Page 14 of Knot Stepping Down
declan
Overthenextweek,I’m dodging whispers and sidelong glances as I slip through Knotlocke Academy’s halls, my heart racing with one goal: find Avery. Between classes, I’ve been stealing sweet kisses from him whenever I can—behind the library stacks, in the empty stairwell, even a quick peck in the tournament practice room when my teammates aren’t looking.
His vanilla cupcake scent drives me wild and I can’t keep my hands off him, no matter how many rumors swirl around the school.Stepbrothers, scandal, forbidden love—I hear the gossip, but I shove it off. Avery’s not just an obsession; he’s my mate, and being told I can’t have him, by Mom, by Henry, by the whole damn campus, only makes me want him more.
My pine scent’s probably screaming my mood as I duck into the practice room, where the new equipment’s finally arrived.The Phoenix Hawk 3000 rigs gleam under the lights, all RGB glory and top-tier specs, funded by the auction. My team’s hyped for tomorrow’sStarPulsechampionship, but I’m off my game. During practice, I fumble a flank, and Crestwood’s bots wipe us out. Kade slams his controller down, glaring over at me. “Seriously! Get it together, Dec! Championship’s tomorrow. We need you sharp and completely here, in this moment with us.”
Ethan nods, adjusting his headset as he leans back in his chair. “Yeah, man, you’re distracted. What’s up? Too busy with… you know?” He wiggles his brows, and I roll my eyes. They’ve seen me with Avery, caught the way I light up around him, but I’m not spilling all the details, not until Avery is ready.
“Just tired,” I lie, grabbing my phone. “I’ll be ready. Chill.” However, I’m already texting Avery, hoping and praying that he’s got a little extra time before he goes home.
>Can you hang after your classes? Need you.
> Him:Got an hour. Your dorm?
I grin, relief flooding through me. An hour’s not much, but it’s everything right now. I rush out, waving off Kade’s “Don’t be late tomorrow!” and sprint across campus. The dorm building is quiet, most students at dinner or practice, my entire body buzzing as I rush up a flight of steps and into Dorm #5. It’s an open area attached to four rooms, mine toward the back.
It doesn’t surprise me to see my door cracked open, Avery sitting on the edge of my bed as he fixes up his nest. He’s been in my room on and off throughout the week, stealing pillows and blankets, everything in my room drenched in that vanilla cupcake scent. I push inside, grinning as he looks up at me, his hazel eyes full of a newer emotion—love.
“Hey, pretty boy,” I murmur, kicking the door shut and crossing the room in two strides. I drop onto the bed and drag him into my arms, taking in lung fulls of his scent until my Alpha stops being so restless. “Just wanna hold you for a bit, okay?”
“Only a bit?” he teases, poking my side, and I chuckle, kissing his forehead. He curls into me a little tighter, one of his hands falling flat against my chest, silence falling between us. A soft, pure sound enters the room and I realize Avery’s purring for me. I look down at him, his hand over my heart and I’m sure I couldn’t love him anymore—even if it’s too early to love him. “Something happened at practice, didn’t it?”
I nod, pressing a kiss to the top of his head before Avery wiggles out of my hold and pulls me into his nest. I follow his lead, watching as he lays me in the middle of the pillows and then slots himself against my side, his lips resting against my neck. A heavy purr comes from me as he starts with little nips and licks over my scent gland, a strange sensation swirling in my chest.
“What—what are you doing?”
“Taking care of you,” he whispers as he slides down my torso, his hands roaming across the waistband of my pants. I reach up to stop him when Avery just shakes his head. “I’m not doing this because I feel like I have to. I want to. We never have time for this and since I only have a little time, I want this. I’ve been dreaming of what you taste like, Alpha.”
Being called Alpha does something to me so I just watch as he unbuttons my pants and then pulls my cock from my boxers. I’m already half-hard, going full hard in his petite hands, his devilish mouth encircling my tip and drawing a gasp from me.
“Jesus, pretty boy. You’re going to embarrass me doing that.”
He just hums as he starts sucking my tip, his hands moving up and down my length. One of them hangs at the base of my cock before squeezing my knot in alternating pulses, my fingers sifting into his curls as I try my best not to force myself down his throat. He feels like heaven wrapped around me, his warm mouth making me want to let go completely.
I didn’t know how much needing my mate would affect every facet of my life. It’s not that I wasn’t focused during practice but that I’m worried about someone much more important than the game. And now, here he is, taking care of me, telling me that I don’t need to worry about anything other than this.
Too soon, I’m spilling down his throat, the last bit covering his lips and chin as I pull out and drag him toward my lips. He rocks his ass backward against my knot, giggling as I press little kisses along his nose, jaw, and cheeks. “Can you stay?” I ask, knowing full well that he can’t, that we’re borrowing time.
“Like five minutes?”
“I’ll take it. Come here, pretty boy.”
Avery snuggles into my side again as I lean down to steal his lips in another kiss, not wanting this to end. I can’t wait until I can make him mine.
avery
Ididn’tmeantofall asleep but my nest at home is now devoid of Declan’s scent and this one is so much more comfortable with him beneath me. I haven’t been sleeping well either, trying to keep my wits about me and failing. Milo’s noticed, hell,Sienna’snoticed and with all the rumors swirling, I’m falling apart.
And not in a good way.
I shoot up out of bed, panicking as I scramble around for my phone. It’s dead, Declan already on his feet as he drags me halfway across the campus to his bike. “Alpha,” I whine, unsure of what awaits me at home.
He cups my face in his hands, rubbing his nose against mine. “Breathe, Avery. Whatever happens, you still have me, okay? I should have made you go home. Fuck.” I tell him that it’s not hisfault but he’s already handing me a helmet and helping me onto the back of his bike before he speeds down the street.
It’s not fast enough. I was supposed to be home hours ago and even if Declan drops me off down the street, Dad’s still going to know. I smell like a whole damn forest.
The look of disappointment on my father’s face as we drive up is exactly what I expected but the anger on his and Lila’s faces is new. I know they didn’t want us together but now I’m terrified as Declan helps me off his bike, Lila frowning at us.
