Page 64 of Knot Our Reality

Knocking lightly, I hear the sounds of tiny feet running for the door.

“Boy! Do not answer that door.” Victoria’s voice is sharp but quiet, and the footsteps immediately stop. “Thank you. Now, let me make sure it’s your mom.”

I wave when she peeks out the window to the side of the door.

The door opens, and the boys fly at me.

“Hold it!” Remington barks, and they freeze again.

Hawk glances over his shoulder at his uncle. “Sorry. We know to be gentle.”

“Oh, boys, come give me a hug.” I lower myself to the ground and open my arms for them.

Within seconds, my boys are in my arms, and it’s like everything in the world is right again. While it’s been nice getting to know the suitors, I’ve missed the hell out of my sons.

Sure, it’s not the first time I’ve been away from them. Every three months, I would spend my heat away from them before my pack died. But I haven’t been away from them except for work and school since their dads died.

“I’ve missed you both so much.” I cling to them, not ready to be away from them just yet. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.” Jasper kisses my cheek. “But too tight.”

I laugh, releasing them. Jasper smacks one last kiss on my lips before hurrying back inside. He yells something about breakfast.

Meanwhile, Hawk stands there, staring at me with a stoic look on his face. My brows pinch, a frown forming as I stare back at him.

“What’s wrong, Hawk?”

He sighs. “I love and miss you, too. Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be, baby?”

“I don’t know. You were meeting new alphas and betas. I don’t know them, so I don’t know if I can trust them.” As usual, Hawk sounds much too old for his age.

I hum, pulling him back to me. “I can understand that, but I don’t want to introduce you to people who are just going to disappear from your life. At least not before I’ve gotten to know them a little better. I know you’re only looking out for me, but do you think you can wait a little longer to meet them?”

He shrugs. “It depends on how long.”

Running through the schedule in my head, I realize the week five meeting I planned isn’t going to work. Not if this is so important to Hawk.

“I’m having dates with them this week, and those have already been decided,” I say slowly. “How about the week after? We can plan kid-friendly dates so you can meet them.”

Hawk considers me before nodding. “Okay. May I go finish breakfast now?”

“Of course, baby.” I run a hand through his hair before he darts inside. It takes me a moment to realize there’s no way I’m getting up on my own.

I sigh, turning my attention to my grinning brother. “You can wipe that look off your face right now. Help me up, please?”

“I’ll gladly help you up, but there’s no way I’m not going to laugh about it while I do.” Remington easily tows me to my feet.

“Really, Remy? Are you sure that’s how you want to play it?” I ask, lifting an eyebrow as Victoria steps into the hallway after having helped the boys back to the kitchen.

He shrugs. “What can I say? It makes me feel good when my independent big sister needs my help with something. Even if it’s towing her pregnant ass off the floor.”

“Remington Hawthorne!”

He immediately freezes, his eyes falling shut. “You totally set me up, didn’t you?”

I reach up to pat his cheek. “No, darling, you did that all by yourself. I just let you keep going when I knew she was there.”

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