Page 81 of Knot Baked Out For This
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer I have right now." I stand, move closer but not too close. "We're figuring it out. The three of us. How to do this without destroying our friendships or pressuring you or making things worse."
"And?"
"And we decided your choice. Always. No competition, no Alpha bullshit, just... honest courting. If you'll allow it."
She's quiet for a long moment, hands working dough automatically. "The town's going to have opinions."
"The town always has opinions."
"People are already calling me—" She stops.
"Calling you what?"
"Names. Pack-jumper. Knot-chaser. Other things."
Rage floods my system, hot and immediate. "Who?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does to me."
"Luca." She touches my arm, and the contact burns through my shirt. "I can handle words. I survived worse."
Korrin. She survived Korrin.
"We want to increase security on the bakery," I say. "Cameras. Better locks. Maybe an alarm system."
"That's excessive."
"That's caring whether you're safe."
"I don't need three Alpha protectors."
"No," I agree. "You don't need us. But maybe you could want us anyway?"
She looks at me, flour on her nose, exhaustion in her eyes, something soft and scared and hopeful in her expression.
"I already do," she whispers. "That's what terrifies me."
I want to kiss her. Want to pull her against me and show her she's safe, she's wanted, she's going to be so fucking cherished she won't remember what it felt like to be anything else.
Instead, I step back.
"Lock up when you're done," I say. "Use the good locks, not just the latch."
"Yes, sir," she says sarcastically, but she's smiling.
"And try the candles. They really are supposed to help."
"I will."
I head for the door, pause. "Hazel?"
"Yeah?"
"The video doesn't change anything. How we feel, what we want—that was already there. Now it's just... public."
