Page 53 of A Heart in Knots

“What?” I stared at her. “I can’t.”

“You can. We have an extra room, so it makes sense.”

“Skye, I can’t. Your alphas won’t let me. They won’t welcome me into their home.”

“Halo will. I do. Crux will come around and Severen…” That was where she paused. “Severen…”

“Will never accept another alpha in his territory who isn’t part of the pack,” I finished for her.

“Then, join the Heller pack.”

“Skye–”

“No. Listen,” she pushed on. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this. When an alpha loses his omega, it’s a scar in his aura. It won’t heal until the alpha finds another omega, or another pack.”

All that was true, I couldn’t argue with those facts. “Your pack is already settled.”

Skye stared at me, steel in her blue eyes. “It’s the right thing to do. Not even Severen can argue with that. Let’s eat, then, you’ll come over.”

“Skye…” I hesitated, moving dumplings around aimlessly with my chopsticks. “You haven’t even asked me what I want.”

The colour drained from her cheeks and her serious look faded from her eyes. Her lips seemed to lose some of their soft pink.

“O-oh.” She murmured. “I…” Her eyes turned down to her cardboard take-out box. “I suppose I haven’t. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I-it was stupid of me to think– Never mind. I won’t mention it again.”

“Skye, it’s not that I don’t want to.”

“I just– I could feel you were in pain. Not just emotionally, from a loss, but I could feel it in your aura. And I knew I co– IthoughtI could help.” She took a napkin and wiped her nose. “I shouldn’t have interfered.”

“Skye.” I reached across the table and took her hand firmly in mine. That made her look at my face. Tears welled in her eyesand her button nose was pink. “You’re an amazing person. You light up a room. Pack or no pack. I think I need you.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” My thumb ran across her soft knuckles. “It’s just… It scares me that I’m moving so fast. Or… maybe it’s fate. I always figured fated mates were the stuff of cheesy romances and something people told themselves to solidify their poor decisions or excuse abusive alphas or doormat omegas. But I look at you and me and think… What were the chances that I was still able to follow my omega’s heart?”

“That not even death could keep you away.” Skye let out a trembling breath. She held my hands like if she were to let go, some mysterious force would whisk her away. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment then sat up straighter. “Rowan, do you want to join the Heller pack? Or, do you just want to remain friends?”

I didn’t have to think about it for more than a second. “I want to be part of the Heller pack. If that means being with you. I know it’s fast, and we barely know each other but–”

“I know,” Skye said. “I feel it too.”

Chapter 34

SEVEREN

Iwantedtorage.Rage at her. But our connection had been so thready lately that I didn’t dare lash out at Skye. Without another choice, I directed my fury elsewhere.

“You encouraged this. You took him to your little party.” I scorned Halo.

“Don’t yell at her. Halo did nothing wrong.” Skye’s chin trembled in her determined effort to stand up for her mate.

My sweet, compassionate omega stared at me, remained silent, then flicked her focus onto Crux. “I’m not asking you,” her eyes glanced back at me for just an instant. “Any of you, to love him or anything.” She put her hand to her chest. “Rowan’s omega’s heart,Indigo’s heart, saved my life, and it only feels right to help him when he needs it.”

Skye’s impassioned speech ended. We were all silent. Through the bond, weariness, guilt and frustration percolated. Scanning the room with both my eyes and my aura, the only source of alpha jealousy I could find was my own.

Halo crossed the kitchen and stood next to Skye and Rowan. “Severen, Crux, you two should know that I’m in full support of Skye and Rowan’s blossoming relationship. Whatever that might mean.”

“Whatever that might mean?” I repeated, glowering at her. My hands were rock-hard fists at my sides and I couldn’t fully smother the growl in my voice. My jaw was so tight it ached.

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