Page 107 of Knot Their Reality

The rest of the week flies by with day-long group dates. On the first day, I choose Foster, Brooks, and Ezra to join me, Brody, and Chase at the aquarium. It's low-key enough, I'm not worried about Ezra having any issues, but as soon as I heard about the aquarium, I knew I had to visit. The six of us are the only ones in the entire place. The staff are super helpful, telling us more about the exhibits if we want to know.

We have lunch there at the aquarium, right next to the dolphins. After lunch, we get to climb inside and play with them before continuing throughout the rest of the aquarium. We hit up the gift shop before heading to dinner, and they each pick out something for me while I do the same for them. It's a blast, and at the end of the night, I don't want to say goodbye, but I know I need to. I ask Foster to join me for a trip to the gazebo so we can talk.

We have a nice conversation about life and where we see ourselves in the future. I love hearing how much of what he wants lines up with what I want. The longer I speak with him, the more I feel drawn to him. He's basically a giant cinnamon roll—all hard on the outside but with a soft and gooey center. The fact that he's a beta and calms me is a definite plus. Here I go again with the betas. Someone is going to have to stop me from collecting them all.

The second day, Wednesday, we take Asher, Liam, and Carson along with us to this amazing fun center. Since the place is rented out just for us, we don't have to worry about kids. Not that I don't like kids, but I'm trying to get to know these men better. We don't need to be surrounded by screaming children.

There's a section for board games, an arcade, a rock climbing section, and go-karts. We spend time in each area, but we definitely spent the majority of it in the arcade. The guys have a contest to see who can win the most tickets, and therefore, give me the best prize. It surprises me when it's Liam that ends up with the most tickets, though Carson and Chase aren't far behind him. I end up with numerous squishmallows that I can't wait to add to my nest back at the mansion.

We eat like teenagers at lunch, filling ourselves with food that's so bad for us. Then we return to keep playing hard before heading off to dinner. When we make it back to the mansion, I'm feeling torn. I love being around Chase's pack, and I once thought they'd be my pack as well, but there's a part of me that can't seem to let go of what happened.

Even though it had been a misunderstanding and they hadn't meant to hurt me, there's a small part of me that keeps remembering the pain. It's not healthy, I'm aware, but that doesn't make it easier. I'll definitely need to discuss it with Finn. When I wish them a good night, sending Chase along with them so he can spend the night with his pack, I seek out Quinn.

I'm trying to make sure I spend time with some of the suitors I feel like I haven't gotten enough time with. I'm spending some time with one of them each night after the group dates, and then I'll use Saturday before the ceremony for a few as well.

I find him easily enough, and we head out to the back deck since the others seem to have gathered in the game room and theater. As soon as we sit, we start chatting, and it's just so easy. After the initial worry on his side about me being a fan, it's always been easy for us to talk. I just feel like he fell a bit to the wayside after I'd discovered the connection Chase and I had.

If I'm honest, I let a lot of them fall to the wayside during that time. They all seem to understand, but that doesn't make it any easier for me. This whole experience is crazy, but you add in being an omega pair with Chase—something I didn't even know existed before it was explained to me—blew everything I thought I knew out the window.

The more I talk with Quinn, the more I realize he doesn't have a clear picture of what he wants for the future. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's something I make note of. He's nearly thirty and hasn't thought beyond what he'll do with his life besides acting. I know there are people who don't really make plans, but I'm definitely a planner.

I'm not sure what it would look like to have someone like that in my pack, but then I think back to when I first met Chase. He also didn't know what he was going to do with his life, though, he did know what he wanted from his pack. It'll be interesting to see how Quinn grows from this experience. I leave him at the end of the night with a kiss.

There's still so much to discover about this alpha. I'm not ready to decide one way or the other about him. And that's okay too. All of my relationships will develop at their own rates. I can't expect them all to move at the same pace. Honestly, I'm glad they don't. I couldn't handle it. But I go to bed that night feeling good not just about the group date, but the one-on-one time with Quinn.

On Thursday, my third group date consists of Jace, Malik, and Quinn. I'm really looking forward to spending time with them. I feel like I have a good rapport with Jace and Quinn, but Malik is another one who I need to get to know better. Hell, I know I need more time with Jace too.

Chase, Brody, and I take them to the zoo. Malik is excited to check out the animals, and Quinn says he hasn't been to the zoo since he was a kid. But what surprises me is that Jace is the most excited. The zoo is massive, and it takes us the whole day to make our way through it. We have lunch at one of the cafes before having dinner overlooking the elephants, hippos, and giraffes as the sun sets. It's amazing, just like the first two dates were.

Once we're back at the mansion, it's Jace that I choose to spend additional time with. I love spending time with him because it allows me to really get to know him beneath his joking demeanor. It's clear that he loves motorcycles and the work he does. After having our lesson together, I can understand it. I definitely want to ride with him again.

We end the night swapping kisses that send my body into overdrive. It's almost enough for me to invite him to my bed, but believe it or not, I'm trying to get to know these men before taking them to my bed. It's actually Jace that breaks us apart as Chase and Brody appear to escort me to bed. One last sweet kiss and he sends us on our way with a wink.

The last day of group dates, we head to a street fair with Ulf, Gage, and Jackson. There's a ton of different types of food to try and goods to look at. I'm not sure how they managed to get all of these people to agree to running it just for us, but who am I to question it? At Tessa's urging, we choose a ton of items from the sellers in between trying new foods. There are also some carnival rides that we spend time riding.

By the time we head back, I'm stuffed and ready for a nap. Unfortunately, I don't have time for a nap. I pulled Chase and Brody to the side earlier in the day with what I had planned for the night, and they both readily agreed. So while Brody heads off with the others, Chase and I seek out Ezra, finding him in the pool.

"Hey, Ezra," I call as I drop down beside the pool and dip my feet into the cool water.

"Sophia. Chase. Did you both have a good day?"

Chase nods. "We did, and you?"

"It was satisfactory. I was able to spend some time with Brooks and Jace today. I think I can consider them friends now—something that has not always been easy to come by for me."

I grin at that. "That's amazing, Ezra. I was wondering if you would like to join me and Chase in my sitting room? We wanted to spend some time with you to get to know you better. I know you expressed your interest in both of us, so we wanted to let you have the opportunity to explore that with us."

He hesitates for a moment. "Are you asking me to have sex with the two of you?"

I snort, shaking my head. "Not exactly. We'd like to spend some time talking, and if things lead to some exploring, then we're okay with that."

"Yes. This sounds like a good way to spend my evening. Thank you for the invitation. I do need to head to my room to change. Can I meet the two of you at your suite?"

"Absolutely," I say as he climbs out of the pool. I let my eyes rake over his body, from his broad shoulders to the toned abs that lead to tapered hips. Then down further to where his cock sits, though his shorts are too loose for me to see much.

When a hand appears in front of my face, my eyes snap up to see Chase's amused face. "He's hot, baby, but you look like you're trying to devour him with your eyes."

"And if I was?" I snap back as I place my hand in his so he can help me to my feet.

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