Page 61 of Knot on the Market

"She needs support. From someone who isn't... us. An omega. A friend who understands what she's feeling right now."

Callum's brow furrows as he processes this. "You mean like Sadie?"

Julian nods slowly. "She runs the flower shop. She's discreet and understands what it's like to be an omega in a small town where everyone has opinions about your personal choices."

I think about Sadie Penrose—quiet, thoughtful, the kind of person who notices things but doesn't gossip about them. If anyone could approach Lila without making her feel pressured or judged, it would be Sadie.

"If we ask her to deliver something thoughtful," Julian continues, his voice gaining confidence. "Flowers, perhaps a calming arrangement. Something that demonstrates we're thinking about her without being overwhelming. She might be able to assess what Lila needs."

The plan has merit. It's indirect enough not to feel like pressure, personal enough to show we care.

"That's brilliant, actually," I say, feeling some of the tension in my shoulders ease. "Sadie's solid. She'd know exactly how to handle it without pushing."

Callum doesn't look entirely convinced, but he nods slowly. "Fine. But no more declarations. Not yet."

The self-imposed restriction makes sense, even if it feels like swallowing glass. "Whatever it takes to make her feel safe," I say, meaning it. "Even if it means stepping back."

Julian slides off his stool and moves toward the window. "She deserves the choice I never got," he says quietly.

The words hit deeper than they should, carrying implications about his past that make my chest ache. But he's right. Lila deserves to choose her own path.

"So we ask Sadie," Callum says, his voice steadier now that we have a plan. "And then we wait."

"And we don't crowd her," I add. "No more showing up at her house unless she asks."

My radio crackles to life, dispatch calling about a minor fender bender. The outside world reminding me that life continues even when your personal life feels balanced on a knife's edge.

"I have to go," I say, gathering my empty coffee cup. "But we're okay? All of us?"

Callum nods, and Julian gives me a small smile that looks more genuine than anything I've seen from him today.

"We're okay," Julian confirms. "Just... figuring it out."

I head for the door, then pause and look back at them. "She's worth figuring it out for."

"Yeah," Callum says quietly. "She is."

The drive back to the station gives me time to think about framing the request to Sadie as genuine concern for Lila's wellbeing. Because that's what it is, underneath all the want andhope and fear. We care about her as a person, not just as a potential pack member.

My phone buzzes with a text from Julian:Talked to Sadie. She'll stop by tomorrow with something thoughtful. No pressure, just checking in.

Relief floods through me, followed immediately by nervousness. Because this feels like our one chance to get it right.

I text back.Good. Thank you.

Then I settle in for the rest of my shift, trying not to count the hours until I'll know whether Lila James might be willing to let us prove that sometimes, broken pieces can build something stronger than what came before.

Some wants are worth waiting for.

Even when the waiting feels like it might break you.

Chapter 19

Lila

Iwake up Tuesday morning wrapped in stolen shirts and the lingering heat of dreams I can't quite shake.

The morning light streams through my nest window in golden streaks, but I can barely focus on anything except the way my body feels—warm and restless and humming with a need I'm not ready to name. My thighs are slick with evidence of whatever my subconscious was doing while I slept, and the scent of green apple and white musk hangs thick in the air around me.

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