Page 61 of Knotting else Matters

The taxi arrived within minutes, and I climbed in, my fingers twisting in my lap, my gaze flicking out the window as the city blurred past, the quiet, rolling hills of the pack’s estate rising in the distance.

By the time I stepped out, the entire estate was a whirlwind of chaos—pups racing across the garden, their tiny claws clutching ribbons, a flurry of laughter and giggles spilling into the warm, golden morning air. Maids rushed past with flower arrangements, a tall, thin man barked orders at a team of decorators setting up the grand outdoor altar, the soft, sweet scent of wildflowers drifting through the air.

And inside the sprawling, sunlit hallway of the main house, the chaos was no less intense. Lena was there, her sharp, cool gaze fixed on Sophie’s wild, golden curls as she carefully wove fresh wildflowers into her hair, her thin, practiced fingers twisting the delicate blooms into a perfect, intricate crown.

Lena didn’t even look at me. Didn’t acknowledge me. Just kept her head down, her face a calm, focused mask as she worked.

“Liv!” Sophie’s bright, anxious voice cut through the noise, and she turned, her soft, wide blue eyes lighting up. “Oh, thank god, you’re here. I thought—”

“I told you I’d be here.” I forced a smile, stepping closer, brushing a stray curl behind her ear. “I wasn’t about to miss your big day.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice a soft, anxious murmur, and I could see it in her eyes—the guilt, the lingering ache of our fight.

“Don’t. Not today.” I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, letting my fingers rest against her shoulders. “Today’s your day, Soph. I’m here for you.”

Her smile softened, a faint, relieved sigh slipping out.

“Alright, all done.” Lena stepped back, brushing her hands together, her gaze never lifting, her voice clipped, controlled. “Don’t touch your hair, Sophie. And remember to breathe.”

“I’m going to find Evelyn, she has the earrings I wanted.” Sophie gave me a bright, anxious smile, then slipped out of the room, her dress rustling, her soft, pastel skirts swaying around her ankles.

The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with Lena. Alone with the cold, sharp silence of the room, the faint, lingering scent of wildflowers twisting through the air.

Lena turned back to the wedding dress, her fingers smoothing the delicate, silken fabric, her expression still calm, still cold, her sharp eyes never lifting.

“You must be thrilled,” I muttered, my voice a low, bitter murmur. “Your dream finally coming true. Your perfect Omega daughter, mated into a rich family.”

Her fingers stilled, a faint, bitter laugh slipping out, but she didn’t look at me. “Half true.”

I frowned, a sharp, twisting ache clawing at my chest. “Half true? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come now, Olivia.” Her voice was a sharp, cool whisper, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. “Don’t act surprised. You always knew I wanted this. Wanted Sophie to secure her place in this pack. To be more than just a pretty little Omega in a middle-class family.”

“You pushed her toward this family.” I stepped closer, my voice rising, a fierce, desperate edge twisting in my chest. “You practically shoved her at them. You wanted this.”

“Yes.” Her gaze flicked to me, sharp, calculating. “But not with Karl.”

The words crashed into me like a wave, fierce, suffocating. “What?”

“Don’t be naive.” Lena’s lips twisted into a faint, cruel smile. “I wanted Sophie to become Luna. To be the perfect, beloved Luna of this pack. To stand beside the Alpha. To stand beside Adrian.”

My breath caught, the sharp, wild ache twisting, fierce and desperate. My wolf snarled, a low, rumbling growl clawing at the back of my mind.

“It was always supposed to be Adrian,” she continued, her voice a quiet, bitter murmur. “But Sophie chose Karl. Sweet, naive Sophie, always chasing love instead of sense.”

“Adrian?” The word slipped out, sharp, breathless, my chest tightening. “You tried to… you wanted Sophie to marry Adrian?”

“Of course I did.” Lena’s voice was cold, sharp, her gaze flicking back to the delicate, shimmering dress, her fingers smoothing the silken fabric. “He’s the Alpha. The leader of this pack. The perfect match for her.”

“You would’ve sold her off,” I whispered, the fierce, bitter taste of rage burning against my tongue. “You would’ve shoved her into a life she didn’t want, just to make yourself look good.”

“I would’ve given her a life of power. Of security. Of respect.”

“By using her?”

“Better to be used and cherished than to be useless.”

My fists clenched, the sharp, wild ache crashing against something darker, something dangerous. “That’s why you hate me. Isn’t it? Because I never played your game. Because I never bowed, never begged, never followed your perfect little rules.”

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