Page 49 of Knot All Is Lost: Part 1

twenty-one

We’dbeeneatingfor a little while when a door opened and shut drawing my attention. From where I was sitting I couldn’t see who’d come in but my guess was Marius. Sure enough, a few moments later he appeared with a bakery box in his hands.

“Hey everyone, sorry I’m late but I had to stop at Harner’s to grab something and it took way longer than I expected,” he explained, setting the box on a side table, then dropped a quick kiss on Spencer’s lips and my head before taking his seat at the table. “Everything smells amazing, it seems you’ve outdone yourself tonight.”

“It wasn’t just me, Cambrie helped, even got a battle wound for her efforts,” Bodhi said, giving me a wink.

Marius’s head snapped in my direction as he looked over what he could see of my body. I raised my left hand and waved it at him to show off my wrapped finger. “It’s nothing, I just got startled and wasn’t cutting with my fingers tucked under like I should have.”

“You’re still not picking up another knife tonight,” Nixon reminded me.

I smiled and looked down at my plate of creamy chicken and rice with lots of cheese coating the top of it. “Thankfully this meal doesn’t need any so I’m safe for the time being.”

The table fell silent, then Bodhi snorted, causing all the others to give in to their laughter. Even Oscar’s shoulders shook as he placed a hand on his chest to control his laughter.

“It wasn’t that funny,” I muttered, popping in another mouthful of food as I pouted.

“Oh, don’t take it too hard Dove, we all poke fun at each other,” Spencer said, jostling me with his shoulder. “It’s how boys show they care when they pick on each other, it’s all meant with love.”

The guys fell into conversation about their days as Spencer asked about Alton who Marius went to visit. Rafael shared about a patient he was working with that was able to get a lease on an apartment for the first time in years, while Nixon complained about dealing with bankers. I didn’t understand half of what they were discussing but having everyone together made me feel whole. This could easily become something I was addicted to, and I didn’t understand why more people didn’t want to live as a pack.

“Tell me, Princess, what did you do all day?” Marius asked when there was a lull in the conversation.

I froze for a moment as everyone’s eyes turned to me. It was a little overwhelming to have everyone’s attention all at once when I’d gone unnoticed for eighteen years. “Um…, Bodhi made a blanket fort in my room, first one I’ve ever experienced. Then we watched movies for most of the afternoon, took a nap, and made dinner while Oscar got some work done. Then Nixon and Spencer came home with massive bags of stuff for my room,” I paused and turned to look at him. “We need to switch out that bedding, right? Since you got one that was too big.”

“Yes, Nixon about the bed situation,” Spencer deflected, looking over at his Alpha. “You were going to share that fun bit of news, weren’t you?”

Nixon paused, his fork almost entering his mouth as Spencer addressed him. He closed his mouth and lowered his fork, setting it on his plate before addressing whatever Spencer was alluding to.

“Yes, the bed,” Nixon started, then paused to clear his throat and take a gulp of water. “Since you are now part of this pack and we want you to stay forever and be as comfortable as possible we… I thought it would be best to think about the future.”

I frowned looking between him and Spencer trying to figure out what in the world he was trying to say. “The bed that’s there is comfortable, there’s no need to change for my comfort.”

Nixon’s face started to redden as he looked down at his plate and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m glad it’s comfortable, but it’s a little small.”

“Oh for goodness sake,” Rafael muttered, pulling my attention from the Alpha who clearly was struggling with something. “Little One, there will come a time when it’s right, that we will bond together as a real pack. Eventually you’ll have a heat, and in those situations where there might be one or more partners in your bed it would be best to have one that can accommodate them all. By no means are we rushing this or forcing it upon you but this is the future we see with you.”

Now it was my turn to blush bright red as I understood his meaning. It made perfect sense, I knew what being the Omega to a pack meant and that someday heats and bonding would happen I just hadn’t thought that far down the road. “Right,” I squeaked out.

“Back when Omegas could pick their packs, it was customary for the Alphas to shower their prospective Omegas with gifts, courting them. I suppose you could say in our own way this is what we’re doing as we help you set up your room and provide for you in other ways,” Nixon explained, seeming to have regained his composure. “All of this is happening a little backward since things are so different now in our world. We want to show you just how much we desire you to be with us, as a best friend, and hopefully more, much more when it’s right.”

Were they confessing they had feelings for me? We’ve only just met. How could they possibly know so quickly about something like that?

“Dove,” Spencer said, resting a hand on my thigh. “Take a deep breath for me.”

As he said that I realized I wasn’t breathing with all of this catching me so off guard. I took a long slow breath and let it out as I looked over the men at the table. Of course I’d always dreamed of a pack and the happy ever after it could bring. The men who loved me and I loved them just as much. I’d read the spicy scenes and knew that love and passion mixed together would be something absolutely amazing. What I hadn’t counted on, was it actually happening to me!

“Do you all feel this way? That you want me to be your pack’s bonded Omega?” I asked, thinking there was no way all of them could feel that deeply.

Yes they’d been kind, thoughtful, and attentive but Spencer already had two Alphas. Rafael was the oldest out of the group and couldn’t possibly see me as anything but a child. Marius and Nixon had Spencer so why would they need someone else they would have to share with even more people? Bodhi was my best friend, and Oscar was someone who exuded warmth and just cared about people in general. How could it be that six men could want me in a way that a man wants a woman? I was damaged goods that freaked out at the worst moments over the silliest things. Not to mention my father could still be out there looking for me. What about the CoF? Would they let this happen? Could I trust they wouldn’t take me away?

Someone grabbed my face and turned it to them but with the panic flooding my body my eyes wouldn’t focus. Then the softest lips I could have ever imagined pressed against mine. I gasped at the touch as the velvet touch of a tongue swiped along my lower lip. A sound I’d never made before slipped out causing whoever was kissing me to deepen his efforts, a purr rumbling in his chest.

The next thing I knew I was straddling them, my arms wrapped around their neck as they clasped my throat gently. Their other hand was on my lower back pressing me to their chest so I could feel their purr through my whole body. The scent of caramel and cinnamon engulfed me as my brain seemed to switch back on as the panic subsided and something else took its place. Need and heat filled my body so when the tongue brushed past again I opened up allowing him in. Having no idea what I was doing I tried to reciprocate what Oscar was doing to me, kicking his purr up another level. Gently he pulled back, pressing our foreheads together as we caught our breath.

“That’s one way to end a panic attack and answer the question without having to utter a word,” Bodhi commented.

Hearing him talk made me remember we were at the table with everyone still sitting there. Oscar shifted to hold me tightly against him, a warning growl in my ear. When I calmed down and stopped fighting he turned me so I was sitting on his lap, arms around my waist, and his nose running along my neck. His purr started again easing some of the tension I was feeling due to the wish of digging a hole and hiding in it after that display.

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