Page 107 of Knot Baked Out For This
Hazel wraps herself in a blanket that has more holes than fabric, shivering slightly. Without discussing it, we arrange ourselves around her—Luca pulling her into his side, Levi taking her hand, me standing behind with my hands on the railing, caging her in safely.
"Aren't you worried?" she asks suddenly.
"About?" I prompt.
"The town. The gossip. Korrin." She says his name like it tastes bad. "Now that you've confronted him, he's not going to just let this go."
"How would he cause trouble?" Levi asks, genuinely curious. "What's his leverage?"
She's quiet for a moment, organizing thoughts. "He has connections. In the city, at least. Maybe not the same pull here where your pack has been longer?—"
"We're not really a pack," Luca corrects gently. "Not officially."
"You move like one. Think like one." She tilts her head back to look at me. "What happens when he tries to get you fired? Or ruins your business? He already went after my bakery."
The fear in her voice makes my chest tight. I wrap my arms around her from behind, pulling her back against me until she's surrounded by us, protected, safe.
"Let him try," I say into her hair. "We can handle ourselves."
"But—"
"No buts. We'll handle the Alpha bullshit. You just focus on being the beautiful, brilliant omega you've always been."
"That's not—I can't just let you fight my battles."
"Why not?" Levi squeezes her hand. "We're good at battles. You're good at making people happy. Division of labor."
"It feels selfish."
"Be selfish," I tell her, tightening my arms. "You do enough, Hazel. You feed the town joy, literally. You wake up at ungodly hours to make sure everyone has fresh bread. You remember every regular's order, every kid's favorite cookie, every dietary restriction in a fifty-mile radius."
"That's just?—"
"That's everything," Luca interrupts. "You give everything to everyone. Let us give something to you."
"Protection isn't something you give."
"It is when it's freely offered," I say. "When it's chosen, not demanded."
She's been quiet for so long, I think she's not going to respond.
The October wind picks up, rattling the windows, and she shivers despite our combined warmth.
"I want to stop being afraid," she finally whispers. "I want to believe this is real. I want to trust that you won't—that this won't?—"
"That we won't become him," Levi says softly.
She nods against Luca's shoulder.
"I want to learn how to be loved," she continues, voice stronger. "I've never... even before Korrin, no one ever just... loved me. Wanted me for me, not what I could do or be or provide."
"We do," I say simply. "All three of us. Separately and together."
"I want us to start tomorrow," she says, then laughs. "Or today. Now. Officially."
She turns in the circle of our arms, looking up at me with those hazel eyes that knocked me flat in tenth grade and never let me up.
"Do we need rings?" she asks. "Documents? What makes a pack official? Is there paperwork? Oh god, is Luca in charge of paperwork?"
