Page 65 of Knot Gonna Lie
“But she’s yours—”
“She’sours.” I pulled a cloth from the warm cleansing water, wringing it carefully. “An omega needs more than one personto anchor them through what’s coming. You think I’d deny her what she needs?”
His shoulders dropped a fraction, though uncertainty still painted every line of his body. I tossed him the cloth, nodding toward our omega who watched us both with eyes gone soft as starlight, satisfied and sleepy and absolutely radiant in her pleasure.
“Help me take care of her.”
Seth caught the fabric reflexively, staring at it as if he’d forgotten its purpose. Then understanding dawned—not just of the task, but of the acceptance behind it. He moved with that particular medic’s grace, gentle strokes along her golden skin while I worked from the other side. Each touch deliberate, reverent, the kind of care that spoke of devotion rather than duty.
She purred—actually purred—the sound vibrating through our bond and settling something primal in my chest. That sound alone made every difficult moment of the day worthwhile. My omega, content and claimed and building the pack she needed.
Her fingers found my neck, pulling me down. The kiss tasted of gratitude and something deeper, her lips soft against mine—breathing life back into spaces the day had hollowed out. “Thank you for understanding.”
“You gave me peace.” My thumb traced her jaw, following that elegant line down to where my mark branded her throat, the sight of it sending possessive satisfaction through my veins—not because she was mine alone, but because she was ours to protect. “Who you welcome into your nest, who you bind to your heart—that’s yours to decide. Never mine to control.”
She searched my face with those gold-speckled emerald eyes that saw too much. “Other alphas wouldn’t—”
“Luca’s never been like other alphas.” Seth’s defense came swift as a blade, protective and absolute. He dropped thewashcloth into the bucket with more force than necessary, water splashing against metal. “Never tried to control us, never demanded—” Color flooded his cheeks as he caught himself, grabbing the bucket like a lifeline. “I’ll rinse these.”
He fled to the bathroom, leaving us wrapped in the low light of the nest. Elara pulled a blanket around herself, the emerald fabric highlighting rather than hiding the curves that had captivated me from that first moment in the jewelry store.
“Seth,” I called after him, keeping my voice low but firm. “When her heat comes, I’ll need help. We both know an alpha alone can’t give an omega everything she needs. There’s no jealousy here, no territorial anger. You’re pack now. That changes everything.”
He paused in the doorway, shoulders tight with doubt. Then he sighed, gave a small nod, and stepped out of sight.
“Everything’s fine.” I turned back to Elara, brushing golden strands from her face, tucking them behind her ear. “I’m not angry. I’m grateful you trust Seth enough to claim him.”
A yawn escaped before she could respond, exhaustion finally catching up after the chaos we’d survived. The restaurant, the confrontation, Quinn’s goodbye, Nova’s revelation—all of it crashed over her at once. Seth emerged from the bathroom, hovering uncertainly at the threshold.
“Would you like us to stay?” The question hung between us, weighted with tomorrow’s possibilities and tonight’s needs.
Pink bloomed across her cheeks, the blanket slipping to reveal the pale curve of her shoulder. “Please. I don’t—I don’t want to be alone. Not anymore.”
My clothes hit the floor without ceremony, exhaustion making me clumsy. The day’s weight—Eli’s questions, Owen’s threats, the station’s secrets—fell away with the fabric. “Seth, stop looking like you’re about to face an execution and get in the nest.”
He sat beside her, careful and a little stiff, leaving a few inches between them—like he didn’t want to assume too much, but hoped it meant something. The awkwardness would fade—pack bonds always took time to settle and find their rhythm—but for now, uncertainty painted every line of his body.
I claimed the other side, pulling Elara against my chest where she belonged. Her scent enveloped me like a prayer answered, home and haven combined. My lips found my mark, pressing a kiss to the still-tender flesh that made her shiver and press closer, a soft gasp escaping that sent satisfaction spiraling through our bond.
Seth’s hand settled tentatively on her hip, fingers barely touching. She turned slightly, granting permission with the shift of her body, and he buried his face in her hair with a sound that might have been gratitude or relief—or both. The sight should’ve sparked some primal territorial urge—should’ve made my alpha instincts snap, if I were unhinged and slipping from sanity.
Instead, satisfaction bloomed warm in my chest—my omega building her pack, creating the layers of support that would carry us all through the storm approaching.
Through our bond, contentment settled over me in steady waves. Seth’s citrus-pine cut with warm coconut threaded through her lavender-vanilla, the mix grounding and unmistakable. It smelled like belonging. Like pack. Like the kind of future we could build together.
I pressed my lips to her forehead, breathing the words against her skin like a benediction. “Sleep. You’re safe.”
“Mm.” She nuzzled deeper into my chest, one hand reaching back to tangle with Seth’s fingers on her hip. “Safe…I like that.”
“We’ll be here as long as you will it,” Seth whispered softly, but there was warmth in it now, acceptance beginning to settle.
“Mine,” she mumbled, already half-asleep. “Both mine.”
Between us, surrounded by pack, she finally let exhaustion claim her. Seth’s breathing evened out, his grip on her hip loosening but not releasing—trust beginning to replace uncertainty. The day’s events—the violence, the goodbyes, the revelations—all of it faded into background noise against the symphony of their breathing.
And I lay awake a while longer, feeling the nascent pack bonds strengthening with each shared breath. Mine to hers. Hers to him.
Tomorrow would bring another day.
