Page 111 of Knot Your Sunshine
Josh reaches me first, hands cupping my face with infinite gentleness. Keanu's arms wrap around me from behind. Noa hugs me from my side, his hand finding mine.
"I can't believe you're giving us another chance," Josh whispers against my forehead.
"We'll earn it," Keanu promises into my hair. "Every day."
"That's a promise," Noa says, and the words really feel like a vow.
I breathe them in, and this close, I can almost fully smell them through the de-scenter. Yuzu, coffee, vetiver… Something inside me finally settles.
As we stand there, wrapped in each other, something deep in my belly clenches. A warm, insistent ache that feels like...
"Um, guys..." Heat floods my cheeks and I duck my head, playing with Josh's shirt buttons nervously.
Josh's breath catches at my touch. "Mia?"
"I'm not sure how to bring this up, but.. with everything that's happened in the last eight hours, I haven't started retaking scentblockers yet. That's why I used so much de-scenter… you know, to stay focused during the presentation."
"It's okay, Sunshine, we understand—" Keanu starts.
"And you know, what I said about going back to Lakeview and taking suppressants for the trip…" I cut in, still unable to meet their eyes. "I was hurt and angry, and I didn't mean—"
"Water under the bridge, beautiful." Noa's hand finds my cheek and caresses it. "We know you were upset and—"
"What I'm trying to say is..." My voice gets smaller. "I haven't taken any suppressant. And with all these emotions and being so close to you now, smelling your scent… I—I think it's triggering my heat ahead of schedule. I can feel it coming."
"What?" Josh's voice comes out strangled.
"And I know we just officially decided to start over on the right foot, but..." I peek up through my lashes. "Do—do you still agree to help me through it?"
I catch Naomi in my peripheral vision, giving an approving nod before quietly slipping toward the door.
"Mia." Noa's voice is reverent. "Yes, yes, and yes. It would be our greatest honor."
"Of course, my goddess. We'll get everything prepared right away," Josh says, already reaching for his phone.
"And we have the perfect place!" Keanu bounces excitedly. "Oh crap, do we have supplies ready?"
Josh looks worried. "The nest materials, the—"
"We have everything," Noa assures them, then looks at me with tender concern. "But Mia, are you certain? After what we put you through, we'd understand if you wanted to pop a suppressant and just wait for you next cycle."
"No." Something warm and overwhelming floods through me at their words, and I rise on tiptoes to kiss his jaw. "We're starting fresh. Now. Together." I pull back to look at all three of them. "That includes this."
Keanu makes a sound between a laugh and a happy sigh. "Sunshine, you have no idea how perfect you are."
"Oh, I have some idea." I try to lighten the mood even as the ache in my belly starts to intensify. "Now, about this perfect place..."
They exchange eager looks like kids on Christmas morning.
"You're going to love it," Keanu takes my hand. "It's where I've been dreaming of taking you since you first asked us to help with your heat." His smile says everything. "Trust us?"
I look at my three alphas and feel the last wall around my heart crumble.
"From now on, always," I whisper.
Chapter forty-five
Mia
