Page 76 of Knot Gonna Lie
“Elara,” he breathed, my name a prayer on his lips, raw and reverent.
I reached up, cupping his face in both hands, my thumbs tracing the sharp lines of his cheekbones, feeling the faint stubble beneath my skin. “You look at me like I’m something precious,” I murmured, my voice trembling with the weight of his gaze.
“Because you are.” The admission scraped his throat raw, vulnerability bleeding through his usual quiet composure. “You’re everything I never thought I’d be allowed to have.”
Behind me, Luca’s grip on my hips tightened—not restraint, but support. Claiming me even as he allowed me to explore the bonds that might strengthen our pack. His tropical coconut-pineapple scent lingered, a quiet reminder of his presence, his strength.
I rose on my toes, closing the distance between Jaxom and me. Our lips met in a kiss that was different from Seth’s careful exploration—this was desperate, grateful, tinged with longing finally given permission to surface. He kissed me like I might disappear if he didn’t memorize every second, every sensation. His lips firm yet yielding, a hungry edge to each press. I tasted his need, raw and honest, like cedar smoke and storm-charged air, and it sent a shiver through me, my omega instincts singing at the intensity.
His hands fisted in my hair, tugging gently to angle my head, deepening the kiss with a growing confidence that made my toes curl. His tongue swept against mine, tentative at first, then bold, exploring with a fervor that stole my breath. I moaned softly, the sound muffled against his lips, and Luca’s fingers flexed on my hips, his low growl vibrating through me. The position—caught between them, claimed yet free—sent liquid heat spiraling through my core, pooling low in my belly.
Jaxom’s hands slid from my hair, fingers tracing down the sides of my neck, lingering near my throat, close to where Luca’s mating mark sat. The touch was reverent, almost hesitant, as if he feared he might break me—or himself. I pressed closer, my hands sliding to his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart beneath my palms, the warmth of his skin seeping through his shirt. Needing to be closer, I deepened the kiss, catching his lower lip between my teeth. His groan vibrated against my mouth—low, raw, and addictive.
His fingers tightened on my neck, not possessive but pleading, and I felt the tremor in them, the barely restrained need. My hands roamed lower, tracing the hard lines of his abdomen, and he shuddered, his breath hitching as our lips moved together, a dance of want and surrender. Luca’s hands on my hips were a steady anchor, his thumbs tracing slow,deliberate circles that made my skin tingle, amplifying every sensation.
The air was thick with our scents—my vanilla-lavender, Jaxom’s cedar and storm, Luca’s tropical musk—blending into a heady haze that made my head spin.
When we finally parted, my lips were swollen, tingling, and my breath came in short, unsteady gasps. Jaxom’s forehead rested against mine, his dark eyes searching my face, pupils blown wide with desire. His breathing was ragged, chest heaving, and I could see the unspoken possibilities flickering in his gaze—hope, fear, longing all tangled together. “Elara,” he whispered again, my name a vow, a question, a plea.
“Jaxom,” I whispered.
“I know,” he said quietly. “I know this isn’t... I’m not part of your pack yet. But thank you. For letting me pretend, even for a moment.”
The pain in his voice, the careful resignation, made my chest ache.
“Well,” Stella cut in, “that was educational.”
Nervous laughter rippled through the group. I climbed back onto Luca’s lap, his arms immediately reclaiming me, pulling me against his chest where I belonged. But my eyes stayed on Jaxom as he returned to his seat, something unfinished hanging between us.
The game resumed, but the atmosphere had shifted. Maia pulled Tobias closer, whispering something in his ear that made him grin. Stella abandoned her chair entirely, settling into Sylas’s lap with feline grace that suggested their own games might continue later in private.
Even the air tasted different—charged with possibility, with boundaries pushed and new territories mapped.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Xavier snapped, setting his vidtablet down with a clatter. His gaze swept the room, disgustsharp. “Ever since she arrived, you’re all acting like animals in heat.”
The words struck hard, laughter choking out.
“Xavier,” Sylas warned.
“What?” Xavier rose with predatory grace, voice cold. “Are we pretending this is normal? That having an omega aboard hasn’t turned us all into rutting beasts chasing our base instincts?”
His gaze locked on me, and Luca’s body went rigid, fury bleeding through our bond.
“Ever since she’s been here,” Xavier pressed. “Within a week, Seth’s marked like a fool. Jaxom’s yearning like a lost boy. And you—” His eyes cut to Luca. “You’re so blinded by her you can’t think.”
“That’s enough.” Luca’s voice dropped to a dangerous register, alpha authority crackling through.
But Xavier wasn’t finished. “How long before we’re all fighting over her attention? How long before this clan tears itself apart because we’re thinking with our dicks instead of our brains?”
The accusation landed sharp. And though it cut me, I couldn’t deny it—I was changing them, altering the careful balance they’d maintained for years.
Maybe he was right. Maybe I was a disruption they couldn’t afford.
“I’m only doing what feels natural,” I said finally, my voice quieter than I’d intended. “If that bothers you—”
“It all bothers me.” His laugh was bitter. “You waltz into our lives, and everything we built starts unraveling. We were stable. We were—”
“Dying,” Jaxom interrupted, his quiet voice cutting through Xavier’s tirade with unexpected force. “We were dying, Xavier. Slowly, quietly, but dying all the same. When was the last timeany of us laughed like we did tonight? When was the last time Luca looked genuinely happy instead of carrying the weight of the universe on his shoulders?”
