Page 173 of Knot That Serious

Eli swallowed sharply. “Kinda feels like we wasted a bunch of time,” she said.

“But we didn’t,” Jack said, and hugged her tight. “I wouldn’t consider the business we built a waste.”

Eli pursed her lips. That’s not what she meant, and he knew it.

“Maybe we needed twenty years of history before we could get here. Nothing wrong with that.”

As she drew in a breath of his cinnamon-cereal scent, something bright and pure sprinkled through the bond, and her chest swelled. “When was it that you realized?” she asked, lifting her head to look up at him.

Eli had been jealous of Beckett, and oblivious as to why. So she guessed the heat—

“The heat, I think. But I guess the idea had been in my head since…” He blinked. “Since my first date with Beckett.” A small smile curled his lips.

“Really? Why?”

“Because he was asking about us. How we were just friends after all this time, while being an alpha and an omega. He kept telling me I was your alpha and didn’t know it, and I guess I knew there was some truth to it, even if I wasn’t ready to see it.”

Eli wrinkled her nose at him. “Beckett’s a know-it-all, anyway.”

Jack chuckled, and Eli’s gaze trailed to the mark Jack had come home with.

“He looks good on you,” Eli said, brushing a finger over it.

He shivered at the touch and she bit down on a smile. “When did you know?” he asked.

Eli averted her eyes. “I think realizing Beckett was a serious guy and not just one of your flings was the… awakening, you could say. I was jealous.”

“Of Beckett?” he asked, lips twitching. “No way.”

“He took you to our place, Jack. Of course I was jealous.”

“But you still liked him,” Jack told her.

“He brought me coffee. And he’s pretty, so,” she retorted.

“You know, Beckett was all about winning you over from day one. Was asking me how on the first date.”

Eli scoffed and drawled, “No, he wasn’t.”

“Honest truth,” Jack claimed. “He said you were the most important person in my life, so he had to impress you.”

Warmth flushed her cheeks at that, and Eli shrugged. “Sounds like Beckett is to blame for this,” she said, shifting a finger between their bodies.

“Well, maybe not totally,” he said, and cupped her jaw, thumb smoothing over her bite mark. “The heat did reveal quite a few things.”

A shiver danced up her spine, something hot striking in her belly at his touch. Eli swayed into him before she gathered her senses and knocked his hand away.

“No arousing me at the family reunion,” she griped. “That’s so forbidden.”

“Aw, come on, where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked.

“You’re an idiot,” she said, and covered the bite mark to ward off any horny touches.

“You love it,” Jack mused. “Besides, if it wasn’t for me being an idiot, you never would’ve met Raj. So, you know, Beckett isn’t the only one to credit for this happily ever after.”

If Eli had rolled her eyes any harder, they would have gotten stuck. “Do your legs hurt from making that leap?”

Jack brought his fist up and jabbed it against his chest as if he’d been stabbed. “Hurtful,” he whined.

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