.

Through our new bond, I can feel Marcus's contentment and love flowing through our connection, a constant warm presencein my mind that makes me feel safer and more cherished than I ever have in my life.

The beginning of forever starts with rest, with trust, with the absolute certainty that when I'm ready to continue this journey, my pack will be right there with me every step of the way.

And I can't wait to take the next step.

35

BELLE

Ifeel gentle fingers tracing patterns on my bare shoulder, and for a moment, then memory floods back when Marcus was claiming me and the mark on my throat that still throbs with a pleasant ache, the knowledge that I'm now officially part of the pack I've been unconsciously seeking my entire adult life.

The heat is still there, simmering under my skin like embers waiting to be fanned into flame, but it's different now. More focused, less desperate. The edge of panic that characterized my previous heats has been replaced by something warmer, more anticipatory. I know what's coming next, and instead of fearing it, I'm looking forward to it.

"Good morning, beautiful," Felix's voice comes from beside me, soft and warm with affection. "How are you feeling?"

I turn my head to find him propped up on one elbow, watching me with those expressive eyes that always seem to see more than they should. His hair is mussed from sleep, and there's something incredibly intimate about seeing him like this, yet he's completely focused on my wellbeing.

"Different," I tell him honestly, my voice still rough with sleep. "Better. Complete in a way I didn't know I was incomplete."

"The bond with Marcus?"

I reach up to touch the mark on my throat, Marcus's claiming bite that still sends little shivers of pleasure through me when I press against it. "I can feel him," I say wonderingly. "Even when he's not touching me, I can feel his presence in my mind. His love, his protectiveness, his satisfaction that I'm finally his."

"Where is he?" I ask, suddenly realizing that Marcus isn't in the nest with us.

"Kitchen," Felix says with a smile. "Making breakfast and probably reorganizing your entire pantry because that's what Marcus does when he's nervous."

"He's nervous?"

"We all are," Felix admits, his fingers still tracing gentle patterns on my skin. "This is new for us too, Belle. We've dreamed about having an omega, about forming a complete pack bond, but the reality is more intense than we imagined."

---