Page 7 of Knot Stepping Down
avery
IwakeupinDeclan’s bed, the warmth of last night falling away when I find the other half of the bed cold. My heart sinks as I reach out, finding nothing but empty sheets. I slowly sit up, rubbing my eyes as I try to wake up. There’s a folded note on the pillow. My fingers tremble as I grab it, unfolding the paper to read Declan’s messy scrawl:Had to prep for the tourney. Last night was amazing.
Amazing? My stomach twists, hurt clawing at me. It’s not even that early, Declan’s alarm clock sayingsix am.Why did he leave? Did he not want to wake up next to me?
My brows furrow as I scoot to the edge, realizing that the sheets from last night have been swapped out for a dark silk. I look down my body, Declan’s love marks already bruising myskin but I’m clean. No slick or cum,nothing.I don’t remember getting cleaned up which means that he took care of me.
Declan did.
An Alpha who left me a note that is now messing with my nerves. Unable to help myself, I drag one of the sheets around me and stumble to my room, searching for my phone. There’s no missed messages, which I didn’t expect there to be, so I send Declan one.
Be cool, Avery.
Hey, got your note. How’s practice?
I watch the screen, my vanilla cupcake scent spiking with my nerves. The message switches toread, but no reply comes. I stare, willing those three dots to appear, but nothing. I’m such an idiot, thinking one night could mean more. Thinking that all those pretty words he said to me last night actually meant something. He really is just a pretty asshole.
Disappointed and defeated, I head for my shower, glad that the house is still quiet. I don’t really want to deal with Dad right now and all the questions he’ll ask about the auction. He knew I was saving up but not that I had chosen a target. And now that I have chosen, I’m not sure I should have because it’s going to be awkward as fuck when it comes to family dinners and passing Declan in the hall.
I try to push last night out of my mind, a hot shower and a protein bar barely enough to keep me distracted. By the time I slip into a seat in the cafeteria, my mind is a mess of emotion and chaotic energy, Declan’s short message doing nothing to help.
Sorry, middle of practice. Could have been better. I hope you slept okay. I didn’t want to wake you.
No mentions of pretty boy or that he loved last night or that he wants to do it again. I don’t know how to read his text message and it’s putting me in a headspace I don’t want to be in. My Omega is whining for a repeat but I think we just fucked up.
Milo slides in across from me, one of my best friends, and the only Omega on the football team. He’s got a mean kick and he’s as tall as most of the Betas on the team so he gets by just fine. Add in the fact that his Beta twin is also on the team and no one messes with my friend.
He throws me a wild grin, leaning across the table like he has a secret for me. “Avery! Spill it, man! You’ve got that Omega glow,” he muses.
I laugh, trying to play it cool, but my face betrays me, my cheeks heating up with the memories of last night. “Glow? You’re delusional,” I say, grabbing a muffin off his tray and picking at it. My vanilla scent’s probably screaming my emotions and Milo’s too nosy to let it go. I also need him right now so I don’t spiral.
“Nuh-uh,” he says, pointing a fork at me. “Something happened at that auction. You bid on Declan! Come on, deets!” Milo’s the only one who knows that I have a crush on my stepbrother and he’s about to be the only one that knows anything happened last night.
I sigh, lowering my voice. “Fine. We… had sex. But it was just one night, okay? He left this morning and I don’t really know what to do with that so I guess that was it.” Saying it out loud stings as I shove a piece of muffin in my mouth to avoid Milo’s stare.
Milo lets out a little breath, his shoulders falling but I can still see the enthusiasm bouncing around in his eyes. “Just one night? Avery, you’re glowing like you won the lottery. I know for a fact that he’s going to come crawling back to you. You’re tooadorable to let go. Now, was it good? Please tell me it was good. It would be a shame if those hands were awful.”
I laugh despite what I’m feeling, unable to do anything else when I’m around Milo. “It was… yeah, good,” I admit, my cheeks burning a little hotter. God, every time I twist, it hurts so fucking good. “But it’s done. He left a note this morning, said he’s prepping for theStarPulsetourney. He asked me if I slept okay but didn’t even mention last night.” I try to sound casual, but my voice wobbles, and of course Milo catches it immediately. He just reaches across the table and grabs my hand, giving me a silent comfort I desperately need.
I know I could just go over to the practice room and talk to Declan but I’d either fall apart in a puddle or curl into myself depending on his response and I just… I’m terrified.
“Look, Avery, if you really want this, youhaveto say something. You’re in the same house and—”
Milo trails off as Sienna struts toward us, her high blonde ponytail bouncing against her neck, her two besties trailing behind. She stops at our table, a wide smirk on her face as her nails clank against the wooden table. “Morning,losers,” she says and then clears her throat, making sure her voice carries to the nearby tables. “Guess who got Declan’s number this morning? He’stotallyinto me.” She waves her phone around and my heart drops into my stomach, a mixture of jealousy and despair flaring in my chest.
There’s no way he would have given that to her. He said it last night that he would rather be with me but when she turns her phone screen to face us, it’s plain to see she’s not lying.
I can’t even throw anything back in her face.
No one can know I got knotted by my stepbrother. The whole academy would lose it, and Mom and Dad would probably ground me for life. Or disown me. Maybe make Declan go away and I won’t ruin his career like that. I’m not sure why I everthought acting on my crush would be a good idea and yet, the image of Declan handing over his phone number to her is like a punch to the gut.
My vanilla scent sours, and I stare at my muffin, willing her to leave. Milo just rolls his eyes, throwing some retort back at her before focusing on me again. “Okay, she’s gone. Why don’t you talk to Declan? Right now, all you know is that he left without really saying goodbye and then hasn’t mentioned last night. What really happened, though?”
I know what Milo is asking for. He needs more details to help me see what I can’t. So, I tell him. I tell him about dinner and then running upstairs into Declan’s room after kissing him. I’m not really sure why I ended up there but my Omega needed more of my stepbrother in that moment, not less. I skim over the details after that but mention that I woke up clean. Washed up, fresh sheets, the whole bit.
Milo giggles and then slaps a hand over his mouth. “Jesus, Avery, really? You don’t see it? Declan likes you, might even love you but I suspect he’s just as awkward as you are.”
“How do you know?”
