Page 19 of Knot So Fast
I stare at him in complete disgust, my mouth hanging open. "They're stuffed ugly bunnies! Pink and purple stuffed ugly bunnies that you paid way too much money for!"
Luke clutches his chest in genuine distress, like I've just insulted his entire bloodline. "You're wounding my pride here, Auren. These aren't just stuffed animals—they're collectible art pieces with significant cultural and monetary value."
"WHAT PRIDE?!" I shriek, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "You collect the latest girl trend of the century! Grown-ass military men don't collect cute little bunnies!"
"Yeah, well, when I'm a multimillionaire for having the first collector editions in mint condition," Luke says with smug satisfaction, "you won't be saying shit while you're shaking your ass on my yacht."
I groan in complete dismay, knowing I've already lost this argument. "I can't win with you when that sassy side comes out. It's like arguing with a particularly bitchy sorority girl."
Luke laughs hard, the sound echoing across the empty track. "Yeah, well, someone has to remind all the stuck-up Alpha men in the military who's really boss. Might as well be me."
I study his face for a moment, taking in the way his eyes light up when he's being particularly sarcastic, the confident set of his shoulders, the protective way he always positions himself near me. "Are you sure you're not bi? Because I'm pretty sure you could get yourself a good Alpha to bend you over if you wanted."
Luke laughs even harder at that, wiping tears from his eyes. "No, sweetheart. I like pussy, sadly. Omega pussy would be a bonus, but last time I checked, the one I'm interested in is emotionally unavailable."
I gasp in genuine horror, my hand flying to cover my mouth. "Oh my god, that sucks balls! I'm so sorry for your loss. Is she dating someone else?"
Luke rolls his eyes and shakes his head with fond exasperation. "And blind as a bat."
"Bats aren't blind," I argue automatically, because I can't help myself when it comes to correcting misconceptions. "They actually have amazing vision."
"At night," Luke adds pointedly. "Not during the day, when important shit is right in front of them."
"That's because they're sleeping!" I protest. "Anyone is blind when they can barely keep their eyes open. It's called being nocturnal, not being visually impaired."
Without warning, Luke walks up to me and grips my ponytail, forcing my head back so he can tower over me. He's significantly taller than my five-foot-four frame, and from this angle he looks almost intimidating. Almost Alpha-like, if I'm being honest.
We're inches apart now, close enough that I can see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes, can smell his clean Beta scent mixed with sweat and determination. Our eyes lock and hold, the tension between us shifting into something that feels dangerous and electric.
"Blind as a bat," he concludes quietly, his voice dropping to a murmur that sends unexpected shivers down my spine.
I groan and try to look away, but his grip on my ponytail keeps me exactly where he wants me. "You're making us look like we're setting up for an OnlyFans session on the track. People are going to think we're filming porn."
Luke smirks, that cocky expression that makes him look far too attractive for his own good. "That would pay our bills for life, but it might make your gamer friend jealous. Not to mentionyour on-and-off fiancé, ex, sex addict boyfriend lover—whatever the fuck he is to you these days."
I sigh in defeat, my shoulders sagging as the fight goes out of me.
"Whatever. I don't even know what Lucius and I are anymore."
Luke's expression softens slightly, his grip on my hair loosening but not releasing entirely. There's something in his eyes that I can't quite read—sympathy mixed with frustration and something else that makes my stomach flutter in ways I'm not ready to examine.
Before either of us can say anything else, I catch a scent that makes me frown and wrinkle my nose. It's not unpleasant, exactly, but it's out of place here. Unfamiliar and somehow official in a way that sets my nerves on edge.
Luke notices my expression immediately, his protective instincts kicking in as he drops his hand from my hair.
"What? Do I smell? I showered this morning, I swear."
I shake my head quickly, still trying to identify the source of the strange scent.
"No, you smell fine. I like your smell. But someone else is here. Someone who shouldn't be."
We both turn our heads toward the tree line that borders the running track, and my heart sinks as I spot the figure emerging from the shadows. A guard dressed in all black, with the unmistakable bearing and insignia of a government enforcement officer.
Luke immediately steps in front of me, his entire demeanor shifting from playful best friend to protective soldier in the span of a heartbeat. The change is so dramatic, so inherently Alpha-like, that I find myself wondering once again why he couldn't have been born an Alpha. He certainly acts like one when it matters.
The officer approaches us with the kind of measured pace that suggests he's in no hurry but also isn't going to be deterred from his purpose. His gaze fixes on me specifically, ignoring Luke entirely as if he's nothing more than an inconvenient obstacle.
"What do you want?" Luke asks, his voice carrying the kind of authority that comes from years of military training. "This is a public track. We're not doing anything illegal."
