Page 178 of Unhinged Omega

The Knight shifts on the bed beside me, the expensive mattress groaning under his weight. His glowing blue eyes are fixed on the door, as if he expects Geo to burst back in at any moment.

"He's gone," I say softly, my hand still resting on his arm. The steady heat of him seeps into my palm, warming me through. "It's just us now."

The Knight rumbles low in his chest, a sound I'm starting to recognize as acknowledgment rather than threat. It's strange how quickly I've learned to interpret his various growls and rumbles. Like learning a new language made entirely of primal sounds.

"Can we talk?" I ask, turning to face him more fully. The silk of Raven's borrowed robe whispers around me as I move. "I mean, canyoutalk?"

He just stares at me, those blue eyes unblinking behind his ornate mask. The silver gleams in the soft light of the room, the craftsmanship making him look almost regal despite the scars and metal visible on the rest of his body.

"I know your mouth is..." I hesitate, searching for a word that won't offend him. "Um.Different. But is that why you don't speak? Or is it something else?"

More staring.

Then he slowly lifts his human hand and taps his mask vaguely, followed by his temple.

Holy shit.

Progress.

"Both?" I guess, trying not to show my excitement that he's making more specific gestures.

A jerky nod.

"So physically, it's difficult, but also..." I trail off, trying to understand. "You've forgotten how? Or you never learned?"

His massive shoulders rise and fall in what might be a shrug. It's such a human gesture that it catches me off guard. Then he taps his temple again, more insistently this time.

"Your mind won't let you," I murmur, understanding dawning. "Even if you wanted to."

Another nod, slower this time. His glowing eyes seem to dim slightly, and I catch a glimpse of something that might be shame.

"Hey," I say gently, reaching up to touch his mask without thinking. "It's okay. We'll figure it out."

He jerks back from my touch with a warning growl, his hand flying up to protect his mask. I immediately withdraw my hand, cursing my thoughtlessness.

"I'm sorry," I say quickly. "I wasn't going to take it off. I promise."

The growl subsides, but he still watches me warily. His massive frame is tense, ready to spring away at the slightest provocation.

"Wouldyou take it off?" I ask carefully. "Just for a moment? So I can see..."

He shakes his head immediately, the movement sharp and decisive. No room for negotiation there.

"Okay," I say, holding up my hands in surrender. "That's fine. It was just a thought…"

The tension in his shoulders eases slightly, but I can tell he's still on edge. Trust is a fragile thing between us, built on the strange foundation of shared nightmares and one heat-induced coupling.

I don't want to shatter what we have.

"Well, at least you're communicating more now," I say, attempting to lighten the mood. "Even feral alphas respond to an omega's touch, apparently."

The Knight sighs—actuallysighs—and I can't help the small laugh that escapes me. It's such a human sound, so at odds with the appearance that had me terrified just days ago. Yesterday? My sense of time is beyond screwed up.

"Sorry," I say, not feeling sorry at all. "But you have to admit, it's kind of funny. Tamed by pussy. Imagine that."

He gives me a look that somehow manages to be withering even through the mask. I laugh again, the sound echoing in the opulent room.

"Don't worry," I tell him, touching his hand before I can think better of it. Luckily, that seems to be okay. "Your secret's safe with me. I won't tell anyone you're actually a big softie underneath all those... muscles and metal and... teeth."

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