Page 114 of Hot Knot Summer
“Yes, you have,” Atlas cuts her off. “We’ve all noticed it. Me, River, Levi. We’ve made it clear that we’re not interested in anything beyond a professional relationship, yet you keep pushing. And your attitude toward Emma has been unacceptable.”
“But I?—”
“This is the only warning you’re going to get,” Atlas continues, his voice hard as granite. “Either you pull yourself together and act like the professional I hired, or you can pack your things and leave. We have plenty of volunteers who would be happy to take over your duties. Are we clear?”
Another long silence, then the sound of sniffling. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I was being so obvious. You’re right, and I’mmortified. I know my behavior has been inappropriate, and that’s completely on me.” Her voice breaks slightly, and despite everything, I feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“I think... I think I need to join a dating site or something, move on properly. I’ve been stuck for so long, and it’s not fair to any of you. Especially not to Emma. I owe her an apology.”
Atlas’s expression softens fractionally. “Look, you’ve been incredible at the station, Claire. I don’t want to lose you as an employee, but this behavior can’t continue.”
“It won’t, I promise. I’ll apologize to Emma when you get back, and I’ll keep things strictly professional from now on. Thank you for being direct with me. I needed to hear it.”
The call ends, and I say, “That was intense.”
He runs a hand through his hair, sighing. “Probably overdue. But she sounded genuine.”
“She did,” I agree. “I actually felt kind of bad for her.”
“You would,” he says with a small smile. “You’ve got too big a heart.”
We drive in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“Everyone’s got tragedy in their past,” he says quietly. “Claire’s Alpha died two years ago. Car accident. She’s been struggling to move forward ever since.”
I gasp, pressing a hand to my chest. “Oh, that’s awful. I didn’t know.”
Atlas nods. “Losing your mate... it breaks something fundamental in you. I can’t imagine.”
“Is that why you three found each other as a pack?” I ask softly. “Because you were all needing a bond from your pasts?”
He’s quiet for so long, I think he won’t answer.
“River was kicked out by his parents. They wanted him to be a perfect Alpha, and when his pheromones didn’t match their expectations, they sent him to correction facilities. Spent years trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.”
My heart clenches. “He told me, and I hate that his parents did that to him.”
“Then Levi lost his parents in a house fire when he was fifteen. Faulty wiring. He was at school when it happened and couldn’t save them. That’s why he’s so obsessed with fire prevention—it’s his way of making sure no one else goes through what he did.”
My stomach hurts so much at hearing the heartbreak Levi must have gone through.
Atlas’ knuckles are white on the steering wheel. “My mother abandoned me when I was twelve. Drug addiction. I lived on the streets for two years before I was given a chance at the fire station.” His voice roughens.
I reach over and take his hand, threading our fingers together. “I’m sorry. All of you have been through so much.”
“We found each other when we needed it most,” hesays. “Formed our own pack, our own family. And now...”
“And now?”
He brings our joined hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. “Now you fit right in with us. Like you were always meant to be part of our little family.”
“Fate,” I whisper, leaning closer to him across the console. “You really believe that?”
“With you? Hell, yeah, I do.” He glances at me, and the raw honesty in his eyes has me close to losing my breath. “I’ve never believed in fate before, but then you stumbled into our lives, and suddenly, everything makes sense.”
I can’t find words for the emotion swelling in my chest, so I just squeeze his hand tighter and rest my head against his shoulder. “I love that,” I murmur. “I love being part of your family.”
“Me, too.”
