Page 39 of Knot Letting Go

I nodded. “Yes. I don’t know what to do. They both want me, and well…” I fumbled with my words and how many details I wanted to share. “I’m in heat.”

The group erupted in a noisy jumble of talk. Kienna’s phone fell on its side and pointed upward at the green umbrella they were sitting under. Only Kienna would be able to thrive in that chaos.

A big hand grabbed the phone, and Tiergan’s face filled the screen. “Listen, you’ve got to take care of you and you first. If they want you, let them prove it. They both need to help you through your heat, and not just with the knotting, but on every level of care. If they don’t, we will come there and kick their asses.”

Maddox twisted the phone toward him. His brows were furrowed and his jaw tight. “I will crush their skulls if they hurt you.”

Oh God. My eyes widened. It was nice they wanted to protect me, but Alpha fury was scary.

“Aw, that’s sweet of you guys.” Kienna crooned as she regained possession of her phone. The smile was gone from her face, and she looked at me with a seriousness I rarely saw from her. “They’re right, hon. Take care of you first. My cousins are good guys, but Quill is my fav. He’s super positive and friendly. He’s like a party always waiting to happen. He will rock your world.”

“But is that what she needs? Will he stick around afterward?” Alderic asked.

Kienna pursed her lips and sighed. “I want to say I hope so, but I don’t know him that well. I know Kon less. He’s deadly at business and a good dad, but not what I imaginefor you, Aubrie. He’s kind of the uptight Alpha, always wearing expensive clothes.”

“Hey!” Another of the guys protested and Kienna laughed, before apologizing. Her Czechoslovakian mate, Casimir, leaned into the frame. “Hi Aubrielle. Don’t judge an Alpha by his clothes. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to dress well. Konstantin seemed like an Alpha with a good head on his shoulders. He’s worked hard to clean up the mess his father left and do a lot of great charity work too. I can see him as the type to treat you as a princess.”

“Good point.” Kienna nodded. “You should ask Calli. She knows them better.”

I sucked in a breath and quickly shook my head. “Please don’t tell Callista. I’m not ready to have this conversation with her.”

Kienna raised her brows. “So only I know? You haven’t talked to Nic yet?”

“Only you know, and your mates.” That meant I only had a matter of days, or maybe even hours before Nicolette and Callista found out what was going on. I could try to make Kienna promise not to say anything, but that would only encourage her more.

“We’ll keep your secret until you’re ready to tell other people.” Alderic promised with sweet sincerity. Kienna gave him a narrow-eyed look and he gave it back.

She sighed and kissed his cheek before turning back to the phone. “Alright, I won’t say anything. But make Quill and Kon do the work.”

“It might be easier if I just leave and go back home.” I could feel my eyes filling with tears again. I’d cried about this too much already. I didn’t want to do it again.

There was another eruption from the pack in Ireland.

“Don’t you dare!”

“If they were any sort of decent Alphas, you wouldn’t feel this way.”

“Tell them to take care of you or we’ll split heads!”

Kienna shushed them and gave me a million mile stare. “Don’t leave. Running won’t help. Trust me, I know.” We’d all heard her story of what happened in Winnipeg several times. Her fleeing only got her in scary trouble. “Don’t make any big decisions until after you’re through your heat. My cousins will help you. Then afterward, you can decide what’s going to happen when you have a clear head. And I mean you, Aubrie. Don’t let any stubborn Alpha tell you what’s good for you. Only you know that. Listen to your gut. No matter how stupid you might think those instincts are, you’ll know if you should be with Quill or Kon or both or neither of them.”

She was right. Damn, I’d never thought that Kienna could give sane advice. I shouldn’t make any rash decisions while I was in heat. Already my impulses were proving to be crazy, like getting eaten out by the pool and being knotted by my boss. Once my heat passed, I wouldn’t be influenced by my Omega hormones.

“Okay, that makes sense. I’ll hold off on leaving for now.”

“Good.” Kienna smiled and then leaned in, looking sly. “So how many times did they make you orgasm?”

My cheeks went hot and my jaw dropped as I covered my face with my hand. It was bad enough that she bluntly asked me such a thing, but to do so in front of her mates!

“There’s the Aubrie I know and love.” Kienna giggled. “You take care of yourself, girl, and make Quill and Kon take care of you. Me and my pack have your back. We’re going to finish up here and go to the Cliffs of Moher.”

No matter our differences, I never doubted Kienna had my back. “Thank you for listening. All of you.”

Everyone shouted their goodbyes, and I waved to them before Kienna blew me a kiss and ended the call. Her carefree confidence rubbed off on me from across the ocean and a continent. I could get through this. My heat would only last another four to five days. Seven if it went long. All I had to do was not make any rash decisions during that time.

At the moment, I felt energized and clear-headed. Perhaps having Konstantin knot me last night would hold me over for the day. Lillianna and I had a lot planned, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

I could do this.

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