Page 18 of Knot For Keeps

“You’re no fun. I want to play with the pretty omega!”

“We have enough problems as it is,” I said as I set several alarms to go off throughout the night at regular intervals. “We should sleep, we are going to be up every two hours to make sure that omega hasn’t given you even more brain damage.”

“Ugh!” Theo turned onto his back with a dramatic eye roll. “Spoilsport. Why are you even bothering to set alarms? I wake us up every few hours anyway.”

“Sometimes it’s only once or twice a night—I’m just being cautious. Come here.” I grabbed my keychain torch and flicked the light in his eyes, checking his pupils. Doc had told me to do that regularly and if one didn’t react to the light, shit was probably serious.

“Is it bad I want to be near her?” Theo asked.

“No, it’s just biology,” I said, though I didn’t know if I believed that or was just trying to convince myself.

“Can’t I at least play with her a bit?”

“No, we are going to give her space and get through this as quickly as possible. IF we manage to finally make a sale and buy an omega from Fenton we will be one step closer to finding Juniper.”

“I don’t want to give her space,” Theo admitted, staring at the ceiling.

“Tough. I’m in charge.”

“Okay Daddy,” Theo smirked, though he didn’t look at me as he spoke.

A smile tugged at my lips when I turned off the bedside lamp. If the injury hadn’t posed a real threat to Theo given his past, I would have been impressed at Lavender’s fight. As it stood, she posed a real threat to my family—and I refused to let her harm us.

Two days later it was obvious that my pack was a mess. The pretty little omega had turned us all on our heads. The entire safehouse smelled like a floral explosion and none of us were immune. While we weren’t going rutting crazy over the smell, it was still obviously clear it was an omega scent and fucking delicious.

Archer was moping around the den, unhappy that Lavender was unhappy. He never vanished into his own room though. The safehouse was pretty sterile, so I didn’t blame him as his room was pretty much just an empty shell. Yet I got the feeling that wasn’t the reason, more that he wanted to be around in case Lavender popped her head out again. Kane was pissed, he wanted her gone yesterday, he had been stomping around and was even more surly than usual.

Grabbing a bottle of water I walked down the hall, taking a deep lungful of air before unlocking and walking into her room, not bothering to knock.

She was sitting in the bed, but at the sight of me entering she scuttled back towards the headboard, startled. Her hair was messier, wild, and her eyes hooded with sleep. She must have only woken a few minutes beforehand.

“Here,” I said roughly, throwing the bottle at her. She caught it, surprised.

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” she mumbled.

“Did you tellanyonewhat you overheard?” I asked, getting straight to the point. I don’t know why I was asking her again, both me and Archer had already asked.

“No! I already told you!” she growled, but it was a cute growl, like an adorable kitten. “Even if I did speak to someone, why would I tell you? You kidnapped me! I’m not going to risk you taking anyone else because you’re a bunch of deprived criminals!”

I froze. “So youdidtalk to someone?” I stalked up to the edge of her bed so I loomed over her. I couldn’t hurt her, I didn’t have it in me, but she didn’t need to know that.

Lavender scrambled off the bed, glaring at me as she put some distance between us. “I didn’t. I thought we covered this?”

I ran my hand roughly over my head, growling in frustration. “I want you gone, as soon as possible.”

“I’d leave right now if you let me,” she fired back, her tone full of snark as she glared at me, her earlier worry gone, replaced by pure fury.

“You’re fucking with my pack’s heads, I don’t like it. Archer is acting like someone pissed in his cereal and Theo wants to follow you around like a fucking puppy.”

“That’s not my fault! You need to keepyourpack under control. I didn’t ask Archer to reach out to me! How is this in any way, shape, or formmyfault? You need your head checked.” She went to move away but I grabbed her wrist pulling her to me.

“Whatever it is you’re doing,stop,” I snarled, my face inches from her. Her nose flared as she took in my scent, pupils blown wide as she looked up at me.

Light notes of lavender flooded the room, along with the sweet scent that I had only heard about; perfume and slick. My body reacted before my mind could, pulling her closer until our chests crashed together. My hand fisted in her hair as I kissed her.Fuck.Why did she taste so good? I let go of her wrist, my hand trailing over her waist and up to her breasts, moving on autopilot.

Instead of pushing me away her hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer. She was kissing me back, her lips incredibly soft. Sweet vanilla and lavender assaulted my senses.

My hand clenched tighter in her hair and on her hip, eliciting a needy whimper from her as the smell of her slick became so potent it was almost unbearable. I pulled her in even tighter and the temptation to press her into the wall and feel every luscious curve of her body was heady.

---