Page 77 of Knot Just Their Nanny
“Yeah…?” Liam asks. “You don’t sound so sure.”
“No, I’m just surprised that the idea isn’t making me run a million miles away. If anything, it’s rooting me here.”
“So, you’re in?” Liam clarifies, still looking slightly sceptical, as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing.
“Yeah,” I say more firmly this time. “I’m in. But we do this right. We talk to Zara together. This has to be her call, too.”
“Of course,” Henry agrees readily.
“We’ll do this properly,” Liam adds. “We respect her choice no matter what.”
It feels like stepping off a cliff and trusting that the water below isn’t too shallow. But I know without a single shred of doubt that I’m ready for the plunge.
Light footsteps catch my attention, and suddenly, Zara appears in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her hair is tousled, and a look of confusion crosses her face.
“Why did no one wake me?” she asks, blinking at us. “Has Mia been fed? She’s fast asleep, I didn’t want to disturb her if someone has seen to her?”
“Mia is perfect,” I murmur, staring at her in wonder.
Liam turns to her with a wide grin while Henry gives her a soft smile. “Morning, princess,” Liam says. “Tea?”
She nods slowly, still half in dreamland. “Sounds good,” she mumbles before yawning widely. Her scent surrounds us, and a low growl escapes me as it does Liam and Henry. We are in our rut together because of Zara, this gorgeous omega who has entered our lives and swept us all off our feet.
“You’re just in time,” I say gently, “We have something important to discuss with you.”
Her eyes flick between us all, a glimmer of wariness mingling with the sleepiness. But then she straightens up a bit, as if bracing herself for whatever we’re about to throw at her. “Alright,” she says with more vigour than before. “What’s going on?”
“We’ve been talking,” Liam begins, his tone unusually earnest for this time of the morning. “About us. About you. And about Mia.”
“And?”
Liam’s about to go on, but he looks to me, silently passing the baton as the would-be prime alpha of this new pack. I clear my throat, feeling the weight of what I’m about to suggest. “We want to form a pack,” I say slowly. “The three of us together—with you, if you want it—as our omega.”
Zara blinks rapidly as she processes the words. She looks at Henry and then at Liam before her gaze settles back on me. “A pack?” she repeats softly.
“Yes,” I affirm, watching her closely. “We’ll take care of Mia as a family, and well… we’d like for you to be part of that family. In your own time, of course, if that is something you know inyour soul you want.” I can’t leave that part to chance. She has to be all in. No wishy-washy agreement because she feels forced into it. I don’t think I can take another rejection in this lifetime.
She takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. “That’s quite a proposal for this early in the morning.” The corners of her mouth twitch as if she’s fighting back a smile or perhaps nerves. “Can I have that tea first?” she asks, only half-joking, gesturing to the kettle with a quirk of her eyebrow. Liam immediately moves to get it done, the universal signal that no matter how tense the situation, a good cuppa can make everything better.
I watch her as Liam prepares her tea, trying to gauge her reaction beyond the initial shock. She’s poised, but I catch the slight tremor in her fingers as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
Once Liam hands her the mug, Zara wraps her hands around it, inhaling the steam before taking a tentative sip. “Okay,” she starts, setting the mug down on the island with a little more certainty than before. “You want us to be a pack? So, mating with me?”
“We see you as part of our, well, our everything already,” Henry murmurs, knowing she needs to hear from all of us. Not just me. “The three of us are going to form the pack first. That is our thing. But we see a future with you, Zara. It’s fate and we want to mate with you, when you and, of course, Ben, are ready for that. Full disclosure, Liam and I are ready for that now.”
“Wow, okay,” she says, and I see something shift in her expression—a softening around her eyes, maybe even a touch of relief. She takes another long sip of her tea before nodding slowly. “And just where would I fit into this pack? What’s expected of me?”
“You’d be at the centre,” Liam says quickly. “Our omega. It wouldn’t just be about duties or roles; it’s about support and about love.”
“And no rush on decisions about mating,” I add firmly, knowing she needs to feel free, not pressured. Knowing what little I do about her previous relationship; her free will is more important than anything else right now. “We just want you to know where we stand and make sure you’re comfortable and happy with any choices you make before your heat arrives and things get…”
“Heated?” she giggles.
“Yeah.” I return her smile, and I see no fear in her gaze. No hesitation. No doubts. She is fucking incredible.
Zara takes another sip of tea, letting the warmth settle inside her before she speaks. Her eyes scan each of us, affection and deep thought dancing in her gaze. “It’s a lot to take in,” she admits, her voice steady but soft. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t felt something different with you three. Like a pull.” She sets the mug back on the island and folds her arms, suddenly looking more determined. “Like itisfate that brought me here to all of you.”
“So, not to put words in your mouth… we need a yay or nay,” Liam says, the worry in his voice echoing around the kitchen that she is going to shove this back in our faces and run.
